Chapter Twenty-Four
Twenty-Four
Dawn filters through the windows of the safe house. Giles stokes the coals in the pit, bringing them to a low fire once more. But the sound of his clanking is distant and dulled. All I can seem to focus on is Davien’s soft breathing in the bunk above me.
My eyes open and close slowly, each time shorter than the last, as I slowly wake in a dreamlike haze. The fae used their magic to turn blankets and weeds into plush bedding that has transformed the wooden bunks into beds as comfortable as what I had back in Dreamsong.
But I’m not distracted by the wonder of their magic. That has become normal. What is definitely not normal are Davien’s words still echoing in my mind. They bounce off the memories of my parents—the ones I’ve tried to pack away into neat little boxes that I never want to open.
Do you love her?
I do.
He loves me. I close my eyes with a wince. This is the pain I’ve been trying to shield myself from my whole life. It’s the start of the agony I watched my father endure for his love. Luckily, Davien is still working to spare us both. The sooner I’m gone, the sooner we’re both free.
When Shaye bounces from her bunk, I know it’s time to get moving. Davien has the same idea and he descends as I sit up. At some point in the night, he lost his shirt. Every bulging muscle I felt underneath his clothes is now on display. The gray dawn highlights them in streaks of light and shadow.
Our eyes meet as my gaze trails up his body.
His lips part slightly. I wonder if he’s thinking of kissing me again.
I wonder if his confession to Shaye has cast me in a new light, because I certainly see him differently.
I’ve never been more painfully aware of his presence—he assaults my senses, forcing them into submission to the point that he is all I’m able to focus on.
“Good morning.” His voice is husky from the night.
“Morning.” I break away while I can and swing my legs off the bed. “I’m going to check on the horses, make sure they’re good for the day.”
“You’re so dutiful. Thank you.” Giles smiles.
“It’s no problem.” I make my escape as fast as I did last night. I can’t look at Davien when he’s only half dressed.
The forest is quiet. The motes of light that are usually fluttering about during the day are still bedded down. They drift upward with each step I take, some hovering in the air, others returning to the mossy ground for what I presume is a few more hours of sleep.
I check the horses’ saddles and fetch them some fresh water. There’s a hard day’s ride again today. They should get hydrated while they can.
“I think I’m going to get a whole bunch of you when I go back to the human world,” I say to my mount, giving her a pat on the nose while Davien’s stallion drinks. “You’re much simpler than people, or fae.”
“But are they better at conversation?”
The familiar voice has me frozen. I slowly turn to face the speaker. Sure enough, Allor is standing mere steps away from me, her shadowed form cut against the mist of morning.
“Depends on who I’m speaking to.” The curtness of my tone does little to hide my discomfort at her presence.
A smug, catlike grin spreads across her mouth, as if my displeasure is supremely satisfying. “I hope you enjoy speaking to me. I bring good tidings.”
“Do you?”
“Yes, of course. I’m here to let you know that the king is collecting his forces for the attack on Dreamsong.”
“And how is that good?”
“His focus is on Dreamsong and not on you.” She sighs dramatically. “I really didn’t think I’d have to spell this out.”
Oh, she doesn’t. I’ve already picked up on what she’s trying to say.
If King Boltov is drawing together all his forces for an attack on Dreamsong, then what I think she wants me to assume is that he doesn’t have people who will come after us.
But why wouldn’t she say as much outright if it was true?
“Do you think he will come and attack us?” I phrase my question as carefully as possible.
“I can’t presume to know what the king will do.”
“Guess.”
Allor tips her head to the side slightly. It’s a subtle quirk, one most might miss. I read it as annoyance.
“I’m just trying to figure out how much danger we might be in.” I lay my ruse on thick, trying to look as worried as I’m able to muster.
“The king’s focus is still on Dreamsong.”
She’s not answering. All my suspicions about her are justified—I can feel it. “Has he given any orders for others to pursue us?”
“I don’t know everything he says or does.”
“Does he have reason to suspect us?” I set down the bucket.
“I don’t know the inner workings of his mind on that, either.” Her hands ball into fists and then relax, as if she’s forcing herself to remain calm.
“Will we be attacked when we leave these borders?”
“The world is a dangerous place.”
“Why won’t you answer me directly?” I demand, voice raising slightly. I don’t give her a chance to reply. I go right for the metaphorical throat with my questioning. “Yes or no—will the king send people to attack us once we leave the safety of the borders of the Acolytes of the Wild Wood?”
