Chapter Seven
Isla
The moon was full and high in the sky when we set back out to the village. I don’t know why I let Raia convince me of a night of dancing, but I dread it. Thoughts of Oliver, where he is, and what he’s doing swirl in my head.
There’s a mixture of guilt, worry, and trepidation in my stomach.
Guilt over loving Oliver but hating his family.
Guilt in knowing that what his family is doing is wrong but not being more vocal.
Worry for Oliver being on the road more and more.
Worry for this village, for papa and myself, wondering if I’m even doing the right thing by not listening to Raia more.
Trepidation for the future, that this war we’re on the cusp of is about to blow up in our faces. Trepidation for my friendship with my best friend and my relationship.
Raia bumps my shoulders with hers along the road. “You’re awfully quiet,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry about earlier. I just get angry when it comes to them.”
I sigh. “I just worry,” I tell her simply. It wasn’t enough to really explain the emotional waves of how I’m feeling, but it’d have to do. It would have to be enough. I need to talk to Oli.
“I think we all do,” Raia replies.
“It’s awfully dark. Are you sure we didn’t leave too late?” I ask her, looking at the moonlit trail around us.
“Bah,” Raia shrugs me off. “Maybe a touch, but it’s fine. I’ll have Jas drop us off in his wagon later.” She walks alongside me as we move closer to the village. “Have you seen the posters?” Raia asks, catching my attention.
“Posters?”
“The handsome rogue on the wanted posters! They’ve started popping up all over the village last week.
Ever since Sir Oliver’s incident.” Raia wears a sly smile, thoroughly enjoying Oliver’s embarrassment.
I groan internally at her insistence to hate him.
He could have been seriously injured, or worse, killed. I cut my eyes at her
“Rai, you shouldn’t tease such things,” I warn her.
“Come on, even you must admit it’s funny.
” I press my lips into a thin line. Raia is far too giddy at the dangers Oliver and the Prince faced.
What if they were killed? What if this so-called hooded man had wiped out the Crown Prince.
It’s exactly what the rebels want, what they need. I shudder at the thought.
“Oh, come off it, Isla. It was nothing but a bit of fun.”
Before I can reply, we’ve reached the village limits. Raia’s grabbing my hand and pulling me a little faster. “Come on. I’ve got somewhere to be before we reach the dance hall.”
I eye her as she walks faster through the empty streets, passing the market square and the closed businesses. “Where are we going?”
We turn down a dark alley, barely noticeable between the butchers and her parents’ bakery. “Just a little stop before we reach the Revelry. I promise, it’ll be quick.”
She looks behind us, checking to make sure we weren’t followed. Her movements are more fidgety, like she’s eager to get to our destination. We move quicker down the alley, turning behind the businesses. “I don’t think I’ve been back here,” I tell her quietly.
“Nah, I suspect you wouldn’t frequent these areas. Come on, stick closer. There are patrols out tonight that we don’t want to run into.”
“Patrols? This late?” I ask.
She pulls at the hem on her sleeve, staying silent. A few minutes later, Raia’s knuckles are knocking on a dark wooden door. The door cracks open to two beady eyes dressed in dark clothing. “Password?” the beady eyes grumble.
“Nocked arrow,” Raia whispers back to him. Confusion floods my body, but before I can ask what’s going on, the door opens. Beady Eyes grabs Raia’s wrist, pulling her in.
“Raia, come in. Come in, girl.” Raia pulls me into the building with her. She’s wearing a huge smile as she looks up at the beady eyed man. He uncovers his face and shock stutters through me. The blacksmith looks over at me and scowls. A small black iron pendant of an arrow hangs from his neck.
“What is she doing here?” he snarls.
“Please, Jacob. I had to show her.”
“Show her? Why? So, she can go running back to her little lovey and tell him everything she’s heard. She’s a traitor to her own kind, Raia.”
Raia huffs and pushes past Jacob. “Just trust me, okay?” She leads me through several people who send me dirty looks and dark glares before we get to the center of the room. Jasper is talking to another tall man at the front.
