Dark of Winter: A Between the Worlds novel

by Morgan Daimler

  “Yeah, I know that,” she said, sighing and wishing she didn’t have to deal with it. “I don’t suppose you have any suggestions?”

  “Besides the not dying part?” Syndra asked, standing up. “’Fraid not.”

  “I guess that would be too easy,” Allie muttered standing up as well and feeling the dream start to lose cohesion. She tried to cling to it. But even as she opened her mouth to speak again it was too late, the room fading and shifting….

  Allie woke up and rolled over, squinting in the darkness. Sal was lying near her, turned to face her, his expression blank and peaceful with sleep. Beyond him Kisusq lay flat on his back, his chest rising and falling evenly. Allie found herself wondering if he was really asleep, but his emotions were so calm she couldn’t tell.

  She closed her eyes again, trying to will herself to sleep, but the dreams were still with her. Despite what she’d said to Syndra she actually did feel much better, as if she’d released something heavy she’d been carrying. The slow build up of stress since she’d been taken and everything that had been happening that had reminded her of being victimized the year before had come to a head somehow in her mind and been released. She took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

  She thought she might be able to get to sleep after that but the baby chose that moment to start kicking and moving around. She put one hand on her abdomen, reaching out to him, relieved that he was alright through all this but frustrated at his timing. Giving up she stared at the tent interior, contemplating what she could do to fix things.

  Unfortunately as dawn began to light to sky outside she still had no idea how she’d manage it.

  Chapter 10 – Monday

  Bleidd woke in the predawn hours the next morning and found Jess sitting by the fire, his face serene. A small meal of trail rations had been prepared and as he eased out of the blankets and made his way over to his lover, now also his commanding officer, Jess handed the plate to him. He eyed the selection of dried fruit, pork jerky, and nuts with some distaste but sat down to eat anyway, appreciating the thought behind the gesture.

  “How are you feeling? I am sorry I slept as long as I did, I had not intended to,” Bleidd said before starting on his meal.

  “I feel much better,” Jess said. “And do not apologize for sleeping. If you slept so long then you needed the rest and it’s better that you took it while you could. The night has been quiet enough I have not minded keeping watch. While you slept though I spoke with Allie. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  Bleidd looked down hoping Jess wasn’t aware of his jealousy. This is what we’ve come to, he thought carefully shielding his thoughts, being apart from her. Even something as simple as knowing he talked to her and I didn’t makes me envy him. I don’t know how he managed when he was gone on assignment and I was home with her. Aloud he said, “And how is she? Where is she?”

  “She made a deal with the Makiawisug, and one of them is guiding her to us, around any great dangers, like the Pesht,” Jess said calmly.

  Bleidd stopped chewing and looked wide eyed at his spouse. After a moment to process this unexpected announcement he swallowed. “Indeed. Well if anyone could pull off something that unlikely it would be Allie.”

  Jess cocked an eyebrow at him, obviously amused by his attempt to play this news off, but he didn’t push. “Yes, I suspect that if all goes well she will join us at some point today. Much will depend on how quickly they are moving and how far around they have to go.”

  Bleidd made a non-comital noise, then turned to contemplate the two injured elves. “Any sign of either of them waking?”

  “Brynneth has not moved, but Tashlin is growing more restless,” Jess said, using a long stick to adjust some of the small logs on the fire. “I expect he will wake soon.”

  “He has slept much longer than I anticipated,” Bleidd said, frowning.

  “Yes, I would guess the injury was worse than we thought.”

  “All the better that you trusted your instinct and gave him the potion then,” Bleidd said, finishing his meal as he spoke. He supposed eventually he’d have to start behaving himself and minding his manners more, but for now he relished these little acts of defiance. “Now I am awake and I have eaten the meal you kindly prepared for me and it is your turn to rest.”

  Jess smiled, “I am not tired, truly, I don’t mind staying up with you.”

