Chapter 35
They rushed back into the longhouse and she saw a new person standing among the group.
He was lengthy, definitely not any type of fighter and she could see long blond hair going down his back. When he turned towards them, his blue eyes snapped to her.
“It is her.” The man stuttered.
“It is me,” she said back in a lighter tone.
“What do you have for us?” Kaden said, his voice back to being grumpy and grabbed the paper from the man.
She watched him read the document, his eyes darkening and saw his hands clench around it when he finished.
“How are his numbers growing so quickly?” He growled and she watched the messenger guy step back a few steps.
“We don’t know,” the messenger added. “We are assuming he is attacking smaller villages and using their bodies to make new Trenchers.”
Helen
Her old village was the first thought that came to mind, knowing Emris wouldn’t think twice about protecting such a small town.
“Can you tell what area he is attacking?” she asked quickly.
“Northern right now from what we can tell, closest to the border as he can but I wouldn’t put it past him to start expanding. Emris is losing and he just doesn’t know it yet.” the new male just stared at her, her expression falling to despair.
“Excuse me.” she muttered as her stomach rolled with nausea and headed for her room.
A soft knock sounded on her door a few seconds later and she leaned back against it.
“Not now Kaden.” she snapped, trying to take deep breaths.
“It’s not Kaden.” Raine’s voice was barely audible through the door.
She took one last deep breath and let her in quickly before Kaden could sneak his way in somehow.
“Are you ok?” Raine asked again.
She paced her room while still in her nightgown, her mind starting to race in too many directions for her to focus.
“I can’t do this.” she groaned.
“Take a breath and we can sort through what you are thinking.”
“Silas might be working with Mavros somehow, my people are alive and well, I don’t have my full power yet and I really want to hate Kaden but I can’t. I just-” she rattled her words off in a hurry, her mind spiralling.
Two hands gripped her shoulders and it stopped her in place, her eyes snapping upward.
“Take a breath Alyra.” Raine said softly.
She did as she was told, her chest rising as high as it could go, and then let it out slowly. It helped a little, her mind slowing but still in total chaos.
“Everything will be fine.” Raine continued. “You have every right to be mad at both Silas and Kaden, however I should tell you Kaden went out of his mind the night you were separated.”
She tried to imagine it, but all she could think of was waiting for him to come for her and how he might have died.
“He was a mess, flailing around while he was injured trying to figure out how to get to you, but the poison from the arrowhead was keeping him from his magic. The second Boone was able to extract it out of him he took off.”
Raine words tried to sink in, but her closed off heart didn't want to feel anything at the moment. He might have cared for her, but he deceived her and that hurt the worst.
“Doesn’t change the fact he tricked me for two months now. I know it is not that long to know someone or to build trust, but it feels like I've known him way longer,” she said in a blunt tone. “He saved me, but he broke me as well.”
She sat down slowly on the bed, her eyes staring at the floor and tried to focus on the breeze still blowing through the window.
“Give him a chance, he isn’t Silas. He fought for you because he cares about you, not what you can give him. From the sounds of it, Silas was more interested in what he could gain from you. ” Raine’s words finally struck a core inside her, the sting awakening part of her again.
“I need to get my power back so I can take that lying piece of crap out for good.” She snarled, Silas’s face flashing in her mind and she felt her power flare.
“Keep working with Kaden, I’m sure you are close to achieving it.” Raine assured.
She didn’t respond, the thought of still training with him made her stomach turn with a mix of emotions and she wasn’t sure which one to grab onto.
Another knock sounded on the door and Raine stood to open it while she stayed staring at the floor.
“Is she ok?” Kaden’s voice was barely loud enough for her to hear.
“Physically, yes.” Raine whispered back. “Mentally…”
“Can I-”
“Can you both please just leave me alone for a little while?” she snapped.
A sting of guilt ran through her chest, not really upset at Raine but she was overwhelmed and just wanted to be away from prying eyes.
The door closed and she laid back on her bed curling into a ball on her side with a sick feeling still in her stomach. She was able to fall asleep a short time later with Kaden’s face haunting her thoughts, that thread in her stomach vibrating one last time.
