‘I was beginning to think you’d forgotten me,’ King Arden said suddenly.
Dash almost jumped. There was no one else in the library – he hadn’t heard any additional footsteps after the queen had left.
‘I’m so glad to see you,’ the king said, again to no one.
This time, a silken voice replied. ‘I could never forget you.’
Dash couldn’t see the woman, but her voice was as clear as day, even through the cupboard doors, almost as though it were in his head.
‘How are you, Arden?’ she said.
‘Better, now that you are here.’
A quiet moan escaped the king’s mouth, as though someone had touched him – but no one had. Dash still couldn’t see the woman, no matter how he angled his head.
‘We have much to discuss, Arden.’
‘Yes,’ the king breathed.
‘Have you got the girl yet?’
‘Not yet. I’ve sent two of my best men to retrieve her.’
‘You did that over a fortnight ago.’
‘Yes, but the Valia kindred interfered.’
‘Which of the kindred?’
‘Henri. I’ve summoned her along with the girl.’
‘You impress me, Arden.’
‘This is just the beginning. I can do more.’
‘Have your mist trackers come back to you with their reports?’
‘Most – the mist has gained another inch in the past few months; its pace has accelerated. I’m waiting on the return of one more tracker.’
‘Good. And what of the jars you sent along with your commander?’
‘All but three were released.’
‘Truly?’
‘Truly.’
‘Our charges at Moredon Tower?’
‘Secure and awaiting your inspection.’
‘I want them well tended to. I’ll have Langdon and Farlah there within the week.’
‘Of course.’ The king moaned quietly again, though Dash still couldn’t see anyone with him.
‘The beginning indeed,’ the silken voice said. ‘I like the sound of that.’
Dash stayed cramped in the linen closet, long after the bookshelves had stopped rattling, and the muffled sounds of the king’s hitched breathing had ceased. The magnitude of this secret now gripped Dash, utter terror lacing around his heart.
There was no one he could tell.
Chapter 23
Henri honestly hadn’t told anyone about Swinton and his abilities. She didn’t know if she was waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his secret, or if deep, deep down, she had sensed his sorrow and had taken pity on him. She stood in the matriarch’s grotto, far above the rest of Valia, waiting for Allehra. This place was sacred. No one other than previous matriarchs had stepped foot here, or even knew of its existence, hidden as it was in the highest branches of the tallest trees. It was simple – one large room with a vast balcony encircling it. It was where Henri had been sworn in as matriarch. She glanced inside. The table and chairs were exactly as she’d left them the last time she’d been here, an empty wine goblet still standing proudly on the tabletop.
This was a meeting place for the forest queens, a sanctuary, a secret. Anguish tugged in her chest. Sahara had never seen the grotto. It should have been her standing where Henri now stood. She looked down, over the edge of the balcony railing. From where she was, she could see Swinton, a lone figure not unlike herself, sitting on one of the incomplete training platforms, studying the night sky. She followed his gaze up to the millions of glittering stars. They winked at her, as though laughing at all her predicaments and the triviality of mortal life. Herself and Swinton and Bleak – all but mere specks in the face of the endless sky. Henri checked the time. Allehra was late, as usual. In fact, she made a point of it, as if to remind her that even though Henri was the Matriarch of Valia, the Mother Matriarch answered to no one. She heard footsteps on the spiral staircase below. Not one set, but two – Allehra was not alone.
Rage surged within Henri as Bleak’s head appeared at the top of the stairs. When she stepped over into the grotto, she offered Allehra her hand, and the Mother Matriarch accepted it, allowing the young girl to help her onto the balcony.
‘What is this?’ Henri spat, not taking her glare off Bleak.
‘I wanted Bleak to meet with us.’
‘Then you should have arranged to meet somewhere else.’
‘Come now, Henri.’
‘Does this place mean so little to you?’
‘Henri —’
‘I asked you a question.’ Henri’s voice went quiet as she struggled to contain her anger and her magic, which was responding below her surface.
