Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Caravan
I yawned and blinked, staring at the intricate fabric heavily embroidered with mythical creatures.
Fitting. Spending most of the night agonizing over the great deception I would need to pull off, exhaustion had caught up with me at some point.
While I had gotten some sleep, I didn’t want to move from the bed.
I felt a combination of fatigue but mostly fear for what the day held.
A light tapping at my door got me moving.
I grabbed a robe from a chair and forced my body into Ixtab’s form, unsure when I had turned back into my now familiar body.
Standing straight, I thought about Cassandra and how she had treated me from my first day at work, already looking down my nose when I opened the door.
The poor serving girl kept her eyes on the floor as she entered the room with a breakfast tray.
She mumbled something in a language I didn’t understand, but I only yawned and rubbed my face.
She didn’t seem to mind being ignored, setting the tray on the sitting-room table and making her escape.
I wanted to lock the door behind her but decided against it.
The charade had begun. I itched to check on Ixtab’s new room upstairs to confirm she was still locked in there, knowing that was the last thing I should do, leading someone to the last place I wanted them to look.
I ran my fingers through my hair, surprised when it ran out at my ears.
I’d had long hair forever, but Ixtab’s short hairdo felt oddly freeing.
I shook my arms out, thinking about her and what little I’d seen of her, channeling what I thought it would be like to step into her life.
I needed to go about my day like a goddess.
Surely there were worse situations to be in, except that I had never been a good actor.
I drank her black coffee, wishing for cream, but the mango was delicious.
“You’re up late.”
The deep voice surprised me from my musing. Chaac stood at the door, watching me warily.
The interaction with Ixtab would most likely be etched in my brain for the rest of my life, her words ringing in my ears. Her fluent English only hinted at a slight foreign, vaguely French-sounding accent. I could do this. I cleared my throat. “Come in.”
He entered hesitantly, standing a few feet away. I motioned toward the chair across from me.
He sat down heavily. “I gave him another dose. He hasn’t moved since yesterday, so our concoction seems to be up to the challenge.”
“As long as it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
“Yes, I know.”
I looked away, unsure what to say, balancing worry with derision.
“You still want to do this? Transport him?”
“It’s harder than I thought it would be, condemning him to his worst fear.”
“Well, you’re not made from stone after all.”
It was hard not to laugh.
Instead, I gave him the side-eye. “Thanks.”
“If you want, I can just kill him. Cut his head off while he’s immobilized.”
“No. Let’s stick with the plan.”
“Why, though? It will take a production to haul him back there. People will want to know what we’re doing. Rune has already tried to convince me.”
“Why not let them get a good look at him? They should be reminded that they need to fear us. It has been too long.” I had no idea what to say about Rune.
I glanced up at Chaac to find him studying me. I waved him off.
“Don’t mind me. I guess I’m surprised at how much affection I still have for the old bat. I’m not ready to kill him permanently yet.”
“But you don’t mind knowing he’s wasting away, cursing your name for years?” He chuckled. “Remind me not to anger you, my queen.”
I gave him my best haughty look. “I need a swim.”
He stood immediately, ready to leave me alone, but paused at the door. “Will you be ready to leave tomorrow then? We have just enough to keep him sedated…”
“That’s fine. I’ll be ready to leave at dawn.”
He gave me a surprised look but choked down his response. “See you at dinner,” he said instead.
As soon as he left, I jumped out of my seat. Dinner? Had I slept the day away after all? Clearly, Ixtab didn’t wake at dawn for anyone since he was more surprised at my statement than at finding me in my robe at whatever late hour it was. Oh well, lesson learned.
I searched her room from top to bottom, snagging a black, one-piece swimsuit from a beautifully carved bureau and stepping into it before continuing my search.
Even if we were going to leave in the morning, I didn’t want to be caught unfamiliar with her intimate space by anyone—although I was probably making mistakes left and right.
The good news was Chaac didn’t seem too surprised by my admission.
Hopefully, he would keep his distance long enough for me to pull off this farce.