- - - - - - - -
It was dark when she opened her eyes. The sound of laughter drifting from the main hall had woken her, and she yawned as she sat up.
The air was colder now, the temperature having dropped with the night.
A chill brushed against her exposed skin.
She was still in her nightgown, with far too much skin uncovered, and she knew it would only get colder as the night wore on.
She got up slowly, her back still sore and checked her drawers across the room to see if there were any of her old clothes in it.
They were just how she left them.
She grabbed a long fur lined robe, the warmth of it welcoming around her body as she tied it around her. The smell of pine filled her nostrils and for the first time since she had been back, she actually felt at home.
Hesitantly she walked to the door and entered into the main hall following the voices that woke her.
It was the same group she had been around for the last few days, all drinking and sitting around one of the long tables. Food cluttered the table and she saw Kaden instantly look in her direction.
She avoided his eyes and instead looked to see Finnley draping his arm around Raine, who was leaning into him with a large smile across her face.
She was happy for her friend, that feeling of safety and love was something everyone deserved. She thought she had finally had it for good, but now she wasn’t sure.
The thread between her and Kaden pulsed, and she finally let her eyes meet his across the room. His beautiful maroon eyes were drinking her in and she could feel her guard melting away slowly.
He rose from his seat, the others quieting and could feel their stare as she stood still in her doorway. Slowly he walked to her, every step making her heart ache in need and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to speak with him again.
He stopped a foot from her, his eyes watching her carefully and she let out a long breath trying to calm her nerves.
“Come with me?” he asked softly, his eyes pleading with her once more and his hand reached toward her.
She stared at his hand for a few seconds, her mind and heart battling each other and she decided to let her heart win.
Gently she grabbed his hand and let their fingers intertwine with each other. He squeezed hers, his body relaxing and they started towards the door while the others continued their conversations quietly.
They stepped out into the night air, the moon lighting up the clear sky and casting shadows down the path into the trees. The path led down to her village, one she could see lit up with the evening fires and lanterns.
They didn’t use fae lights up here, traditional glass lanterns and candles suffices for them and saw no reason to change. They also didn’t want to rely on the Fae magic just in case they broke the alliance with Ambros.
Kaden grabbed a lantern that hung at the beginning of the path and they both walked in silence through the trees.
She took in a deep breath, the familiar scent of her home taking over her and she felt any tension she held fade away.
“The lilac you gave me that day in the garden,” she whispered. “It was from here wasn’t it?”
She glanced up at him, the lantern casting light on his face that perfectly showed his handsome features. Half of his hair was up in a bun, the rest draping down his shoulder with a loose strand framing his face.
To her, he was perfect.
“Yes.” he nodded. “I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t break again and thought it would help.”
She didn’t know what to say, her mind lost for words but squeezed his hand in thanks, hoping he would understand. His thumb brushed across her hand and she felt a shutter go down her spine.
As angry as she was at him, he did it to protect her people and keep himself safe. She couldn’t fault him for that, and knew if the situation was reversed she would have done the same.
“Kaden,” she whispered, halting them halfway down the path next to a break in the trees that showed a large meadow to one side. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” A confused look formed on his face.
“I shouldn’t have used my power on you, no matter how angry I was at you. I knew deep down you weren’t dangerous.” She looked down at their joined hands, his much larger than hers.
“I’m glad that you did, always defend yourself when you feel the need to.” he shrugged. “Even if you thought you trusted them.”
He pulled their hands up to his mouth and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. She found his eyes then staring at her with nothing but a calming gaze and the thread between them hummed for the first time.
“I do trust you,” she breathed softly.
A confession she had been burying deep down within the last day and found that maybe letting it out would make her feel better.
She cupped the side of his face with her free hand, his skin warm against her cold hands and she lifted herself to him, pressing her lips to his cheek.
The thread hummed once more and she felt her stomach get butterflies again just like on their travels that first night.
He stood frozen as she lowered herself back down stepping closer to him, her eyes still looking at his.
“However, I will destroy you if you betray me, I have a pretty mean high kick.” she smirked.
He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead, that feeling of adoration pouring from him again and all she wanted to do was stay in this moment.
“I want to show you something,” he whispered and continued to tug her back along the path with their hands still intertwined.