Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
“ K nock knock!” A key turning in the door jolted me awake, and my eyes shot open in panic. I raised my head, freezing as I felt the warm body beneath me. Ronan’s powerful arms were wrapped around me, holding me snug against his chest. I looked down at our bodies entangled together, with my leg thrown over his and my arm wrapped around his torso.
“Oh gods,” I whispered. Trying not to wake him, I began to wriggle out of his grasp. Ronan’s eyes began to open, and I bolted upright, moving closer to the wall. My cheeks instantly flushed, and I brought my hands to my face, attempting to shield myself from the humiliation.
“When did I?” I forced the words out, staring at him. Ronan started to sit up, casually running his fingers through his hair. He shrugged off my question as though it were inconsequential.
“I didn’t want to wake you.” I glanced between Ronan and whoever stood behind the door, knocking persistently. He rolled off the bed and picked up his pants from the floor, pulling them up and buttoning them at the waist. His back muscles flexed with each movement. I couldn’t help but gawk—he was, I was, oh my goodness!
I brought my knees up to my chest as Ronan ran his finger along the door frame, removing the protective charm. As soon as he unlocked it, Pippa burst into the room.
“Finally, Ronan! What took you so long? I almost dropped everything out there.” She entered with her hands full, carrying such a large load that I could only glimpse her feet as she entered, dumping everything unceremoniously by the doorway. Pippa glanced at me, flashing a warm smile. I responded with a nonchalant wave to signal that there was nothing noteworthy happening here.
“Oh, I see,” she remarked, playfully slapping the back of Ronan’s leg. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
“Absolutely not—no. Nothing interrupted here,” I interjected.
“Sure, sweetie, whatever you say,” Pippa added with a playful wink.
The door swung open again and slammed against the wall. I was startled as a short, red-headed man with long, wiry hair stormed in, demanding our attention.
“Ronan!” he bellowed, stretching his arms out wide. The newcomer’s greeting went far beyond joy. It was as if his beloved, long-lost son had finally returned home after moons spent apart. His eyes sparkled with a mix of relief and elation, his embrace tight and full of unspoken affection.
As I observed their interaction, a torrent of questions surged through my mind. How long had Ronan been in Fortestule? What history existed behind that heartfelt welcome, and what had transpired during his time away?
The more time I spent with Ronan, the more my curiosity grew. Despite my reluctance to admit it, he was undeniably intriguing. After last night, my perception of him had shifted, leaving me feeling disoriented and unsettled. I chewed at my nails, trying to steady my racing thoughts.
“It’s great to see you are well, old man,” Ronan exclaimed with a friendly pat on the back.
“And who is this charming lady you’ve brought home with you, Ronan?” he asked, turning his attention to me. I rose from the bed, intending to shake his hand, but he surprised me by hauling me into a tight embrace. In the process, my blanket slipped, yet he remained unfazed as he continued the hug, oblivious to my silky nightgown.
“Let me get a good look at you,” he said, squinting with one eye. His bushy brows furrowed. “Curse me! I thought you were pulling my leg, Pippa! A halfling! I never thought I’d live to see the day.” He approached me and sniffed. I backed away behind Ronan, so he stood between me and the man. I reached for his arm, feeling the strength of his hard, rippled forearm beneath my fingertips.
“Did he just…?” I started to ask Ronan.
“Jayne, this is Langley, Pippa’s husband,” Ronan explained. I nodded in understanding.
“Oh, leave the poor girl alone, Langley!” Pippa interjected, beginning to make the bed. However, the man continued staring, his unwavering gaze making me feel more and more self-conscious. I glanced at Pippa, who focused her efforts on making the bed. I seized the opportunity and rushed over to her.
“Oh, that’s okay! Please allow me.”
She swatted my hand away. “Don’t be silly, Miss Jayne.”
“Ronan, how is this possible?” Langley asked, mirroring the astonishment of the townsfolk. My eyes shifted to Ronan, who casually leaned against the wall, watching Pippa and me. Though his thoughts seemed distant, the softness in his eyes mirrored a growing sense of protectiveness, and though I couldn’t comprehend the reason for it, I sensed it.
Langley approached Ronan and lowered his voice. I still heard him. “I don’t know the trouble you’ve stumbled into or if you’re courting danger suddenly, but you’re in over your head, son. She needs to go into hiding or, better yet, assemble an army to protect her.”
“I’ve tried, Langley. Geoffrey is involved now, and things are…” Ronan paused, glancing at me. His once decisive voice now carried a mix of concern and uncertainty. “Complicated.”
