Chapter 20
The morning passes quickly with archery target practice. By the end of a couple of hours, I’m hitting a tree three out of four times. Bastian’s an excellent teacher and proves his patience isn’t only reserved for the bedroom.
It must be close to noon when we move to daggers. In a demonstration in throwing the weapon, he removes ten daggers from his weapons arsenal. Within a two minute time period, he flings and accurately hits a one-foot circle he drew with ash on a tree with each weapon.
I hold a dagger in my hand, conjuring memories of the werewolf’s feverish body above me in the woods. A slick of sweat forms on my forehead as I try to zone in on the target. It fluctuates in and out of focus as my body continues to heat with the memory of killing the creature. Taking my stance, I draw back my arm, then arch it forward, releasing the weapon. It falls to the right of the tree in what seems like miles away from the target.
“At least you have the distance.” Bastian stuffs his hands in his pockets with his attention still on the tree. “You’ve got to see your dagger hitting the tree when you release. Channel that energy through your arm, wrist, and hand.” With another knife in hand, he takes his stance beside me. “You need a steady wrist, or it will fly all over the place.” He follows through with the motion and exaggerates his position.
“Are you going to drag out my training for days to keep me from going to Frostacre?” I let the question hang in the air between us. In my gut, I know he doesn’t want me to go. I don’t have the steel to stand up to the Unseelie Court.
He doesn’t look up at me but sits on a nearby stump, his hands once again between his knees. “You’re not even eighteen, and Gray wants you to act like a brave warrior.”
“I’ll be eighteen next week. Will you let me go then?” I lift my chin, not wanting him, more than anyone, to treat me like a baby.
He lets out a short laugh. “You can go. I’m not preventing you. But if you can hit a persuasive fae disillusioning you with glamour between the eyes with an iron dagger, it might serve you well.”
“What if I’m not strong enough to see through it?” Images of Quinn fill my head. He was charming and drew me in like a fly to a spider’s web.
“Levi will work with you on that this afternoon.” He checks the sun’s position in the sky. “He’s probably waiting for you now. Let’s go back and eat lunch.”
I help him remove the daggers from the tree before strapping the quiver to my back. Its familiarity is surprising after such a short time wielding one.
He sheaths his last weapon, then assesses me. We’re close, as if he might kiss me again, but he takes my hand, weaving his fingers through mine. Walking together through the woods is so different from staring at his back. It’s as if he finally sees me as an equal, not an orphaned reject from Avren.
As we draw near to the cabin, he drops my hand and clears his throat. “I don’t want the others to know about us yet. They’ll be no end to Gray’s teasing. Evie will think I betrayed her, and it will devastate Levi.”
“Devastate Levi?” I’d think he’d be happy for us.
“Come on.” He rolls his eyes. “The guy’s had a mad crush on you since the moment you stepped through the door. It’s going to hurt him.”
“But we’re friends.” At least on my part. How did I not see how he felt about me? Levi feels like a close older brother—the one you stay up with for hours telling secrets to. And he’s filled a gap of what I missed out on in Avren.
Bastian laughs and holds the door open, letting me pass by. “Yeah, right.”
Inside, the others are cleaning up lunch. Two plates covered with dishtowels sit on the counter. Levi pauses his dish drying when we enter and frowns.
“How did the combat training go?” Evie sets a mug on the shelf of a cabinet. “You got her ready yet?” It’s her usual mocking tone I’ve grown accustomed to.
Bastian ignores the sarcasm. “Great. We still have dagger and hand-to-hand combat to work on, but her archery skills are above average. There must be a warrior among her ancestors.”
My cheeks heat slightly with the praise.
“We’ll keep working on it this week.” He lifts the towel, tosses it to the side, and carries his plate to the table. “I’ve let my Grove students know Mari is my top priority this week.”
“How does Susan feel about that?” Evie leans against the counter. “Not seeing you for a week?”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t see her.” Bastian takes a drink of water before scratching the back of his neck, which I’ve discovered is his go-to action when he’s nervous. “My afternoons and evenings are free.”
Heavy lead sits in the depths of my stomach. He’d told me she didn’t matter to him. I don’t want to be jealous. He’s told me how he feels, and I should trust that, not my insecurities.
