9. Chapter Nine Lennox
Chapter Nine: Lennox
“What the fuck just happened?” I exclaimed as I watched both Rhowyn and Arryn collapse, completely out of it.
“I don't know, but we need to go. I can hear people coming this way,” Callum said from behind me.
Turning, I was greeted by the sight of his very large dick. For a moment, I had forgotten that he'd shifted, which meant that he was now very, very naked. I swallowed, forcing my attention back to the emergency at hand and away from his blessings .
“Brannoc, get Rhowyn out of here. I'll carry Arryn. Once you get her somewhere safe, come back and take him. Us three will find our own way out of here,” Callum instructed, taking over due to Arryn's incapacitation.
We sprang into action, and I watched as Callum easily slung Arryn across his shoulder. Rhowyn was lifted gently, almost reverently, into Brannoc's arms as he swirled away, transporting her to safety.
Not waiting for him to return, Baer, Callum, and I began sprinting back the way we'd come. If our luck continued to hold, we'd be able to get away from here without any further confrontations. Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath. Our luck had been shit since meeting Rhowyn. Not that she was to blame, but maybe Callum was right, and she just attracted trouble. And yet, she was worth every single second of discomfort.
I fell to the back of the group, watching Callum's back as Baer led the way forward. And what a nice backside it was, thick and round and inviting me to get a handful. Jerking my eyes from the flexing muscles in his firm ass, I searched for any approaching foes.
Callum held Arryn with one hand while his other held his sword. Where he had found it, I didn't know since he didn’t have a sheath or even a stitch of clothing on outside of his boots, but I was glad he had a weapon as we rushed back toward the tunnel.
Right at the edge of the tree line, Baer halted. Callum and I moved forward until I saw what had made him stop. “Fuck. That's not good.”
Brannoc appeared at that moment, and Callum practically threw Arryn at him. “Take him and go. Looks like we're going to have to fight our way out of here,” he told him before indicating the line of Royal Guards waiting at the tunnel entrance for us.
Brannoc didn't hesitate, just disappeared again with a swirl of smoke, getting Arryn out of here. “So, how do you want to handle this?” Baer asked Callum. Both sides stood there as if frozen in place as we debated internally the best way to attack.
Not bothering to answer or even consult with us, Callum charged forward, impulsive as ever. He was always the bull in these situations, eager to battle his way out of any situation. To him, fighting would always be the answer.
Following closely, Baer and I raced after him, meeting the first row of guards. As they swarmed us, we instinctively put our backs together, ensuring none could sneak up on us. For what seemed like hours but was most likely no more than a few minutes, we fought with everything we had. After days of being holed up with anxious energy, we were finally able to release the anger that we’d kept pent up. The anger at our failures, our helplessness. At our inadequacies and for what these assholes had planned for Rhowyn.
I slashed and ducked, lunging out to strike a soldier when he was swinging at Callum, landing my blade under his armpit, severing the artery, and dropping him before spinning to help Baer. Again and again, my blade met flesh. I started to tire as the soldiers started to thin out, catching a swipe of the blade across my thigh and then my shoulder, unable to get out of the way in time. Each injury was answered by my own blade, but the pain was starting to slow me down even further.
Brannoc returned, his smoke making it difficult to see and decreasing the visibility for everyone. However, as the smoke thickened, I heard grunts of pain and agony as I stood still, panting and trying to catch my breath.
When the smoke cleared, it was to find that he'd dispensed with the remaining guards. Not waiting to be told, we all sprinted forward and through the tunnel, coming out the other side without further complications.
“Where'd you stash Rhowyn and Arryn?” Callum asked Brannoc between breaths. We were all getting tired now, but it was then that a thought occurred to me.
“Where are we going to go? Arryn's the one that usually has the escape plan, and we can't exactly go back to the tavern,” I said before Brannoc could answer Callum.
“Not to worry. Arryn's not the only one with contingency plans. Where do you think he learned it from?” Brannoc said cooly, almost devoid of any emotion.
“Great. And how much further to this contingency plan ?” I asked him.
“Are you finding it hard to keep up, Your Highness?” he asked me.
