Chapter 24
Rylee
I eye the line of carriages waiting outside the gates of Pierce’s home and smooth my hand over one of the horses.
“When did you manage this?” I ask Pierce, who is dressed casually this morning in a pair of cotton trousers and a green shirt.
I opted to forgo any finery this morning, too. Something felt inherently wrong about wearing a formal gown for a trip to the Ashlands. Pierce anticipated this, laying out a sturdy pair of leggings and a simple white shirt for me.
“Before dawn,” he answers, reaching over me to stroke the horse as well.
My heart expands in my chest. Whenever I think I can’t fall for him any more, he does something like this.
Ivy and Layce pop out of one of the carriages, Mirren from the one behind them.
“There’s enough food stashed in these to feed the Ashlands for a week,” Ivy says, dipping her head toward Pierce.
I think it’s the first time I’ve seen her look at one of my mates without suspicion.
“And medicine,” Layce says, motioning toward Mirren’s carriage.
“I know we’re going in an official capacity to make inquiries about the enhancement and the deaths connected to it.” Pierce adjusts a piece of hair off my face. “But I figured we could bring some much-needed wares to the people, too.”
I swallow the lump of emotion in my throat, wrapping my arms around him in a quick embrace.
“I don’t know how to thank you for this,” I whisper, trying to hold back tears.
He hauls me against him, bending down to envelop me completely.
“You never need to,” he assures me, pulling back enough to look down at me.
There’s confusion in his refined features.
“When are you going to understand that we’re in this with you?
What’s ours is yours now. And while we can’t immediately elevate the Ashlands, we can give them relief while we work on it. ”
“And the kings?” I ask, nodding toward the line of carriages. “If they question us, they’ll believe our efforts to investigate?”
“I’ve sent a detailed explanation of our efforts to uncover all we can about the enhancement, including venturing into several different cities, and insisted we start in the Ashlands. They can’t deny us. Not when we’re performing in direct correlation to their list’s demands.”
“I’m so glad you’re on top of things,” I admit. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”
“You never give yourself enough credit.” He sighs. “You did think of this. You’re the one who said the enhancement was likely tested on Ashlanders first. You will be an incredible queen.”
I glance down, unable to meet his adoring gaze.
Part of me still doesn’t feel worthy of his praise or their love.
Especially with the way things started—me lying to them to survive.
And now, with my sister and what she’s doing, plus my complete lack of knowledge on how to rule anything, let alone an entire realm.
Pierce’s power slams on the door I’ve locked it behind, jerking me out of my thoughts. The punch behind it is incessant. I close my eyes, willing it to hush, sending my own power over the door to soothe it into submission.
“Are you ready?” Pierce asks after a few moments.
I nod, and he holds open the door to the nearest carriage, helping me in after I’ve waved to my friends, who climb into the ones behind us.
Soon the sounds of hooves clop on the road out of the Emerald Wood, the cadence a soothing kind of lull that fills our cabin.
Pierce is quiet and content next to me, our hands interlaced as we ride in silence. I don’t have the words to explain the emotions storming me—the anticipation of bringing these supplies to the Ashlands or the fear that we’ll cross that border and it’ll never let me go again.
I want to go back.
Want to search for clues, information, anything to help us.
Want to help my people, even if I can’t do it as much as I would like.
But I also don’t feel like the girl I was when I left. And then there’s the more ridiculous curiosity, the idea that I’ll return and find Erin there as if she’d never left. Never organized in a radical group focused on destroying my mates’ cities. Never abandoned me for a cause she finds justified.
The pungent smell of earth and mineral and dust slips into the carriage, ripping me from my thoughts.
“We’re here,” I whisper, almost like a warning as I move the silk curtain covering the small window.
My heart leaps into my throat at the line of enforcers guarding the entrance to my homeland, their uniforms gilded and glistening under the early-morning sun, steam wafting from their mouths as they halt our party.
One approaches our carriage, and every instinct in my body has me scooting as far away from that door as possible as it swings open.
I’m mated to the Legends. They cannot arrest me. They cannot hurt me.
“What’s the meaning—” The enforcer’s words immediately stop when he recognizes Pierce, and he dips into a low bow. “Your highness,” he says, his tone shifting from irritated to formal in a second flat. “How can I assist you?”
