Chapter 40
Non
I felt oddly peaceful, considering I had to face another unknown trial in the morning.
As I stood around a small fire in the woods with Addae, Alaw, and Jazz, I realised that, for the first time in a while, I felt pretty content.
Dylan needed to discuss some Coven things with Caerwyn, so he left me with my friends to find some privacy deeper in the woods.
Thinking about it, though, he'd been gone quite a while.
“So, how are things between you and sexy Son of the Sea, lover boy, Witch man?” Addae slurred over his cup. While most had been giving their thanks, Addae had been filling his cup. Repeatedly.
“There's nothing between us. He just trains me, that's all.”
“Yeah, right! And kisses you passionately on the mouth in front of everyone.” He threw his arms up in the air, nearly losing his balance. “With tongues!”
I winced, realising I'd forgotten about that tidbit. Not the kiss, of course, but that the marsh had been surrounded by hundreds of spectators that we couldn't see.
Pen Arwr Aeron came to stand in front of the Aelwyd and requested all competitors make their way to the front of the crowd for a celebratory toast. Seeing the bastard again made the little food I had in my stomach roil.
But there was something about Dylan's promise that filled me with hope.
If anyone was going to put Aeron in his place, it was him.
Sweeping my gaze around the festivities, I noticed Caerwyn was standing next to Ledr Emna, deep in conversation with her.
They must have finished their meeting, I guess.
I made my way deeper into the woods to see if I could find Dylan. The moon was full and bright, illuminating the dark woods.
As I reached a small break in the dried trees, I heard the voices of two males. Turning to my left, I spotted Dylan, whose back was to me. He was animated as he spoke, raising his arms and bumping his fists on the tree.
I moved closer to them, making it no secret that I was here, but neither noticed me standing only a few feet away.
Just as I reached out to tap Dylan on the shoulder, he shouted,
“You don't need to remind me what's at stake here!”
“It looks like I do. You've been more interested in making her pretty trinkets than focusing on the task at hand,” Zenn's voice said.
“We were tasked with guiding the mark in the right direction. The connection I formed with her makes everything a whole lot easier.”
“Of course it does, but you aren't fooling me for one second. I know you aren't pretending, big man. What you feel for her is real.”
Dylan went quiet, but Zenn continued. “He sent his beasts to attack the other night because he knows, Dyl.”
Zenn must have placed a hand on his shoulder as Dylan shrugged it off.
“Of course he knows, but he couldn't give a shit what my relationship is with her.
He just cares about us delivering our end of the bargain.
The attack was a retaliation because I didn't pass the ward information on.
He must have found out I'd kept it from him somehow.”
Zenn started speaking again, but this eavesdropping on their conversation felt so wrong, and the 'her' they'd kept referring to might have been me. I so desperately wanted to confront the two of them, but now was not the time or the place.
“Pen Arwr Aeron just announced he wants all the competitors to toast to the success of the trials or something.”
Dylan, who jumped out of his skin when I started speaking, turned to me slowly. He flashed me a lazy smirk as he took my hand. “Then we better not keep Pen Arwr waiting.”
When everyone had congregated around the fire, Aeron handed each competitor a large silver chalice and filled each with wine.
“Let us toast! To those we came to honour tonight and miss so dearly. And to the brave souls who stand in front of me, may luck be on your side tonight.”
The crowd muttered in agreement, and we all took a sip of the sweet wine.
My eyes landed on my grandmother, who stood to Aeron's side in front of the fire. She gave me a sympathetic look before handing her full chalice to Aeron and leaving.
Dylan's hand landed on my shoulder, and as I turned towards him, he swayed once before toppling backwards.
I dropped to my knees beside him, pulling his head into my lap. A chorus of gasps came from the crowd as one by one, each competitor dropped to the ground unconscious, just like Dylan had.
When I looked around, the rest of the crowd seemed to take a few steps back from us. Even Jazz and Addae moved away from Alaw, who lay on her side a few feet from Dylan.
“What's going on?” I demanded.
Aeron's beady eyes snapped to mine, looking utterly perplexed that I was speaking.
Then my eyes began to feel heavy, so much so that I had to shut them. I swayed to the side and landed with my head on Dylan's chest.
I fought the urge to fall asleep, but my body felt weaker and heavier as the seconds passed.
Gripping the front of Dylan's habit, I took one final deep breath before I was pulled under.