“What are we doing here?” I whisper to Raia. Trying to clamp down the panic that’s rising up my throat, I glare at her. “Is this what I think this is?”
“I need you to see that everything isn’t what you think it is. There are things happening out of this village. Things that he is causing.”
“The only he I’m concerned with is the Hood, Raia. Is this a rebel group? We can’t be here. Oh Fates, we can’t be here.”
Raia grabs my shoulders and yanks me to her. “Isla, calm down. We’re fine. Nothing is going to happen. I just want you to see the other side of things.”
“You told me we were going dancing,” I snap.
“We are,” she nods her head. “After this.”
“Raia, we can’t be here. This is treason,” I hiss. The panic is overwhelming. If Oliver finds out about this, he’ll rage.
“Just listen,” Raia grabs my arm and leads me to a chair. Jasper spots us through the small crowds and comes over.
“Wow, Rai. I’m impressed. I didn’t think you’d get her to come,” his smile beams at her.
Raia shrugs her shoulders, sheepishly. “Well,” she leads.
“She lied,” I cut her off. Jasper’s dark eyebrows shoot up to his hair line.
“You’re joking.”
“Nope.”
Jasper groans. He drags a hand over his face. “Raia, we talked about this. This wasn’t the way we wanted to do this.”
“And how else was I supposed to get her to come?” She throws her hands up. I watch both of them bicker, completely exasperated with the other. Tuning them out, I glance around the room. The butcher, the blacksmith, and several villagers were here. It’s a shock to see so many against the Duke.
Jasper grabs my hand, pulling my attention away from the small crowd that has filtered in from outside.
“Will you just stay? Just listen? You might find you have some things in common with the others. We’re only talking about the taxes tonight.
Just hear us out.” He gives me a small smile and squeezes my hand.
I plop down in the chair next to me, cutting my eyes at Raia. “Fine. A few minutes and then we’re out. We can’t be here.”
Jacob, the blacksmith, walks to the front of the small, crowded room. He looks out to the twenty people that have gathered.
“I’ve received word,” he states, quieting the room. It’s tense. Emotions are warring with the various people here. “Two more villages burned. Their bodies strung throughout the traveling roads.”
Several women in the crowd gasped and covered their mouths, as if they didn’t want to believe what they were hearing. Raia leans into me. “It’s spreading,” she whispers. “The attack on the villages,” she answers at my questioning look.
“The Hood managed to delay the Prince and his captain, but it wasn’t for long. They’ll be back here again. Just wait. We’re only saved due to the graciousness of the Duke. We’re keeping the prince’s coffers full.” Jacob’s face is full of disgust.
“For how long?” A woman calls out. “How long do we have until our fate is similar to our neighbors?”
“We need to stop this!” Another calls out.
Jasper throws his hands up, quieting the crowd. “Aye, and we will. We will. The prince and Captain Cahir are due back any day. We’ll seize the moment then. Cut the head off the snake, the rest will fall.” The room is tense and quiet. A pen drop could be heard in the still air.
“We’re putting a plan in place,” Jasper says again. He’s riling the crowd with excitement, with hope that their fate won’t be similar to our neighbors. Before he can utter another word, the doors burst open. Guards filter in. Women scream and there’s a frenzy.
“Isla!” Raia shouts. She snatches my wrist and tugs me towards her.
Jasper leads our way through the chaos. Alarm rings in my ears.
Everything is happening in a blink of an eye.
We weave through people. Rebels fight with guards, cutting a way for us to get out.
Jasper takes us up the small staircase hidden in an alcove.
“Hurry, hurry,” he shouts. “This way!”
We bound up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
My breath is in my throat, my heart threatening to beat through my chest. Jasper kicks open another door leading to a small room.
There’s a small ladder in the corner leading to the top of the roof.
He climbs up it, unlocking the hatch. At once, his feet disappear onto the roof.
Raia shoves me to the ladder. “Go! Quickly, Isla. Climb.”
My legs feel shaky as I take each rung one by one. Jasper pulls me up to the roof. The cool breeze and starry sky is a shock to my system. Raia follows shortly after.