  “You may not be feeling it,” Bleidd said, puzzled, “But if you want that leg to heal enough to walk out of here on your own you should get more sleep. Go. I’ll take my turn for the next few hours and if Tashlin wakes I’ll make sure he eats something and I’ll let him know about the Queen’s Guard.”

  Jess reached down and rubbed his injured leg, his expression suddenly unsure. “Perhaps.”

  He walked over to their shared bed and lay down without another word, and it was only afterwards that Bleidd realized he hadn’t been limping.

  *******************

  Allie walked behind the two men, lost in thought. She had been worried when she’d gotten up that morning that she’d be in a lot of pain, that days without being able to feed from Jess or Bleidd, either in person or vicariously, combined with the long hiking the day before would have taken its toll. Certainly when she’d gone to bed the night before her bad ankle had been a gnawing pain at the end of her leg and a night full of poor sleep and restless dreams hadn’t filled her with optimism for the day. She’d found though when she tried to stand that her ankle was no worse than any typical morning at home and her back was fine despite sleeping rough on the tent floor.

  As she walked her mind went back to the night before and what had happened with Jess. She wasn’t sure exactly what had happened with Jess, to be fair, but whatever it was she would have to try and duplicate it again later. That had been…better than anything she had ever experienced in her life. And if I can draw energy from that, she thought shivering at the memory, if I can heal myself like I can with sex, but without sex…I mean that was better than anything physical. That was amazing. That…could get really addictive really easy, she berated herself, frowning and glad the others couldn’t see her face. And not just for me. But I thought the same thing about all of it to begin with. So maybe I shouldn’t worry so much about this. It doesn’t hurt him. He enjoyed it. He loved it.

  She felt something shifting in her, something that wanted to reach out to Jess – or Bleidd – in that moment and have more of that energy. Down girl she thought to herself, pushing it away. This is just happening because you are separated. Once you are physically back together it won’t be an issue anymore. So just chill out and relax. And for Gods’ sakes stop letting yourself think like a Dark Court monster. Just because you are what you are doesn’t mean you have to let yourself go full on psycho about it. Like Miss Amelia says, if you want to be a good person then be a good person. You choose whether you are bad or good. You. Choose. So choose. Do the right thing and stop treating your husbands like Meals in Boots.

  “Kisusq, how far is the border from here?” Allie asked, feeling the pull of Jess and Bleidd now that they were this close but knowing she could not let them see Sal. Her conversation with Jess had done nothing to reassure her that he wouldn’t arrest Sal on sight. Quite frankly she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t just kill the younger elf, as much as she didn’t like to think that. Jess tended towards the extreme when it came to protecting what he loved.

  Kisusq shrugged, “About 10 miles if you go straight the way we’re going. About 4 if you cut west and a bit north.”

  “Do you or your kin have any way to open a passage through the barrier?”

  He frowned and she could feel the tang of suspicion radiating off of him, “Why?”

  “Because Sal and my husband who’s in the Guard have a history, a bad history. I don’t want to have gone through this for nothing. If you can get Sal to the border from here, shortest distance, and across into Ashwood, I’m willing to broaden our deal.”

  “How?” he said, but he see
med less hostile.

  “I can double the credit offered,” Allie said recklessly. “And I may be able to get more than just books. Maybe some limited supplies too. Small things, but things that could help like old cell phones.”

  “This kid means that much to you?” he said, skeptical.

  “It’s hard to explain,” Allie said slowly, trying to ignore Sal’s shock. “I told him I’d help him and that I’d do what I could to get him out of the Holding and he wants to go back to Ashwood. I’m trying to do that. If he goes with me this last part of the way I don’t know what the Guard will do. I trust his fate more with you.”

  Kisusq chewed his lip thoughtfully. “Yeah I wouldn’t trust the Guard either. What about you though? We promised to get you all the way to your men. You aren’t there yet.”

  “I’m close enough,” she said. “I can find my way from here.”