‘This place means everything to me, you know that.’
‘How can I, when you bring this gutter rat here?’
Bleak stood frozen dumbly to the spot, the same way she had the last time Henri had argued with Allehra. Henri was utterly sick of this stranger being a part of her private conversations, her private relationships. This girl had no right to be anywhere near her, let alone in the matriarch’s grotto.
‘Bleak is no gutter rat. She is a mist dweller. And by the time this realm collapses into chaos, we’re going to need her.’
‘I very much doubt that.’
‘Only time will tell, then.’
‘You have insulted our ancestors by bringing her here. You have done a disservice to our kind.’
‘Enough accusations. I know what it means to bring an outsider to the grotto. But if we do not work together, if we do not allow room for change, we may not have a kind to disrespect at the end of this.’
Henri folded her arms across her chest, glancing from Allehra to Bleak. What was it that they knew? Still fuming, she stalked inside and sat at her place at the table. The others followed. There were only two chairs, as there had never been any need to have more, which was the way it should be. Allehra gestured for Bleak to sit. Henri waited for Bleak to argue – the Mother Matriarch should be seated, the outsider should stand, at the very least. But Bleak merely nodded and took her place, as though she and Allehra didn’t need to speak aloud. Henri took a deep breath. She needed to simmer, not boil over. Not before she knew what was going on.
Allehra turned to her and handed her a scroll, its seal broken. She recognised the seal – a mountain dog and a wolf’s head bent close together, the seal of the Wildenhaven royals, capital of Havennesse, across the seas.
‘We’ve had word from Eydis.’
‘Since when does Eydis write notes?’
Allehra shrugged. ‘Since always.’
‘What?’
‘Who’s Eydis?’ Bleak interjected.
‘The Queen of Havennesse. We have an ongoing trade relationship.’
‘Trading with Havennesse ceased years ago,’ Henri snapped.
‘Legal trading, yes. But we have maintained our relationship and our negotiations.’
‘Under whose orders? I know nothing of this.’
‘You never asked. You’re too busy training and fighting and warmongering to consider what and who actually run this territory.’
Henri felt as though she had been slapped; heat crept up her neck and across her face. Who did Allehra think she was? No one spoke to the matriarch like this, not even her own damned mother. Especially not in front of some outsider. Bleak’s discomfort was clear. She shifted in her chair, as though she were suppressing the impulse to leap from her seat and bolt away from yet another bitter mother–daughter feud.
‘Watch yourself, Allehra,’ Henri said, unfurling the scroll. Luscious, loopy handwriting scrawled across the length of the parchment in dark-green ink. Eydis always did have a way with penmanship.
Dearest Allehra,
I hope this letter finds you catching better tides than us here in Wildenhaven. I write to tell you of our mist tracker reports. Our most trusted trackers have returned with news of a three-inch increase in these past few months alone. It is spreading and encroaching at a faster rate
than ever before, while trouble brews in the south. As many as ten known Ashai folk have vanished without a trace. We need someone in Heathton. We need someone to speak to King Arden, implore him to seek the truth, to see reason. I cannot say more for fear of this ending up in the wrong hands, but do not take this warning lightly. The mist is coming, and with it comes a power so hungry for magic, it threatens the whole realm.
Something must be done, Allehra, or in time, all will be lost.
Your beloved friend,
Eydis
Henri’s eyes snapped up to Allehra’s. Her mother’s expression was grave, her graphite-and-green eyes dull.
‘What is the meaning of this?’ Henri said.
‘Eydis is a seer, you know this.’
‘And?’
‘From what I understand, from what I’ve read between the lines of that letter, the king is mixed up in something terrible. Something to do with the mist, something to do with collecting Ashai folk.’
‘But Eydis is not a fully fledged seer. How do we know these claims are accurate?’
‘She would not have risked this letter if she were unsure.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Bleak asked quietly, sitting up straight-backed in her chair.