“I don’t owe you any answers.” Allor’s voice is a deadly hush.
“No, you don’t. But even if you did, you couldn’t give them to me, because you can’t lie and you won’t tell the truth.”
She smiles, her lips splitting to show her teeth. They’re like Giles’s—a little too sharp. “You don’t trust me, do you, little human?”
“I don’t think I have many good reasons to trust you. I don’t think anyone should trust you.”
“Careful about who you challenge.” Her eyes flash. Power seems to shimmer off her shoulders, collecting around the shadowy cowl she wears.
This is the moment the person I was in the Natural World would back off. If Allor were Joyce, I would cower. I would give up here and now because I had no power, no strength. Instead, I boldly take a step forward.
“I have the power of the kings of Aviness in me.” I take another step.
“I have power that Boltov would—has killed thousands for.” Another step, and another.
Soon we’re mere inches apart, and my blood is boiling.
There’s a swell rolling. A tide that’s about to crash down on both of us.
“You wouldn’t be the first fae who tried to end me.
You might not be the last I kill for it either. ”
“Do you think you can kill me?” Allor straightens slightly to look down at me.
I gather my height as well. She tilts her head back and points at the vein bulging in her neck.
“I’d recommend you strike here. Go right for the throat.
Don’t give me a chance to fight back. Because if you do, that’ll be your last mistake. ”
“How dare—” I’m cut off by Davien emerging.
“Allor? What’re you doing here?”
“I came to wish you luck on your passage today.” Allor eases away from me with a smile. “All other messages I’ve left with Katria. I really should be going now.” She jumps back into one of the long shadows cast by the trees and vanishes like smoke on the breeze.
“What was that about?” I didn’t even hear Davien approach, but he’s at my side. His hand is suddenly on the small of my back. I jump at the touch. “Katria? What’s wrong?”
A lot. But I focus on the most important. “We should go back to Dreamsong.”
A scowl crosses his lips. “You know we can’t.”
“I have a bad feeling about this.” I grab Davien’s shirt, ignoring how natural it feels to reach for him.
My voice falls to a whisper, since Allor could be anywhere.
For all I know, she could have magic that allows her to listen to us from afar.
Nowhere but Dreamsong feels safe, and she can get to us even there.
“We need to go back, circle the wagons, and stand together against Boltov. I’m certain that we can figure out a ritual there with a little more time.
” A ritual that Allor is not involved with.
“We must keep going.” He grabs my hands. “The sooner the magic is transferred from you to me, the sooner I’ll be able to use it to protect everyone.”
“Don’t you see? She’s sending us away, beyond the wards, dividing us from the pack. I don’t trust her.” My grip tightens. “She’s playing a game with us and she’s going to win if we don’t stay one step ahead.”
“That’s just the way Allor is. She has that air about her.”
“Then she’s ‘just’ someone we shouldn’t be working with.”
“We don’t have a choice in that.” He frowns. “I know you haven’t liked her from the start but—”
“I think we’re going to be attacked,” I blurt out.
“Why do you say that?” His eyes search mine as if he’s looking for a reason to believe me, as though he wants to…but wanting doesn’t seem like it’s enough, and I feel my ribs crumble in on my heart at the realization.
“She couldn’t give me a straight answer to my questions.”
Davien chuckles. “That’s just the fae manner.”
“No.” I hold him as he tries to step away, jerk him back toward me.
“You weren’t here to hear what I was asking.
How I was asking.” I wonder if Allor left without saying much to Davien to sow this very doubt.
“I think she’s a double agent and I think we’re going right where they want us to go.
I asked her if the king was going to attack us, yes or no—and she wouldn’t answer. ”
“That’s Allor.”
“Stop making excuses for her.” My grip finally goes slack. I search his face, desperate for him to believe me. “Davien, who do you believe? Her or me?”
He inhales but no words come. I stare up at him, expectant. I wait until I ache, until his silence is a weight that wounds me with slow, crushing force. He said he loved me, but he won’t believe me. So what good is love?
“I need the magic. Everything can be put right once I have it,” he says finally. “That is what Vena and all of Dreamsong wish for.”
“And I want to give it to you but—”
“No buts. If you are truly on my side, then you will help me. Now, what did she say?”
“Just that the king’s focus is on Dreamsong.” I open my mouth to continue speaking but he ignores it, stepping away.
“We ride within the hour.”