Chapter 39
I walk over to the barrier. Before I can go through, Jorren puts a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’ll go first. Then Taren will bring you through.”
I think they’re being a little overkill, but I nod anyway.
“Fine.” I watch Jorren step through, and then Taren and I go through at the same time.
It’s just as unnerving as it was the first time I passed through.
It takes me a moment to get my bearings.
When I do, I don’t move for a moment. Jorren has a sword trained on Rysden, and Taren is standing in front of me with his blade out as well.
Rysden’s sword is in his hand, but he hasn’t lifted it yet.
Lox is standing next to him with his sword drawn.
My guess is that Hector’s probably somewhere nearby with a bow and quite possibly Farrah as well.
“Oh, good grief. I can’t handle any more stress.
Would you all put your weapons down? None of us here is the enemy. ”
Jorren turns his body towards me but doesn’t drop his sword. “I want to know why the king of the Wolf Kingdom wants to talk to you alone.”
“Rysden, will you please tell them that you’re no threat to me?”
His voice is low and intense when he responds...basically his norm. “I am a threat. If I wanted you dead, you would be dead before they could do anything about it.”
I stare at him. “Why are you being so difficult?”
“I told them I wanted to talk to you alone,” he says in return.
“You’re not going to talk to her alone,” Jorren growls at him. “You want to talk to her, you talk to her here, in front of us. That’s your only option; take it or leave it. But we are leaving here in five minutes, so you’d better talk fast.”
Rysden looks at Jorren and Taren and then at me, and his face hardens. “My mate is going to talk to Kinsley, her friend. If either of you even thinks of lifting a weapon or even pointing a weapon in her direction, you’re dead. Got that?”
“Farrah’s coming?” I can’t keep the excitement out of my voice.
“Coming? I’ve been here,” a voice from above us says.
“Why am I not surprised?” I ask with a smile as I look up into the tree, trying to find my friend.
She loves the trees. I watch as she swings down with ease and lands in Rysden’s arms. I’m pretty sure she could have stuck the landing without his help, but it’s sweet to watch.
He puts her down and takes her hand in his.
When they turn to us, he keeps her slightly behind him, as if to shield her body with his.
But she’s not having that. She moves around him and runs to me. I swallow hard as she hugs me tightly.
“I’ve missed you so much!” she finally says when she pulls back.
“I know. Me too.”
She takes my hand and pulls a little distance from the group then looks directly into my eyes. “I need to know if anybody is a threat to you.” Her face is still smiling like she’s talking to me about the weather or something exciting, but her voice is serious
“What?”
“Rysden wants me to find out—are they being good to you? Are any of them a threat to you?”
“What? No.”
She studies my face. “Those two guys too?”
I frown. “Jorren and Taren? They're part of Kaldar’s team.”
“And you’re sure they’re safe?”
“Farrah, what is going on?”
She turns to Rysden and must give him some sort of sign, because he nods at her. Taren is watching us, and I don’t miss that his body is tense and ready for whatever is about to happen. Farrah puts her hand on my arm, and I turn back to her. “Kaldar is here,” she says just as softly.
“What? Where?”
Her face softens. “Rysden will tell you what’s going on.”
As we walk over, I make the mistake of meeting Taren’s eyes. He must see something in my eyes, because he lifts his weapon once again. The second he does, Jorren does as well. Farrah pauses, and Rysden lifts his own weapon. “I told you not to lift your weapons at my mate.”
I’ve had enough of it all. “Everybody put your weapons down. Kaldar is here, and I want to know why. And we can’t talk if you all don’t put your weapons down.”
Taren and Jorren don’t lower their weapons. “Kaldar is here?” Taren sounds incredulous.
As if things weren’t already stressful enough, there’s movement behind me and Reika and Evren step through.
When they see Jorren and Taren both have their weapons out, they both grab for theirs as well.
Reika stays back but keeps her knife trained on Rysden, and I know she’s got a wicked throw.
Evren shocks me by standing almost in front of me.
Rysden moves in a flash, and then Farrah is behind him.
I can hear her complaining about it, but he doesn’t move.
My stomach tightens. Somebody’s going to get hurt, and I care about all the people in this group.
We’re at a standstill, and I don’t know what to do.
Everybody in this group is too stubborn for their own good.
I’m out of options. Praying this works, I make my voice as authoritative as possible.
“Jorren, Taren, Reika, and Evren, lower your weapons.” I pause.
“No, scratch that. Drop them. No, don’t drop them. Put them away. Sheath them!”
“Oh, good grief,” Reika mutters.
“Seriously. I trust Rysden, Lox, and Farrah with my life.”
“And the man in the trees?” Jorren asks.
