“Ah, there they are!” Adam lit up as Luka and I entered the room, standing up from the narrow couch that he and the woman I assumed to be Mylene were sharing as Lindy lounged beside them in an armchair and Nikolas sat upon a dining chair. “The last members of your party, they almost missed the introductions.”
Mylene only laughed, leaning back into the couch as Adam stood and reached for me.
“Wren Laurent,” Adam said as he grabbed my shoulder, pulling me in with a wide grin. “My better half in all ways but romantic, the only electric elementalist in the kingdom—perhaps even the world. Lazy, though,” he said, and I huffed beside him. “She’s funny, and she’s got a healthy temper.”
“I do not have a temper,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
“It’s the powers,” Adam said in a voice that very clearly indicated that he thought it wasn’t, even though they were known to add to it. “And where there is Wren, there’s her companion,” he said, moving along to Luka. “Almost never seen apart,” he said in an elevated stage whisper, and I couldn’t help but laugh at that.
Mylene smiled pleasantly, nodding along. She didn’t seem too threatening, not an annoyance like I would assume most supporters of the King to be, but rather a normal girl. Average, one that seemed calm and reasonable. A good thing, since I had a feeling that others would say Lindy and I were not.
“Luka,” Adam said, and something behind Mylene’s expression twitched. “Secondary heir to the Kinsley fortune, and a rather good researcher. You probably can’t keep the cat in the bag for long around here, looking at your company, so I’ll say it plainly—He’s half Unseelie, but also half high Seelie fae.”
“Luka Kinsley,” Mylene repeated, stringing together his name.
“The Luka Kinsley,” Adam said in a way that was probably meant to entertain Luka but did not achieve its purpose. Luka looked almost sick at his side.
Mylene rose, thrusting her hand towards Luka, only Luka, without a second thought. “Mylene Winters,” she said before he could even take it, stepping closer to him. Her eyes watched him closely.
“I know,” said Luka. I couldn’t place the tone in his voice.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she said when he didn’t grab her hand, adding as almost an afterthought, “and Wren.”
“Wren Nettles,” Luka said, even though people so rarely used my original last name. I blinked at the sound, she did too.
And then her eyes slid to me, taking me in from head to toe, seeming determined to take in every detail. For a moment, I wondered if she knew me, if somehow along the way I’d forgotten about her. She seemed so bold in the action, her lips pursing together before her eyes tore away from me, landing on Luka again.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she repeated, speaking to him. “I’ve heard so much about you.” He didn’t look happy about that.
I almost moved to step in front of him before a large hand blocked my way, holding me back.
“Well, with that out of the way, maybe you should show them to their rooms, Mylene,” Adam said, casting Mylene an oddly suspicious look.
I paced the floor of the small room Mylene had given me, running over the interactions that had happened over and over again. I wasn’t the only one who was set off, that was obvious by Adam’s reaction, and that only encouraged me.
I didn’t like it.
But I guess I didn’t like a lot of things, such as being forced to share a wall with Nikolas or having Lindy on my other side. Luka’s responses too, I wasn’t fond of those. Nor was I too pleased with Mylene not so subtly urging us off to bed as if we were children. Lindy had been daring enough to scoff at her, slamming her bedroom door behind her; I was tempted to do the same.
I debated leaving my room over and over again, an argument occurring in my head as I fought between my own urge to be continually petty, and my desire to know what was going on. I wanted to see Luka, though I probably shouldn’t have. Mylene was in the room right beside him, and I couldn’t imagine her being pleased with me. Though she was only a few years older, she seemed to be determined to keep us under control, at least from what I’d seen.
She’d tried to scold Lindy before bed for so much as looking out the window.
Normal she was, but in looks only.
After coming to that conclusion, I made my decision, not even bothering to come up with an excuse if she were to catch me visiting Luka. What could she do? I was on the King’s payroll as well, a precious asset, and Luka was my reward for good behavior.
I shook my head to myself at the thought, walking to my bedroom door and tugging it open. I would interrogate Luka and force him to tell me, then I could rest easy.
I almost slammed my door shut at what I saw.
It seemed that the nighttime rule really only applied to everyone but her.
“Oh!” Exclaimed Mylene as she took a step back from Luka, apparently I’d disturbed a deep conversation. The two stood in the hallway, just outside their bedroom doors. “I believe I told you that you were meant to be asleep,” she stated quickly, “we have a long day tomorrow, I’ll be showing you the mountain.”
I raised my eyebrows and stood silently in my doorframe. She was standing close to him, far too close. Only a foot and a half at most. What a friendly distance.
“I’m just talking to Luka for a moment about his research, so if you don’t mind…”
“I do,” I said sharply, bristling as I moved to shut the door, Luka’s head slowly turned to me before I did so.
Idiot.
I suppose he was fine then; he must have known her. I shouldn’t have worried.
But then a couple of knocks came in quick succession.
I sighed, almost groaning as I moved to answer my door, already fairly confident in who I would see. I heard another door shut in the background as I turned the knob to reveal Luka; I had no doubt that Mylene had already scurried off to her room.
His eyes were wide when he saw me, still slightly shocked.
