Chapter 20 Erik
ERIK
“We will move our forces into the Sidhe land.” Willis began the meeting by dropping new information.
“My wolves have scouted the territory. It seems that the Sidhe never venture between their city and their borders. Staying hidden amongst the forest and mountain range should not be an issue as we slowly close in.”
His gaze drifted around the room, landing on the several of us privy to such meetings as we sat around the wooden table.
“And what if the Sidhe have someone like you? Someone who uses animals to monitor and spy,” Eislyn asked. She joined us several days ago, and her mind has been invaluable since.
“Then they already know what we have been doing, but I do not think that is the case,” Willis answered with a frown.
“I agree,” Kiora stated in support. “From what Shay has shared with us, Clause seems fond of Ariana.” My blood boiled at the mention of his name as the young Sparrow continued, “Maybe even obsessed. Yet he did not know of her existence until she displayed her power for all to see and took back control of the Bavadrin lands. He likely has spies, but they are probably not animals. They are people. They know the common knowledge and not much more.”
“You think he only knows common knowledge? Care to wager a bet on that?” Iver smirked.
Kiora snorted softly, hazel eyes sliding to Iver. “You have nothing to offer which I desire in order to place a bet.”
He tsked softly. “Is that so?” Earning an eye roll from her.
“Why move our forces now?” I asked Willis, getting back to the point.
The Bavadrin turned to me and hesitated.
Something was happening. He refused to give detailed accounts of Ariana’s whereabouts and experiences anymore.
Only things he deemed pertinent to our success moving forward.
Though for him to now wish for us to advance into the Sidhe territory meant something.
“Did something happen?” Kole leaned forward, resting his thick forearms on the table, when Willis was not quick to reply. Everyone looked at him, waiting for a response.
“Nothing of concern yet. But there is a strange tension rising. Shay senses it. The wolf fears for Ariana. I believe it is time to move closer in case she needs us to act. We have learned a lot since her time there, and we have prepared for what is to come.” His brown eyes held my stare.
“Why do you hold back what you know?” I pressed. Under the table, my hands formed into fists as frustration heated me from within. The Bavadrin Ariana left in charge pulled back on his knowledge, and all that it did was anger me.
“I share what is needed.”
“We are on the same side,” Kole stated.
Willis shrugs, turning to him. “Does not mean that every detail of the Leader Superior’s time there needs to be recanted for everyone here to judge.”
“What is there to judge?” I asked, my voice deceptively even, portraying a calm that I did not feel.
Willis turned to me, lips set in a firm line.
I released a disheartened breath. “You think I would judge her? For doing all she can to survive in that place?”
Iver sighed, turning to Edda, whose gaze remained fixed on the table, not present in the moment. “What about you, Seer? Care to share what you see?”
Onyx eyes lifted towards my youngest brother. “Everything is drenched in shadows. Nothing is as clear as it should be.”
“Ah, you Bavarians and your cryptic replies.” Iver remained focused on her. “You see something. You just wish to keep it to yourself, much like your little friend here.” He nodded towards Willis before turning back to her. “Say we move into the Sidhe land. Will that further endanger Ariana?”
Her lips thinned. “No.”
“And if I enter the city to find her?” I asked.
“Absolutely not,” Willis stated, a hard edge to his voice.
“Shay has found a way in.” I turned to him. Using a bit of detail he happened to inform us of. “An entire army could not take that route, but I could. And I am one of the strongest conjurors you have.”
“Are we forgetting about me?” Iver grinned, though he placed a hand on his chest as if offended.
“He said one of the strongest.” Eislyn cut in. “And you can’t help but stick your nose into trouble, Iver. So that means you get to stay with the rest of us.”
“Ah, still bitter towards me, I see.” He smirked at Eislyn, who shook her head at him.
I turned to Edda. “You did not answer me.”
Her frown deepened. “I see two hazy paths before you. If you go, that is. One will help her, while the other will destroy her. You hold the answer to your own question based on your decisions alone. I must warn you, if you go, it will not be easy for you or her. You will see her experience pain, and you will need to refrain from trying to protect her from it or the outcome will be catastrophic.”
“So, my going could be helpful?” I leaned towards the old woman, as if hanging off her words. A spark of hope shot through me even though I swore to myself I would never trust her sight.
“Or harmful,” Willis stated the other path.
“What of your future?” Eislyn asked Edda. “It is clear something troubles you. That your mind is elsewhere most of the time.”
“At this point, I am trying to also not do harm,” she stated with a frown.
“What’s that mean?” Kole looked at her like she was a foreign animal. It was the only way he ever viewed her.
She released a low hum before answering. “There has been a block on my future for a long time. I cannot see it. For the first time since I can remember, I am moving through the world completely blind. To clear my sight I am going to need to leave. A few days in isolation should recenter things.”
“A few centuries in isolation would be preferred.” Kole muttered under his breath.
How was she blind if she knew that some of her choices could cause harm? It made no sense, though she hardly ever did.
I turned to Willis, focusing on something potentially more fruitful than entertaining the old-timer. “I am going to Ariana. No more waiting.”
