by Grant, Donna
“If it makes you feel better, I do not have a home either.”
There was much that he and the witch had in common, but he knew that she was the type who needed a place to call her own. “You will not always be running.”
“I once believed that. Now, I am not so sure. The Coven is strong.”
“So are you.”
Eyes as green as a fern met his. Helena smiled. “Thank you.”
He stretched out his leg and shifted to get more comfortable. Valdr was snoring softly as the crackle of the fire filled the silence. Jarin’s continued solitude made it difficult for him to interact with others. Carrying on a conversation was almost painful for him.
Oddly, he didn’t find that with Helena.
Perhaps it was because he saw the hope she desperately clung to and the inner strength that kept her going. Or it could be the pain that wrapped around her like her cloak. All he knew was that he liked talking to her.
Her eyes moved to him, catching him staring at her. Their gazes held as he searched his mind for a question. But she beat him to it.
“Do you have family?”
Jarin gave a nod. “I was the middle child of five.”
“They live in...Blackglade is it?”
“Aye.”
“Do you see them at all?”
He glanced at the ground. “As I am hardly ever there, nay.”
“But you could. If you wanted to.”
“I suppose.”
“Perhaps you would not know what to say to them,” she said and turned her head to the fire.
Jarin drank in her profile. “Do you have family?”
“I did once. They are all gone now.”
He frowned as he tried to think of some way to reply. “The Varroki have dwindled in size because we seldom venture from Blackglade or let others in.”
Helena’s eyes slid to him. “Warriors like you could find withes and bring them to Blackglade. Or marry yourselves.”
“Up until recently, that was not permitted.”
Her brow furrowed. “Marriage was not permitted?”
“Warriors were required to be celibate.”
Her eyes rounded in surprise. “So you have never...” She trailed off, but her meaning was clear.
He shrugged, hiding his smile.
“Never?” she asked, shocked.
“We are also asked to do whatever it takes to curb the Coven.”
She lifted her head, grinning as she tucked her legs beneath her. “So, you have.”
“I do whatever is necessary to catch my quarry.”
Her grin was conspiratorial. “That is one way of getting around the rule.”
“The Lady of the Varroki has reversed such laws so that we can grow as a people again.”
“It sounds as if you like...what did you say her name was? Malene?”
“I do. She had no wish to be Lady, but she has taken on the role better than we hoped.”
Helena shifted toward him. “Who does not wish to be in power? I would not turn down such a role.”
“Malene had no magic. She was chosen and given the blue radiance in her left hand that proclaimed her as our Lady.”
“I’m confused. She had no magic? Who chose her?”
Jarin shrugged. “Whoever or whatever chooses each of them. Armir, or whoever is commander at the time, goes in search of the Chosen.”
“You make it sound as if it happens often.”
“Sadly, more often than not. Like other Ladies before her, Malene was taken from her family and brought to Blackglade.”
Helena nodded, understanding. “So she is not a Varroki.”
“Nay. However, there were laws that required the Lady to be celibate, as well.”
“Please tell me she reversed that.”
Jarin grinned. “She did. She is very intelligent. And while she fights the bonds that tie her to the Varroki, she has learned to use them in order to do what she feels is right.”
“The others before her did not?”
“They rarely lasted longer than five years.”
Helena gawked at him. “Are they mistreated?”
“Not at all. They are given everything.”
“Can they leave?”
“Nay. They have a duty, as each of us does. Malene is the only one who seems to have accepted that fate. The fact that the radiance is now in both of her hands speaks of a prophecy that says the Varroki will be ushered into a new era.”
Helena contemplated his words. “I would very much like to meet her.”
“I think she would like you. You both have fire within you. A strength that you do not know is there until you are backed into a corner.”
Green eyes softened before she slowly looked away.
6
There were so many mysteries about life that Helena would never understand. At a time when she felt the most alone, the most frightened, Jarin was suddenly there.
He was quiet and reserved, his strength and power evident in the way he held himself—and looked at the world. At first, she had been uncomfortable with his silence, but when she realized that she didn’t need to fill it with words, she quickly discovered how easy it was to be in his presence.
That allowed her to be comfortable enough to ask questions. And she was shocked by the answers. She really wanted to go to Blackglade and meet the Varroki, especially Malene.
Just hours before, she’d acknowledged that she would pick the time and place to confront the Coven. She also accepted the fact that it would likely mean her death.
Now, with just a few words, Jarin gave her hope. Hope that, despite the odds against her, she just might be able to defeat the Coven.
She glanced toward the Varroki warrior and found his eyes closed. The cave was warm with no prying eyes searching for her. Her belly was full, and her body more rested than it had been in weeks. Still, her eyes began to droop, seeking the oblivion of slumber.
Helena yawned and pulled her braid over her shoulder. Once she loosened the leather binding, she slid her fingers through the plait to loosen it. She shook out her hair and dropped her head back, massaging her scalp.
She would love a bath, preferably in water that wasn’t freezing. And a clean gown. But there were other things to be concerned with at the moment.
