Chapter 19 Rhianelle #3
Her shadow falls over both of us. “Would you like me to become your mother, little nameless girl?”
“No.” I force myself to look at her. “But can you really become anything?”
“Anything.”
I glance toward the merchant’s horse, still pulling nervously against its tether.
“Can you become something the horse desires?” I ask.
Miss Bernadette looks over her shoulder.
“Of course.”
One moment she wears Bernadette’s face. The next, a mound of bright red berries lies in the road.
For a heartbeat, Blaire and I only stare.
The horse surges against its tether, stretching its neck toward them.
I grab one of the berries and hold it out with shaking fingers. The horse snaps it from my palm and strains harder, desperate for more.
Blaire understands at once. She scrambles forward, scoops up both hands full of berries, and thrusts them toward the horse.
A finch lands on the pile. Then another. More birds descend from the surrounding trees, drawn by the sudden feast. They hop across the road, curious and bold, pecking at the scattered berries.
“Feed them too,” I whisper.
Blaire scatters a few across the dirt and more birds drop from the branches, pecking and squabbling. Her pigeon wriggles free from her hair and joins them. They swarm over the bright red fruit, tearing into Miss Bernadette’s chosen form while the horse devours everything within reach.
While the horse chews, I fumble with the knot. My fingers are clumsy with fear, but the rope finally loosens.
The animal lunges forward, eating every berry the birds have not already stolen.
“Run,” Blaire gasps.
We scramble from the bushes and race into the forest, Blaire’s pigeon clinging desperately to her shoulder.
Miss Bernadette’s furious wail tears through the trees behind us. She is trapped inside the horse and the birds until every stolen piece of her finds its way back to the earth.
We do not stop running until the road and her screams are far behind us.
That was years ago. I am no longer seven. I am no longer hiding in a ditch.
I open the door.
Miss Bernadette steps through it.
She has chosen to take the form of a bear. White as salt, her paws leaving cracks in the plateau stone where she sets them down. She sits back on her haunches and regards me with small dark eyes.
Rhianelle, she says in my mind, her voice rich with amusement. You’ve grown.
“Will you fight?” I ask.
Not for you.
Her gaze slides sideways, slow and deliberate, until it settles upon Blaire standing in my armor.
Miss Bernadette’s lips peel back from her teeth.
For her.
Cold settles inside my chest. I look toward Blaire, expecting to see the same terror I felt all those years ago.
She does not even flinch.
Miss Bernadette turns to face the assembled creatures of Astefar, all seventeen of them ranged across the plateau, and something passes between them. An acknowledgment.
The ancient fae part for her without being asked. Even Hellios lowers his burning head as she pads toward them, enormous white paws cracking the stone beneath each step. Miss Bernadette takes her place among the others as though she has always belonged at the front of nightmares.
The runes gutter out one by one, and the strength goes out of me with them.
I sway.
Arescaine catches me before I can fall, one arm wrapping around my waist while his other hand steadies my shoulder.
“Enough,” he says quietly.
I want to argue, but my knees tremble beneath me and my throat tastes of blood. Across the field, eighteen creatures of Astefar wait for my command. It has to be enough.
I look up at him and manage a weak smile. “I’m still standing.”
His hand tightens at my waist, but he lets me straighten. I step away from him slowly, forcing my legs to obey as my gaze returns to Blaire.
There is something different about her. Something I can’t quite place.
She’s not afraid. That’s what’s wrong.
“Blaire,” I say carefully, studying her face. “What happened to you?”
“What do you mean?” She keeps her eyes on Miss Bernadette.
I nod toward the enormous white bear.
“You used to tremble whenever we were sneaking in her territory. You could barely speak her name. Now she says she came here for you, and you do not seem frightened at all.”
Blaire is quiet for a long moment.
“People change, Rhianelle. We survive impossible things and it changes us. You of all people should understand that.” She holds my gaze without flinching. “I am not the same naive maiden who entered Myrkheim.”
There’s truth in her words. Still, I can’t help but feel there’s something she’s not telling me. But there’s no time to ask. We have mere hours before the fae army reaches the Great Plateau and everything descends into chaos.
“Blaire,” I say quietly. “Whatever happened, promise me you’ll tell me when this is over. Promise me there are no secrets between us.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach those borrowed lilac eyes. “When this is over, we’ll have all the time in the world.”
I turn to her one final time and pull her into a fierce hug.