“You can move your men and let us pass,” Pierce says in a voice I rarely hear him use—the Legend’s voice, the unshakeable tone of a future king of Lumathyst. There was a time I would’ve cowered under such a tone, but now? It only makes that bond between us perk up and ask to be played with.
“Right away, your highness,” the enforcer says, bowing again as he waves to the six other enforcers lining the entryway to the Ashlands, standing in the middle of the open wrought iron gates with bars three times their size jutting into the air.
No one gets by those gates. Not unless you know how.
Not unless you’re stupid enough to think crossing the border is worth the risk.
“All of your carriages are permitted entry?” the enforcer asks.
“Naturally. We have royal business here, and beyond that, my mate is feeling charitable,” Pierce says, motioning to me.
I do my best to look relaxed and graceful, like a real princess as opposed to the scared Ashlander I truly am.
“She’s brought food and medicine,” he continues. “We’ll need more enforcers to help distribute it through the proper channels while we conduct our business.” He turns to me. “Anywhere in particular you’d like to set up?”
I clear my throat, hoping to find my voice again. “The center square,” I say, hating that my voice cracks. “We should call the quadrants in groups, one at a time, to get their stipends.”
Pierce nods, then cocks a brow at the enforcer, who doesn’t move. “Did you not just hear her deliver an order, enforcer?”
He shuffles on his feet before bowing. “Apologies, highness,” he stammers. “Right away.” He closes the door, barking orders at the other enforcers as we’re waved beyond the gates.
I watch as we cross over the line, unable to tear my gaze off those bars attempting to reach the sky. My throat threatens to close, the sensation not unlike when Baydel used his power against me.
“We will tear down those gates together.” Pierce squeezes my hand. “Piece by piece.”
“I can’t wait for that day to come.” I smile at him.
Once we’ve reached the center square, Pierce holds open the carriage door for me, helping me step out of it and onto the sodden ash ground.
I go oddly numb as I survey the area—it’s exactly as I left it, though a chill hangs in the air today, rather than the goddess-forsaken heat when I left.
Spring is approaching, but winter seems reluctant to let go.
I eye the highest mountain in the north portion, the one to thank for our name—Ashlands.
It’s consistently erupted in a storm of fire every decade or so, leaving our air and land covered in the white ash in its aftermath.
The ground is soft and slightly wet, my flat boots immediately caked in the gray sludge.
Overcrowded hovels line the center square, some brave Ashlanders peeking out through the cracks in the silver-soaked wood to view the commotion.
Beyond the crammed wooden shacks are jagged pathways with ruts carved into the dirt from handcart wheels rolling over them so many times—people carting their findings from the other mountains that stand like foreboding giants in the distance.
I swallow hard. Everything is drained of color here.
Of life. And it makes my heart break all over again.
It was one thing growing up here and crossing borders to see my friends and lift trinkets from the wealthy, but now?
After living as a royal for so many months?
The differences between the two lands are insurmountable.
Unfair.
Wholly, unjustifiably unfair.
Rage licks beneath my skin. The kings and their rules. The suffering they inflict.
My mates’ powers respond to that inner hate, rising in a fast wave, begging for release.
I draw in a breath. These people are innocent. The power will do them no good here. But the food? The medicine? That will. And that’s enough to ground me.
After a full two hours, I’ve finally gotten used to enforcers asking me for further orders and barely flinch as they approach me. Another two hours, and we’ve fully unloaded the carriages and have arranged individual stipends for the people.
Ivy and Layce take charge of the food distribution while Mirren covers the medicine and clothes. Pierce oversees everything, ensuring there’s not one disrespectful remark from the enforcers as the first quadrant is called to collect.
It’s hard to watch. Hard to stand next to Pierce when I feel like I should be in the line of people looking at us suspiciously. Like this is some trap concocted by the Legends to trick them into doing something wrong.
I would’ve believed that, had this happened before the Choosing. Before my life changed entirely.
I see people I recognize, but they don’t recognize me, or if they do, they don’t dare say so. I nod and smile, but I feel like a fraud.
And after the second quadrant is called and things are still running smoothly, Pierce and I share a knowing look. It’s time for us to search for answers.
“Shall we?” he asks, extending his arm.