Narrowing my eyes at him in anger, I answered, “Nope. Just concerned about running through the village with this guy.” I pointed at Callum, indicating his nude state.
“That might be a problem,” Brannoc said as if noticing Callum's nakedness for the first time.
“You think?”
“Lennox. Quit trying to aggravate Brannoc. Let's just get to where we need to go and quickly. Preferably quietly,” Callum snapped at me.
If anyone else had spoken to me that way, I'd have gotten offended, but I knew by now that he was just being Callum. He didn't know how to be subtle or gentle. Listening to him, we all sprinted in silence around the edges of the village.
Along the way, Brannoc disappeared briefly before returning, holding out something to Callum. “Here.” Taking the item, Callum donned the piece of fabric while not breaking his stride. Honestly, it was quite impressive how he did that, getting the pants on without any issues. I'd have probably fallen on my face.
At my questioning look, Callum smiled at me. “You think this is the first time I've had to get dressed while running?”
Well, damn. Is he flirting with me? I couldn't help the rush of desire that thought caused. However, the thought of Rhowyn tamped down on any further urges I had.
Finally, we arrived at a little shack that was barely standing. In fact, I was convinced that a strong gust of wind was going to blow it over at any second. Surely this wasn't the place Brannoc had been talking about.
When he opened the door, the wood creaked in protest, and I watched the walls shake slightly from the force. “Hurry,” he urged us inside a tiny room. Looking around, I found a dirt floor, a cot in one corner, and a fire pit. A crate was upturned and being used as a table, the cot doubling as a chair.
I could see every inch of the room, and there was no other entry, but neither was there any sign of Rhowyn or Arryn. “Where are they?”
Ignoring me, Brannoc pushed through us. Standing side by side, Callum and Baer's shoulders both touched opposite walls. Moving the cot and pushing us back against the wall, Brannoc revealed a trap door.
Up until a week ago, I'd never seen one, and now, this was my second time having to use one. “In here,” he said, ushering us down into the darkness. The stairs narrow and steep. Callum had to turn sideways just to slide through. One misstep on the rotting wood, and we would fall to Avalonia knew where, the bottom hidden in shadows.
Brannoc shut the door behind us, casting us all in darkness, although it was brief as Callum called on his fire to reveal a path forward. A scraping noise from above had me glancing back to realize Brannoc hadn't followed us into the hidey hole. “Um. Should we trust that he's not trapping us down here? You know, since he left us down here alone?” I asked the others, a little concerned.
“Are you afraid of the dark?” Brannoc's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs, a rustle and then blooming light revealed his face, a torch now in his hand.
Moving down the stairs toward him, Callum snuffed out his own fire. “Nope. Just worried that you're going to try to keep my Chosen to yourself.”
“That's not my decision to make, but if Rhowyn wishes it, I will make it happen,” he answered coldly.
When he wasn’t taunting me, his voice became nearly devoid of emotion, his face blank and revealing nothing. It was almost terrifying to think about how someone like that was now a part of our group. I mean, could we really know what his intentions were?
The narrow hallway finally opened up; cool air greeted my face as a gentle breeze moved through the space. “What is this place?” Baer asked as he realized there was stone and furnishings, a complete home underground. It was spacious, and I could see hallways branching off in places, most likely leading to other rooms. I couldn't help the awe on my face to realize that this place was well cared for, no dust or dirt to be found.
“It's my home,” Brannoc answered, lighting the other torches around the area. “Or one of them, but this one is the one I've been spending my time in recently.”
“Seriously?” I asked him. I had so many questions.
“Sorry for the secrecy. An assassin like me can never be too careful, but I've decided to trust you all with this secret. Besides, if you do betray me, I'm ready to leave here at a moment's notice. I'll never be back, even if this is my favorite home.” He shrugged his shoulders before walking down a hall.
I followed, hoping he was leading us to where he'd stashed Rhowyn. “So why didn't we hide out here? Why risk Arryn's hiding spot?” I accused him. We spent five days pretty much on top of each other with barely any room to move, and he knew of this place the whole time.
