Chapter 7
seven
. . .
Aten
“Brother?” I check. The word doesn’t fit with what I know of Ever. “How did Micah get mixed up in this?”
Kyra’s usually light spirit is cloaked in sorrow as I turn to her while addressing Crimson.
“Ever knew Kyra was in the cell, and she warned us as she was leaving with him, her brother.” Crimson makes her way to stand next to her family—her own brother.
“Willingly?” I ask because there’s no situation that I can think of that would unravel this enough to make sense of it all: Ever has a brother, Micah is dead.
“There was nothing willing about what I saw.” Kyra’s voice is bitter and drenched in grief, enough that it chills my bones.
“You say he killed Micah?”
Through misty eyes, she looks to me and nods. “Two men dragged me to the cell where Ever was being held. She was fighting, and they threatened me. She only cooperated and left because they threatened me.”
“And Micah?”
“He was already… dead on the floor when I came in.”
“So, you didn’t see this man kill him?” Cetus is quick to question. “You assume he did.”
“Ever would never kill anyone, certainly not Micah. She bargained to go quietly if I was left unharmed.” Kyra’s defence of Ever sparks hope that she’s on our side, no matter what others may think. She isn’t behind any of this. She can’t be.
“If you were left in the cells, how did you get out?” Cetus continues pointing his finger.
“Someone must have alerted the guards because they let me out a few hours later. I reported the murder to them, as well.” Her voice trails off, and a gentle breeze wisps around her.
“Ever told us you were being held,” Calix adds to the story.
“You heard that?” Crimson’s head whips to Calix.
“I wasn’t quite unconscious. It’s about the only thing I do remember until I woke up.” He shrugs, but it looks a little less comfortable than usual. “You should be with your family, Kyra,” Calix suggests, but it is the wrong thing to say to her.
“No. We deserve answers. And, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are no clear answers when it comes to Ever Hart.
Everyone kept her in the dark, and I won’t let that happen again.
Micah was murdered. And someone took Ever.
Forcibly. You two,” she points at the Aster twins, “are loyal to Aten, who isn’t even meant to be here.
So, whatever is going on, I’m in. Because I deserve answers, and The Court sure as stars won’t give them to me. ”
Calix, maybe for the first time I’ve known him, looks a little bashful. It’s hard to tell behind the bruising and red welts still marring his face, but the bite in Kyra’s voice has got to him.
The cold of her emotions has fired up.
“Okay. So, how did this brother of hers get to Ever in a locked cell?” Crimson asks. “And why?”
“To rescue her,” Cetus offers, as if it’s a logical explanation. “And before we get carried away, we don’t know much about Ever. She’s a Fifth, so let’s think about this reasonably.”
But there is no reasoning with me when it comes to Ever. Just a driving urge, an instinct that’s overriding every other sense or feeling, that I need to get to her. To help her. And I don’t fucking care who I need to go through to do it.
It’s not like they can banish me again.
“If you claim we don’t know enough about Ever to answer and make an informed decision, then I’ll go to someone who does—who might have answers.”
“Who?” Crimson asks.
“Lyle. She’s the family we know Ever has. And she’s banished as well. So, you don’t need to worry about hiding me.” I nod to Cetus. He’s already risked enough, even if he’s not convinced of Ever’s innocence.
“I’m coming with you.” Kyra steps forward, pulling at the strap to her pack. Seems she came knowing the plan before I did.
“So am I.” Calix shuffles forward, too.
“Absolutely not. You can barely walk,” Crimson scolds her brother, but he just looks to me and attempts to grin.
“You can’t stop me. And I’ll be recovered just fine in a day or so. Crim?”
“No. I’m not losing both of you to this insanity.
You have no idea of the consequences. The Court won’t sanction this.
I forbid it.” Cetus’s voice is cold and direct, and it reminds me of when he’d tell us all off for being out past nightfall.
But we aren’t children anymore, and none of us serves under his command. Not officially.
“Don’t you want to get your revenge on this mother fucker?” Calix asks his sister.
“Stars, yes, but…”
“Then it’s settled.” Calix tries to right himself.
“Calix. Crimson. Please. Don’t do this. I can’t protect you outside of Kirrasia.” It’s the first time I’ve heard concern seep into General Aster’s voice.
“Will you or the rest of the Orders be doing anything to find Ever or to bring her back?” I ask the General, deflecting.
Cetus bristles at my question.