Levi sits across the table from Bastian, the frown still firmly set on his face. “You said you’d be back before lunch. I have a long session planned for us this afternoon, and you’ve cut into it.”
Bastian pushes his plate to the side, rests his crossed arms on the table, and leans forward. “Then shorten it, brother. I didn’t want to interrupt our progress. I’ll cut my session short tomorrow and give you extra time.”
I carry my plate to the seat beside Levi and place a hand on his forearm. “Bastian told me you can help me resist the glamour of the fae.”
Levi’s entire demeanor changes with my touch. It’s obvious he knows there’s something going on between his brother and me. The others may be oblivious, but he’s intuitive. Having imperfect hearing has heightened his other senses. “Eat your lunch. I’m going to take you to Nevil Falls when you’re done.”
Bastian purses his lips, trying to suppress a smile as he nods his head. “But most people only go there to…”
“Shut up!” Levi glares at him.
This is not what I want. My growing feelings for Bastian shouldn’t impede my friendship with Levi. “I’m going to take my sandwich with me. Am I dressed ok?” My fighting gear now fits like a well-worn glove.
“Perfect,” Levi signs.
“Take weapons with you.” Grayson opens the cabinet to pull out an array of daggers. “Mari, do you prefer a cross-strap belt or a weapon’s cloak?”
“Can I bring my bow and arrows?” I cross the room to pick up my quiver. “Besides, it’s the middle of the day. We’re not likely to run into anything too dangerous.”
“The fae of the Unseelie Court are after you.” Bastian pushes back in his chair. “Or did you forget I killed one of the king’s top fairies?”
“I can sense them a mile away.” Levi attaches the weapon belt over his chest. “I’ll protect her if needed.”
“What if I came along?” Bastian removes a second belt from the cabinet.
“No.” I don’t want him undermining Levi’s capabilities. Each member of the Kindred Few has their own strengths. Bastian’s are obvious. Grayson is the outgoing negotiator who can wield a weapon almost as well as his brother. Levi is the glue that holds the group together. His subtle ways make everyone feel like they belong. And Evie—well, it’s comforting for me to have her female energy around. I hold up my bow. “How will I know if I’m any good with this thing if you’re always there to take over?”
Bastian nods but doesn’t protest. A small smirk crosses his lips.
Levi and I head out the front door and travel toward the river. A light breeze rustles the leaves in the canopy above, where sunlight pokes through and illuminates the forest floor. Birds hop along the ground looking for a noontime meal. In Avren, people described the wilderness as a terrifying place where monsters lurked around every corner—and at night, they do. But at this time of day, it holds a magic I never imagined, like if things were different, the world could be at peace.
With hands in his pockets, Levi remains quiet beside me, but I’m not sure if he’s taking in the nature or working out what to say.
“I’m sorry about what happened in Mafekadi.” As much as I’m enjoying the forest, I can’t stand the silence between us. Levi’s too important. “If I never talked with Quinn or realized he was a danger or listened to you when you tried to warn me…” I swallow, my heart heavy. “I’m sorry about your friend.”
Levi stops to face me as he signs, “Avo’s death was not your fault. The blame lies solely on the fae who killed him.”
I wrap my arms around him, laying my head on his chest for a second before pulling back so he can read my lips. “When you fell to the ground, I thought you were dead. I can’t imagine a world without you in it.”
He brushes back a stray wisp of my hair with his fingers. “It goes both ways. Before you showed up, life was pretty boring. You’ve brought a new purpose into all our lives… even Evie’s.” His green eyes assess me behind his glasses, but he must not find what he’s looking for. He drops his arms to release me. “We better get to the waterfall. Bastian cut into too much of my time.”
It only takes us five more minutes to reach Nevil Falls, the majestic cascade rushing over a cliff and into a swirling pool below. Magic fills the air, widening my heart to all the possibilities this new life offers. It’s no wonder lovers come here to pass the time. Did Levi pick this spot to train or for other reasons?
He lays a blanket on the ground, and we both sit as the mist from the waterfall sparkles in the sunlight, adding to the magic. “I thought we’d talk first, so I can tell you what I know, and you can ask questions. If we have time today, we’ll practice.”
Deep down, I’m nervous. Quinn’s glamour was difficult to resist. No one prepared me. “Teach me everything you know.”