“Yes, including probably the two that are out here somewhere—Hector and Jamik. But seriously. I need you all to trust me. Please.” It takes a minute, but Taren is the first to sheath his weapon.
Jorren does next. I hear grumbling behind me, but a quick glance back shows me Reika put her weapon away.
I wait a moment, and Evren finally does as well.
I take a step around Evren, so I can see everybody.
“You guys too.” I watch with satisfaction as Lox and Rysden put their weapons away as well.
Not wanting to leave anything to chance, I call out, “You too, Jamik and Hector. Put those weapons away and let us see you.” It’s silent a minute or two, but then Jamik makes an appearance and a minute later, Hector does.
“All right. Now that we’re all here. Let's get started.”
“Kinsley,” Farrah asks from where she’s standing next to Rysden. “What I asked you...is it still true?”
It takes a moment to think about what she asked.
Then I remember. She asked if any of them were a threat or unsafe.
My mind settles on Evren for just a moment, and I hesitate.
Farrah, who doesn’t miss anything, turns to Rysden.
I don’t know what she says, but he turns back and crosses his arms over his chest. “Just the first two that came through with Kinsley can stay.”
“What the—” Reika starts, but a look from Jorren silences her. “Fine.” She turns and stalks off, back towards the barrier. Evren glances at each of us once before he follows without a word. As soon as they’re gone, Rysden faces us.
“Where is Kaldar?” I ask as soon as they’re gone. I’m tired of waiting around; I want to know what’s going on.
Rysden turns so that his body is facing me.
“I will take you to him, but I need to warn you, all of you. He's in rough shape.” I feel the tension rise, and my stomach churns. “My soldiers were doing a regular sweep and came across his body.” My body stiffens with every new word that comes out of Rysden’s mouth.
“Kinsley, how come you didn’t reach out and say anything? ”
Rysden’s words cut sharp, and I feel my own defenses rising. “Actually,” Jorren’s voice cuts in sharply. “She’s the Queen now, not Kinsley. And you should address her as such.”
I catch the surprise in Rysden’s eyes for just a moment before his face settles back into a blank expression. “The Queen.”
“Kaldar turned over his complete authority to her,” Jorren says. I swear I can feel the pain in his voice when he says that.
“I think we’d better go inside and talk,” Rysden says after a long moment of silence.
“I think you’d better show us where he is,” Taren says instead.
“He’s inside,” Farrah says quickly. She glances at me. “In your old room.”
I turn to Jorren. “Do you think we should send Evren and Reika back instead of making them wait for us?”
“They’ll be fine,” Jorren says roughly.
“They can stay overnight in the bunk houses that are provided for the guards on duty,” Taren says a little more gently. “Let’s get the horses, and we’ll get going.”
A few minutes later, we’re riding, following Rysden’s lead.
When the Wolf Kingdom comes into view, Rysden takes the lead.
He talks to the guards at the gate, and then we’re allowed entrance.
When we finally get to the house, Taren helps me down.
Jamik takes care of the horses for us, and we head inside.
I expected a sense of longing to hit me when I walk inside Rysden’s house, but oddly, it doesn’t.
I kind of find myself missing the water. Jorren wastes no time. “Where is he?”
“This way.” Farrah walks over to the stairs and starts up.
I’m quick to follow, with Taren and Jorren right behind me.
When we get to the room Harper and I used to stay in, I feel my breathing pick up.
I'm not sure what to expect. But when she opens the door, and I take in the still body of Kaldar, this was not it.
I freeze just inside the door, staring at him.
Jorren pushes past me and goes over to the side of the bed.
I hear him mutter an oath, and I know it has to be bad.
Taren stands behind Jorren, and neither of them say a word.
Farrah stands next to the door and stays silent.
I finally find the courage to walk over to the bed.
I take in his pale face first. His skin is so white, and there are dark circles under his eyes.
When I take in his chest, my breath catches.
There are open wounds all over his chest and shoulders. Anger burns through me.
“Why didn’t Hector treat these wounds?” My voice comes out harsher than I intended.
“He has. Repeatedly,” Farrah replies softly. “But there’s poison in each of those wounds. We’re trying to get it all out. In the meantime, we can’t wrap the wounds and risk sending the poison into his bloodstream.”
I blow out a breath and then glance over at my friend. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
Her eyes fill with so much sympathy. “I know.”
“He’s stable right now, and that’s what counts.” Rysden’s voice carries through the open doorway. “What happened to him?” he asks.
Jorren finally turns away from Kaldar. “We will tell you everything, but you’re going to need to sit down. This is not an easy conversation to have.”
Jorren and Taren leave the room. “I can’t leave him yet,” I tell Farrah.
“That’s okay. You don’t have to,” she’s quick to say.
“Take all the time you need,” Jorren says gruffly. “We’ll wait for you downstairs.”