With another yawn, she curled up on her side, using her arm as a pillow, and embraced the void that was sleep.
There were no dreams, no nightmares, and no worries that plagued her. Just a restfulness that she hadn’t experienced in many years. She sank deeper into slumber.
It was the pressure against her back that prevented her from rolling over that woke her. It pulled her from the dreamless state to discover that Valdr was lying behind her.
That made her smile. She blinked open her eyes, expecting to see the fire, but there was nothing but scorched earth and ash there now.
Helena pushed up on her elbow and looked around. Jarin was nowhere to be found. Valdr lifted his head and blinked at her before he rose and trotted to the cave entrance. There was no denying the sunlight that spilled into the opening. She got to her feet and followed the wolf.
A world of white met her. She shivered, wrapping her cloak tighter around her as she gazed at the sparkling wonder that covered everything. Already, she missed the cozy warmth of the cave.
Her gaze spotted the tawny fur of the wolf as he walked through the deep snow. She turned to go back into the cave when she found Jarin leaning against the side of the entrance, watching her.
“You startled me,” she said breathlessly.
“You sleep like the dead.”
Helena glanced away. “It happens when I am tired.”
“You mean exhausted,” he corrected. “How long did you go without rest?”
She shrugged and shook her head. “Days. Weeks. I lost track. I slept when I could.”
“If I removed that cloak, I bet I would find you skin and bones beneath your gown.”
Now uncomfortable, she turned away to
face the snow once more. “I only lost a little weight. A few weeks rationing food will not kill a person.”
He grunted in response. “Ready?”
So, they were leaving. Helena knew it would happen. Morning had come much swifter than she anticipated. It was difficult to leave a place where she was fed, safe, and warm, but there was no other choice. She had to do this. For herself and for the family she lost.
“Lead the way.”
“Do you need another day?” he asked.
Helena shook her head. “It would be easy to hide here.”
“You were not hiding.”
“Aye, I was,” she said with a bark of laughter.
Jarin stared at her a long, silent moment before he moved closer. She cut her eyes to the side but didn’t face him. He stood beside her. Then, slowly, he lifted a lock of her hair before letting it slip through his fingers.
That simple touch made her acutely aware of him. His presence, the heat of his nearness, and his strength. The entire world melted away until there was only him.
And he hadn’t even touched her. Not really. Just her hair.
Finally, she looked at him. There was something in his eyes that she didn’t recognize. Something that bordered on...hunger. She had always hated her hair. It made her stand out, the color a deep red, not a pretty, lighter shade.
Jarin said nothing more as he moved past her and began walking. She hurried to follow. It wasn’t long before Valdr was loping between them. Every once in a while, Andi’s cry reached them from high above.
The warlock walked swiftly. Helena had to hike up her skirts and double her steps just to keep up. Twice, she caught him looking at her over his shoulder. When he got too far ahead, he would pause and wait for her to catch up. She hated that she was slowing him down.
The food she’d consumed the night before had done wonders to restore her, but it wasn’t long before her stomach rumbled again, and her body grew weak. She was determined to make it until noon. Then she would ask Jarin to stop so she could eat. What she would eat was another matter entirely. But first, she had to make it to midday.
The higher the sun rose, the harder it became to put one foot in front of the other. She kept her gaze on the ground, making sure she didn’t trip over anything. Because if she went down, Helena knew she wouldn’t get up anytime soon.
She was concentrating so hard on keeping one foot in front of the other that it took her a moment to realize that Jarin had his hand on her arm while trying to stop her.
She swung her head to him with a frown. “Did you say something?”
“Aye,” he bit out, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “You should have told me you needed to rest. Sit.”
She was so tired, she didn’t even care about the abrasive tone of his order. She lowered herself to the fallen tree he had already dusted the snow from the surface of before she comprehended how easily she followed his command. But she didn’t have the energy to think about that.
Her gaze lifted to land on Jarin’s retreating back. Valdr remained with her, so at least she knew the warlock wasn’t leaving her. She wanted to ask where he was going, but her eyes wouldn’t stay open. When she nearly fell off the log dozing off, she lay on the tree and closed her eyes—just for a moment.
All she needed was to rest for a few moments and then she could focus again.
Helena didn’t know what made her eyes fly open. Embarrassment stole over her when she realized she had slept deeply once more. She pushed herself up with her arms and licked her lips at the sight of the rabbits roasting over the fire.
If the Coven had found her, she would be captured or dead right now because she would’ve been sleeping instead of ready to defend herself.
“Next time, tell me,” Jarin stated as he came from behind her and walked to the fire.
She glanced at him, grateful that he hadn’t left her. “I suppose I was more worn out than I realized.”
He motioned to the meat. “It is nearly done.”
“I do not want to hold you back, which is exactly what I am doing. You could have covered twice as much ground this morning without me.”
His pale blue eyes lifted to her. “We agreed to work together. I should have realized you were not up to travel yet.”
She opened her mouth to talk when he spoke over her.