“Geoffrey, that spawn of Hades!” Langley exclaimed, anger seeping into his voice.
“Lower your voice; you’ll wake the entire inn,” Pippa cautioned, handing me a pillow.
“Give it a bit of a fluff for me, sweetie.”
I tapped the pillow against my knee and returned it to her so she could arrange it against the headboard. Langley crossed his arms, scrutinising Ronan.
“Tell me you have a plan, Ronan!”
“I have a plan.”
“Hmm, and does this plan involve you living to see another day? And what about her?”
I held my breath as Langley and Ronan continued their intense conversation, seemingly unaware that Pippa and I had temporarily halted our activities to eavesdrop. They couldn’t have been talking about me, could they?
Manoeuvring around Pippa, I busied myself by smoothing the bedding. Ronan stepped closer to Langley now, his jaw tight and muscles taut. Although he spoke in hushed tones, I caught his words. “I’m doing this for her, Langley! Every move, every choice—everything I’ve done is because she means everything to me. And there is no way I’m going to stand by and watch the fates take her away from me. Not again.” I flinched, startled. I turned to Pippa, searching her eyes for answers. She met my gaze with knowing eyes and reached out, resting her hand on my forearm.
“What is he talking about, Pippa?” I whispered. She knew about this. Ronan’s words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. My heartbeat quickened, and I felt the blood rush to my ears. The room seemed to heat, my thoughts clashing like a chaotic storm. I glanced at Ronan, yet his eyes held no answers. All I found was the weight of his revelation.
“What about the prophecy?” Langley exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “This goes beyond you, Ronan. You’re not thinking straight.”
“It’s all I’ve ever thought about,” he snarled.
Pippa sprang to her feet, briskly brushing the dust from her skirt. “Oh, Langley! Stop it! He doesn’t have time for this. They have to be on their way soon! Oh, that reminds me.” She scuffled over to the doorway and crouched to pick up something. “This is for you, Jayne.” She handed me a giant bow, almost her size. She stooped to the floor again, reaching for something else. “And this, too.”
She turned to me, holding out the matching quiver filled with arrows. I felt my mouth drop as I tried to find the words, but nothing came out. I turned to Ronan, who had a subtle smile. He gave me a reassuring nod of encouragement.
“How did you know?”
“Ronan told me you fancied a bow and arrow. You misplaced yours recently in an interaction with a Yarristaga, is that right? I won’t let you go out in the hidden forest without being fully armed, even if it is alongside our powerful Ronan. A girl can’t rely on a man out there. She must be able to protect herself.” I crouched to the floor, running my fingers along the braided brown leather along the side of the quiver and admiring the silver embellishments. I’d never touched anything so perfect in all my life.
“Pippa, I—” I halted, suppressing my emotions. “It’s beautiful, but I can’t accept this.” I attempted to hand it back.
“You can, and you will! Think of it as a welcome gift into Faerie. To new beginnings!” She lightly tapped my arm and breezed past me like it were a trivial matter. I nodded.
“To new beginnings,” I echoed under my breath.
“We will let you guys get on with it. I’ll go wake up Silas and Henry and get them ready.” Her voice trailed knowingly. “I’m sure they’re passed out somewhere around here.” She turned her attention to Ronan, narrowing her eyes on him with intent. “Now, you take care of her, you hear me?” Ronan nodded. “And after you’re done dealing with that oaf they call a king, come right back home. When I see you next, I expect you to be in one piece. Remember who you are, Ronan.” My gaze lifted, and I furrowed my brows as I honed in on her words… Remember who you are?
He shook his head, stating firmly. “I am no longer him.”
Langley snorted audibly, crossing his arms in a somewhat defeated manner.
“You are and always will be, regardless of if you accept it.”
Ronan dipped his head. Though their words were a puzzle to me, he seemed to grasp their meaning. Pippa and Langley lingered by the door.
“I’ve prepared some bread and cheese for your journey; it’s in a satchel by the door. It should last you the day, perhaps two, if you ration it wisely. We’ll be seeing you soon, Jayne.” I nodded in gratitude as they turned to depart. Langley hesitated at the door, grappling with his last words. He wanted to say more, and I knew my presence in the room was the only thing stopping him. Perhaps he would have pleaded with Ronan not to go or persuaded him to stay. In the end, he merely stared at him, acknowledging it would have been foolish to do so. Maybe he always knew it would come to this.