“What about finding the murderer of one of our trainees?” Kyra adds. “It should be the top priority within The Court. Or at least it would be if it were a Chamber member dead on the ground.”
The ripple of unease is clear as Cetus rights himself against the accusation. “There will be an investigation, of course,” he placates her, but not very well, and she knows it.
“That’s not enough. And you know it. You know something is wrong, or you wouldn’t be here. The more we find out, the worse it looks. I appreciate the help, but—”
“Can you help, Dad? Get Ciro to send scouts or interrogate the guards—something. If not because of Ever, then because of Micah,” Crimson weighs in, and her support seems to melt something in Kyra, for her body starts to visibly shake.
“I’ll make sure the investigation is proper and push for more. You have my word.”
“We’ll go back for supplies. Make sure Calix sees Perrin again to get fully healed, and then we can meet Ten at the edge of the Variscite forest, on the cliffs past the training rings. It will take you at least a day to get there.”
“And a night in the forest? You remember the Jarkoreth that Ever killed?” Calix mumbles to Crimson.
“Ten will be fine. He can skirt the forest at night. And Dad will ensure there aren’t any scouts or officers in that area. Right?” Crimson shoves her hands on her hips and turns to her father, expectancy reeking from her.
“I can do that, yes.” Defeat must be something alien to Cetus, but in the face of his daughter, he doesn’t have much of a choice.
“Do you even know where Lyle will be?” Kyra asks.
“Not exactly. Did Nettle come back?”
“Who’s Nettle?” Cetus scowls at me.
“Ever’s horse. She arrived in Kirrasia on him. Lyle had one too.”
“Your plan is to take horses?”
“It’s the only lead I have to Lyle. If the horses are back in the stable, we can take those. It wouldn’t hurt us to be mounted for the journey, anyway. The Jade isn’t an easy trek.”
“Fine. Kyra and I will get horses. Dad, you’ll have to cover us. And we will meet you tomorrow, after Calix has finished healing.”
The plan, as flimsy as it is, is set, the paper-thin pieces in motion, and I watch as the Aster family heads back along the path that will take them past the mountains and towards The Court.
Kyra hangs back for a moment, and I wait for her to tell me what’s on her mind, but she just nods and follows, leaving me to the first step of my plan.
Navigate through and over to the coast without meeting the Jarkoreth. Then cross to Estereah. One step closer to Ever. I hope.
There’s no way I’m going to use the forest as my form of cover at night.
Not even being banished will make me that foolish.
So, despite what Crimson said, it means a direct sprint, along the path of the river, as soon as I can leave.
Even then, it’s way past dusk before I’m even close to the other side.
At least there are no stray Warriors this far into the depths of the forest.
My energy levels are in no place to try this run, but it’s the only option unless I choose the trees as my bed chamber.
Sweat clings to my shirt, saturated, but I ignore the heat of my muscles and force my body to keep going.
Keep going.
Keep… going.
Darkness comes quickly, the light snuffed out by the leaves, as if they are reaching out and snatching it away. Even with the gloom, I carry on, knowing what I risk by staying under cover.
Keep going.
I collapse on the edge of the forest. My legs feel like jelly, as exhausted as they were in the previous days at sea. But I made it out.
I’m out.
The sun is high in the sky when I wake. And I’m still alive.
One step down.
After draining all my supplies, I head out towards the cliffs and turn south.
It’s nearly midday before Crimson, Calix, and Kyra find me, all dressed in familiar gear. Crimson and Calix might as well have worn the cloaks to accompany their Warrior training uniform, and Kyra’s dressed in something similar. Seems they’re anticipating a fight.
They come to a stop on their horses, and I see they have one that must be Nettle in tow. He whinnies as I approach, and I smile in greeting.
He’s saddled with an additional pack of supplies, and I make short work of securing my worn and weathered one before accepting more food and a fresh waterskin from Calix, who, to my relief, looks a hell of a lot better than yesterday. He’s still sporting bruises to his face, though.
“Perrin’s been busy.” I play it off, but I am relieved by Calix’s improvement.
“He needed the practice. We’ve barely caused him a problem in training.”
“I bet Ascella would think differently.” Crimson’s tone is sharp as she defends her friend and what happened during the trial. She tosses her braided blonde hair over her shoulder and joins Kyra.
I share a look with Calix before I mount Nettle, amazed that he found his way back and take it as a sign.
“Last chance. None of you needs to do this,” I say.