37. One Problem Down
37
ONE PROBLEM DOWN
*Kieran*
I travel southwest for an entire day through the remains of Escuro, my unease growing with each new step. A monster did this to their kingdom when they were already weak and defenseless. And he lied to us about it for our whole lives. If not for Raven, I might have become exactly like him. That’s what he was training me to be. He wants me to be a king exactly like him, but I’ll see him dead before I allow that to happen.
The trip back will be easier now, at least, since I don’t have to dodge my father’s men. I head to the southwest, where I told them I’d last seen Raven- Blanca , I remind myself. I miss her so much already, I have no idea how I’m supposed to pretend that I hate her. As far as Father knows, I chased after her to stop her. He’d want me to torture her, to kill her, even.
The thought alone turns my stomach now. There was a time when I might have considered it. He poisoned me so thoroughly against her, telling me that all she wanted was to be the ruler of Dun’s Crossing. He pitted me against her, but she was never even fighting. She simply wanted to survive. Just like her people.
I growl and try to clear my head. It’s been torture not hearing from her since I warned her about the soldiers.
‘We’re on lockdown now,’ her voice comes, faint and distant. We’ll be out of range within a few miles. I’ll be cut off from her.
‘Be safe,’ I shoot back wearily. ‘But if there’s trouble, give ‘em hell.’
I say a silent prayer to the Goddess that there won’t be any trouble. I can’t bear the thought of her being there defenseless. Without me to defend her, anyway. I know she can take care of herself, but she isn’t trained to fight like I am.
Just another injustice inflicted by my father. I can’t help but wonder if he left her weak on purpose. To what end? Why did he raise her as a daughter if he only intended to make her feel isolated and alone? Why let her live just to give her a half-life?
‘Where the hell have you been?’ an angry voice shouts inside my brain. One of my father’s men, I know. He’s close enough to have sensed me.
‘Have you seen this Goddess-forsaken place?’ I growl back, channeling the man I was before Raven. A man, I realize now, I completely despise. ‘I’ve been wandering around aimlessly for days. I lost the bitch and then got lost myself.’
I cringe internally talking about Raven like that, but better to get used to it now around men who don’t really know her. All they know is the king’s deranged daughter ran away, and the king’s son went after her. It’s probably good to practice with them now before I have to really put on the act for my father.
‘Head south. You’ll find us close to the border,’ he tells me. ‘We’ll regroup and form a plan. We’re not supposed to return to Dun’s Crossing without her chained and muzzled.’
Damnit. Somehow I’ll have to find a way to convince these men that continuing the hunt will be fruitless.
‘Can you still hear me? ’ my chest clenches as I wait for her response.
I’m worn out from the trip, and I’ll need to stop for the night soon. It would be nice to still hear her for just one more night. Despite being away from her all day, it was nice to know I could still speak with her. There are no caves in this flat terrain, but now that we’re linked, I don’t need to shift. I find a large clump of trees situated close together. It’ll have to do for tonight.
‘I can hear you,’ Raven finally says, and I feel my tense muscles relax. ‘It’s harder to hear now, though. How far are you?’
‘I’ve been walking all day. I must be nearing the southern edge of the kingdom.’
The soft ground is much more comfortable than the hard stone of the caves, but not nearly as nice as the warm bed I left this morning. The moment I curl into a ball and lay my head down, I’m nearly dizzy with exhaustion.
‘I won’t last long, ’ I tell her. ‘I’m so tired.’
‘Me too,’ her voice comes so faintly. It’s almost as if I’m dreaming it. ‘ I love you so much. Please stay safe. You carry my heart with you.’
‘I left mine with you, ’ I say with the last ounce of strength I have left.
The dawn hits my eyes far sooner than I’m prepared for, and I stretch my tired limbs, an aching soreness spreading through my body. The last few days have been hell on my body, but the journey isn’t nearly over yet. Better get this over with.
‘I love you,’ I think one last time, knowing Raven is probably sleeping. Maybe she’ll hear it in her dreams. The thought cheers me as I shift quickly, just to check the pack Luna Delaney gave me. There’s a small hunk of bread and fresh jam inside. I scarf it down, hungrier than I realized, and shift back, eager to get this journey over with once and for all.
The mark on my neck throbs more the further I get from Raven, so much so that it nearly distracts me from the familiar stench of rogues. The fur on my back stands up as I realize it’s a large group–at least seven or eight. They’re in such a tight formation it’s hard to tell.
The leader is a dark brown wolf who immediately bares his teeth. Shit . I back away, trying to show them I don’t want trouble. I can’t take this whole group alone, and they don’t look like they’re planning to show any mercy. They’re all snapping at me, feral.
A silver wolf who flanks the leader runs at me, and I quickly dodge him, forcing him to run into a nearby tree. I take advantage of his distraction, charging at him and aiming for his jugular, taking him out swiftly and easily. The victory is short-lived, though, as two more immediately flank me, attacking from both sides.
I spin quickly, backing myself against the tree so I’m at least covered on one side. The three of us brawl in a haze of teeth and fur, and I’m terrified this will be my last moment on earth. After everything, I’ll be taken down by a group of rogues before I can reach my father. Before I can return to Raven.
Her face snaps into my brain, and it’s as if I hear her voice, telling me to fight. I know she probably can’t hear me from this distance, and I’m glad for it, but the thought of her spurns me on, and I gather my strength, overpowering the two wolves and ending them. When I look back at the group, I realize only the leader is left, the others having run away sometime during the fight. I growl lowly at him, and he takes off as well, clearly not willing to face me himself.
I relax for a moment, assessing my fallen foes. It’s only then that I realize one of my attackers is a black wolf. A black female wolf. A plan quickly formulates in my mind, and I grab her scruff in my teeth, dragging her up the mountain, until I find a steep cliff. I throw her body over, watching as it falls, landing with a satisfying thud at the bottom.
For a moment, I get a vision of Raven’s body at the bottom of the cliff, and my heart lurches, but I remind myself that she is safe with her mother. I will not let anyone hurt her. Especially not my father. I take off at top speed, more determined than ever to reach the border by the end of the day. I need to get back to Dun’s Crossing.
I send a message to my father’s men that I’ve discovered Blanca’s body. I flash the image of the dead wolf in my mind, and I hear grumbling from dissatisfied men who were looking forward to bringing her home in chains. It’s hard to control my anger at their thoughts, but I must get used to it.
These men simply want to receive my father’s good favor; they don’t care one way or another about Raven. I tell them I’ll be caught up with them soon, and we’ll deliver the news to him in person. They seem satisfied that they won’t be the ones who have to deliver the bad news. My father probably will be furious, but this ensures her safety, and that’s all I can possibly hope for. It’s one problem, at least, that has solved itself.