Chapter 40
I swear to never fail the meek, nor will I abandon the frail. Those whose hearts are filled with adoration and love will never fear the dark. For I will be the eternal light guiding those I deem worthy. Anomaly or mortal. I will forever protect the gentlest of souls.
— THE HISTORIES AND PROPHECIES OF THE STAR-CROSSED GODS: CHRONICLES OF EVELLA
Shivering under the almost bare canopy of trees, five horses wound their way towards us. Lanterns blinked from window to window in the palace behind us.
‘Can you get them here quicker?’ Asher said, glaring at the horses’ steady pace.
‘If they run here, it’ll alert the guards.’ Matthias wrapped his arm around my waist. ‘Sorrow knows what she’s doing.’
I glanced back at the palace, biting down on my lip, as I recalled Ifan’s news. How he’d been promised my sister.
‘Is Enfys in there?’ I asked.
‘She’s in my rooms,’ Skye said, clinging to Asher. ‘I tried to sneak back in.’
‘Did you not think to bring her with you?’
Skye shook her head. ‘Sorry. I’ve no idea if we can trust her.’
‘And I remember when we all thought your twin was a decent human and not a traitorous backstabber.’
‘Exactly,’ Skye said, pain dancing across her green eyes as I scratched my elbow.
‘I know she’s your sister and she helped with your research, but all I remember is a spoilt little girl who’d run to her daddy every time she got upset.
I wasn’t going to risk freeing my brother for a girl I barely know. I’m not sure who to trust any more.’
The horses reached us, heads bowed. Glesni brought the branches and bushes around as a small shield.
Asher helped Skye onto her horse, and I glanced down at my skirts, wishing I’d taken the time to find some leggings.
Placing my hands on the horse’s withers, I glanced back at the palace.
What if we couldn’t take the palace? If we went into hiding, would they rush forward with the marriage, trapping Enfys with Ifan?
‘Sorrow?’ Matthias was already mounted, his brows furrowed.
‘I can’t leave her,’ I said, moving away. ‘I’ll meet you at the beach.’
‘There’s no way I’m letting that happen,’ Matthias said, dismounting and stepping towards me.
‘Don’t argue, Elmswood. I’m going after her and—’
‘I know you are, but you’re not going alone.’
Damn, I wanted to argue with him, but he was right.
‘Matthias.’ Asher leapt down and grabbed his arm, forcing his king to face him. ‘We’ve burnt down half the dungeon. They’re after you. You can’t go back in there.’
Matthias grabbed my hand. ‘We’ll be quick.’
‘No,’ Asher cried, reaching out for Matthias, his dark fingers skimming Matthias’s torn shirt. ‘We’ve freed you. I’m not risking this.’
Matthias exhaled. ‘We’re getting Enfys. Sorry Asher, but I need you to get the others to the beach and ready the forces. I know all the passages. We’ll meet you there.’
The captain’s nostrils flared.
‘How about we all wait here?’ Glesni looked tiny perched on her steed. ‘If you’re not out by the tenth bell, we’ll come after you.’
Matthias raised his brow at Asher.
‘Fine. But if you’re not back by that damned bell, I’ll kill you myself.’
‘I think you’ll find that’s a definite case for dismissal, Captain,’ Matthias said, and with Pablo at our heels, we sneaked back into the palace.
‘Your wolf is wrong,’ Matthias hissed at me for the third time as we stood, hunched over at a crossroads. Pablo licked my fingers and padded down the path to the left. ‘I lived here all my life—’
‘Apart from the six years you spent with me.’
He opened and closed his mouth, took a settling breath as a smirk hooked up the corner of my lips.
‘Yes, but before and after that, I lived here, and I know these passageways.’ He took my hand, one foot hovering over the path to the right. ‘So who do you trust more, Sorrow? Me, or the oversized rug?’
Letting out an exasperated sigh, I lay my hand on Pab’s back, following him.
‘It’s his nose against your memory.’ I looked back over my shoulder. ‘Sorry.’
‘You will be when we’ve got to come all the way back.’
Clinging to Pab, I shimmied through the narrow corridors, past dark oak beams, till the wolf stopped by a small wooden door set low down.
Matthias knelt down, tilting his head as he examined it.
‘Fine,’ he said. ‘The wolf wins.’
He lay his ear against the door, his hair tumbling over his eyes. I swept it back, where it stayed for a few moments, before flopping back down. Catching my fingers in his hand, he brushed a kiss to the tips.
‘I missed you,’ he whispered.
My breath caught as I met his gaze. As the wolf licked Matthias’s cheek, I wondered if we’d ever have the peace to simply get to know each other again. I bit my fist to stifle the laughter as he shoved the wolf away, and Pablo lay his great paw on the king’s shoulder and licked his ear.
‘Call your wolf off,’ he whispered.
‘He likes you.’ I tugged Pab’s fur and the wolf huffed, before laying his chin on my shoulder.
Matthias grabbed the wooden handle and twisted, shuffling through the small gap. ‘Wait here.’
‘She’s my sister,’ I argued, softly batting away a moth as it fluttered towards the light slipping through the gap.