  The Makiawisug was clearly torn, tempted by the offer but reluctant to leave Allie alone. She stayed silent and let him think. Eventually he said, “There’s a way to get him across with a slight detour. It’s not the fastest way, but it’s the only crossing we have into the town. Is that acceptable?”

  “Sal?” Allie met the elf’s eyes without looking away. This was a big decision and she wasn’t just going to stand there and make it for him, not entirely. She suspected that he’d dealt with a lot of that in his life.

  He glanced between the two of them, then, his voice hesitant, said, “If you think it’s the best decision.”

  Allie let out a long, frustrated breath. “It’s your life. I’m not going to make a choice for you if it’s not what you really want.”

  “I want to go back to Ashwood,” he said softly. “If this is the best way, then I’m willing.”

  “Alright,” she said, nodding. “You know you owe me a debt for getting me into this situation. You’ve paid part of it, traveling with me and letting me take the lead. By my reckoning anyway. But you still owe me. You go with Kisusq now and you follow his lead until he gets you to this crossing of his, and you part ways amicably. Do you understand?”

  His lips quirked up into a wry smile, “I understand Allie. For what it’s worth, I consider my debt to you in this matter to be far larger than something I can pay back with some companionship on a hike and minding my manners with Kisusq. I won’t forget what you did for me.”

  She inclined her head in a shrug but inside she was fighting a smile. Jess may never understand why she had helped Sal, but she was glad she had done it. In the last year she had lost too many people she loved, people she couldn’t save; she might not love Sal – in fact she was still ambivalent about him – but she felt like she’d saved him. And that mattered to her, more than she had thought it would. She turned to Kisusq, “We’re agreed then. He’ll go with you and you get him back to town. I’ll pay what I promised initially plus the extra.”

  Kisusq looked between the two of them again, then nodded, “If you’re sure, then that’s how we’ll do it. I won’t shed any tears about not having to meet any Elven Guard face to face, although I was kind of curious to see what your husband was like.”

  Allie snorted before she could stop herself. She gave him some cryptic food for thought, “Well, when he’s working he’s exactly what you’d expect him to be.”

  He grinned, then sobered. “Good luck to you Allie.”

  With that he gestured for Sal to follow him and turned slightly to the north west, heading back into the heavier trees. Sal turned without a word and the two disappeared. That stung a bit although Allie knew that elves generally didn’t make much of leave taking; he probably felt that acknowledging his debt to her was enough.

  She stood there for a minute, listening to the sounds of birds and small animals, keenly aware of how very alone she was. In retrospect this may not have been the best idea she thought to herself, biting her lip. But it’s done now, and one way or another I did what I said I would do and helped Sal. And I can honestly tell Jess that I don’t know where he went or where he is now, which is good.

  Feeling terribly small and alone Allie resumed working her way towards the pull of Jess-and-Bleidd-ness than she felt ahead of her. Kisusq had led them around the dangerous water Fey and they had crossed the river at a shallow ford without any trouble earlier. As long as she stayed away from the river she should be safe from that threat at least. Don’t let your guard down now she reminded herself, working slowly around a fallen tree. There’s plenty of other dangers out here besides that. The thought reminded her to extend her empathy out so that she could sense anything that might be nearby.

  She stopped when the sun reached its zenith planning to eat lunch only to realize that Sal had been carrying their food. “Gods damn it.” She mumbled. Then just to hear the sound of her voice again “I didn’t plan this out very well.”

  Still she decided to take a break, leaning against a tree. Her ankle was holding up well so far and if she was any judge she guessed she was close to being reunited with her spouses. As she had walked she could feel the connection to them growing heavier, thicker, as if it had been stretched out while they were apart and as the physical distance was less the connection itself grew more substantive. She guessed only a few miles stood between them now.

