Chapter 27 Colgrave
COLGRAVE
Watching Audryn with Ryder nearly brought me to my knees, but hearing Hunt’s name almost ended me. If he’d acted with such malice toward a child, what was he capable of doing to her?
“Whatever you made my betrothed do while here will never be spoken of,” Ryder continued. “You will continue exporting the extra fifty barrels in return for my kindness.”
He was acting as if he controlled the situation. With a flick of my wrist, I could eliminate not only his magic, but each of his guards' as well. And he’d clearly forgotten my sister’s reputation.
“I’m not the one who needed to force her into my arms.” I offered a fake smile. “She came willingly, begged for me to fuck her.” I should’ve kept my mouth shut, but I needed to provoke him. All he had to do was lunge, and I’d have cause to kill him. I’d avoid a war with the other kingdoms.
“Col,” my sister warned.
“Maybe if you’d satisfied her, we wouldn’t be here. She’s gloriously talented, which makes you,” I said, pointing my finger in Ryder’s direction, “the incompetent piece of this puzzle.”
Ryder’s face turned red, and if he could breathe fire, he’d have scorched us all. Maybe he'd get furious enough to finally reveal whatever magic he holding on to.
I sent my magic out, feeling the Divine ability each guard held. But something had always been different with Ryder, and I could never quite put my finger on it. His ability hummed just under the surface, too vague to understand.
The prince only stared in my direction, refusing to take the bait.
I glanced at the gryphon circling in the sky. Forced to take another angle, I continued, “You’ve failed to complete an agreement. I suppose if you’re unable to fulfill your obligations now, I’ll keep that in mind when we begin negotiations for the new treaty.”
Ryder shifted on his feet. “She’s not staying. The best I can do is allow her to return for a few days, but not now, and definitely not without me at her side.” He flicked his chin at Fisher. “Especially considering I cannot trust my guard.”
The side door to the castle opened, but I held Ryder’s stare.
“Athela, lovely to see you outside,” Ryder said in a cool tone. “It looks like it’s time to go. C’mon, Fisher.”
“He’s staying.” My mother’s voice was stern and loud; there was no mistaking her statement as a request.
She’d kept distance from royal matters since my father died. Apparently, Fisher was an exception.
“There’s a travel ban, Athela, even you know that,” Ryder continued and looked to the guard. “Charges will be brought against you for risking the life of my future wife. Lucky for you, I will allow a trial before signing the execution papers.”
“He’s staying.” Every gravelly octave in my voice rang through my words. Audryn chose to leave; Fisher could make his own choice too.
Ryder considered only for a moment before nodding. “Very well.” His fingers thrummed against the hilt of his sword. “If you would like to harbor the killer of a queen’s brother, that is certainly your choice. But know that your position will be shared with every royal in Crofea.”
“It is my decision, not Colgrave’s.” My mother’s words echoed off the nearby rock. “If they must, let them come for me.”
Fisher mumbled something under his breath, but the only word I could make out was my mother’s name.
“We’ll be on our way.” Ryder cocked his head and smirked. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, and I look forward to seeing those fifty barrels soon.”
The prince and his remaining guards mounted their respective gryphons and lifted into the sky, moving slower than any wyvern. The feathers of the creatures shimmered against the sunset, mirroring the glowing fire in the pit of my stomach.
My mother looked around. “A garden?” Her eyes beamed as she took in the area and walked toward the aisles. “I must thank Audryn, where is she?”
I couldn’t get the words out. They were formed, but a thick knot lay in my throat—the stifled words choking me.
“It was time for her to return home,” Sky said, not looking at my mother. “She made the choice to leave.”
Our eyes remained skyward as the gryphons headed south and shrank into the distance.
My mind replayed the little moments I had with Audryn, and doubt crept in.
She never verbally returned my sentiments, but I hadn’t thought she needed to.
It was her actions that made me so sure my feelings were reciprocated, but perhaps I was wrong.
She was obviously enjoying herself with Ryder’s hands groping over her body.
