45. Rohak
Chapter 45
Rohak
W e woke early the day we were to leave for Vespera, each of us stuck in our own thoughts. Some of the Mages and Vessels talked about the villagers and the work they had to do to rebuild their lives, others reminisced about the ones we lost. What started as a company of twenty—ten Mages and their Vessels—was reduced to twelve, their bodies buried and marked along with the other souls who had lost their lives over the past few weeks.
While I mourned their loss, I had to harden my heart and separate my emotions. This was war, or it would be once Alois was debriefed on what happened here, and there would be thousands more deaths and hundreds of burned villages before it was all over.
I packed what was left of my camp—just my bedroll and a few odds and ends—before tightening the saddle on Balios and mounting. I turned toward the east, to see the sun just start to peek over the horizon and sighed.
She isn’t coming .
I thought for sure after our conversation in the fields that Faylinn would choose to come with us, I was positive this was a better life for her, more fulfilling at least, but apparently I was alone in that thought.
“We ride out in ten!” I barked to my Mages, my frustration with leaving Faylinn creeping into my commands. If they heard my sharp tone, no one chose to comment. They were all still recovering, either mentally or physically, from the last few weeks, and were in no mood to push back. I took a quick stock of who was left, noting that Sol rode with Thandi, now, her back to his chest, his hand rubbing small circles on the outside of her thigh. She hadn’t said much since she woke, but there was a new connection between her and her Vessel, like they had some unspoken way of communicating. Sol was still shaky and would take a while to be back at full health, but I was heartened to see her recovery.
Lex, however, worried me. He was silent and broody, only answering direct questions, even from his Bonded, and only did so in one or two words. His mood was so severe that I’d seen Ilyas and Sasori exchange worried looks more than once.
I’ll check on him when we get home. He just needs a little more time .
One last glance showed me everyone was mounted and in line, awaiting orders. Jax and Cal would take the lead back through the forest while Lex and I would take the rear.
We can’t waste any more time. If she was coming, she’d be here by now .
“WAIT!” I heard the sound of a feminine voice yell out and I spun in my saddle toward the direction of the noise. “I’m coming with, just hold on a second!”
There she was, clean, rested, and looking happier than I’d ever seen her. Faylinn practically ran to us, her back burdened by a large pack stuffed full. Her arms were clutching a carrier of some kind, and she was panting and sweating.
As soon as she got to the line of horses, she set down the carrier in her arms and threw the bag off her back. It hit the ground with a large thud , and I was suddenly extremely concerned about what she was carrying.
“What is in those bags, Faylinn?” I asked her, my tone sharper than I desired.
What was it about this woman that made me simultaneously want to shake her and hold her?
“Just . . . give me a minute,” she panted. She was bent in half, hands on her knees, and she held up a finger at me. There was a tittering sound from the Mages and Vessels in front of me, and I shot a warning look that had their laughs quickly sobering. After a few seconds, Faylinn got her breathing under control and stood up, taking a few heavy gulps of air.
“You weren’t kidding when you said the dawn, huh? I thought I’d have a minute or two of wiggle room, but good thing I ran the whole way here! I would’ve been here earlier, but Cotton really didn’t want to go in his carrier.” I stared blankly at her. She just uttered more words in one drag-on sentence than I had ever heard her say.
“Do I need to wear black to be a part of this whole thing?” She gestured at our outfits. “Because I’m fresh out of black, as you can see.”
I could see. She was wearing an off-white shirt that was shaped to her body, showing off every hard-fought curve, with dark-brown pants. Her hair was down, and the natural soft curls cascaded to her shoulders. The wind blew her hair slightly across her eyes that were fierce and determined but bouncing with joy and excitement for the first time ever, at least that I’d seen.
She’s here. She’s coming with us! She’s going to live at the palace . . . oh gods, she’s going to live at the palace. Why am I so obsessed with her?
I couldn’t formulate any words as I stared at her.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
I thought I heard someone groan from up ahead.
Seriously, that’s what I asked?
