Freed from Gravity (Bound and Freed #2)

Chapter 29

Twenty-Nine

ALLETTE

I wear my grief like leaden armor beneath my skin. Heavy. Cold. Unforgiving.

My eyes cannot shut for any length of time without picturing Jeston’s lifeless body impaled by that pike, Cadoc standing over him with a victorious sneer before turning his sights on me. Suddenly, I’m back on that rooftop, dodging pikes and dismembered body parts, a madman with bloodred wings breathing down my neck. Squeezing my throat until I’m on the brink of death. When I fall off the rooftop, Aeron isn’t there to catch me.

It’s been three days of restless nights and heart-stopping panic every time someone knocks at the front door. We have yet to hear a word from the castle, waiting with bated breaths for news of Kyffin and the princess. As much as I would love to explore the burrows as a distraction, we cannot leave for fear of someone working for Cadoc recognizing us.

This beautiful home so full of love and life has become another cage, the walls slowly closing in.

Despite it all, Senan remains upbeat, doing his level best to make me laugh every chance he gets. Still, I see the shadows cross his eyes when he thinks I’m not looking.

Josie ambles by the bedroom I’ve been given, glancing in as she passes. Her brows come together when she finds me sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at nothing. Remembering everything.

“I’m so glad you’re awake,” she says. “How would you like to join your handsome mate in the kitchen?”

That had been the plan, but this is as far as I’ve gotten.

After suffering through three barely edible dinners, last night I offered to help Josie cook. She waved me off, said she was used to cooking for far more people, and didn’t mind the task. I couldn’t find it in my heart to tell her that I wasn’t only offering for her benefit but for ours as well.

Apparently, she changed her mind.

In the kitchen, Senan stands at the counter, a gingham apron tied around his waist, a peeler in one hand, and a sweet potato in the other. When he sees me, he offers a quick smile and a wink.

Swallowing my misery, I attempt a smile in return. “Nice apron.” The last time he wore similar attire, we made love on a kitchen table.

Senan knocks his hip against Josie’s, saying in a conspiratorial whisper, “Told you she’d love it.”

“You wouldn’t catch my Harold dead in one of my aprons,” Josie replies with a giggle. “This lad all but insisted.”

Sounds like Senan, always finding brightness even on the darkest of days.

I glance at the pile of vegetables on the counter, half of them peeled, half still covered in dirt. “What’re you making?”

Josie grabs a potato. “Braith’s favorite. She sent word from the castle that she’ll be coming by for dinner.”

My stomach sinks even lower. How am I supposed to tell Braith what happened to the man she has pined over for so long? She’s going to be devastated when she learns of Jeston’s fate—assuming she hasn’t already.

I should’ve fought harder to save him.

Now I’m here, alive and breathing while he’s probably still on that rooftop.

In pieces.

My throat constricts, making it impossible to swallow as I blink back the tears that never seem to go away.

Josie nods toward the cupboards, oblivious to my spiral. “There’s a peeler in that drawer there. Grab one and get to work. Be sure to cut off any bad parts or mushy bits you see.” She sets down the potato to collect a handful of peels from the pile, dumping them into a bucket next to the bin. “Do the two of you have any idea how long you might be staying with us? Braith never mentioned.”

“We’ll be leaving as soon as Terrence gets back,” Senan says, rinsing the potato he just peeled and adding it to the four others next to the sink.

“There’s no rush now. Stay as long as you’d like; the more the merrier in this burrow, that’s what I always say.” A rosy flush stains her cheeks, and she clears her throat. “Although, if you could keep your cavorting down after eleven, I’d appreciate it. My Harold has to be out at the mines by half past six every morning and needs his rest.”

She can hear us? I wish the floor would open and swallow me whole.

Senan doesn’t have the decency to appear embarrassed, puffing his chest like a strutting rooster. “Our apologies, Josie. We will try to be quieter.”

“Thank you. It’d do no good to anyone for Harold to end up falling asleep on the job and tumbling into some pit. Oh! Speaking of pits…” Josie scurries into the hallway, leaving Senan and me alone with the potato mountain.

