Chapter 29
Roksana
The weather changed the further south we travelled.
The blizzards and freezing winds gave way to a rain that soaked through every piece of clothing, no matter how thick.
We’d already travelled for over a week, slowly traversing the hidden paths to Tivalaran’s borders.
It didn’t help that the night fell early, forcing us to make frequent stops wherever we found shelter.
Irsha, whilst as close to me as a brother, was not someone I wanted to share a damp blanket with. Fires were few and far between, not even my magic managing to light the soggy wood. Which meant I spent far too long in Irsha’s arms, and my temper had frayed to its last thread.
‘Why are you so worked up?’ the assassin asked when I urged the horse into a trot again. ‘No need to punish the animals for our pace. Besides, we’ll be in Tivalaran by tonight.’
‘We should have crossed the border yesterday, not still be trudging–’ I paused, taking a deep, calming breath, then pressing a hand to my forehead, checking for illness.
I shouldn’t be this angry, and this weakness…
There’s no fever, and my skin is clammy.
With a sigh, I tried to recall if anything matched my symptoms, but my memory didn’t supply an answer.
‘Sana, what’s wrong?’ Irsha leaned over, placing a hand on my shoulder. His expression was so full of concern that I clamped down on my irritation.
‘Nothing, really. I’m just tired and fed up with this rain. My panties are so wet my c– my arse is chafed raw,’ I said, forcing a smile. Irsha reached for my hood, pulling it further over my face before spreading my cloak over the horse’s back.
‘There’s a town just over the border with a decent inn.’ His words were like the crackling of fire to my frozen bones, warming me with the promise of a cooked meal. That is, until he added: ‘But we need to slow or the horses will collapse before we reach the town.’
‘Irsha, we have a job to do. You know I love you, but I’ll kill you if we don’t get there soon,’ I said, sighing at his expression.
‘I promise we’ll take a room and a hot meal tonight.
’ Irsha shook his head with a dramatic eye roll that looked so ridiculous, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘I’m glad I pushed you into Reynard’s arms.’ He pulled away, grinning.
‘Your bossiness isn’t as annoying with this needy streak you’ve developed. ’
‘Oh, you smug bastard. I’m needy? Who was it rubbing his bare chest over Lily’s pillow?’ It was good to laugh, even a little, and I held on to the cheerfulness and banter to keep going.
The rain mercifully stopped, leaving the next few hours of travel bearable. As the sun slowly descended below the horizon, the sky glowed until the light faded and the stars began their nighttime dance. It was a beautiful evening, but I couldn’t help the sense of dread.
‘Irsha, do you feel any different?’ I asked, trying to keep my voice casual, catching the reins sliding from my trembling fingers.
‘Different how?’ he asked.
I was grasping the pommel of my saddle with every ounce of my rapidly fading strength. The sensation was worse than my menses. Scrap that, it was worse than a cold, menses, and the worst hangover combined.
‘I think we might need to stop earlier than we planned.’ My voice shook when I answered. I hated to call for a stop after pressing on him to rush to the borders, but my body refused to listen as I slowly slid off the horse.
‘We’re too close to stop now… and where? In a forest full of wolves?’ His voice made me grind my teeth, his figure blurring before my eyes.
Either Irsha’s as strong as an ox, or I’m the only one affected, I thought as a cold sweat pooled under my collar, while my heart beat like a caged bird.
‘You can do it, Sana,’ I muttered, reaching into my jacket.
My fingers closed over a small vial containing a powerful stimulant.
I had a decision to make. This cocktail would give a six-foot warrior inhuman strength for hours, only to leave him unable to even lift a finger after the effect faded.
I hope this isn’t a mistake, I thought, popping the cork and tipping the sweet, sticky contents down my throat.
The reaction was faster than expected. My heart picked up its pace, the fog blanketing my mind disappeared, and my eyesight returned to normal as the mixture of herbs and magic gave me energy I didn’t know existed.
‘Alright, I have an hour – two at most. Let’s make it count.
’ I nudged the horse to move faster, passing Irsha in no time.
We set off at a relaxed canter, and I focused on breathing, my mind drifting to Reynard.
The image of his wolfish grin and handsome, roguish face filled me with warmth, and gods knew I needed it.