“Hi,” I said, flatly, briskly.
“Hi,” he replied, still stunned.
“I assume you’re okay now,” I said, moving to shut the door. Unfortunately, a large hand got in the way.
“That’s… No, I…” He tried to begin, getting in the way. “I want to see you, Wren.”
“Listen, I’m tired,” I lied.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Now you do?”
He flinched, his body shuffling closer to the door as I peered at him through the remaining gap, my expression venomous.
“It’s fine, I’m glad you’re talking to someone now,” I said, my eyes narrowed.
“A momentary conversation.”
“You’ve been acting odd for a while now,” I reminded him.
“Let me in,” he insisted, his hand pushing at the edge of my door to force it open.
“I’m tired.”
“You’re not tired, you’re never tired,” Luka insisted. “You’re exhausting, but never tired.”
I glared at him, finally releasing the door, but walking away from him, sitting atop my bed with folded legs and folded arms in anticipation. I wasn’t sure what to expect, of what I really wanted to hear, I just wanted him to admit that he’d been acting odd and explain why it was our guardian seemed moderately familiar with him.
He sighed, casting me a glance before securing the door behind him and giving the wall so very near him a wary glance; likely thinking of the fact that Nikolas was sleeping in the room just beside us. “I want to leave,” he began.
“That’s your immediate decision?” I asked. “Kind of hasty for you, we only just got here.”
“Yes, and I don’t want you to be stuck here,” he said. “Wren, I’m starting to trust this even less.”
“Is that what you were talking about with Mylene?”
He was quiet.
“How do you know her?”
No response.
“Is she what you were so upset about on the way here?”
Hi
s eyes averted from mine as I stood up from my bed, my temper rising as my eyes connected with his, glaring.
“Wren,” he tried, slowly walking towards me, his voice gentle.
“No,” I spat, my eyes warning him. There was nothing I didn’t appreciate more than being left out of the loop.
“Wren,” he said again, my name coming out of him in a sigh as he drew nearer, close enough that he could drape his arms over my shoulders, holding me into place. I was not amused with him, not amused at all. His other hand reached up near my face, tucking one of the odd strands of hair behind my ear, his face looking down at mine.
“Stop,” I demanded, knowing what he was doing.
“And what should I stop doing?” He asked, his thumb resting behind my ear, gently caressing the skin.
“This!” I said, becoming annoyed even as I leaned into his touch. “You’re trying to distract me.”
“I’m trying to keep you calm,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ve realized, but you have an annoying habit of jumping to conclusions.”
“Tell me what’s going on.”
His eyes averted from mine, his expression becoming almost sheepish. I think he meant that to dissuade me, forgetting that I was not one to give up. “I know her,” he admitted, “or, rather, I knew someone she did, and she recognizes my name. Something has happened, and I’m not ready to discuss it.”
“Something has happened?”
“Not something concerning you, not technically.”
“Then why can’t I know?” I demanded, stepping closer to him, popping onto my toes so that I was closer to his eyelevel. I would not let him deny me.
“You should learn to listen,” he said, stepping closer, amusement across his face as his hand tilted my face further. “I’m not ready to tell you,” he admitted once more, adding, “but I will be soon.”
I scowled, but before I could look away, he pressed his lips against mine, nearly knocking me over. His hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me in as I stumbled, holding me closer. It was a short, momentary thing, but his lips were firm and unmoving against mine, as if not willing to let me pull away or talk more, completely aware that I would not stop asking. Not unless he pushed any need to worry about such things out of my mind.
“Wren,” he said, pulling away, his forehead resting against mine.
“I don’t trust you, Kinsley,” I whispered, my hands reaching for him, wanting to hold on to him, as if he would turn away at any moment. “Tell me now.”
“Let me make you trust me,” he breathed, his lips once again on mine, his hands moving lower, pulling me closer, and holding me tighter. “Please,” he murmured, and I felt him shudder, his arms pressing me against his chest. I could have believed him with that, I desperately wanted to, and he knew that.
“Tell me,” I repeated, tightening my grip on his shoulders.
He pulled me away from him, the corner of his mouth tilting upwards as he sighed, taking in my demanding expression. “It’s late,” he decided since he couldn’t win.
“Kinsley,” I tried.
“There are Unseelie all around us, and you need your rest…”
I scoffed.
“Goodnight, Wren,” he began disentangling himself, but I was quicker. My arms looped around his neck, forcing him towards me and pulling down his face to look at me, the warning evident in my expression. “Goodnight, Wren,” he repeated, firmer and more definite. I did not let go, instead holding his gaze.
“Goodnight, Kinsley,” I said, scowling at him.
He noted it, leaning down closer before saying in a low, mocking voice, “Goodnight, Darling.”
My eyebrows raised at the endearment, but then I remembered the camp just before we left and realized that he was teasing me, dragging out words like that to mock my irritation with him. My nose wrinkled.
“Tomorrow,” he said, pressing his lips against my forehead.
“You’ll tell me?” I asked.
“No, I am merely reminding you to wake up,” he said, reaching the doorway. “In the morning, preferably. Though I know you were never good at that.”
If looks could kill, I would have already murdered Luka Kinsley a thousand times over.