“I am going to die of mortification.” When I glance over and catch Senan still grinning, I snatch a handful of peels and throw them at his irritating face. “ Stop smiling.”

He dodges them easily enough, his laughter echoing around the room. “Maybe I like the idea of everyone knowing how loud I can make my girl scream.”

He would. “Tonight, I’ll be silent as the grave.”

“Will you, now?”

“Yes. Not even a peep.”

He eases forward and just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he nips my neck. A startled squeal bursts from my mouth, and Senan draws back looking as smug as ever.

I take my potato as far from him as possible, ignoring his chuckle as I swipe my peeler over the rough brown skin, shaving away the layers until only coppery orange remains. There are quite a few bad spots, so I cut those out as well, adding them to the pile of skins.

With each potato I peel, my embarrassment slowly melts back into worry. What am I going to say to Braith when she arrives? We’ll need to make time for a private conversation.

Setting his potato aside, Senan snags one of the leafy greens draining in the sink. “Do you see this? This is grass. Do you know what eats grass? The food I want to be eating.”

The Nightingales do eat a lot of vegetables. “Don’t let Josie hear you say that. She might take offense. I’m pretty sure Braith’s parents are vegetarians.”

Senan slumps against the counter with an exaggerated huff. “Well, I’m not.”

Neither am I, but beggars don’t dine on steak; they eat whatever they’re given.

Josie appears in the kitchen once more, a canvas bag draped over her shoulder. She’s not alone, either. A tall, scowling man waits at her back. “Look who I found outside,” she says, beaming up at Aeron. “We’ll have a full table tonight.”

Senan’s brother ducks through the door. For the first time since I met the man, he doesn’t look as if he’s on the verge of collapsing or murdering someone, and if I’m not mistaken, he’s had a haircut as well. The sides appear freshly shaven, the dark strands at the top trimmed so they skim the tops of his gold-lined ears.

The leaf in Senan’s hand floats down to the floor, his smile fading away. “You’re back.”

Aeron nods. “I returned as soon as I could.”

Josie sets down the canvas bag and then practically skips back out the door, leaving the three of us standing in tense silence.

I’m almost too afraid to ask, but I must know… “What news from the castle?”

Aeron’s silver gaze slides to where I strangle the peeler. “The king’s guards raided Dread Row last night. They arrested almost fifty men.”

Senan cards a hand through his hair. “And Carew?”

Aeron’s lips twitch. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was about to smile. “In the pit where he belongs.”

Did he just say Carew is in the pit? Heavens above! He did.

Carew is in the bloody pit!

“There’s more.” Aeron glances over his shoulder, searching up and down the hallway before stepping closer. When he speaks, his voice is no more than a whisper. “Jeston isn’t dead. They found him locked in a cage beneath Carew’s office. He was unconscious, but the healer says he should make a full recovery.”

My heart damn near leaps from my chest.

Jeston isn’t dead!

How is that even possible? This feels too good to be true.

What if it is? Could this be another lie told by the king? “You’re certain? You saw Jeston with your own eyes?”

“I did.”

A sob wrenches from my throat. Thank the stars and the gods and the fates for watching over him. I throw my arms around Senan’s neck, my tears soaking his soft cotton shirt. We’re safe . Carew is locked away where he cannot hurt me or anyone else I love, and Jeston isn’t gone.

Could this day get any better?

Squeezing me tightly, Senan presses a kiss to my temple. “And Kyff?”

What’s happening to Aeron’s face?

Is he… wait . Is he smiling?

No. That’s not a smile. It’s an impish grin.

Although Senan holds my heart, I finally understand why women claim Aeron is the most handsome of the Vale princes.

“Our baby brother is on his way back to the castle as we speak.”

Love is meant to triumph over evil .

I said those words to Senan only a few days ago. After what happened on Dread Row, it felt like all hope was lost. Now, I can see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Our dreams are waiting right around the corner.

We still need to remain vigilant. To guard our secrets and remain hidden from the king.

But those are all worries for tomorrow.

Tonight, we’re celebrating a miracle.