Chapter 27 #3
“Follow the advice of the many parts of me on the road, and you will at least head in the right direction. The rest will be up to you to learn. Not for me. I’ve done my piece. Tricked them with a cart of spiders, unleashed my ants, and gave you shelter and healing. You have left me weary.”
“You saw this moment would happen?”
“Yes. Me and the me of the palace. Now you must head into the White Wastes and find the me who has new knowledge beyond me. Dangerous, yet the safest route offered to you. Take this advice and embrace it. I shall leave you a compass so you can reach the northwest to find me. It will point toward me at all times.”
Kormac sat forward. “Is Lasair dead?”
The old woman grinned. “A fine, strong fae such as her is not so easily destroyed.”
I saw the smile creep on Kormac’s lips. I tensed at it. Soul bond or not, his loyalties were truly in one place.
“You have forced us together,” I said. “Enemies. I don’t understand.”
“Not I,” she replied. “Fate.”
We sat together for a while in silence. My mind was full and struggling, the calmness pervading me still.
What cruel sense of humor put us together? What would it possibly achieve?
A journey north…
Yes. I had to go north. The temptation grew with each passing second. I knew something waited for me up there. I could feel it. Something life-changing. A becoming, as the old woman said. However, the differences between me and Kormac were too great, our hate too strong.
Well, at least it should be. But that wasn’t true, was it?
Kormac. My protector. A human. A part of me. How laughable. How… comforting. What better creature, other than my lost friends, to have on my side? I’d watched him fight. I liked how he killed.
Dark caress…
The old woman pushed herself to her feet. Kormac went to help her. She hissed at him.
“Leave me be!” she barked. “Don’t touch me, human. I can manage.”
Stupid old hag!
“Take the first door on the right to sleep. One bed.”
“One?” Kormac said. “Don’t you have more rooms? There’s all these doors.”
“Not for you. Sleep and be on your way. You will have your compass and supplies come daybreak. Remember to head northwest for the me of the White Wastes.”
“Is there anything more we should know?” I asked.
She lumbered toward the hallway. “Not from me, no. Goodnight.”
With that, she took the second door on the right.
I sighed. “Well… Where do we begin?”
“By sleeping,” Kormac said. “I’m not leaving this chair.”
“We should sleep in a bed.”
“Together? One bed? No. Never.”
Danu, he was right. A bad idea indeed.
Silence fell again. Silence brought thoughts and silent tears for the dead, for all of this nightmare. I caught them as Kormac saw them.
I looked away. Chiding myself for crying again. “The last thing I want is for you to see me like this.”
“Showing you have a heart?” he questioned.
“You don’t believe that.”
“I don’t know what to believe anymore. I can feel a pull of the north, know that I need to look after you and get you there.
” He huffed. “Protect you. Help you.” Another huff.
“Gods! The guilt won’t leave me alone. I failed to protect you from Lasair.
You almost lost your head, and I hate that I care so much. That I’m so hellpissing sorry for it.”
“Maybe luck will strike, and I’ll die. A hidden curve in this road.”
He shook his head. “Damn this. Damn all of it. If she thinks we can be… More than what we are…”
“Friends?”
“Never.”
“I agree.”
No, I didn’t.
“I’m…” What were these words now? More magic forcing me to speak? “I’m sorry for what I did to you.”
“You’re not.”
“You’re right. I’m not.” Was that true? I didn’t know. None of this was real, though. All a magical concoction to use and confuse.
“I am…” I whispered. “I’m not… I am…”
“Just because I wanted to protect you doesn’t mean I like it. And just because I’m forced to go north with you doesn’t mean I’ll keep looking for the right moment to… Mark my words, Valance, I’ll… I’ll…”
“You can’t say it. Neither can I. Not without taking it back. This old woman has us locked together for whatever insane reason.” I sighed. “Such wicked irony.”
“Don’t talk to me.”
“What about Lasair? This curse Ren put on me? Did you have a hand in it? Do you know more about it?”
His eyes flared, full of loathing. And he grinned. “I’ll gladly tell you.”
He relayed the information of the plan to ruin me, the betrayal of Spring, every blood-boiling nugget. But I held on, not falling into blind berserker fury. His grin faded. He winced, went to get up.
“I’m sorry,” he said, then growled. “Damn this! I’m not sorry!”
I ignored his arguing with himself, stuffing another cake into his mouth to shut up. It seemed rather petulant.
Whatever awaited me up in the north, whatever any of this meant, I truly longed for it as much as I longed for revenge. I hoped it would lead to that up there. Something to help me bring a darkness upon Lasair and Spring and any who stood against me like they’d never known.
To think I’d almost married Lord Florent. To think I’d almost walked into a sticky trap.
They’d both pay. I’d see them burn.
No matter what.