He must have read my letter by now. This thought instantly brought me face-to-face with an unpleasant reality. Gods, he must be furious.
Another hour passed. I cursed when the numbness and cold returned much earlier than I’d expected. Irsha rode past, getting several metres ahead before he reined in the horse and stared at something ahead.
‘We need to keep going, Blade. What’s wrong?
’ I stopped beside him, looking in the same direction.
There was nothing but trees and the muddy road ahead, but the longer I looked, the more the road ahead seemed to stretch into the sky.
The clouds, already thinning, broke long enough for the moonlight to brighten our surroundings, highlighting two tall structures.
‘Fuck,’ I said, focusing on the pillars framing the road. A silver sheen reflected the moonlight, drawing my attention to the writing on the pillars’ surface and the strange swirling aether surrounding them. As soon as I adjusted my sight, it revealed a vortex of magic disappearing into the ground.
A shiver ran through my body when the rune pulsed, drawing away my stored aether.
‘What an interesting discovery,’ I said when I recognised what I confronted.
So this was where the srebrec had gone. At least I knew why I was so weak.
This perverse gateway had been draining my aether, and, like the last dimwit, I’d drunk a stimulant that sped up the process.
‘Irsha, please…’ I said, swaying towards my friend. ‘I need you to help me.’
‘What? Why?’ he asked, coming closer. His eyebrows rose so high they almost touched his hairline. ‘Morana’s tits, Sana, you’re as pale as a upior.’
My insides revolted. I hunched over the horse’s side, expelling the contents of my stomach into the snow.
‘If you don’t help, I really will be a ghost,’ I said, my voice hoarse, throat still sore from retching.
‘And if you don’t get me away from here, I’ll make sure you’re the first person I feed on. ’
‘Are you serious? I’d never live it down if I let you die like that.’ His carefree tone made me smile despite the circumstances.
‘Not if we’re quick,’ I said, pushing my horse closer to his. ‘But the longer we wait, the bigger the chance.’
‘Come here,’ Irsha said, grabbing my arm and dragging me onto his horse. ‘How fast do we need to go past these gate posts?’
Gate posts… no, they’re a weapon. A passage no mage can cross, and it was supposed to be a safe route.
Tymon’s map was detailed. We’d travelled along his secure route to avoid the patrols and garrisoned units.
The trail was far from Tivalaran’s towns to prevent anyone from noticing a stranger’s presence.
Only, Tymon wasn’t a mage, and I was paying the price for not verifying his knowledge.
Irsha set off at a canter, jolting me and forcing me to wrap my arms around his torso.
‘Gods, your fingers are freezing. I can feel them even through my clothes.’ He wrapped his cloak tighter around me. ‘I wonder if I’ll survive this?’
‘The srebrec won’t affect you unless you’re magical,’ I said, leaning heavily on his chest.
His humourless laughter sends vibrations through my body.
‘Plenty of women have told me I’m magical in the sack, but I wasn’t talking about the srebrec, Trouble.
I’m holding the most poisonous woman in the kingdom to my chest, and if that wasn’t scary enough, she belongs to another man.
A very possessive man,’ he said, resting his chin on my head while he guided the horses along the icy road.
‘If you die, my Poisonous Queen, I’m as good as dead too. ’
‘Oh, stop it. Reynard isn’t some primitive brute who reacts badly regardless of circumstances,’ I muttered, feeling Irsha’s hand tightening on my waist.
‘You have a lot to learn about men, Sana. Everyone’s a primitive brute when it comes to the woman they love.
’ He sighed before I heard him cursing. ‘We’re in trouble.
There’s a guard post behind the pillars.
Hide your face in my cloak and play my sickly little wife unless you want to fight those bastards. ’
This didn’t bode well. My plans were already going wrong, but I had no problem playing the sickly wife.
As soon as the guard stopped us right between two pillars, I couldn’t stop retching.
My head was spinning so much that I grasped Irsha’s hand, moaning softly, while he held my hair back as I painted the snow with our last meal.
‘Who are you and what business do you have here?’ The guard’s voice broke through my haze.
‘My wife… I think it’s swamp fever. Will you… Will you take her to the healer? Please, sir,’ Irsha said, holding me tight with one hand while pretending to push me into the guard’s arms.