Chapter Nine
The first night was bad. I think that was the simplest way to put it, because I had not previously lived in such a way before.
Yes, when I was a maid, I had slept in a communal room, falling asleep to the snores of the other girls. I had my cot closest to one of the loudest ones, an older woman named Melissa who seemed to scream from the back of her throat with every snore. And though I had had a few years of blissful peace as one of the Laurent estate’s children, I had eventually been forced to come to that god awful camp and sleep amongst the other humans in training, waking up to the sound of frequent arguments and outright brawls.
Which was nothing compared to the growls and clicks from the woods, the silent plodding outside our door. Sleeping in a camp with the occasional burst of Unseelie paled when held up against the cabin, where one could hear them brushing against the windows and doors when you closed your eyes, where you were told not to turn off your light under any circumstances, and to be grateful for an old windmill just a few miles away that would hopefully never break. If it ever did, the electricity threaded throughout the cabin would go out.
If a light bulb died in the cabin, you got out of the room. You waited until morning to take care of it. You did not risk the dark. The halo of light around the cabin could only do so much to save you.
A part of me wished that I had asked Luka to stay. Another part of me feared that if I had, he would have scoffed, because I had seen Unseelie before. I wasn’t supposed to be afraid.
But the things outside? Those were far different than any troll.
I was eager to look away from my window and eager to find Luka. He was the only Unseelie I would want to see.
“Good morning,” said a voice briskly when I walked out of my room, the owner’s face disappearing briefly behind a white teacup before placing the vessel on the table, the green liquid within it sloshing. “I see that you did not heed my instructions, you missed the tour of the mountain.” There was a hint of contempt there, as if I’d personally insulted her. Mylene.
“I will give myself my own tour of the mountain,” I grumbled, in no mood for such snide comments after the night I had had as I staggered into the kitchen, looking through the cupboards for something to eat. Shelf after shelf was empty, only the dry goods remained. Repulsive.
“You’ll have to forgive me,” Mylene said. “I haven’t gone to the market in quite some time, I’ll have to do that now that you’re all here. I just don’t have the time yet.” She pushed a short stack of envelopes towards me, all with my name on them, all in Winry’s hand.
I made a face, pulling a small bag of pumpkin seeds out of the cupboard. There really was nothing there.
“I have some dried berries up top,” Mylene said. “Lindy ate the last of the jerky.”
Ugh, at least some relief. I gave her a nod of thanks, looking over my shoulder to do so as I took in the steaming cup of untouched tea beside hers. “Is that for me?”
“No,” she said shortly, placing her hand over it like I might take it. “It’s not.” How pleasant.
“So then, will you and I be going to the woods together, since you didn’t think to wake me?” I asked, reaching for the berries, silently wondering where Luka and the others had gone. Nikolas couldn’t be far, for all of his acts of ‘bravery,’ I couldn’t see him storming into the woods. “Actually, a larger question, would you happen to have any coffee?”
“No,” she said again, evenly, politely, far too calmly. “And I will not, seeing as how you were late and that was disrespectful. I do not humor disrespect. You will have to wait until Adam comes back.”
That seemed rational when the woods were right outside our door, teeming with life—I held back my comment. “When is Adam coming back?”
�
��I don’t know.”
Okay? Very reassuring. “Maybe I could go with Lindy instead,” I murmured, grabbing the bag and realizing it was almost empty with a grimace. Maybe I really had woken up too late, and the others had eaten everything else. “Have you seen Luka?” I asked. “I just want to check in with him.”
“No,” she said her favorite word, always spoken too quickly. “I haven’t.” Her hands flexed on the porcelain of her teacup, gripping it as if she was annoyed. “Not since our tour.”
“Well, if you do,” I said, not feeling like I was off to a very great start, “tell him I’m looking for him?”
“Maybe,” she said, and that was it. The end of our conversation. Something told me that she already wasn’t too fond of me. That was fine, I supposed, because I wasn’t very fond of her either.
“You just saw Mylene?” Lindy said the moment I had walked outside, evidently taking in my expression. She sat by the front door of the cabin rather than inside, seemingly waiting for others. “She is much different when the loud man is gone. She was very disgruntled when you did not wake, though she refused to let us stir you as well. She is odd.”
“Agreed,” I said, crouching down beside her, desperate for some decent company. I was lucky to have found her, or rather, for her to have found me in her own way. With Luka off doing who knows what, the other options were either Nikolas or Mylene.
I’d take the young girl who seemed likely to hate everyone over them.
“You’re looking for the tall man, aren’t you?”
“His name is Luka,” I corrected.
“He is inside,” said Lindy dismissively, “she has been waiting for him all day.” She scrunched her nose in revulsion, “with her disgusting drink for him.” Something about that action told me all I needed to know, that Lindy had been the one to accidentally drink the tea before, and the reason that Mylene covered it. “He’s yours, isn't he?” She asked suddenly.
I sighed, sinking down further to the ground. She took that as a confirmation, nodding to herself in understanding. Though she looked to be younger than me, she seemed to have excellent comprehension.
Quill and Cobweb (The Chronicles of Whynne Book 2) Page 8