“Where?” I start. My hands are on my knees as I try and catch my breath. “Where are we going? How are we going to get down?”
“We jump.” Jasper takes off running, jumping onto the roof of the building next to us.
“We don’t have time to second guess it, Isla. Go.” Raia shoves me forward. Taking a deep breath, I take off, leaping towards Jasper. Raia again, takes up the rear.
“Come on. A couple more roofs. I know where there’s a ladder.” Jasper motions after me.
“You’re joking.” My head cuts towards Raia. “All we had to do was go dancing.”
“And dancing we shall.” I can see her white teeth in the moonlight glow. “Let’s go. The quicker we get to the Revelry, the better. The guards will come looking.” I look away in disbelief and follow the two. Three rooftops later, we were climbing down and walking in the back doors of the dance hall.
The Revelry is loud. Villagers are dancing, laughing, carrying on while the panic is still trying to simmer in my chest. A dance hall full of people who have no idea a room of twenty people was just raided and broken up.
Raia cuts Jasper a sly grin as we sit at an empty table.
A brunette barmaid comes up and hands us three pints of ale. She smiles wide at Jasper and Raia.
“My, my,” she greets us. “Do my eyes deceive me or is Isla gracing us with her presence?” The barmaid jokes. I roll my eyes at Clara.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I mutter under my breath.
“What’s the special occasion?” She asks.
“Why does there have to be a special occasion?” I ask, sitting up straighter. “I come out.”
Everyone chuckles at my expense. “Sure ya do, Isla,” Jasper retorts.
“Well, just wave at me if you need anything else,” Clara winks. “Busy night.” Clara doesn’t get too far when the front doors of the hall bang open. The music cuts off completely.
Everyone has stopped what they’re doing, staring at the newcomers marching into the hall. It’s an eerie quiet, as if everyone is holding their breath. Four guards file in with their hands on their swords.
My breath catches when I spot Oliver following in after them. He’s dressed in his decorated captain’s coat, exhaustion and anger war with each other in his eyes. To a stranger’s eye, I doubted anyone could tell. Me?
It hurt my heart knowing everything he was going through. From the war brewing to the humiliation the Hood was running him through. I watch as Oliver’s eyes sweep the room. I don’t know if I want him to see me here or not.
Surprise fleetingly lights in his eyes before he covers it. In three large steps, he’s bounding over to our table.
“Isla,” he says gruffly.
“Captain Cahir,” I reply, dipping my chin.
“What are you doing here?”
“She’s out with friends, why?” Raia interrupts before I can answer him. He arches an eyebrow, eyeing her suspiciously.
“There was a rebel meeting tonight, Raia. Know anything about that?”
“Why would I know anything about what rebels are doing?” Raia scoffs. Every muscle in my body was tensing. She never hid her hatred for him, and I fear this moment might be pushing it. Jasper must sense it, too. He squeezes her arm and speaks before Oliver can say something.
“We’ve been here all night, Captain.”
“And who’s going to attest to that?” Oliver replies, testily. His sharp, no non-sense attitude is surprising.
“Captain Cahir,” Clara steps up to the table. “How lovely to see you again.” She smiles warmly at him. Oliver gives her a tight smile as she leans in closer to him. Jealousy strikes at my chest. “They’ve been here all night, sir. I’ve been serving them.”
Oliver glances at Jasper and Raia, back to me. He gives her another tight smile and nods slightly. “Very well, have a good night.” The captain turns on his heel, leaving us behind to search for more rebels that fled their raid.
There’s a moment of silence between the three of us as I watch Oliver walk briskly out the door. Raia twiddles nervously with her hands. Jasper taps the table a few times in anticipation, but I don’t say anything. I just watch the door. He’s back. Sooner than expected, but he’s back.
Happiness, confusion, and bitterness battle for a first-place spot in my chest. Why didn’t he come see me? Or send word at least?
“So, uh,” Jasper speaks up, breaking my attention from the door. “I think, maybe, I should get you two home now.”