by Candy Crum
"You know her?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
Arryn smiled. "Who do you think put me on that mountain? I've been there for a couple weeks. I need rest and food, and I need my weapons fixed because I plan to march right into that city and rip her fucking head off. Unfortunately, I don't have the money to pay for any of it."
He handed her the mug of ale with a smile on his lips. "My name is Roger. I don't have much to offer, but I have shitty ale, food, and a bed you can sleep in while I work on your weapons. My services are yours, and you don't have to worry about paying for them."
"You don't even know me. Why would you help me?" she asked.
"I saw them bring you through the village. I saw that woman. It was only a flash, but when I saw her and where she was heading, I knew it had to be her. Talia. She killed my friend. She killed several people's friends. Fathers, sons, brothers—whoever they were to someone else. And when she brought you here, I let her walk right by because I was terrified of her. I wasn't man enough to confront her, mostly because she had a group with her. Regardless of all that, if you survived that long on the mountaintop by yourself with no resources, there's no way in hell I'm gonna stand in your way. You're more man than I ever will be."
"Thank you—" Arryn was interrupted by Roger suddenly darting over toward the window. "What is it?"
His eyes widened as he looked out the window, and his jaw dropped. He just stood there, unable to speak.
"Roger? What is it?" Arryn asked again.
"I've seen some pretty big animals come through here when it's at its coldest in the mountains. They come down to hunt sheep. But I ain't never seen anything like that."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Arryn felt warmth rushing through her as hope filled her chest. If it's you, scratch on the door. Twice, no, three times. Scratch twice and then pause before the third. Please, please, please.
Tears filled Arryn's eyes but didn’t spill over as she watched the door, terrified to open it. She could've handled anything on the other side, but if it wasn't them, she didn't want to see whatever it was.
And if it was them… She didn't use magic when she spoke the words to herself. She only thought them. If one or both was her familiar, her true familiar, they would hear the command through the link—through the bond.
Arryn's body went rigid when there were two scratches at the door. Roger looked at her as though she were crazy when a big smile spread across her face and a tear spilled on each cheek.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She shushed him and held up a finger, waiting for just a moment. And then it came, the third and final scratch. Arryn ran for the door, and Roger nearly tripped as he darted after her, trying to keep her from opening it, but he was too late.
As the door opened, the giant snow-white tiger leapt at her, knocking her to the ground before lying on top of her and rubbing her face all over Arryn's. Arryn wrapped her arms around the big cat, scratching her and kissing her cheek. The cub ran up and pounced on her, too.
"So… I take it we're not going to be their dinner?" Roger asked.
"No," Arryn said, giggling. She sat up, and the tiger stepped around and grabbed her by the cloak to lift her off the ground. When Arryn was finally back on her feet, she looked at Roger with a huge smile on her face. "They're mine—and I’m theirs!"
***
Amelia, Elon, and Marie had made it to the Dark Forest without issue. They approached from the eastern side, having decided it would be the easiest route to travel. The governor of Cella and Maddie had caught up to them with his Guard and what few people he had been able to get out of the city. They would all seek asylum in the Dark Forest, free of Talia and whatever else might come their way.
A thick wall came into view; Amelia knew the druids would sense them coming soon. Holding up a hand to halt everyone, she reined in her horse and waited for the rest to follow suit.
The governor and his son rode forward to flank Amelia. "What is it?" the governor asked.
The Chancellor pointed toward the barrier. "That's the entry point to the real Dark Forest, where the druids are. I'm going to approach alone so they don't think the worst."
The governor nodded, his expression revealing nothing but concern and admiration for Amelia. She turned and began to walk her horse toward the barrier.
As she approached, she heard a voice from above. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
Amelia looked up, but she saw no one. That made her nervous, but she knew the druids weren't murderous. They wouldn't hurt her for no reason.
"My name is Amelia, and I am Chancellor of Arcadia. I have been helping Arryn and Cathillian. I was forced out of the city, and I brought all the innocent people I could manage with me. We are all refugees seeking asylum, for now."
There was a pause before the druid spoke again. "Those don't look like any innocents or refugees I've ever seen. They look like warriors."
Amelia nodded as she looked from treetop to treetop, having no idea who—or where—she was actually speaking to. "They are. It's a long story, one I would gladly tell, but I would prefer not to repeat it. I'm quite fine waiting outside the barrier while you send someone for Cathillian, his mother, or the Chieftain. Or, I'll offer myself as a prisoner. You can lift me over the barrier and bind my hands to take me to them. You have my word that no man or woman here will cause any harm to the forest or to your people."
"I won't risk the lives of our Elders. I will take your second offer. As long as they honor your promise, you will stay safe," came the reply.
Amelia nodded, sliding off her horse. She turned the mare and walked her a few feet closer to the governor so she would continue her path back to the others. After letting go of the reins, Amelia returned to her negotiating spot.
A vine dropped from the trees, expertly wrapping around her body in a way that would distribute the weight evenly so there would be no pain as she was pulled into the trees. Once she was high in their branches, the vines unraveled and she saw her host.
