Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
The Council Chamber
The Forest Awaits
Three days later, Dravic stood in the council chamber with Lord Broccan, going over the details of Scotara’s war preparations.
“The warriors stationed along the western shore are to remain there,” Dravic said. “Tharne must cross the Sea of Shadows to reach us, and I want word the moment a Drogath ship is spotted. A small boat got to shore once without notice. See that it doesn’t happen again.”
“Aye, my king,” Broccan said. “I fortified the shoreline with sentinels. Vessels small or large have no chance of not being seen, and messengers stand ready, as do fresh horses. Word will reach Caerith swiftly.”
Dravic kept a stern eye on him. “The attempt on my life in the forest made one thing clear. Scotara’s defense cannot depend on me being here to receive word.”
“You will be here, my king,” Broccan said firmly.
“You cannot promise that and neither can I. If I fall, the plans we have made are to proceed without delay. Tavish will see my orders carried out until a new king is established.”
Tavish, standing nearby, did not look pleased with the reminder, but Dravic had no interest in what pleased him.
“Is that understood?” Dravic asked.
“Aye, my king,” Broccan said.
“Good. Keep all warriors on alert. I do not trust Tharne. He would be foolish to cross the rough winter seas of the Sea of Shadows to strike Scotara, and though Tharne is no fool, he has been known to be unpredictable.”
Broccan bowed. “I will see to it, my king.”
Dravic waited until the heavy door closed behind his Master of Arms.
“The plans for war go well,” Tavish said.
“They had better.”
Tavish remained silent for a moment before glancing around the chamber. “Adira is not with you.”
Dravic turned a slow look on him. “Your eyes work well.”
“I have noticed you have given her more freedom of late.”
“She does not require my constant attention.”
“Nay?”
“I do not need her around me all the time, Tavish.”
The words came easily enough. The lie did not.
He had noticed her absence almost as soon as he entered the council chamber.
He had caught himself glancing toward the door more than once, expecting to see her standing there, watching him with those expressive eyes of hers.
Even though he had told Feena that Adira was free to spend the day with her.
The older woman had been delighted, though Adira had sent him a strange look when she learned of it.
He briefly wondered if she preferred to stay with him. A foolish thought he had chased away shortly after it came to him.
However, he did miss talking with her.
The thought irritated him, though there was no denying it. Somehow, without words, they had begun to understand one another. A small movement of her hand, a lift of her brow, the slightest change in her expression often told him what she thought. Even her touch spoke to him.
Her hand pressed against his chest softly or with strength. The way her fingers curled around his when he took hold of her hand. Or even the brush of her arm against him.
Each had told him something and, somehow, he had understood.
Dravic scowled at his own thoughts.
“I see,” Tavish said.
Dravic’s eyes narrowed. “What do you see?”
Tavish wisely shook his head. “Nothing, my king.”
Adira sat at the small table in Feena’s cottage with her fingers tucked inside the pocket of her new wool skirt.
She had thought about the contents more than once since Bria had gifted her with the piece that made her necklace whole.
Feena was the only person who knew about her necklace.
She had not told or shown the piece to anyone else.
She kept it hidden away in her bedchamber where she hardly spent any time.
She did not know why she kept it a secret. She just did. But today when she learned she would be spending the day with Feena, she thought it was a good time to show her that the missing piece had been found.
Feena glanced her way when Adira pulled the small pouch free and placed it on the table. She watched Adira loosen the tie and slip out the piece of a necklace.
Feena smiled. “It is the only thing you had when I found you.”
She gestured best she could along with her words and Adira nodded and smiled, understanding.
Feena held up one finger, then pointed to where another piece would slide easily into the other, uniting the two and forming one necklace.
Adira understood what Feena gestured. It looked as if another piece was meant to join with her piece. She smiled and slowly removed the piece Bria had given her from the pouch.
Feena’s eyes widened in surprise and she shrugged in question. “How?”
It took a few gestures before Feena understood and nodded. “Bria.”
Feena’s expression told Adira she understood.
Feena returned her attention to the new piece and the strange etchings on it. She knew the other one well. Adira had possessed it since she had found her, though she was never able to discover what it was or why Adira had it.
Curious, Feena picked up both pieces, holding them close together, and looked at Adira. She would not connect the pieces without permission from Adira.
Adira nodded, having already joined the pieces and seeing how perfectly they fit together.
Feena studied the two pieces, turning them slowly in her fingers before bringing them together. They fit perfectly. She stared at it for a while, then handed the necklace back to Adira.
Feena smiled. “It is beautiful.”
Her smile told Adira she was pleased and she smiled as well.
“Now for a nice hot brew,” Feena said, pointing to the small cauldron bubbling over the hearth’s flames.
Adira nodded eagerly as a chill suddenly settled over her.
As Feena prepared the brew, a strange restlessness replaced the chill Adira felt and she glanced toward the window.
The morning dawned gray and had grown colder as the day went on. It was a good day to seek the warmth and comfort of one’s cottage. Yet Adira could not help but think of the forest just beyond the village where snow still covered much of the ground.
Adira looked back at Feena, then again toward the window, and stood.
Feena watched her slip the joined pieces into the pouch and tuck it securely into her skirt pocket before reaching for her cloak.
“Nay,” Feena called out and was surprised Adira turned around. She shook her head, pointed to the floor, and then toward Adira. “You stay here.”
Adira glanced toward the window, then back at Feena as if unsure.