“Why didn’t you fight for her to stay? You just let her go!” Amalee pushed my shoulder, nearly knocking me down. “How could you do that? You obviously care about her.”
“What happened to ‘you can’t save everyone, especially someone who doesn’t want to be saved’?” I turned and looked at her incredulously. “Did you expect me to drag her inside? Lock her up and force her to stay when she clearly didn’t want to?”
“You didn’t even try,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“What about painting a target on our backs? Did you somehow forget that? And now you’re mad?”
“Give me a minute,” Fisher muttered to my mother and walked her to the door where she disappeared. He lingered outside.
“You could have killed him—I could have killed him!” Amalee was shouting, but not at me, maybe at herself. “We should have done something. Anything.”
“And what, take on the land itself? You heard, they’re mated. You can’t deny that you didn’t see the shift in her the moment he …” I stammered, “touched her.”
Sky scoffed. “Something’s all fucked up with that. It’s not a true mating bond. I felt it on the sofa weeks ago. Someone’s messed with her mind.”
“What?” I turned to face my sister’s girlfriend. “What exactly did you see?”
She shrugged. “All I know is someone’s been tinkering around. Someone like me, and they weren’t very good at what they did. I’d need some time to look further, but it’s definitely Macabre magic in her.”
“It changed her mind?” I gasped, realizing she could be someone entirely different from who I had grown to know. “Maybe that’s why she refused to let me help her.”
“Doubtful.” Fisher spoke behind me. “She’s always been stubborn, but I can confirm someone messed with her mind.
” He walked up to my side. “Prince Sutton had me take her to a healer. But there was someone else there. She’s from Oras and works for the king.
Apparently, the prince too. Anyhow, things were different afterwards. ”
“Let’s kill him,” Amalee urged.
Thick beats sounded in the air just before Micah’s wyvern dove and landed to a screeching halt. He jumped off and scanned us, checking for potential injuries.
“A dozen gryphons flew in, but are now headed south.” My brother was breathless.
“And we’re just now seeing you?” I huffed.
“You missed the entertainment.” Sky smirked. “Tardy as always.”
“I was coming from the north, and it took a bit for the news to reach me.” Micah panted. “I’ll let you know when I learn to be in multiple places at once, maybe you can mix a magic potion to duplicate me. You’d make a few men and women very happy.”
“Thankfully, it wasn’t an attack.” Sky kicked her foot into the gravel. “Though on some level, I suppose it was.”
“I need to figure things out,” I said to nobody in particular.
Micah looked around. “What’s going on? I see your girl created a kick-ass garden for your mother? An early gift to the ‘ol mother-in-law, eh?”
“Yeah, something like that.” My jaw worked as I considered all the options. “If she agrees to leave, she won’t do so without her father or friends. We’re going to need transportation, and a lot of it.”
“Oh, a mission. I’ve missed those.” Micah smiled. “Who’s leaving and what are we doing?”
“We aren’t doing anything. You need to stay in case things go incredibly bad.” I turned to stand in front of the four of them. “Fisher, are you staying here or assisting?”
“I’m going. I don’t care if Audryn hates me. I will not sit around.” He rolled his eyes at Amalee. “Though, it would be nice to have my own wyvern so I can stop riding with your sister.”
“Sky?” I raised a brow.
“I’m there,” she replied. “If someone fucked with her head, I may need to try to unfuck it, but no promises considering she willingly went back with that asshole.”
“I’d rather you stay.” Amalee’s words were low. “It’s going to be risky.”
“Aww, such a protector—I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about me.” Sky wrapped her arms around my sister and plopped a kiss on her cheek.
“You three leave Wednesday and go to Rynholm, rest up that evening and I’ll meet you in Rivale Thursday evening, we’ll gather along the western coast,” I continued. “I have an idea, but I’m going to need to reach out to a few people.”
“Three days?” Amalee’s eyes tracked to mine. “That’s too long. He could hurt her.” She looked at me with the same big black eyes I was so used to seeing as a child.
I shook the thought away. “We need time. We're going to be outmatched and outnumbered. I’m leaving tonight.”