  She was standing there, contemplating that when she became aware of something else and her whole body tensed in response. Several new emotional presences were moving towards her at a quick pace. Not Makiawisug, they had a distinctive emotional imprint around them, and not her elves, she would have recognized them anywhere even Tashlin who was newer to her. She reached back, her fingers digging into the bark of the tree behind her as she felt around these new people: definitely Fey; purposeful and focused; predatory.

  “Oh this was such a bad decision,” she muttered, trying desperately to decide what to do. Running wasn’t a good option, but standing and fighting wasn’t going to work out very well either. The Elven Guard squad was at best a few more miles away and they were all still injured. If she tried to reach out to Jess or Bleidd now she’d just panic them and best case scenario they’d run in her direction – injured – and right into the middle of whatever this was. She put a hand on her abdomen, feeling her son’s presence and took a slow calming breath. Okay Allie don’t panic. Think. This is the Wilds, realistically who is this likely to be? It’s not like there are lots of roving bands of Fey in here, it’s mostly the animalistic ones, which this definitely isn’t, and the native Fey, which this also isn’t. So, what does that leave? The Queen’s Guard? Maybe, I guess, if they have forward scouts. They could be heading this way and they would be coming down from the Holding not up from Ashwood. So that’s on option. What else?

  As she hesitated whoever it was drew closer and she was filled with a sense of familiarity. There was something about the emotions of these people that she recognized, and that gave her pause. She had learned last summer when she was helping the Guard track a serial killer that she could tell individual people’s emotions apart, like a fingerprint. These people, whoever they were, were people she knew. Her heart plunged to her shoes and she swallowed hard, her fingers digging into the bark until her hands hurt.

  A moment later two trow emerged from the tree line where she had just come from. She did not know their names, but she recognized them as two of the four who had been with her mother. They spotted her almost immediately and fanned out, flanking her. She stood her ground, not that she had much choice.

  Her mother, brother, and her mother’s mage emerged from the woods as the trees around her fell silent. Allie braced herself, but her mother’s emotions were cheerful as she crossed the space between them. Behind them the other two trow could just be seen through the trees, guarding the rear.

  “Hello Mother,” Allie said, her voice flat in her own ears.

  “Laine,” Ameralleia said, smiling and moving up to within a few feet of her. “You’ve certainly led us a merry chase haven’t you?”

  “I didn’t intend to,” Allie said. “
I had rather hoped you’d let me go back where I need to be and you’d return home without me.”

  “And where is Salarius?” her mother asked, raising an eyebrow and ignoring Allie’s comment. “I appreciate that you felt he still owed you for causing you such trouble, but I had my own plans for Varessial’s son. If you killed him that’s fine just tell me where the body is, but I can’t have any loose ends with this.”

  “I gave him to the Makiawisug,” Allie said, knowing it was strictly true.

  “What are Makiawisug?” Ameralleia asked, frowning. Adarius had drifted over, taking up his usual position behind their mother. In her shadow Allie thought before she could stop herself. Brinessiya held back, her eyes scanning the trees.

  “The Makiawisug – the native Fey.”

  Ameralleia looked genuinely surprised, “You gave him to the native Fey?”

  “Yes,” Allie said, her heart racing as she risked trying to deceive her mother, if only with misdirection. This was either going to be a brilliant or profoundly bad. “They really don’t like elves very much, there’s some bad history around here between them and the Holding. I needed to buy my passage through their territory and I needed a guide. Last I saw of Salarius he was being taken through the woods, I don’t know to where, by one of the Makiawisug.”

  Ameralleia rocked back on her heels, looking impressed. “I didn’t think you had it in you, Laine, but that was a clever use of resources. It doesn’t go with my plans for him, but I suppose I can manage without him under the circumstances.”

  “I’m not going back with you Mother,” Allie repeated, this time more forcefully.

  Her mother smiled again, giving her a knowing look, “Now let’s be reasonable here. Surely under the circumstances you don’t really want to go back to the bordertown? Not when you could return with me?”