Chapter 12
“Poisonous,” I declared at the clutch of berries in Silas’ grasp. He pulled a face, dropping them in protest, one of the fruits breaking away from the bunch and bouncing off my foot. It left a green smear behind, but with how dirty my boots were it wasn’t noticeable.
The wind whipped my hair against my head as we crossed the endless grasslands that made up the majority of southern Idrix, our journey taking us ever closer to Threstia and whatever answers we’d find there.
Silas’ third attempt at foraging hadn’t yielded any improvement. It was tempting to give in and do it for him, particularly with the urgent ache in my stomach, but he would never pick up the survival skills he so desperately needed unless I gave him the opportunity to learn from his mistakes.
“You barely glanced at them. How can you tell?” His voice bordered on indignant.
“The colour, for one. I told you to avoid the green, yellow and white ones. They have a far higher chance of being dangerous to consume,” I said, as patiently as possible, though it didn’t come naturally to me. Had I been this difficult to teach? If so, I owed Reuben a thousand apologies.
“Have you looked around? That’s all there is.” In his defence, since leaving the inn, there were slim pickings for foraging, the grassy plains bare of anything except, well, tall grass. But each cluster of bushes we encountered appeared promising until Silas returned with yet more poisonous berries.
“Look higher, in the difficult to reach places. The ones you can gather with minimal effort will be just as easily found by wild animals. You must be smarter than them if you want to eat.”
“Did you insinuate that I’m less intelligent than an animal? And I thought we were friends.”
“I’ve yet to see any evidence to the contrary.”
His eyes flashed. “Are you baiting me?”
“Is it working?” I hoped so. At this point, I would try anything to ease my hunger. “Prove me wrong then.”
He huffed, hurrying to the bushes ahead and disappearing into the greenery.
I sighed. My patience was wearing increasingly thin the further we travelled. It was no fault of Silas’, though he certainly didn’t help things.
I hadn’t returned to the south since I’d joined the Night Ravens. There had been an opportunity to, with Reuben frequently sending scouts to monitor Gladhaven’s criminal undercity, but he’d always assigned those missions elsewhere, likely concerned about the memories it would dredge up for me.
I wondered what he’d think of me heading back with only a clueless noble for company.
Though I supposed that wasn’t the case anymore. Silas had proved himself capable on more than one occasion, taking to our quest with an earnest enthusiasm. He no longer grumbled about what a terrible night’s sleep he’d had, and his navigation abilities had come a long way since the Blossom Sea. Several times, I’d let him read the map and tell me which direction we needed to walk in, and he was becoming more and more adept as time went on.
We’d fallen into a surprisingly natural routine, covering as much ground as we could in the morning while he told me more about his Blessing and the entertaining mishaps it had landed him in. After a long rest for lunch and target practice, we carried on, finishing our travel for the day when we found a good spot to camp.
With a loud cheer signalling his victory, he emerged triumphant with a handful of purple berries. His hands were stained with sticky juice where he’d accidentally squashed some of them, but it didn’t appear to bother him. Small cuts littered his forearm, the cost of battling the brambles for the edible fruit.
“Ready to judge my efforts?” Silas asked, depositing the berries into my palm.
“Let’s hope they’re worth the wait.” I ate a few, savouring their tart flavour. “Not bad.”
He didn’t respond, staring at my lips. I frowned at him, unnerved by the attention.
“You have a little something...” He trailed off. “Here, let me.”
Silas’ thumb brushed the corner of my mouth, surprisingly delicate as he wiped away the juice that remained there, his gaze fixed on me. I froze. The touch was functional, but the sensations it stirred were anything but. My breath hitched at the contact, the warm stroke of his thumb making me feel fuzzy, like I was drinking moon wine. When he pulled back, the skin he’d touched tingled.
“All done,” he said, oblivious to my thoughts. I intended to keep it that way. It was just my body’s reaction to an unfamiliar touch, nothing more than that.
I brought my hand to my face, to where he’d touched it, dazed.
“Well?” he said, watching me expectantly. I realised he’d been talking to me.
“What?”
“I asked if you wanted more,” he repeated.
“No, I’m finished.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, ensuring the juice was gone. He cleaned his hands with a rag until only a tinge of purple remained.
The High Road loomed ahead of us, a paved path cutting across the grasslands, wide enough for two carriages to pass by each other with room to spare. Dread settled in my stomach at the sight. Facing it was inevitable. I’d always known that. But it didn’t make the thought of it any easier.
Unaware of my discomfort, Silas pointed ahead with a smile. “Look it’s the High Road. We’ve met up with it again.”