Henri regarded her coolly. ‘You haven’t read the letter?’
Bleak shook her head.
Henri slid the parchment across the table to the Angovian. Allehra had been wrong to bring her to the grotto, but if the girl was prepared to walk into Heathton, straight up to the king’s gate, she had a right to know where things concerned her. Henri stood and began to pace the length of the room.
‘We need to leave, then?’ she said to Allehra, while Bleak read.
‘Yes. Swinton would have sent word as to when they’re expecting you. If you can gain the element of surprise, however little, I believe it will be to your advantage.’
‘Do you have any idea what awaits us there?’
Allehra shook her head. ‘Anything I have is mere speculation. My guess is he will want to keep Bleak. He seems too interested in her abilities to simply butcher her.’
Bleak looked up in alarm at this.
‘But as for you,’ Allehra continued, turning back to Henri, ‘you know as well as I do we’ve had a long and complicated history with the Heathton royals. I don’t know if he wants to kill you, keep you as a hostage or marry you off to his son.’
‘What?’ The former two options were no surprise to Henri, but the last – repulsive. The boy was barely seventeen from what she remembered. And was the offspring of Arden himself, no less. He could only be vile. And to become subservient to a male … She’d rather be killed.
‘Like I said, just speculation. A marriage would be one way of regaining control over Valia. Though, I’m not sure Arden would be willing to give up his only son’s hand in marriage to a Valia kindred, even if it were the matriarch herself.’
Henri nodded, steeling herself for the worst. ‘We leave tomorrow at first light, then.’
‘Good,’ said Allehra. ‘And one more thing.’
‘I should have guessed.’
‘You will need to train with Bleak on the journey.’
‘For a moment there I thought you said “train with Bleak”.’
‘I did. And you will.’
‘Do you so often forget who the Matriarch of Valia is?’
‘How could I, with you reminding me every two seconds? Regardless of how much power you have over me, Henri, you will train with Bleak. It is utterly vital that she remains in control of her abilities. She has been improving every single day; the learning curve has been enormous, but she has done magnificent work. We need her to be exercising that muscle every day, so she is at her strongest upon meeting Arden.’
‘What good do you think she’ll do? Mind read the king?’
‘Perhaps. Perhaps not. Bleak can explain our progress over the course of your journey. There’ll be plenty of time to talk then.’
‘What do you make of the letter?’ Henri said to Bleak. The parchment was unsteady in the girl’s small hands.
‘I want to know what’s happening to the other Ashai. Where are they going?’
‘You will find out soon enough,’ said Allehra. ‘I suggest you both retire for the night – you have the start of a long road ahead of you tomorrow.’
Bleak nodded and got to her feet, handing the parchment back to Henri.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
‘For what?’
‘For trusting me with that.’
‘I don’t trust you yet, Angovian. Not by a long shot.’
Bleak shrugged, suddenly looking exhausted. ‘One day at a time, Valian.’
Henri almost laughed at the nerve of the girl. But she maintained her composure and watched Bleak’s scrawny frame disappear down the stairs. Henri looked to Allehra.
‘No sage words of wisdom? No final goodbye?’ she said.
‘You know we don’t do that,’ Allehra said, walking out onto the balcony.
‘No, we don’t.’
Allehra rested her elbows on the balcony railing and looked out into the night, the tops of Valian trees quivering in the gentle breeze.
‘Well, until we meet again, Allehra,’ said Henri, starting down the stairs.
Allehra didn’t turn to watch her go.
‘Until we meet again,’ the Mother Matriarch replied.
Chapter 24
On her last night in Valia, Bleak found herself alone after mid-meal and headed to the stream. The quiet spot had become her sanctuary in the forest. She felt at ease here, where she was able to sit and gather her thoughts without intrusion. It was a welcome change from the chaotic heart of the keep. She sat on the flat rocks and ran her fingers through the cool water, realising how much she missed the sea – the pull of the current, the briny breeze tangling her hair. That life seemed a long time ago now, the life that was all about being on the open water with Senior and Bren. Bren. Her chest became tight at the thought of him.