‘And you’ve got the strength to lift her through?’
I folded my arms, my nose wrinkling. ‘Fine, but be quick.’
Matthias kissed me, before disappearing, Pablo whining at the door. My heart thundered. Each breath lasted a lifetime, till hushed voices approached and the door swung open. I expelled a long breath as Enfys finally scrambled towards me.
Hauling her through, our arms wrapped around each other, tears pricking the backs of my eyes. Matthias dragged himself through easily, closing the door behind them. For a man who’d been half starved in the dungeons, he’d appeared to gain strength. I narrowed my gaze. Had he actually put on bulk?
‘Where are you getting this energy from, Elmswood?’ I asked.
‘I’ve found my impending execution highly motivating. Come on,’ he said, ‘we’ll have plenty of time to talk later.’
Enfys laced her fingers through mine as we crept along, and I squeezed back.
We approached the crossroads and Matthias glanced back over his shoulder, a rogue grin playing on his lips, when Pablo howled and leapt up, smashing his paws into Matthias’s shoulders and dragging him to the floor.
White sparks erupted against the stone wall where Matthias’s neck had been only a heartbeat earlier.
Pablo rose swiftly, leaping at the shadowy figure blocking the passage.
Matthias was on his feet, sword raised before I’d had time to drag in a breath.
I cried as Pablo yelped, his body slamming into the wall. It was clear who’d found us.
‘I knew you’d come for her. Always got to be the great hero, haven’t you?’
Matthias raised his sword towards his brother.
‘Couldn’t leave her shackled to you, could I? That’s a fate worse than death.’
Pablo stood on shaking legs, relief flooding my chest as he limped towards me, his eyes locked on a smirking Ifan.
‘And a fate you’ll soon be accustomed to, brother.’
Ifan lunged, but Matthias blocked his strike with a crash, bronze sparks flying.
Enfys and I stepped back; Pab growled as Ifan swiftly gained ground, forcing Matthias to retreat.
I’d seen Ifan fight. Matthias was fierce, but he didn’t stand a chance.
My only defence was the wolf, and Ifan had already hurt him twice.
Swords crashed, Matthias roared, lunging at Ifan, who twisted, his grunts drowning out Pablo’s snarls.
The hilt of Ifan’s sword slammed into his brother’s hip.
A pain sliced through my temple as Matthias crashed to the floor, rolling over and up again in a heartbeat. If I didn’t stop this, I’d lose Matthias again. Damn, why was I so useless with a sword? Then I realised I didn’t need a weapon. I’d been born one.
‘Why?’ Matthias cried, adjusting his grip. ‘Why would you turn on us?’
Ifan snorted. ‘You’re worse than father. We’ll lose it all if we blindly follow you. At least this way I’ll keep hold of something.’
His sword sparked as it hit the stone of the wall, narrowly missing Matthias’s head. Matthias’s blade blurred as it collided with Ifan’s, somehow Evella gifting him the strength to push the traitor back.
‘At what cost?’ Matthias asked, panting. ‘Romero will own you. Doesn’t that terrify you?’ He ducked once more, muscles shaking, one leg slipping as Ifan pushed harder.
Silver threads burst from my chest.
‘Nothing. Scares. Me. Any. More,’ Ifan cried, each word met with a deafening slash of his sword, so intent on killing his brother, he missed the shimmering moth fluttering his way.
‘That’s not exactly true, is it?’
Matthias peered over his shoulder, eyes wide, and Ifan took advantage, his sword nicking his brother’s arm.
Ifan wiped the sweat from his brow as Matthias hissed, adjusting his stance. Blood pounded through my skull, dimming my sight further.
‘And once you’re dead, I’ll make your wife—’
Ifan flapped away the huge grey emperor moth I’d drawn towards him.
I swiped the blood from my spreading grin as a flurry of white, grey and brown darted through the passage, enveloping the traitorous prince.
His sword flew out erratically, crying, sobbing, as the moths covered him in a soft, fluttering blanket.
More and more were drawn to him, as though Ifan were the brightest flame.
He grunted, shouted, flung himself against the stone walls. Anything to shake the moths away.
I smiled. It’s rather easy for even the tiniest, frailest creatures to overthrow a tyrant when they act as one.
‘Let’s go,’ Matthias said, heaving in great breaths.
‘He’s killing them,’ I cried.
‘They’re moths!’
‘Moths that helped you, Matthias.’
He groaned and spun about before examining the wooden beams.
‘You three keep going,’ he said, raising the sword and taking a testing swipe at the beam.
‘I’m not leaving you.’
‘No, you’re not.’ He stared at me; worry flashed over his face, and I hastily wiped my nose, my heart sinking as my hand came away bloody once more. ‘But I’m asking you to trust me.’
I nodded, and we tore down the cramped corridor, listening to the great thuds of the sword. I hesitated for a moment. Where had the strength to chop through solid oak and bring down a tunnel come from?
But, as dust and stones rained down, and Matthias raced towards us screaming to run, I didn’t have time to consider it. Clutching my sister and wolf, we raced through the tunnels, a flurry of moths in our wake.