Chapter 23 #2
“Lady Caterine,” she says, wrapping me in a warm hug while Callum and Alex huddle in one grimy corner of the room. “Nice to see you again. I had a feeling you might be the woman able to bring my brother to his knees.” Her smirk is wide and her blue eyes—twins to Callum’s—dance.
I mirror her cheeky smile. “I’ve heard lots more about you since our meeting, Dom.”
“Either all of it is true or none of it.” Her insightful eyes take in everything and my original impression of her—that she is one formidable woman—is solidified.
Dom’s voice loses its cheerful teasing as she surveys me.
“I imagine things have been rough for you lately, my lady. I know this place is lacking in comfort, but it’s safe. You will be protected here.”
I nod, not doubting her sentiment, but also not fully trusting in the words. What does safe even mean if my sister isn’t here?
Callum and Alex break away from their corner, joining us in what appears to be some kind of dining area, though there’s only a broken-down table and a few banged-up wooden crates to sit on.
Callum immediately reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together. Dom notices and her smirk returns.
Alex notices and grimaces. “Lady Caterine. Nice to officially make your acquaintance.”
I nod tightly. “You as well.” It may be the highest degree of hypocrisy, but I don’t know if I can forgive him for betraying Callum as easily as Callum has. I squeeze his fingers. “What’s the plan?”
Alex’s eyes move around the small group, assessing each one of us.
“I’ve been speaking with some friends inside the Uprising, on the leadership committee.
” He directs this amendment to Callum, guilt obvious in the blue eyes they share.
“Though there is nothing explicit mentioned in the decree about what happens if a potential candidate kills the current candidate, it seems like they will have no choice but to honor Cal’s place should he be the one to kill Harold.
We didn’t plan for things to go this way, so amendments are being written.
I imagine the next killing period will have stricter rules and a shorter time frame to mitigate some of these unfortunate events. ”
“If only they had thought through their ridiculous decree before enacting it,” I mutter.
“Right.” Callum’s fingers tighten around mine. “Hopefully things will go more smoothly for the next province, but that doesn’t change what needs to happen here.”
“Cal mentioned Andra has Seen something that could help us?” Alex’s tone shifts, focusing on the task at hand.
“Yes. We know where Harold is staying.” I hesitate before delivering the next bit, knowing how it might sound to someone who doesn’t know Andra, doesn’t understand how her visions work. “And we know how to get there. And how to get in.”
Alex raises his eyebrows, Callum looks hopeful, and Dom looks like she’s ready to march into battle.
“We’ll go disguised as trees.”
All three of their faces morph into identical confused expressions, even Callum’s, with his earlier warning of what was to come.
“Trees?” Dom finally asks. “How does one dress as a tree?”
I take in a weary breath. “The place where Harold is hiding out is buried in a small copse of trees outside the city. It’s well guarded and well hidden.
He spent time there when he was younger, and I know how to find it.
” I don’t mention the map Harold left for me, keeping his small rebellion as a secret between us.
“The easiest way to sneak in is to use the trees as a disguise.”
Callum’s face morphs yet again, this time fully considering the plan. The tactical leader in him is crunching all the angles and it doesn’t take him long to arrive at a conclusion. “It could work.”
“It will work.” I try to imbue my voice with some of the confidence the royals all seem to possess. “Andra’s visions don’t always make sense at first glance, but they are always true.”
“If you say it is so, then I believe it, my lady.” Callum nods, and the others quickly follow suit.
It’s a simple statement, but it does something to the hollowed out cavity of my chest. Little by little Callum seems hell-bent on filling it.
“So we disguise ourselves as trees, sneak in, take him out, and then what?” Dom asks.
“Then we get my sister. And then we get the hell out.” I infuse my words with all the ferocity I can. “Harold might have been the one who did the actual killing, but Lady M is the one who poses the danger. Avoiding her is essential.”
“She is only one woman,” Alex points out. “Between me, Cal, and Dom we could handle her if needed. Maybe it’s better to eliminate her now, while we have the chance.”
I shake my head. “She is not just one woman. She has a whole squad of Gifted club members on her side. And I don’t want them hurt.”
“If they are on her side, then they are also enemies, are they not?”
I shoot Alex a glare. “They are on her side because she holds their lives in her hands. They don’t have a choice, and they deserve the opportunity to make one.”
Alex looks like he wants to argue the point further, but Callum silences him with a single look. “The three of us will get in, complete the job, and get out before we have to deal with Lady M or any of her…colleagues.”
“There are four of us, Your Highness.” I shoot a look of my own his way.
“Cate, you are not equipped or trained for something like this.”
“My sister is in there. I’m going. Let’s not waste time arguing about it.”
It only takes one more pointed look before he’s nodding. “Fine. Everybody clear on the plan?”
Alex nods his acquiescence.
Dom rubs her hands together. “So when do we go? Later tonight?”
I shake my head. “Tomorrow at the earliest. We’ll need the time to fully prepare our disguises. And we must go at the darkest of night.”
Alex heads for the door. “I will begin gathering supplies.”
“I’ll help.” Dom squeezes my arm before following her uncle out the door.
Callum and I follow right behind them, the four of us gathering sticks and twigs and bowls full of mud.
If anyone were to spot us, I don’t know what they could possibly think, but it seems the neighbors prefer to keep to themselves anyway.
A couple of hours later, we have everything we need.
The only thing to do now is sleep, try to rest, and prepare for the following night.
After a short dinner of bread and hard cheese and a couple of bruised pieces of fruit, Callum and I meet in the one tiny bedroom, Alex and Dom camping out in the living room on two shabby cots.
I fall into Callum’s arms the moment the door closes behind me.
“It’s all going to work out, you know,” he tells me, brushing the hair back from my face.
“All of what is going to work out?”
“Everything.”
“How can you be so sure?” I press my forehead to the hard plane of his chest, absorbing the sound of his heartbeat and letting it steady me.
“Because we’re here, and we’re together.”
“That is ridiculously idealistic, even for you, Your Highness.”
He takes my face in his hands, brushing a soft kiss over my lips. “Something tells me I need to be idealistic enough for the both of us.”
I snort. “That’s certainly a word no one has ever used to describe me.”
“Then I will keep believing until you no longer need me to.” He kisses me again, this one just as soft, but a lot more lingering. “Are you sure you are okay with this plan?”
“Am I sure that I have no problem with you killing the man who basically saved my life?”
Callum’s perfect lips pull into a grimace. “I hate thinking about it like that.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I run my thumb over his bottom lip, turning his grimace into a pained smile.
“I know you are only doing what needs to be done. And I know that to you, Harold is the man who killed your father. And honestly, as long as I leave with my sister, I don’t care about Harold anyway.
I never thought he would become the villain in my story. ”
“I think we both know there is really only one villain in this scenario, Cate.”
“Lady M.”
Callum pulls me closer into his embrace. “We are going to have to deal with her at some point. I don’t think she’s just going to roll over because she’s lost her candidate.”
This time it’s me who grimaces. “I know she won’t. Hopefully we can make it to the election and secure you a win before we have to think about how to handle her for the long term.”
His voice quiets. “What if I don’t win, Cate? What if we go through all of this pain and heartache only for me to lose?”
“We’re not going to think like that. You are the best person for the job. And the people will see that.”
“I hope you’re right, my lady.”
“I usually am.” I press a quick kiss to his lips. “Now, come on. We need to get some rest before tomorrow night.”
We tuck ourselves into the tiny bed, the sparse mattress providing little comfort. But Cal’s embrace provides more than enough warmth, and despite the litany of worries running through my mind, in his arms, I fall into a peaceful sleep.