Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
Thorn
I looked at Senara as I led her away from the tavern. The one she and Wyn had gone to was more than a little rough around the edges, which made me all the more nervous for her. She was still learning how to fight like a fae, so as much as I wanted to believe she could handle herself I wasn’t quite convinced.
It didn’t help that Senara was especially rash when it came to matters regarding Wyn. That girl was her biggest weak spot and any fae with half a brain would be able to tell and take advantage of that.
As soon as I had entered, the hush that had fallen over the tavern was almost comical; fortunately it also made Senara turn and look at me, her eyes going wide when she realized that I’d found her. It saved me from having to wade through the annoying drunkards to get her attention. I waved her over and was relieved that she came so easily. She could be beyond stubborn.
As we walked away from the warm lights and down a darkened alley the urge to possess her almost overcame me. I had to remind myself that even though we shared this bond, she wasn’t mine--and if I was being honest, she never could be--not without changing the way the fae courts viewed one another.
The urge to touch her was too strong though, so I found myself pushing her against a wall even though I didn’t remember moving. “Senara, do you know how much danger you and Wyn were just in? One wrong word and that entire tavern full of drunk fae would have come down on you like a wave crashing against the shore.”
“If that’s why you called me out here then–”
“It’s not, but I don’t like seeing you make bad decisions.”
“You’re not my caretaker.” A snarl curled Senara’s beautiful lips and had the opposite effect than she probably intended. I wanted to bite her bottom lip, suck on it before I had her– I cut off that train of thought. Now was not the time. I took a deep breath and slowly released it.
“That was not my intention. I know I’m not, but I needed to talk to you, and I needed to do so without lots of ears listening in.”
“Okay, so talk.”
She was angry with me, that much was obvious. I wasn’t sure whether it was more to do with me trying to protect her or pulling her away from her friend for something that she didn’t care about, at least not yet. I tried not to snap back at her, knowing that it wasn’t really me that she was angry at.
“We need to go and talk to the elves,” I replied in a hushed tone.
Her entire body stiffened at the words, as though I’d just told her we needed to raise the dead. “What?” She blinked up at me and I watched as her gaze cleared and any intoxication she’d been feeling vanished from her expression like fog in the morning sun.
“I said–”
She cut me off, apparently having no patience for my teasing. “I know what you said, explain what you mean.”
I grimaced slightly but replied, “I mean I want to go and talk to the elves, to ask for their help, but I can’t do that with you here and the thing between us.” I couldn’t bring myself to say it, not when I didn’t feel like we were in a safe area. “You know I would need you to come with me.”
“Thing?” she asked, sounding insulted. Was she just spoiling for a fight? “The thing between us, huh? That thing is what helped you find me tonight, isn’t it?”
I nodded once. “It did. I would have found you anyway though, even if I had to search every sun forsaken bar in this place. If you don’t want to come with me then there’s nothing that I can do, but I think you’d enjoy the trip. Besides, don’t you want to see how far the corruption has spread? We both know that the courts have stuck their heads in the sand regarding this, and the only way we’re going to make anything change is to force it ourselves. That’s why I think the elves are our best option.”
“But the royals said no, didn’t they? They told us outright that it was a waste of time to go to the elves.”
I nodded. “They did, which is why this is so dangerous, and so urgent.”
Senara's eyes narrowed, her lips pursing as she considered my words. I could see the gears turning in her mind, weighing the risks against the potential benefits. Her fingers absently traced the intricate patterns on her sleeve, a nervous habit I'd noticed she'd developed since coming to the fae realm.
"The elves," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "They haven't been seen in centuries. How do you even know where to find them?"
I leaned in closer, my breath ghosting across her ear as I spoke, "I have my sources. But we need to move quickly. The window of opportunity is closing."
She shivered, whether from my proximity or the gravity of the situation, I couldn't tell. Her eyes met mine, a spark of determination igniting within them. "And what about Wyn? I can't just leave her behind."
I fought back a grimace. Of course, she'd think of Wyn. "This journey isn't for her. It's too dangerous, and frankly, we can't afford any distractions."
Senara's jaw clenched, a flicker of anger passing across her features. "She's not a distraction. She's my friend."
"A friend who can’t fight," I countered, instantly regretting my words as hurt flashed in Senara's eyes.
She pushed against my chest, creating space between us. "That's not fair. You don't know what she’s been studying at the College of Mages.”
“All I’ve heard her talk about is healing magic, which is great, and I would love to bring her, if there were more than two of us. Facing the corrupted fae on the road is going to be hard enough as it is without having to worry about being Wyn’s bodyguard. Do you really want to put her in that much danger? You saw the group we fought earlier; that wasn’t even half the size of a horde. And what if there’s another mage controlling the corrupted? What if they can control Wyn’s magic? Use it against us?” The words were spilling out of me like wine into a nobel’s glass. “If you really want her to come, we can make it work, but at least think about it for a while first. It’s just going to be the two of us. Can we really fight and take care of Wyn on the off chance that we need healing? Can she really survive, emotionally and physically, something like you saw earlier today?”
“She could if I asked it of her, but I see your point.” Senara's eyes narrowed, her gaze searching my face. I could see the conflict warring within her – curiosity battling with her stubborn pride. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I assume you have a plan to get us out of the city without alerting the king and queen?” She popped her hands on her hips and gave me a sassy look that I wanted to kiss off her face.
I grinned. I couldn’t help myself.