Feena used the gesture to signify the king and to remind Adira that he had ordered them to remain in the cottage until he sent for her.
“We stay here.”
Feena knew Adira could not hear her, but the sharp gesture toward the cottage door followed by an equally firm shake of her head made her meaning clear.
Adira stared at her, then she grabbed her cloak off the peg.
Feena caught her arm.
Adira looked down at Feena’s hand before lifting her eyes to meet hers.
The Adira she had raised would have lowered her gaze. She would have accepted Feena’s refusal without protest and returned to her chair.
This Adira did neither.
She held Feena’s gaze and gently removed her hand from her arm.
Feena stared at her. There was no anger in Adira. No defiance. Only determination.
Adira pointed toward the forest, then pressed her hand against her chest, letting Feena know that she needed to go.
Feena shook her head again.
Adira draped her cloak over her shoulders.
“You are going whether I agree or not, aren’t you?”
Adira could not hear the question, but Feena suspected the look she gave her was answer enough.
Feena sighed heavily and reached for her own cloak. “I will not let you go alone. And if the king has my head for this, I will haunt you for the rest of your days.”
Adira smiled and hugged her.
“Aye, hug me now,” Feena grumbled as she returned the embrace. “You may not be so pleased with me when King Dravic learns of this.”
Feena opened the cottage door and immediately stopped, her smile vanishing.
The two warriors who had escorted Adira to the cottage were nowhere in sight, but then the king’s orders were that Adira remain there until he summoned her, so what need was there for them to remain?
Still, a feeling of unease settled over her.
She turned to Adira, who was already looking toward the forest. Feena took hold of her hand with no intention of letting go and Adira hurried them forward.
The forest swallowed them beneath bare branches and patches of evergreen weighed down with snow. The deeper they went, the less evidence there was that anyone had passed that way recently, and Feena found herself watching the ground for tracks while Adira continued to pull her along.
“Slow down,” Feena complained, tightening her grip on Adira’s hand. “These old bones do not move as quickly as yours.”
Adira glanced back at her and smiled but did not slow her pace.
Feena shook her head. Whatever had gotten into the lass had certainly given her purpose.
Adira suddenly stopped.
Feena nearly collided with her. “What is it?”
Adira stared ahead.
Feena followed her gaze but saw nothing except trees and snow, the forest stretching silently before them.
Adira took another step.
Feena tugged at her hand, stopping her. “Nay. I have followed you this far, but I will not have you wandering deeper into the forest when I do not know why we are here.” She shook her head the whole time she spoke so Adira would understand she would not take another step with her.
Adira pressed her free hand to her chest, then pointed ahead.
“I understand that you feel something,” Feena said. “But I feel something as well, and what I feel tells me we should turn around.” She peppered her words with gestures and knew Adira understood her when she frowned.
A branch snapped somewhere behind them, and Feena spun around but nothing moved. She searched between the trees, her unease growing as she tightened her grip on Adira’s hand.
“We are leaving,” Feena said, pointing toward the direction of the castle.
She turned ready to tug Adira along with her when she stopped.
A man stood several feet away.
Feena gasped and immediately pulled Adira close against her.
Another man stepped from behind a tree to their right.
Then another.
Adira gripped Feena’s arm, frightened and feeling foolish for placing them in danger.
“Who are you?” Feena demanded. “What do you want?”
None answered.
One of the men moved forward.
“Stay back,” Feena warned.
He continued toward them.
Feena reached inside her cloak, her fingers closing around the small knife she carried when gathering herbs, but before she could draw it, the man was upon her and seized her wrist. She fought him, kicking at his leg and trying to wrench herself free.
Adira went to join in the struggle, fearful Feena would be harmed, but another man caught her around the waist and dragged her backward.
Her hand tore from Feena’s.
“Adira!” Feena screamed as she struggled wildly, but the man holding her twisted her arm behind her back so hard that the pain forced her to still.
Adira fought harder than Feena had ever seen her fight. She kicked and clawed at the man who held her, her mouth opening in a silent cry as she reached toward Feena.
“Leave her be!” Feena shouted, feeling helpless.
The man holding Adira cursed as she landed more punches than he expected and he tightened his arm around her.
Adira drove her elbow hard back into him.
He grunted. “Enough.”
A fourth man stepped from among the trees.
He approached Adira, and Feena’s heart pounded with fear as he reached beneath his cloak.
“Nay! Do not hurt her!”
He pulled out a folded cloth and when he unfolded it, Feena saw dark petals nestled there.
Adira twisted away, but the man holding her trapped her arms while the other pressed the cloth firmly over her nose and mouth.
Her eyes widened, but still she fought.
Feena screamed her name although she could not hear her, but surprisingly Adira’s gaze found hers and held it.
Feena watched the fight slowly leave her, her legs grow weak, and then her eyes fluttered closed.
Fear had Feena screaming out again. “ADIRA!”
The man holding Feena released her so suddenly she stumbled forward and fell to her knees in the snow. By the time she was able to get to her feet, one of the men had lifted Adira into his arms.
Feena rushed toward them and a man stepped in her path.
“Move!” she demanded.
He said nothing. He simply stood blocking her way with a threatening glare until the others disappeared deeper into the forest with Adira. Then he backed away and followed them.
Feena stood frozen, too shocked to move. They had not harmed her, had not even tried to take her. They had wanted only Adira.
The realization struck with such force that Feena nearly lost her footing. Then she turned and ran as best she could.
“THE KING!” she screamed as she stumbled through the snow. “FETCH THE KING!”