She’d slept in one of the hammocks again, keeping to herself after seeing him in Tilly’s bed. He hadn’t mentioned it to her, and she hadn’t brought it up. And why would he? He didn’t owe her an explanation. He didn’t owe her anything.
The bushes rustled behind her, and, as if summoned, there he was.
‘Hey,’ he said, settling down beside her. ‘Haven’t seen ya much.’
‘I’ve been around.’ It came out sharper than she had meant it to.
He glanced at her, confused. ‘We need to talk.’
‘We do talk.’
His thoughts flew at her. Is she pissed?
‘I’m not pissed,’ she said before she could stop herself.
Bren stared at her. ‘What? How did you …?’
‘It’s nothing.’
‘What just happened?’
She ground her teeth. Here it was – the conversation she’d been dreading forever.
‘Bleak, what the hell is going on?’
‘Nothing.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Don’t ya dare tell me “nothing”. I’ve been waiting for ya to talk to me in yer own time, to explain to me, yer best friend, yer only damned family, what’s going on. Why the Commander of the King’s Army showed up on our doorstep, why yer suddenly involved with the damned Valia kindred.’
‘Bren, please …’
‘You’re an Ashai – I’ve figured that much out for myself. But… Ya can’t … What kind of Ashai are ya?’
She can’t be what I think she is. She just can’t. She’d know —
‘Bleak.’ He gripped her upper arms.
‘You know what I am,’ she said.
His face fell. ‘You can’t be.’
She didn’t say anything, just listened as it sank into Bren’s mind and flinched at the anger that replaced his disbelief.
‘Yer a mind whisperer?’
She just stared at him.
‘How long?’
‘What?’
‘How
long have you been this way?’ Bren’s wintry-blue eyes were full of hurt.
‘Since Senior found me in Heathton. Probably since always.’
Bren shook his head. ‘I can’t believe you. After everything we’ve been through, you didn’t trust me with this? I can’t do this, Bleak. I can’t —’
‘Do what, Bren? You seem to be doing just fine.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ He got to his feet, and then it dawned on him. ‘You know.’
Bleak stood and made to leave. This was not the conversation she wanted to be having. In fact, she didn’t feel like talking at all.
‘Bleak. You don’t get to walk away from me. That’s not fair.’
‘None of it’s fair,’ she said, and left him there.
Bleak was awake well and truly before dawn. She sat with her legs dangling from the hammock, absentmindedly tying knots with Senior’s rope. Despite not knowing what fate lay ahead, she was surprised to find herself eager to get on the road, to get moving. She was done hiding out in Valia. Perhaps in another lifetime, she would have loved it here, but it was not to be, not this time.
Henri appeared silently beside her, holding out a pack. ‘We need to go to the armoury,’ she said.
Bleak nodded and got to her feet. She shouldered the heavy weight and followed Henri through the keep.
‘You told him?’ Henri said, nodding to the fair hair poking out of the end of a hammock.
Bleak started. She thought Bren would be with Tilly.
‘No,’ she said.
‘Good. He would only cause more trouble for us.’
Bleak nodded and continued after Henri. Perhaps it was good there would be no goodbyes between them. She wasn’t sure what she would say or how she would say it. The memory of him in Tilly’s bed made her stomach squirm; she pushed the image from her mind.
‘The commander and captain are waiting for us by Valia River, I said we’d be quick.’ The hushed, hurried voice Henri was using was new to Bleak, and if she didn’t know any better, she’d guess that the Valian matriarch was nervous. She said nothing of the sort, however, and climbed up the vine ladder to the living bridges and armoury ahead. They moved in silence, jogging across a number of bridges above the camp. Henri had offered her custom-made Valian leathers, but Bleak had refused, insisting that her simple pants, shirt and boots were far more comfortable.
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