His stare pinned me, cold and unyielding. “Did you not hear the warning? Sure, you can help, but you can also make it worse.”
“I won’t make it worse.” The words were uttered through clenched teeth.
“Do not be so certain,” Edda spoke up. “Iver kept what he was from you because of hesitation regarding your response to learning his truth. Even your own family is cautious of you and now you wish to enter a highly volatile environment where a single breath in the wrong direction can bring the castle crumbling down on top of Ariana.”
A ripple of anger scorched me from within. “I am not some boy who cannot control himself. I would never bring her any harm.”
Edda’s black eyes narrow on me, challenging. “What if you get there only to learn she wishes for you to leave? That her heart now favors him and not you. What would you do?”
The room turned icy cold at her insinuation. My muscles contract and it was an effort to unlock even my jaw in order to formulate a response. “Is that true?”
Edda tilted her head, viewing me. “We are stuck in a layered web, all of us. Each move comprises potential repercussions.”
It was not an answer, yet the table did not wait for her answer, but mine. All eyes focused on me.
What if Ariana wanted the Sidhe King? The notion never crossed my mind. In all my thoughts of her and him, I always viewed him as an enemy, someone forcing her to stay there. Keeping her from returning to me.
I will find you. Those were the words I promised her. That I would come for her. That I would bring her back with me. But what if that was not what she wanted?
A sharp pain cut through me at the possibility of a reality I never considered.
“I would leave, if she wished for me to,” I finally answered.
I would find her. I would keep my promise. Though she never promised me she would return with me. And if she wished to stay, I wouldn’t stop her.
The thoughts rushing through my mind nearly choked me.
“You would follow her lead in this?” Kiora asked. “No matter what? Ariana has been in there for weeks. She knows what she is dealing with more than any of us. If you go there and she tells you to do something, or not do something, you think you can follow without hesitation?”
I turned to the Sparrow, thankful for her question for pulling me out of the spiraling of my thoughts. “If it helps her, then yes.”
Kiora turned to Willis. “The decision is clearly yours. But if sending him gives her any edge of coming out of this better...”
Willis nodded, gaze withdrawn in thought.
Waiting for him to reply was grating. Especially when I was not sure I would listen if he forbade me from going to her.
I did not promise to follow the Bavadrin’s second in command without question.
Finally, he said, “If your actions make this worse for her, then you make yourself a threat. You will be eliminated without hesitation.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Kole’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. His head snapped so quickly to Willis, that his neck was bound to feel it the next day. A heavy tension settled in the room, weaving itself through the space. A thread connecting all of us.
Willis ignored him, gaze locked on mine. “If that is a risk you are willing to take.”
Kole rose from the table, stopped only by Eislyn’s hand, grabbing his wrist. She shook her head gently, stilling him.
“I am willing,” I stated.
“Be not mistaken.” Edda pinned me with a stare.
“You are to be a wallflower. There for support, but not to intervene on your own accord. If Ariana needs you to do something, she will say. Otherwise, you do nothing to change the path of fate as it weaves around her. Be a wallflower, or you doom her.”
“Noted.”
Edda stood, walking towards the exit. “I need to clear my mind. Hopefully then I will be able to see more.” She paused at the door for a moment, as if intending to say something else, before walking out without another word.
Iver released a low whistle. “Love makes people agree to the wildest things. Even Kings may be willing to fall for it.” He said Kings.
As if someone other than I may agree to things for love.
As if Clause perhaps could. Though there was no way that was what this was.
Clause might have thought he loved her, but it was mere infatuation.
He did not know Ariana enough for anything more.
“As if you know anything about it,” Kiora mumbled under her breath, drawing Iver’s eye.
“Care to find out what I know?” He smirked.
Kole turned to Iver. “Are you ever serious?” His words were a growl. Anger radiated from him, hating how things were turning out.
“So, it’s settled,” I stated, getting the room back on track. “I am going.” Though it was a statement, I looked at Willis for confirmation.
He dipped his head while his lips remained pressed into a displeased line. From his view, this was a gamble. A possibility to either help or harm his leader. But I would not allow for that harm to be because of my actions.
“When do we all leave?” Eislyn asked.
Willis said, “Prepare your forces now. We leave at dawn.”
Standing from the table, all eyes landed on me once more. “I am leaving tonight.” I turned to Kole and Eislyn. “And I am going alone.”
They both didn’t like it, apparent by the frowns on their faces, but nodded in understanding.
With anticipation, I turned and headed towards the exit.
I was going to see her again, to be near her. Despite the doubt the Seer planted in my mind, there was also hope. I could help Ariana by going to her, which meant that she wouldn’t send me away. For if I arrived only to be asked to leave, then how would that offer her any benefit? It wouldn’t.
I would go to her, keeping my promise, and bringing her home.
“One more thing.” Willis’s voice stilled me just before I reached for the door. “There is something all of you should know.” I turned to face him. “Ariana finally learned why the Sidhe King keeps conjurors separated from those without the gift.”