It was a young woman only a few years older than Arryn—maybe just a little older than Celine. Her face was flawless, her skin medium-toned, and her hair auburn. Her face had been painted, and there were green and white symbols she did not recognize running down her cheeks.
"My name is Alehah. I'll escort you to the tribe," the woman said. Her voice was stern, but also gentle.
Amelia smiled and nodded. "Understood. Thank you."
Without being asked, Amelia turned and placed her hands behind her back, allowing the woman to bind them. It was the first time Amelia had ever seen the Dark Forest, and it was every bit as stunning as Arryn and Cathillian had described.
Instead of thinking of herself as a prisoner, Amelia focused on the landscape surrounding her, allowing her mind to escape as she was taken to the Chieftain to do something that had been done once before not too long ago—when the Founder had come to him, his old friend, begging for his assistance to beat Adrien in the upcoming war. Amelia was going to make a similar request, only this time it was to shelter the lives she’d brought with her so they might be free of Adrien's daughter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Arryn awoke several hours later—she imagined it was just around midnight—lying on a bed surrounded by the warmest creatures on the planet. She sat up and scooted to the end of the bed, which was only a mattress on the floor. Standing up, she rubbed her eyes and made her way across the house to find Roger on guard at the window. He looked out once more before turning around and seeing her.
He smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
She nodded. "I did, thank you. I'm sorry to have put you out, but I really do appreciate the help."
He shook his head, setting the mug down on the table next to the couch. "Don't worry about it. Trust me, it's for a good cause. Besides, it gave me a chance to work. I have something for you."
Arryn followed the man into the kitchen. He lifted one of her daggers from the table and handed it to her. The stee
l was now smooth and shiny. It had an edge on it that was sharp enough to slice someone through with little effort, and the point at the end had been sharpened as well.
The tip of the ram’s horn she'd used as a handle had been properly cleaned and coated with something that gave it a glossy appearance. On top of that, it had been appropriately attached instead of the crude fastening she’d designed in the mountains.
"I got them finished while you napped," he said.
She smiled and turned her gaze on him. "Thank you. They look amazing! How did you do it so fast?"
He shrugged. "I don't know much magic, but fire I'm an expert in. That's why I took up smithing. I can make quite a bit of money in a short amount of time. Travelers come through here all the time, so I do pretty good. They head north to the land beyond the mountains. There's a town full of stormcallers there. From what I hear, they're persecuting the nobles from Arcadia who fled there after the old bastard Chancellor was killed. Sinking their ships and shit. Can't say I'm really torn up about it. Some of them came through here, and they were assholes. They deserved what they got."
"Can't say I am either after what I've been told about what happened in Arcadia before I got back there. Anyone who fled the city was an enemy of the current Chancellor, and I happen to know she's a pretty good person. Anyway, thank you for everything. This is a huge help."
He nodded, jumping a little when the tigers walked into the room. The mama tiger was as tall as Arryn. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. I wish you the best on your journey, and I hope you get to take that bitch down. For yourself, but also for the Arcadian people and for my friend. It ain't much, but if you ever need shelter, I have it here for you."
Arryn reached out and gave him a hug, thanking him one last time. She made her way outside with the tigers, eyeballing the mama. The big cat looked at her, her eyes narrowing as she grumbled.
Arryn gave a toothy, exaggerated smile. "Come on, you knew this was gonna happen. You didn't wander all the way down the mountain to find me without having at least thought about the fact that I might have to ride you."
The tiger grumbled again as she knelt on the ground. Arryn reached for the cub, and he stretched out his front paws again, waiting for her to pick him up. After straddling the tiger, she set the cub between her legs, making sure to hold him tight.
"Take it easy at first. We all need to adjust. Then we need to move as fast as we can. I'll teleport us as far as I can, but it's still pretty new, and I imagine I’m going to screw it up a time or two. Or, you know, every time. It’s hard enough to teleport myself."
The tiger rose onto her massive paws, and Arryn finally realized how the Chieftain must've felt when riding Zobig. Just as they were about to take off, a small voice spoke from behind Arryn.
"You made it," she said.
Arryn turned to see a woman standing there, her eyes wide. She looked disheveled—not quite dirty, but unkempt. She saw a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision and looked over to see Roger standing in the door, a bow drawn and aimed directly at the woman.
"Leave her be, Widow," Roger ordered, his voice cold and authoritative. "Arryn, leave. Now. I'll take care of this."
"No," the Widow said, her voice barely a whisper. She gave Arryn the creeps, but Arryn didn’t think the woman meant her any harm. "I'm happy you made it. I was the one who changed your bandages when she brought you here. She got mad at me, hoping your wounds would fester and cause you more pain. I couldn't save the others she took from me, but I did what little I could to save you."
"Thank you," Arryn said. "You do realize what I plan to do."
The woman stepped forward, and Roger pulled the bowstring farther back as she did. Cautiously, the woman reached into her cloak pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. She handed it to Arryn.
"I don't know if this will help. This is her birth record, signed by her father. It's the only copy, and I promised Adrien I’d destroyed it when he decided he didn’t want anyone knowing about her."