“Adrenaline and fear kept you moving these past weeks regardless of your hunger or exhaustion. You can survive on that for only so long before your body gives out. Food will replenish you.”
“I am not weak.” Helena didn’t know why she felt the need to say that. He hadn’t mentioned anything about it, but she wanted him to know that she could continue, that she would keep up.
He frowned, his brow furrowing deeply. “Not once have I thought that. Your survival shows great strength. The fact that you need more sleep and food is not weakness. It is a fact after what you have endured.”
She looked away and fidgeted with the edge of her cloak. “Stop being so nice.”
“I will not let it happen again.”
Was that a smile she heard in his words? She wished she had been looking at him. She would love to see a grin on his face and watch how it transformed him.
Valdr placed his head on her lap. Without thinking, she petted him. The wolf was a part of Jarin’s family, whether he realized it or not. Same with Andi.
“They do not fight the Coven with you, do they?” she asked.
Jarin paused in stoking the fire with a stick to look up at her. He glanced at Valdr before he shook his head. “A few times, but I try to keep them out of it. I know the Coven would happily kill them because it would hurt me.”
“Do not ever let them near Sybbyl,” she warned. “She is crafty. She will realize the animals’ importance to you and go after them.”
“Is that what happened to you?”
“Something like that.”
He rose and checked the meat before he pulled it from the fire and came to sit with her on the tree. “Eat your fill. If you need more, then I’ll find more.”
She accepted the meat and blew on it to cool it off. “Where are we headed?”
“South.”
“You know where Sybbyl is?”
He gave a shake of his head, his gaze looking out over the land. “We are going to find the Hunters. I know an approximate location.”
“Is that time we have?”
“It is time we will make,” he stated before glancing at her.
She tore off a piece of meat. After several more bites, she held it out for Jarin to take some. He pulled off a chunk and gave the rest back to her. Helena devoured the rabbit in little time. She didn’t even share any with Valdr this time.
Jarin handed her a waterskin, and she drank her fill then sighed and wiped the back of her hand over her mouth, once more feeling refreshed.
Helena looked up at the sky, happy to see it was blue again instead of gray. The sun shone brightly, making the snow appear as if it sparkled with diamonds.
When Valdr moved away, she got to her feet and raised a brow at Jarin. He grabbed his staff and said something. She spotted the tip of the staff glowing white when the fire went out.
“Do you need the staff to do magic?” she asked.
“Nay.”
No other explanation. Helena smiled and fell into step beside Jarin. He walked considerably slower this time. She used far less energy trying to keep up, which made the walk more enjoyable. Although, when she thought about running across any Coven members, it wiped the grin from her face.
She also wasn’t too sure about the Hunters. They had saved her, but she was a witch. She knew very little about the Hunters. However, Jarin seemed to trust them.
Should she be concerned at how easily—and willingly—she trusted him? He was a warlock, which meant he was in the same boat she was. So, if the Hunters wanted to come for her, they would have to do the same for him.
The four of them traveled for three days, frequently stopping so Jarin could put
food in her hands every chance he could. Helena had never eaten so much. When night came, she fell into a deep, dreamless slumber from the exertion.
By the end of the third day, she was so drained, she was fantasizing about sleep. Then Jarin suddenly stopped walking.
Helena looked around as Valdr sat, ears perked forward. “What is it?” she asked.
“Wait,” Jarin urged.
A moment later, a woman came from behind a tree, an arrow notched and aimed at them. The lower half of her face was covered by material, and her hood was up so that only her eyes were visible. But the outline of her womanly curves was evident beneath her clothes. “What do you want?” she demanded.
“To speak to Leoma or Braith. I am Jarin of the Varroki.”
The woman slowly lowered her bow as her gaze raked over him. She shoved the hood of her cloak back to reveal blond hair.
She then tugged down the wrapping on her lower face and nodded. “We were told you might come.”
Helena lifted her chin when the Hunter’s amber gaze landed on her. “I am Helena.”
“I’ve heard of you, as well. I’m Synne. Guess you two better follow me,” she said and put the arrow back in her quiver as she pivoted and walked away.
Helena eyed the woman’s pants. The Hunters tended to prefer them, and she was leaning in that direction, as well. It would make maneuvering in battle much easier.
7
The moment Jarin was within the confines of the Hunters’ sanctuary, he understood why they were so careful about keeping the location secret. There was magic being used to shield it. However, the founder of the group, Edra, used wards and herbs mixed in with her magic to make it nearly impossible for it to be located by the Coven—or anyone for that matter.
The combination prevented the Coven from detecting the magic, and it kept the Hunters and all those who sought sanctuary there safe.
Jarin brought up the rear with his animals behind Helena, who followed Synne through an archway of ruins before making their way down the stairs. The old abbey had been converted into a home. No longer derelict and crumbling, it now stood tall and grand.
Despite Helena’s brave face, he could tell that she still needed rest. She claimed she had been on the run only a few weeks, but he would guess it was much longer than that.