The man stepped away, face filled with disgust. ‘She’s got one leg in the grave.
You’d better find yourself another one. Make sure you put a stake in her heart when you bury her, or she’ll rise again as a striga.
’ The cruelty in the guard’s voice removed any shred of guilt when I bent over and vomited onto his boots – my last attempt at revenge, before consciousness slipped away.
‘Veles’ pit, take her away before she infects us,’ the angry voice said, but I was too far gone to care. My vision darkened just as Irsha straightened me up, pressing me hard to his chest, and the horse bolted, taking me away from the cursed ore.
By the time we reached town, I’d regained consciousness and could look around.
I’d been to the South before. Tivalaran’s capital was a trading hub for almost the entire Tir ha Mor continent.
I thoroughly enjoyed how the various cultures mingled through trade, creating a society where your chances in life were based solely on skill and intelligence.
The changes were jarring. With the winter solstice festivities finished, I expected a subdued atmosphere, but this bleakness was shocking.
It wasn’t just the cold and rain; the dread in the hunched backs of passersby and the surprising number of empty buildings didn’t make sense.
The people who hurried through icy streets didn’t even raise their heads to note our arrival.
‘Still with me, Nightshade?’ Irsha asked as we neared the inn, and I nodded weakly.
‘Yes, barely.’ I yawned, weary to the bone. ‘Don’t wake me up till the morning unless the world ends or Tangra knocks on our door.’
‘Why do you think you’ll be getting any rest? It was me doing all the work to get you here.’ I didn’t grace Irsha’s teasing with more than a raised eyebrow, allowing him to lead us to the tavern, still playing the doting husband.
A few coins tossed onto the counter got us a room pretty quickly. Unfortunately, to keep up the pretence, we had to accept one with a double bed. My protests evaporated when I saw how clean it was, the crisp white linen tempting me with the scent of laundry soap.
‘Gods, I need this,’ I said with a moan. With the last of my strength, I squirmed out of Irsha’s arms and kicked my shoes off while the assassin collected pillows and a throw, making a comfortable nest on the floor.
A year ago, we would’ve simply slept together.
Even though we’d been forced to cuddle for warmth on the journey, this was different.
Now that we had Reynard and Lily, the very idea of sleeping in the same bed felt wrong.
At least for me, it did, and judging by how neatly Irsha arranged his bedding, he also wanted to avoid any misunderstandings.
I threw him another pillow with a murmured, ‘Thank you.’
‘You don’t thank family, Trouble. We always look after each other,’ Irsha said, checking the window and door.
I watched him securing them with makeshift crowbars and latches before stripping off his outer clothing and burrowing under the blanket.
I followed suit, my eyelids growing heavier with each passing moment.
Still, there was one thought that gnawed at me.
‘Irsha?’ I said. He grunted in response, so I continued. ‘Once we get to Ernesto Tivala’s castle, you have to leave. If we’re caught, Ernesto might use me to blackmail Reynard, but you’ll be executed, or he’ll hurt you to keep me in check.’
‘Go to sleep, Roksana, you’re tired,’ came from under the covers, and I sighed, cursing the stubborn man. I had a plan, imperfect as it was, but the plan only covered one person sneaking into the castle. I had to convince my stubborn guardian to let me go alone.
I’ll drug him senseless if I have to, I thought, listening to his slow breathing broken by the occasional snore.
I could sacrifice a lot for my goals, but I refused to let Irsha become a casualty in this war.
What I’d said was true. I would survive an encounter with Tivala, not unscathed, but he’d keep me alive as an axe to hold over Rey’s head.
Irsha was too dangerous, and I’d bet my poisons that Ernesto would keep me around to watch his execution.
My fear spiked, and the blood roared through my veins at the thought of the consequences if we were caught. I forced myself to breathe slowly. I couldn’t have doubts. Not now. Whether I lived or died was up to fate, but if I failed, there must be someone to warn Dagome.
Irsha had a better chance of returning alive alone than dragging me through the frozen mud, avoiding both guards and Jagon’s men.
As for my return? I wouldn’t survive the srebrec Pillars if they kept us there for questioning, and there was only one way that led from Tivalaran to Dagome that I was sure would be left unguarded.
The one full of monsters.
The frozen depths of Piran’s Swamp.