His finger trails along the rudimentary pattern in the blanket. “This isn’t easy for me—giving away the secrets of my people. But I’m only a quarter fae, so that means I’m three-quarters human. And the Kindred Few holds my allegiance.” His forehead wrinkles as his eyebrows draw in. “I didn’t tell you the truth before. I have told no one the truth. My parents never lived in Avren. I only use that story to drum up anger against the city’s rejection of people living with disabilities. The truth is, my mother lived in Frostacre until she met my father. Because she took him as a husband and not a lover, the Unseelie Court cursed both of them. They were not only forced to leave but Cirrus took away their ability to hear, along with their entire lineage.” He lifts his hands and pats the air at his waist three times. “If I have children, they’ll have the same fate.”
“That’s terrible.” I put my thumb and index finger together and flick up my hands in a sign I’ve seen the others perform. “But wonderful at the same time. Not only will they inherit your green eyes, but they’ll also see the world from your perspective.”
A wide smile crosses his lips at my efforts. “It is. I know you’ve wondered how I accepted you with open arms when you first arrived. Gray naturally accepts you because he identifies with your plight. For me, accepting orphans into the Kindred Few is my charge. Although we’re only two years apart, I can treat you with the kindness of a father or an uncle. The pain of losing Tanner hit me hard.”
“I never knew that.” I lift a small stick from the ground beside the blanket, running my fingers along the bark. “You didn’t know him.”
“It was clear when you arrived that you fulfilled the prophecy, but I planned to take you both under my wing. Evie and Bastian didn’t want more than four in the Kindred Few, but I’d take forty and change our name if needed. This is my purpose. You are my purpose, Mari.” He takes the stick from my hand, drawing my eyes up to his. All along, our connection was a brotherly or even fatherly one.
“You’d make an amazing father.” I don’t want to hurt him, but he needs to know how much his acceptance has meant to me. “And someday, you’ll make the best uncle. Surely Grayson and Evie want children.”
“Not in this world as it stands.” He snaps the stick in half, startling me. “Until the First City and Avren’s chokehold on the wilderness are broken, bringing new life into this world is dangerous.”
“And the first step is to find the other savior.” I hate the sound of the word. A pampered seamstress from Avren has no right walking around the wilderness declaring herself as their savior.
“Exactly. We need the other part of the prophecy.” Levi rests his back against a nearby tree, ready to set in for the long haul. “And to do that, we need to travel to Frostacre. Uncle Bracken is my mother’s half-brother—the one not born to a human father. They grew up together because my grandfather had plenty of his own human lovers. Bracken’s father took my mother in as his own child, so she grew up in Frostacre.”
“Until she met your father.” The story is romantic and tragic at the same time. I can’t help being drawn in. His mother was torn between her two natures, similar to how I am torn between Avren and the wilderness. “Was it love at first sight?”
He laughs. “Not at all. The fae wanted to expand their realm into the land where my father’s family farm was located. Because of her humanness, the king sent my mother as a liaison, using her fae nature to trick his parents. With no land to work, my father was essentially homeless, and my mother took pity on him. She had a cabin built on a new piece of land for his family and paid regular visits. It was a slow-burn romance.”
“The same cabin you grew up in?” Violent images of his parents’ deaths and Levi hiding beneath the bed from the Miscretes resurface.
“Same one.” He gazes over my shoulder, lost in thought.
The sound of voices fills the woods behind us. I scramble to my feet and mouth, “Get off.”
Levi snatches the blanket and follows me into a stand of bushes, crouching beside me. The mingling of our heavy breaths rages in my ears as I strain to hear.
Without a word, I poke my head out. Three soldiers of Avren stroll along the trail, appearing to be more on a wayward adventure than official business. They laugh and joke with each other, one puffing on a rolled-up paper before handing it to his friend. The third is all too familiar to me.
Flynn Baxter.
The last time I saw him, he admitted that he still loved me. And he’s a soldier now, tasked with killing Undesirables or dragging them back to their work duties. My heart is in my throat. I sink back into the bush and take Levi’s hand in mine before mouthing, “Soldiers.”
As the savior of the wilderness, I don’t think this will be the last time we cross paths, but I desperately hope it is.