“Like I said, I didn't know if I could trust you all. Arryn yes, but not you. You'll have to forgive me, Your Highness, but you are connected to the tyrant Queen after all.”
Unable to argue, I kept my mouth shut, grinding my teeth together in aggravation. He opened a door to a bedroom, and I found Rhowyn and Arryn laid out on top of the covers, still unconscious but breathing. The steady rise and fall of her chest was the lifeline that I was desperately hanging onto.
Forcing my way past him, I rushed over and knelt next to her bedside, taking a hand in one of mine, the other brushing the hair from her forehead. I buried my head in the blanket as the emotions I had suppressed over the last five days bubbled up and threatened to drown me.
In this moment, I hated my mother with a fervent passion. She'd nearly taken everything from me. Again. “I swear she won’t tear us apart. You’re mine, and I’ll fight to keep you,” I whispered to her, knowing I'd do everything I could to ensure I could back it up.
A heavy hand landed on my shoulder, squeezing firmly but gently. “Come,” Callum said, pulling my attention to him. His bare chest reflected the flames from the torches, the copper hair invited me to bury my hands in it. His eyes darkened briefly before he said, “We should eat and get some rest.”
Nodding, I stood with his help and let him lead me from the room. I glanced backward at Rhowyn's sleeping form before following him out into the living area. “Brannoc's gone to get some food, and Baer's sleeping for the first time in days,” Callum told me.
“He's not the only one who hasn't been sleeping well,” I said, sitting in one of the chairs that flanked the fireplace.
Callum squatted and used his fire magic to light the wood that was already set up for use. It wasn’t really cold, but there was always something comforting about watching the flames dance in the hearth, hypnotizing and meditative all at the same time.
He remained there, watching the fire as we basked in the silence, able to relax for the first time in days. The flames danced as they consumed the logs in the same way that my thoughts were being consumed by the man in front of me. I studied Callum as he continued to watch the flames, admiring his quiet strength and passionate fervor, which had always ensnared me. My oldest and only friend, torn from me by circumstances beyond our control, just before I had thought that we’d finally begin to explore a different side to that friendship. I had wanted him then, and I found that I still wanted him now even though we’d both changed so much. He was so similar and yet different from Rhowyn. Neither less than the other, both consuming and encompassing.
Turning to face me, his eyes caught mine, the burnished gold color holding me in place as my breath quickened and my dick started to harden. Shaking my head, I pulled myself from his magnetism, fighting the pull that I felt. Looking instead at my hands in my lap, I realized just how torn I was. Rhowyn was from Earth. She already had a hard time accepting that we all wanted her and that she wanted us all in return. That we were okay with sharing. I wanted her desperately. She had even told me that she loved me.
“What is it?” Callum asked me from much closer than I had expected, and I flinched as my eyes snapped to his.
“It's Rhowyn,” I told him, hoping he could read between the lines. That I didn't want to risk her love by moving forward with him. He was offering, but I couldn't take him up on it. It was common knowledge that humans on Earth weren’t into sharing. There was no way that she’d go for Callum and I being together, and I didn’t dare drive Rhowyn away by pursuing something with him behind her back. I wanted Callum, but I loved Rhowyn.
“You think she would have a problem sharing us with each other?” he asked me, his eyes piercing through me. He had always been able to read me, and it still left me feeling just as vulnerable.
Nodding, I ducked my head again, unable to face him and the truth at the same time. My heart was breaking at having to make this decision. It wasn’t one I wanted to make, but it had to be done. If I did nothing else, I could forsake my desires to keep Rhowyn happy. She deserved nothing less.
He sighed and took the chair next to me. “Somehow, I find it difficult to believe that she'd care. In fact, she might like it.”
“You can't be sure. She's everything I've ever wanted. And while, yes, I want you too, I can't risk losing her. I hope you can understand that.” I pleaded with him to understand, to quit pushing me. This was hard enough without his judgment and pity.
“I get it. I don't agree, but because you’re not there yet, I won't push you. But Lennox,” he said, waiting until I was looking at him again, his gaze punching a hole through my soul as he continued, “This will happen. And you won't lose her when it finally does.”