“Come back safely,” she whispers against my shoulder. “That’s all I ask.”
“I will.” I squeeze her hands once before I let go. “Thank you, my friend. My sister.”
She smiles, and for a moment she’s the Blaire I’ve always known.
Blaire looks past me to the creatures waiting on the field. Her face changes. She lowers the visor of her helm and becomes the Queen of Aelfheim.
Siofra and Darstan mount their Noctrals while Blaire climbs onto mine. Darstan takes his place on one side of her and Siofra on the other. Together, they turn their horses toward the front line.
The creatures of Astefar follow.
Jessica pauses at the plateau’s edge and looks back at me.
I’m famished, she says pleasantly.
Several nearby soldiers pale.
“Enemy soldiers only,” I remind her.
She gives a disappointed click. I do hope there are enough of them.
I watch Blaire, Darstan, and Siofra lead eighteen ancient fae toward the front line. Fear coils tightly inside me as the creatures spread among our soldiers and prepare to meet the Fae King’s army.
I have to leave them here.
I hope the creatures of Astefar honor their bargains, and Blaire can maintain the illusion. I hope Darstan and Siofra can hold our army together.
Most of all, I hope I see them again.
I change quickly into the lightweight battle armor Arescaine made for me. The dark plates fit close to my body without restricting my movement, and the leather beneath them is soft enough for a long journey. I fasten my sword at my hip, pull on my cloak, and leave the tent.
My rescue party waits for me in the war camp.
I am halfway across the camp when someone calls my name.
Alys hurries toward me. Her dark hair is loose around her shoulders, and tears streak her face. She stops in front of me, struggling to catch her breath.
“Thank you,” she says. Her voice breaks. “Thank you for not abandoning him.”
I take her hands. “Of course I am going after Landon. I will bring him home, Alys. You do not need to cry.”
She wipes her face with the back of one hand, but more tears follow. “I thought everyone would leave him there after what happened. I thought they would decide he had betrayed them and let him die.”
“I would never leave him,” I say.
Alys nods quickly. “Thank you.”
I glance toward the fae warriors gathering around the camp. “You should take the legion and leave before the battle begins. The Fae King will consider all of you traitors now. If he captures you, he will not show mercy. Tell the others and get as far from the Great Plateau as you can.”
This is not their war. Landon brought them here because he wanted them safe.
Alys stares at me for a moment before throwing her arms around me.
“Please bring him back safely,” she whispers.
I hold her tightly. “I will.”
She releases me reluctantly and steps aside, wiping the last of her tears as I continue toward the others.
Arescaine stands nearest the shadows, his black cloak almost merging with them. Shade, Rainer, and Cedwyn wait beside him, all dressed in dark clothing that makes them difficult to see in the fading night. Garrett adjusts the straps of his travel pack, his face set with determination.
The wolf stands several paces away, staring at Garrett. His gaze follows every movement the knight makes, from the tightening of a buckle to the way Garrett checks the sword at his hip.
Garrett finally looks up. “Is something wrong, boy?”
The wolf glares its sapphire eyes and bares its teeth.
A nervous chitter rises from behind me.
I turn just as Coral pushes through the gathered soldiers and runs toward me, her wing braces gleaming in the twilight.
She nearly knocks me back when she reaches me, pressing her snout hard against my chest.
Coral chitters nervously. She knows I’m leaving.
“I can’t take you,” I tell her, stroking her snout. “You need to stay here. Stay safe.”
Coral whines, pressing her head against my chest. “I know, sweet girl. But I’ll come back. I promise.”
Arescaine approaches, and Coral immediately goes to him, seeking comfort. He scratches under her chin absently, his eyes on me. “We should go.”
He’s right. In a few hours, the fae army will reach the Great Plateau. The battle will begin.
Arescaine looks toward the darkening horizon before turning back to us.
“I can open a shadow passage into Avalon,” he says quietly. “But not inside the Palace of Bones. The wards surrounding it are old and powerful. They will reject any portal that tries to breach them.”
Rainer folds his arms. “How close can you get us?”
“Within a few miles of the palace.” Arescaine glances toward me. “Perhaps closer, if the wards have weakened. I will not know until I reach for the shadows there.”
Shade adjusts the mask covering his face. “A few miles is close enough.”
Garrett nods. “We can approach on foot while the darkness covers us.”
“Do it,” I say.