Taking my eyes off Langley, I focused on my captor—the traitorous thief, as I had once labelled him. Yet, deep down, I knew he was anything but.
“Tell her everything, Ronan. She deserves to know the truth.” As those words reached me, I felt on the verge of shattering into millions of pieces. I wasn’t ready to hear it, not yet, and Ronan must have known it, too, because he wasn’t looking at Langley—he was looking at me.
Along with breakfast, Pippa had brought Ronan and me extra clothing for the trip that awaited, and this time, it was much more appropriate than the ones from the night before. She’d included a range of fur-lined sweaters, britches for the both of us and shirts and singlets for the warmer weather. Ronan was quiet as he prepared, deep in thought. Something was troubling him. He pulled a black hooded tunic over his head, his well-defined stomach contracting with the motion. The fabric reached the top of his britches and covered the last portion of his inked chest. He was handsome like this in his informal attire, his tousled hair falling casually on one side. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was anything in this world that made him look anything less than perfect.
“Pack lightly; you’ll only need the warmer clothes,” he instructed.
I walked over to the bed where Pippa had laid two travel packs for us and began adding the socks, gloves, and knitted head warmer she had brought for me. Gathering the clothes in my hands, I went behind the partition to change, sliding off the retched lacey undergarments and cursing them as I kicked them into the corner. I was glad to see the last of those. I gladly welcomed the leather britches and fur-lined jumper. The texture felt heavenly against my skin. I pulled my hair back, secured it on my head, and laced up my boots. “I’m ready.”
Ronan looked at me, and we exchanged an anxious glance before he stepped closer, reaching for my face and tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.
“Let’s go get your brother.”
The young fae boy from last night welcomed us to the stable. He looked to be no older than eleven or twelve, his curly golden-brown locks falling over his ears. He held an iron rake in his hand and reminded me so much of Jesse with his gritty, mud-stained clothes. It tugged at my heart; had he slept the night here?
“How did she go?” Ronan asked. The boy, though reserved, spoke clearly and met Ronan’s eye when he addressed him.
“She was ravenous! Ate all the legumes and fruit I put out for her last night. I gave her extra carrots this morning, trimmed and replaced her hooves—they were overdue—and braided his mane for the journey. Keep her coat on, as it’s expected to be cold where you’re going. She’s fully saddled and ready to go. Your friends are waiting for you in the back.”
Ronan nodded and threw him another pouch of coins. The boy stumbled, dropping his rake to catch the pouch with an awkward arch of his body. He emptied it in his hands, his eyes widening. I was unfamiliar with fae currency, but the gold looked valuable. Dirt smudged the boy’s cheeks as he watched Ronan.
“Before you go, there’s one thing I ask of you. Can you ensure the delivery of this letter for me? It holds great importance.” Ronan handed him the letter swiftly. I tried to glimpse the address, but he was too quick. The boy cradled the letter, treating it like the most fragile thing he had ever held.
“Absolutely, sir.” He bowed before darting off.
I turned to Ronan, who flashed me a quick smile. “Shall we?”
We strode through the stables, and I breathed in the faint scent of horses. “You know, Ronan, I’m starting to think this whole asshole persona might be just a fa?ade. What was that all about?” I asked, but was interrupted by the deep voices of Silas and Henry as we rounded the corner. They seemed to have been arguing about something before spotting us.
“Ronan!” Silas pleaded. “Tell my brother he’s an idiot!”
Smirking, Ronan glanced between them. “You’re both idiots!”
“Oooo,” Henry exclaimed, bringing his hands together in a sarcastic clap.
“Shush,” Silas scowled, massaging his temples. “My head is pounding, and you’re making it worse.”
“I’m pleased to see you both survived the night,” Ronan said, walking over to the stall with his horse inside it.
“We could say the same about you.” Silas looked over at me, and I scoffed.
“I wouldn’t be lying if I told you I slept with one eye open,” Ronan winked at me, and my heart skipped. “What do they say? Never trust a pretty lady with a dagger? Speaking of which…” Ronan turned to Silas. “Return Jayne her dagger.”
Silas looked shocked. “That’s a bad idea.”
“The bad idea is leaving her unarmed,” Ronan insisted. Silas glanced at me, narrowing his hazel eyes on the bow and arrow crossed over my back. He gestured toward it.
“She looks pretty armed to me!”
“Give it to her. We’ve got an agreement, and I trust she’ll wield it wisely.” Ronan’s voice grew louder as he directed his words at me. I beamed and extended my hands, playfully wiggling my fingers in the air.