The woman's voice was quiet and weak. She couldn't even make eye contact with Arryn. It was obvious that Talia had destroyed this woman as surely as she'd destroyed everything else.
"She won't be able to hurt you anymore," Arryn said. "I can promise you that."
Tears spilled down the woman's face. Arryn thought it might've been because she was about to lose her daughter, but then the widow smiled. "It's a terrible thing to wish for the death of your own child, but she was never mine. She was his from the moment she was born. I gave birth to her. I raised her. But she was Adrien's. May we both find peace."
After saying her piece, the Widow turned and walked back down the street in what Arryn assumed was the direction of her home. With one last goodbye to Roger, Arryn headed south for Arcadia.
After she’d traveled a few miles, she heard a familiar screech ring through the sky. Looking up, she saw Echo flying above. Without even questioning it, Arryn knew she was on the hunt for her.
"Echo!" Arryn called. "I'm heading to Arcadia. Tell Cathillian I'm on my way!"
The bird screeched again and then veered off toward the west. Arryn was confused for a moment, wondering why the bird didn't continue flying south. As Echo continued to head west, Arryn realized then that Cathillian was no longer in Arcadia. He'd gone home to the Dark Forest, more than likely to get Elysia and the others.
There was no need, Arryn thought to herself. I'll be home soon.
***
It was nearly dawn when Arryn finally reached Arcadia. The sun would rise soon, but it was still plenty dark enough for her to sneak into the city. She had teleported several times, stopping to kneel in the warm grass and feel the blades against her hands as she fed on the energy of the earth, allowing it to heal her. While it used some of her energy to take from the earth, it replenished much more.
It had allowed her to make several jumps, and the tiger had carried them the rest of the way. As fast as the big cat was, they completed the trip before sunrise.
They approached the northern wall, and Arryn found herself debating what to do with the cub. He was still too small to fight, so she couldn't take him with them, but he also couldn't be left alone.
Eventually, Arryn decided to hide him on the top of the wall. He would be well concealed there, and no one would be on the wall—Arryn knew that for a fact. Arryn wordlessly gave the tiger the instructions, and the big cat jumped all the way to the top of the wall. It was impressive, Arryn had to admit.
She wouldn't be able to do that, so she called vines from the ground to wrap around her and the tiger cub and lift them onto the wall. Once her feet touched, she knelt and placed the baby down.
"You have to stay here," she whispered. "We'll be back for you. If you stay here, no one will be able to find you."
She kissed the top of his head, and the mama tiger licked him before they began moving as quickly as possible toward her objective while crouching low enough to avoid being seen on the wall.
The Capitol building wasn't far from there, and Arryn wanted to get to Amelia as quickly as possible. If she could, she wanted to teleport inside. After several moments’ thought, Arryn realized she'd been gone for quite a while. It was possible things weren't the way she’d left them. If Cathillian was no longer in the city, it stood to reason the worst might've happened.
Arryn nearly growled, thinking about it. And the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
As they came to the center of the northern wall, Arryn risked a peek over the edge into the city. Everything looked quiet, but she knew better. From her position, she could see the Capitol building, and even farther away, the Academy.
Capitol building or Academy? Which one? Where would she be?
Sighing, Arryn decided the Capitol building would be her first choice. It was closer, and if she was wrong, she could head toward the Academy. She didn’t know where Talia actually lived, so this would be the best option.
Arryn slid over the edge
of the wall, landing on a shed behind one of the more secluded noble homes. Making her way to the edge of its roof, she jumped down to land on the ground. Though her tiger weighed several hundred pounds, the large animal was even quieter than she’d been when she landed.
They were both completely silent as they snuck through the yards, keeping to the shadows and making their way to the back of the Capitol building. As Arryn approached, she felt a familiar buzzing in her brain, alerting her that Scarlett was now very aware of her presence.
"Shit," Arryn whispered quietly.
Taking a deep breath, she led the tiger to the rear of the building. At the very bottom of the wall, just at ground level, were several small windows. They were the only source of natural light—a very pathetic excuse for it—in the dungeon.
Dropping down, Arryn peered inside to see where she would need to land. Her teleportation still wasn't as accurate as she'd like, so she wanted to make sure she had a good look at where she was going.
Her eyes turned black as she reached back and grabbed her tiger's leg. The magic surrounded her, pushing in all directions as they disappeared, Arryn landing hard on her side on the floor and the tiger managing to land on her feet.
Arryn groaned as she rolled over on her hands and knees, then stood. "Perfect," she whispered to the big cat with a wink.
As she turned, her eyes widened. Next to the door frame that led to the stairs she found her staff, her bow, and her quiver. The quiver was empty from the battle against the remnant, but there they were.
The tingling feeling in her brain returned. Enjoy your gifts, came Scarlett's voice. Arryn froze in surprise. I spent the last week minus a couple days waiting for you. I expected you back a while ago, but I'm happy now.
What is this? Where are you?
Why would I tell you that? Scarlett asked, her internal voice sounding almost offended that Arryn had asked. I'm here, but nowhere you can find me. I thought I would give you some time alone with Talia. She's in the Chancellor's office, by the way.