Faylinn just blinked at me before wiggling her toes in the grass. “I like to feel the earth beneath my feet. I hate shoes. And socks. If they’re a requirement to come on this journey, then I’ll just . . .” She poked her thumb over her shoulder, and I practically leapt out of my saddle.
“No, shoes are not required. Can you ride?” I gestured to my saddle, but was thoroughly confused, and then embarrassed, when her cheeks pinked, and I looked down . . . to see I was gesturing at my dick.
Oh, holy fuck.
I quickly grabbed Balios’ reins and ground my teeth together.
“I meant a horse.” This time there was absolutely laughter from my Mages, and Faylinn joined in. “Extra conditioning for you all when we get back,” I barked, which did nothing to stop their mirth.
“Worth it!” Ilyas called, which was met by a few more chuckles.
I turned my glare to Faylinn who rolled her eyes. “Yes, I can ride.”
Don’t think inappropriate thoughts . . .
“But Cotton can’t.” She picked up the carrier, and a loud meow and hissing sound emanated from it.
“Is that . . . a cat?” I was dumbfounded.
“Yep! He’s a great cat. Totally housebroken. Waited for me to get back and everything. I can’t leave him here alone. He’s too attached to me now. And I can’t ride a horse and hold onto Cotton. Plus, I have my bag!” She kicked the heavy pack and muttered “ow” as she hopped on her opposite foot.
“Faylinn, what is in there?” I was tired and we hadn’t even started riding yet.
She shrugged. “Books. A few pieces of clothing. A cactus. But mainly books.”
A cactus?
I didn’t have the energy to argue with her or tell her that Alois probably owned all of those books in her bag, so I simply settled for nodding my head with a large sigh.
“Ilyas, can you carry the bag, please?”
“Better yet, why don’t we strap her bag to the prisoner? Since he’s a big-ass Earth Mage and all. Plus, he’s already tied to the horse. Win-win,” Ilyas suggested, and I had to admit the idea had merit. We had kept the rebel commander subdued with Pleasure for the most part over the past few days, and he was currently tied to one of the empty horses, a glazed look on his face.
Enjoy that pleasure now, because you will have everything but when Alois gets his hands on you . I didn’t envy the pain that was coming for him.
“Very well, tie it to him.”
Ilyas jumped from his horse and hoisted Faylinn’s pack with a grunt. “How many books do you have in here, girl?”
She kicked the ground, still clutching the cat carrier to her chest. “A few. What if I need them for reference? And I have so many notes and things that I would hate to lose or have to redo, so I brought them all with me!”
Ilyas shook his head but hoisted the bag onto the back of the horse before tying it to the Earth Mage.
“That fucker killed my dad,” she said suddenly and extremely offhandedly. Her eyes glared daggers at the Earth Mage, and I suddenly didn’t know if turning him over to Alois or Faylinn would be worse .
“He’ll get his due, Faylinn.”
A wicked smile cut across her face before she muttered a word and the horse carrying the prisoner and her pack whinnied. I raised a brow at her in question.
“I just negated the rune that made the pack lighter.” She shrugged her shoulders as if that was an everyday occurrence.
I barked a laugh before holding my hand out for her.
“Come, Faylinn. You and the . . . cat can ride with me.” She grabbed my hand with one of hers, the other clutching the cat carrier as she climbed atop Balios. Her legs straddled his sides, her back pressed to my front, and her ass snug against my crotch.
Ilyas and Lex saw my stricken face, most likely devoid of all color, and let out loud barking laughs.
Oh, they would definitely be paying for that later .
Faylinn turned to regard me. “What’s so funny?” As she moved, her butt pressed even more firmly against my dick, making it twitch involuntarily.
“Nothing,” I gritted out. “Face forward, please, Faylinn. We’re going to be moving now.”
She hummed but settled back against me, moving for a bit before finally getting comfortable.
“Move out!” I called, and the line of Mages and Vessels moved as one toward the woods.
“On to Vespera,” I said.
“On to my new life,” Faylinn added under her breath. I couldn’t help but feel a spark of something that her new life would be in Vespera with me.