I forced my legs forward, each step as difficult as walking through mud. The sooner I faced my fears, the sooner the road would be behind us.
“Where are you going? I thought we were avoiding it?” he said.
“We must cross it to get to Threstia. It’s the only way.”
“If the road was here all this time, why didn’t we use it in the first place?” He waved his arms dramatically. “We could’ve saved ourselves days.”
“Spoken like someone who has never travelled along it. It’s only worth it with a carriage. Walking is unsafe. Thieves would be the least of our concerns,” I said darkly.
“You’re acting strange. What’s wrong?” Silas, too perceptive for his own good, sidled up to me, separating me from the road ahead. “You can tell me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t act coy. You’re frowning so hard it’s going to leave a permanent wrinkle on your forehead. Friends are meant to confide in each other, you know.”
“Friends also know when to mind their own business.”
He drew himself up to his full height. “Whatever it is, you have nothing to worry about with me by your side.”
I laughed bitterly. “Have you not learnt your lesson by now about storming into situations unprepared? Magic can’t solve everything.”
“It certainly helps though,” Silas said, undeterred.
I let out an exasperated sigh. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with. Do you think you’re the only noble cavorting around the realm?”
“I wouldn’t exactly call sleeping outside and eating scraps cavorting.” His eyes narrowed as my words sunk in. “Why, who else is here?”
“You can’t be surprised. Do you know what happens when arrogant nobles are given too much power and little responsibility? They become restless. In their boredom, they seek increasingly extreme forms of entertainment. The rest of us suffer the consequences.” It was always the same.
Silas looked shaken. “Like what?”
“This isn’t the time.” I didn’t want to think about it, not with the High Road so close.
“Fine, I’ll drop it.” His voice softened. “But rest assured that I’ll protect you from whatever harm comes our way. The seeking stone is proof of that.”
“I don’t doubt it.” I said, my fingers finding the amulet and clasping its cool surface. “But don’t let your guard down.”
“I know, I know, and situations can quickly take a turn for the worst. I do listen to your lectures. Well, sometimes.”
The long grass became thicker and more difficult to traverse as we climbed the slope at the edge of the road. So many things had changed in the years since I was here last, but it looked the same as ever, like it was frozen in time. A shrine to one of the worst moments of my life.
I listened out for signs of a carriage approaching. Crossing at the wrong time was deadly, a collision dangerous to everyone involved. For a moment, there was nothing but the grass swaying in the breeze. Then the wind shifted direction, bringing with it the sound of voices. Voices I’d hoped never to hear again.
No. This couldn’t be happening.
I couldn’t move, my limbs locking together in terror, every breath a struggle. Darkness danced at the edge of my vision, and I feared I would pass out.
“Willow.” Silas noticed the change in me, at my side in an instant. “Are you feeling ill?”
“Yes. Get me out of here,” I croaked out. It took all my strength to back away, kept on my feet solely by his firm grip on my shoulders.
“Aren’t we crossing here?”
“We’ll do it further down.” I didn’t care where.
But it was too late. At the approaching footsteps, my hand found Silas’, clenching it so tightly it must have hurt him. He made no complaint, but his other hand was outstretched, ready for the threat.
Three finely dressed fae approached, one female, the others male, clad in burgundy cloaks with gold embellishments. The woman’s blonde hair fell to her waist, twisted in perfect curls, her eyes so dark they looked black. The men couldn’t look more different from each other. One was tall, with bronze skin and black hair slicked back in a neat bun, the other short in stature, his messy brown hair covering his hazel eyes. Three faces I could never forget, their names branded in my mind forever.
“Hightower nobles,” Silas whispered under his breath. He was correct, the trio originally from Hightower, but frequent travellers to the mainland.
“I didn’t realise we had company. We’re not used to it this far along the High Road, but we always relish the opportunity to meet new friends,” the woman, Lilith, said. Hearing her voice was like tasting ash in my throat.
“If I’m not mistaken, we know this one. Ithan, it’s your little archer, back for more,” Ares, the shorter of the men said, his features lighting up in delight. Silas tensed beside me.
The world was closing in on itself, and all I could do was force myself to keep breathing.
“There’s no fucking way.” Ithan laughed, nudging Ares. “I thought she was long dead.”
“She was a stubborn one, if you recall. It’s unsurprising that she survived.”
“And this time she brought a friend,” said Lilith, her eyes raking over Silas in interest. He said nothing, squeezing my hand reassuringly.