Silas reached into his satchel to retrieve the snake-engraved dagger. The gold embellishments reflected the torchlight as he tossed it into the air and caught it expertly by the hilt. He advanced toward me, holding the dagger out. Squaring my shoulders, I prepared to accept it.
“Be careful, little girl. Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself with that,” Silas smirked. The urge to throw the dagger at his back crossed my mind, but I resisted, not wanting to lose the privilege of having my weapon back.
Henry came up beside me, whispering, “I have a feeling you two are going to be best friends one day.”
“I highly doubt that,” I remarked, strapping the dagger to my sheath.
Silas and Henry secured their packs onto their horse’s saddle as I walked over to Ronan, who attended to his belongings.
“Where is my horse? I can only see three, and they all seem to be accounted for.”
“You’ll be riding with me again,” Ronan said.
“I thought you said you trust me now?”
“You’re still our prisoner, remember? What kind of thief would I be if I didn’t keep you close?”
I tried to imagine riding with Ronan in such proximity again. This time felt different for some reason, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but it seemed I had no choice.
“Where’s Scarlett?” I asked, and it was as if saying her name brought her to us. She stood with the brothers, watching me closely.
“Ronan, I need to talk to you.”
He lifted his head, acknowledging her with a nod.
“Speak of the devil,” Henry whispered in my ear.
“Strap on your bow and arrow. I’ll be right back,” Ronan instructed. Scarlett took Ronan’s hand and pulled him over to the corner of the stall, placing a shield around the two of them as she spoke.
I busied myself, securing my belongings to the saddle of Ronan’s horse, feigning disinterest. I rubbed the back of the horse’s ear, which seemed to relish the attention. “Such a good girl, aren’t you?” I leaned in and whispered, “I bet you can hear what’s going on over there, can’t you, girl? Yes, you can.” She neighed and nudged my hand. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if this magnificent creature had truly understood my question.
“It’s not what you think,” Henry said beside me, and I snapped my head to him.
“What, the lovers’ quarrel?” I spat the words, failing to hide my interest.
“There’s nothing between them—well, not on Ronan’s behalf, anyway.”
We observed them for a moment, and with Henry beside me, I took the opportunity to study them. Scarlett was in tears, gesturing emphatically in the air before wiping the tears from her face. Ronan didn’t appear annoyed or uninterested; his eyes conveyed a different narrative—sadness.
“I think he doesn’t want to hurt her, you know. But now everything has changed, and he can’t go on ignoring it,” Henry remarked.
I wanted to ask Henry what had happened or what changed. Ronan reached for her hand, and it was the first moment since meeting Scarlett that I felt a shred of empathy for her. But now, watching the way she looked at him, my heart broke. I wondered if she would ever be able to heal from this. Maybe, deep down, she had always known she would lose him one day.
“How much longer do you think this will take?” Silas approached us, muttering under his breath.
“How long does it take for your heart to break in two?” I whispered, watching her. I got the sense that both brothers were watching me in silent contemplation. Henry broke the silence by slapping Silas over the head.
“Ouch, what did I do?”
“You’re a bastard, you know that?”
The men continued bickering as Scarlett leaned in to kiss Ronan on the cheek. Her lips lingered for a moment too long, and something tugged at my heart before she turned and walked away from him without looking back. Ronan stilled, watching her leave. I wondered what he felt toward her and if there was more to what he had shared with me the day before. But, in the end, it wasn’t my business.
He kicked the tip of his boot into the ground before returning to us.
“Scarlett won’t be joining us,” he announced. “She will stay here until you two are back next.” He looked at the brothers, who nodded knowingly. A silent understanding passed between them.
Ronan hoisted himself onto his horse, and the tall steed obediently responded to the tug of the reins as it welcomed its rider once more. A strand of dark hair fell upon his cheekbone. He extended his hand toward me, beckoning me to join him.
I studied it. Our connection lingered, filled with unspoken promises that tempted me to take his hand. I had a moment of hesitation as I stood there, staring into his captivating eyes. I wondered what this meant for me to entrust him fully, a vulnerability I had never given to anyone before.
“Ready for our grand adventure, my little halfling?” he asked, his tone gentle. A small smile played on the corner of his mouth, and his dimples made their grand debut. I returned his smile, and a peculiar sensation washed over me as if I had glimpsed those dimples in a thousand lifetimes before this.
With a nod, I said, “I’m ready.”