Before I could speak, though, she held up a hand. “I haven’t agreed yet, but I’m considering it, so make a good case if you want to stand a chance of this working.”
Being around Senara was a constant strain on my self control, and if I wasn’t careful, then one of these days that control would snap and I’d do something that we could never take back. Maybe I should have her bring Wyn with us, at least that would limit the time when it was just the two of us. All the points I’d just made sat on one side of the scales in my mind, while on the other was an almost equal weight of Wyn forcing me to keep my hands to myself. I wanted to groan in frustration, but I kept it to myself. There was one more thing she needed to know before she made her decision though.
“Something else I should mention.” This was the part I didn’t want to tell her, whether that was because I was worried she would be excited to get to the elves or even more resistant to going I wasn’t sure. When I didn’t immediately continue she cocked an eyebrow at me. “There are rumors that the elves are able to manipulate bonded magic. I’m wondering if they would be able to break the bond between us. To free us from its constraints at the least, if not remove it completely.”
Senara's eyes widened, a mix of emotions flashing across her face too quickly for me to decipher. For a moment, she was utterly still, as if frozen in place. Then, she took a sharp breath, her fingers curling into fists at her sides.
"Break the bond?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Is that... is that what you want?"
I hesitated, unsure how to answer. The truth was, I didn't know what I wanted. The bond between us was both a blessing and a curse, a constant reminder of what I couldn't have. But the thought of losing it, of losing that connection to Senara, made my chest ache in a way I couldn't explain.
"I think it's something we need to consider," I said carefully, watching her reaction. "The bond complicates things, especially with the corruption and you being declared the wielder of the Moon Blades. Besides, you know if the King and Queen of the Moon Court find out it will be my head that rolls, if not yours, as well. Though they might keep you as breeding stock.” As soon as those last words left my lips I wished I could take them back.
The idea may have occurred to her before, but I didn’t need to put such a fine point on it. The thought made my stomach churn and an unparalleled anger rise in my chest. Just the idea of someone else touching her in such an intimate way made me want to burn the city to the ground and rage against the moon until the Goddess herself came down and begged me to stop.
Senara’s face paled at my words, her eyes widening in horror. “Breeding stock?” she hissed, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and rage, all barely above a whisper. “Is that really what they’d do?”
I nodded grimly, hating myself for putting that look on her face. “The fae courts aren’t known for their kindness or consideration, especially when it comes to power. The Moon Court had a big boone fall into their laps with you and they aren’t about to give it up. You’re a valuable asset to them now.”
She took a shaky breath, her hand unconsciously moving to her stomach. "And breaking the bond... it would protect me from that?"
"It might," I said softly. "At the very least, it would remove me as their primary leverage point against you."
Senara was quiet for a long moment, her gaze distant as she processed this new information. I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind, weighing the risks and benefits, the potential consequences and futures stretching out before us.
Finally, she looked up at me, her eyes shimmering with more moisture than usual. "And what about you? What happens to you if we break the bond?"
The question caught me off guard. I hadn't expected her to be concerned about my fate. "I... I don't know," I admitted. "But that's not important. What matters is keeping you safe."
She shook her head fiercely. "No, it is important. I won't agree to anything that puts you in danger."
Her words sent a warmth spreading through my chest, even as I tried to push it down and deny its very existence. “Senara, we won’t know any more until we speak to the elves.”
She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the ground. I could see her mind racing, but when she looked back up at me, there was a steely determination in her eyes that both thrilled and terrified me.
"Okay," she said, her voice stronger now. "Let's do it. Let's go to the elves."
I blinked, surprised by the ferocity in her voice. "Are you sure?"
She nodded firmly. "Yes. If there's even a chance they can help us understand this bond, maybe control it... it's worth the risk. And if they can break it..." She trailed off, something unreadable flashing in her eyes.
"If they can break it," I finished for her, "then we'll deal with that when the time comes."
Senara stepped closer to me, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body, close enough that I had to clench my hands into fists at my side to prevent myself from touching her. "When do we leave?"
"Tonight," I said, my voice low. "Pack light; bring only what you absolutely need. We'll need to move fast and quiet. You can let Wyn know you’ll be gone, but don’t tell her the particulars, because you know they’ll go straight to her to ask when they realize we aren’t in the city any more.”
Senara nodded, her eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "All right. I'll meet you at the eastern gate in two hours. That should give me enough time to pack and say goodbye to Wyn without raising suspicion."
I reached out, my fingers brushing her arm before I could stop myself. The contact sent a jolt through me, and I saw Senara shiver slightly, the sight stirring something dangerous within me. "Be careful," I warned. "We can't afford any mistakes now. If anyone suspects what we're planning..."
"I know," she said softly. "I'll be discreet."
I watched as she turned to leave, her figure disappearing into the shadows of the alley. As soon as she was out of sight, I let out a sigh of relief. This plan was risky, potentially suicidal, but it was our only option. The corruption was spreading too quickly, and the fae courts were too entrenched in their own politics to take any risks even though not doing so would ultimately mean the death of fae kind.
As I made my way back to my quarters to gather my own supplies, I couldn't shake the nagging doubt in the back of my mind. Was I doing this for the right reasons? Was I truly trying to save our people, or was I selfishly hoping to free Senara from the clutches of the Moon Court for myself? Or worse still did I actually want to get relief from this bond that both thrilled and tormented me?
I pushed the thoughts aside. There was no time for second-guessing now. In a few hours, Senara and I would be on our way to find the elves and our fates would be decided, as long as we didn’t get caught leaving the city.