I waited for them to question him, to ridicule him for lowering himself by travelling with an Unblessed. But with his plain clothing, they hadn’t realised his status. They saw exactly what they expected to see, and Silas made no move to correct them.
“We’re just crossing. Let us pass and we can all carry on with our day,” he said brightly.
“And why would we want to do that pretty boy, when the fun is just beginning?” Lilith replied. My stomach churned, and I prayed to the gods I wouldn’t humiliate myself in front of them.
Silas made a point of taking in the roadside, their carriages parked neatly in a row and the makeshift camp beside them. “Looks rather lacklustre to me.”
His subtle confidence in the face of being outnumbered cut through my fear. That’s right, I wasn’t alone.
Lilith scowled, a gale whipping up and buffeted us as she harnessed her Air Blessing. She was quick to lose her temper. Nothing had changed in that regard. I planted my feet into the ground as best as I could as the wind howled in my ears. It was just a taste of what she was capable of. Her favourite game was to test how long someone could stay conscious once she stole their breath. If her victim didn’t wake up, they were merely a broken toy, soon forgotten.
“Shut up and stand in the middle of the road. Or I can drag you there myself, if you’d prefer?” To prove her point, a gust lifted us off our feet momentarily.
I gave Silas a look, urging him to go along with it. He winked in return. With every passing moment, his presence stoked my courage. I wasn’t alone.
“Doesn’t this feel familiar? How many years has it been now?” Ares said.
“Nearly a century,” Ithan answered.
“And yet it feels like yesterday.” Ares’ hazel eyes narrowed at me. “Do you remember your lesson, or do we need to give you a reminder? Ithan, why don’t you do the honours?”
Ithan’s steps echoed on the stone as he approached us. If Lilith was carelessly cruel and Ares a slave to his bloodlust, then Ithan was the most terrifying of all. Because he had played the part too well when he’d won my heart. After years of suffering on my own, I’d thought he was my salvation. How wrong I’d been.
“Get down on your knees and beg for your lives,” Ithan ordered, summoning a vine from his fingertips, thorns protruding from the stem. My body shook viscerally at the memory of it whipping me the last time I’d ignored the instruction.
Silas went rigid next to me. If I didn’t intervene soon, the entire road would become engulfed in flame.
Over the years, I’d thought about this moment. What I would do if I ran into them again. The bullies who had left me for dead, discarding me when they had no use for me anymore. If it wasn’t for Reuben, I might have been another casualty. In my nightmares, I would awaken, still trapped within their torment.
But I wasn’t the same naive girl who they’d deceived before. I’d reined in my sentimental heart. I was stronger. I was a survivor. And I would never let them hurt anyone else again.
After all, I wasn’t alone.
A slow, wicked smile spread across my face. It was dangerous, lethal. Unhinged. Silas gave me a subtle nod. This was my moment, and he would only step in if I needed him.
“I always hoped this day would come. The day you get what you deserve.”
“How dare you talk back to us?” Ithan snarled. The vine lashed towards me, and I released a shaky breath. Silas burned it to cinders with a casual flick of his wrist, the magic posing no challenge for his power.
“Don’t interrupt when she’s talking to you. It’s rude,” Silas bit out, fury burning in his eyes.
Ares’ mouth hung open, the smug expression wiped from his face.
“He’s Fire-Blessed,” Lilith said. “Do something.”
“I’ll deal with it,” Ares said, sending a torrent of water directly at Silas. My heart caught in my throat. But Silas merely waved a hand, his flames colliding with the water and burning it away into steam. Ares winced as his hands were scalded, forcing him to drop them.
It wasn’t possible. Each Blessing had its weakness. A Fire-Blessed fae could never hope to win against a Water Blessing. Yet Silas had done it, dealing with the torrent like it was a minor inconvenience.
“He’s a bloodline heir. He must be, to counter you like that,” Lilith said to Ares, her face white. Her shock was mirrored by my own expression. The bloodline heirs were among the most powerful families in Idrix, with lineage that could be tracked back to the first fae. Only the five rulers and the Circle of the Enlightened were stronger. I glanced at Silas for confirmation, but he was occupied with staring down the noble trio, making no effort to hide his disdain.
“Who the fuck are you?” Ithan asked, caught off-guard.
“I’d claim to be your worst nightmare, but I think she has that covered.”
On the face of it, I would disagree. It was his vast power that had rendered them speechless. It would be easy to ask Silas to take them out. But death was quick, and I wanted them to suffer for what they’d done to me.
I’d had many years to plan my revenge, should the opportunity rise. And Silas had set the stage for me.