By the time he started thinking I’d had enough time to mourn my husband and was getting ideas, I’d be long gone.
I could hardly wait to let her perfect form meld into feathers.
A small box caught my eye, its intricate inlay almost identical to a box in my room at my Monster’s house, wiping away the last shred of denial about whose room I had taken over.
I opened it, finding a silver necklace complete with a long teardrop jade pendant similar to the one I’d been wearing back home.
I shut the box, trying to shake off the mass of conflicting emotions.
A swim would do me good beyond just kicking Chaac out of the room. I found a linen closet loaded up with fresh-scented towels. Grabbing one, I headed to the pool, hoping to avoid everyone.
I had reached the back door when someone called out behind me.
I didn’t even hesitate, continuing outside as if I couldn’t be bothered to answer.
Dropping my towel on the nearest lounge, I dove into the pool.
Remembering Ixtab’s long strokes, I did my best to imitate the movements I had peripherally noticed the other day.
I had always enjoyed swimming, using the time to escape the scorn of the other children.
My new body relished the activity, muscles pushing and pulling against the water’s resistance.
It made sense that a fellow swimmer would think up a punishment like the one she had devised for her husband.
She might even be the one chosen to swim him to the cave.
That could be a good thing. If I could get him in the water alone, then maybe I could heal him and find a way to escape.
He’d panic, but if we didn’t have too far to go, I’d convince him to trust me. Yeah, right. My plan needed some work.
I pulled up at the far end of the pool and gazed back at the house. Rune stood there watching me.
I swam toward him, shoring up confidence I didn’t have.
He stepped back from the water’s edge, waiting for me to climb out, giving me the sense most of Ixtab’s peers had a healthy respect for her ruthlessness. That would certainly come in handy over the next few days.
I stayed in the water. “What?” I asked.
“I’d like a word. A quiet word.”
I slowly climbed out of the water, coming to a stop two feet away.
He eyed me like one would a tiger. “We should kill him while we can. He won’t forgive us. He won’t forgive you.”
“Don’t worry. He won’t escape unless one of us releases him.” I did my best to look accusingly at Rune.
“Of course, forgive me, but he’s always been stronger and smarter. You are forgetting how vindictive he can be.”
“I am not forgetting anything, Rune. In fact, I’m not ready to kill him so easily. After everything, I’ve decided he doesn’t deserve a quick death. He needs to suffer. To fade away slowly in anger, plotting our deaths yet unable to act on any of his plans because of his great weakness.”
“You don’t think he’d overcome it in order to avenge us? If that were me, I’d risk drowning once I got hungry and desperate enough.”
“Then he’d drown trying to escape. Don’t anger me, Rune. I’ve made up my mind.”
“Yes, Queen,” he sneered, walking away quickly before I could react. Another complication I didn’t need.
I bit my lip and escaped back to the safety of the pool.
When I was calm enough, I emerged, leaving my towel like Ixtab had done the other day.
It was easier to walk around dressed in next to nothing in a body like hers, but I wished for a cover-up.
Chaac spotted me from the end of the hall, looking like a man in love as he ogled my breasts.
I gritted my teeth and walked toward him.
“Have someone send my dinner up. I’m not feeling social tonight.”
He nodded, eyes narrowing, but I swept past him.
I’d need to let him closer to me the next few days to avoid suspicion, but I had successfully put him off for the night.
If my luck held, then we wouldn’t have room to be intimate during our journey.
I’d ride the train of haughty aloofness as long as I could.
I paced the room, too concerned with my lack of knowledge to be able to turn my brain off.
Why didn’t I get more answers before turning her to stone?
And why couldn’t I simply accept my lack of control over the situation and run with it?
Because, despite the ability to turn into a bird and fly away, my Monster needed me to keep it together until it was safe for both of us.
Finding some pajamas, I climbed into her bed.
His wife’s bed. What would Mindy think of me now?
And what wouldn’t I give to have my fierce friend here to talk things over with and get through this next part?
I should’ve answered her call when I had the chance.
Because there was a good possibility that neither of us would make it back up the mountain again.