Vanity was the nobility’s ultimate weakness. Their reputation meant everything to them, and I’d done my research. It was fortunate that Reuben had sent me away to Hightower for a year, more than a coincidence, I suspected, and while my mission had been my focus, there had been plenty of time for personal research.
When the usual rules don’t apply to you, it makes for interesting reading.
“I’ve changed a lot since the last time we met. I’ve travelled the realm, and it’s incredible what you can find out from talking to the right fae.” I took a deep breath. This was it. “I wonder, Lilith, would your friends treat you so well if they knew you were illegitimate?”
Lilith turned an impressive purple colour. “How did you…”
“Your mother may have taken care of your birth record, but she didn’t realise that Hightower’s scholars take meticulous copies in case of disaster. They were all too willing to lend me theirs. Your father advocated for their funding to be cut and, well, they hold grudges,” I said, unable to keep the satisfaction from my voice. Silas gazed at me with such awe it made my heartbeat falter.
“We’ll fix it,” Ares said. “Once we make sure she dies for real this time.”
I addressed him next. “Did you think I’d stop there? It must have been so difficult for you when your family lost its fortune. Gambling is a disease that’s terribly cruel to those it claims. How did your friends react to your ruin?”
Ares snarled, raising his hands as if to attack. Silas moved in front of me, shielding me with his body. “Lay a finger on her and it will be the last thing you do.”
“And what secrets of mine have you uncovered, little archer?” Ithan asked, smiling with amusement. This was still just a game to him, but the stakes were higher than ever. I met his gaze, the one who had offered me a helping hand after I was picked apart for anything of value. The one I’d let my guard down around. The one who had whispered sweet promises of a future together before he betrayed me.
“You are very good at cleaning up after yourself, I’ll admit,” I said. It had taken me the better part of six months to find any dirt on him. “But your brother isn’t. I hear treason is punishable by death.” The smile fell from Ithan’s face. I had him.
Silas was shaking with the effort of holding back his laughter.
“I’ll offer you the same terms you gave me. Beg for your lives and I’ll spare you from ruin. And what else was it?” I pressed a finger to my mouth in contemplation. “Ah yes, sell it to me. Make me believe it.”
“You can’t be serious,” Lilith said, outraged.
“Oh, I’m deadly serious,” I said, a thrill going through me. It was intoxicating to hold such influence over those who had wronged me.
“I’d rather die than beg,” Ares muttered.
“That can be arranged,” Silas said, fire blazing in his hands.
“Just shut up and do as she says,” Ithan said. “If these rumours spread, we’re finished. We’ll be banished from Hightower.”
Lilith was the first to break. “Please,” she said, her eyes shining with tears.
“You’re not on your knees,” Silas said. “Weren’t those the terms?”
Her jaw clenched, but she listened, climbing to the ground awkwardly. The others followed, motivated by a lick of heat Silas sent in their direction.
“You don’t have to do this,” Ithan said, his voice soft, vulnerable. I knew better than to fall for his act again.
“Why did you do it?” I asked. “What possible reason did you have to hurt me?”
“We were bored. And you were nothing. Nobody. Expendable. It’s not our fault you took it so seriously,” Ares said.
“You’re not even worth the ground she walks on. Having a Blessing is meaningless if this is how you choose to squander it. I hope the gods are watching and decide to revoke yours, because you are an embarrassment to every Blessed fae. Grow up.”
“We will,” Lilith said. “Please, give us a chance.”
I stepped forward, towering over them where they knelt on the hard stone. “I won’t write to Hightower with my findings since you begged so nicely for me. But if you come after us, now or in the future, I’ll release everything I have on you, and my friend will make sure you know why you should never threaten a bloodline heir. Do you understand?”
They nodded.
I looked up at the sun, still at the highest point in the sky. “Make a bargain with me. You won’t move from this position until darkness falls this evening. I’ll make an exception if your life is threatened by a carriage or otherwise, because unlike you, I have a soul. Only when day has turned to night may you continue on with your journey.”
“Absolutely not,” Ares scoffed.
“Swear it, or the deal is off the table.”
Ithan looked at his friends and sighed. “We swear it.” They held out their hands to mine and the magical thread of a bargain wound around them, binding us together.
I masked my relief with a savage smile. We’d be able to put a great distance between us and them before they moved, and with the leverage we had, it was unlikely they’d try anything ever again. I’d done it. We’d done it.
I crossed to the other side of the road, towards Threstia, not sparing a glance at the nobles I left in my wake.
Silas’ steps bounced as he caught up with me. “Vengeance suits you,” he murmured in my ear. “You should wear it more often.”