by Dyan Chick
I felt like I was entering a dream when we arrived at camp. Everybody was busy doing their normal tasks. Nothing had changed here even though inside, I felt like everything had changed. My eyes searched the people we passed as we made our way through the camp. My cheeks burned when I realized I had been looking for Ashton. He’s not here, and you shouldn’t care anyway. I used my forearm to brush the hair off of my face and tried to think of a plan. I wasn’t sure what I should do. There was a small part of me that was hoping my grandmother was alive, and that little part of me was screaming out to go to her. The rational side of me was sending warning bells that shook my entire body. This had to be a trap.
When we approached Max’s quarters, several long swords were propped against the side. I looked to Master Edward.
He shrugged. “Looks like she’s got company.” He pushed his way through the flap and I followed behind.
Inside the tent, Saffron stood at the head of a long table surrounded by six men in armor I had never seen before. They all turned to look at us as we entered. Murmurs went around the table and the men looked to Saffron. She nodded at them and everybody turned their attention to me.
I took a small step back from their stares. Master Edward gently nudged me forward. “I received a message.” I held out the rolled parchment, struggling to keep my hand steady.
Saffron crossed the space to take it from me. She wrinkled her brow. “I was worried one of them would find their way to you.”
I drew my eyebrows in and stared at her. “What do you mean?”
She sighed as she unrolled the paper. She turned to the men around the table. “It’s the same as the others. I think we can safely say he knows she’s alive but he’s not sure where she is.”
Saffron turned to me. “We have had reports of messages just like this showing up around the kingdom. Seven confirmed so far.”
I bit the inside of my lip in an effort to keep my face blank. I hoped I didn’t look as scared as I felt. The only comfort I could find was that he didn’t know exactly where I was.
“Sir Gregory, go ahead,” Saffron said.
“Are you sure?” A gray haired man asked Saffron.
She nodded. “She can handle it, and she has the right to know.”
I swallowed hard and clenched my fists, preparing myself for bad news.
“I was at your village the day after you escaped. Went to give your grandmother a proper burial but she wasn't there. The villagers saw a battalion of King’s guards pass through. They left with a cart. Most likely with your grandmother’s body.”
Fingernails bit into the skin of my palms. I wavered between sadness and anger. This king had taken so much from me. My parents, my grandmother, my chance at a happy life. Hot tears formed in the back of my eyes. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Don’t cry.
“Thank you for telling me.” I nodded at Sir Gregory then looked around the room at all of the people gathered. “Where were the other letters found?”
Saffron picked up a piece of paper off of the table and read a list of names. I recognized a couple of them from my geography lessons but didn’t know them all.
“Why these places?” I asked.
“That’s what we have been discussing.” She set the list back down. “Two were sent to Raven camps. Two were sent to port towns. The other three to nobles in smaller fiefdoms loyal to the Ravens.”
“He knows about the Ravens.” I hugged my arms across my chest. “Has he always known?”
Saffron shrugged. “Perhaps. We just don’t know. With the protective wards you have on you, we only have to worry about the guards.”
“Wards?” I had no idea what she was talking about.
“Magical protection given by a powerful sorcerer. Cast on you before you were put into hiding. As long as the sorcerer who created the wards lives, the king himself can’t hurt you. That’s why he sends others out looking for you. If he could do it himself, you’d already be dead.”
“That explains the drawings and the Reapers. He’ll send them here, won’t he?” I said.
Saffron nodded. “Yes. We’ve got a decoy in Redding. Enough of a false trail to keep them away for a day or two.”
“Max?” I asked.
“He’s already on his way back. Negotiations will resume once you are moved to safety.”
“When?” I asked.
“As soon as Max returns, we’ll get you out of here.” She rested a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry, we will keep you safe. Go with Master Edward. Finish your lessons. There’s nothing you can do right now.”
I nodded and turned to leave the tent. Hesitating for a moment, I wondered if I should ask the question I really wanted to know the answer to. That’s not a good idea. Silently, I prayed for Ashton’s safe return.
15
I looked at the branch in my hands. Making a bow didn’t seem as important as it had this morning. I pulled off the leaves one by one, tossing them on the ground.
“You found yourself a fine branch.”
His words snapped me out of my trance. “Thank you.” I stared at the branch. Maybe it was important to make it. After all, I still needed to defend myself. Now more than ever. “Do we still have time to make me a bow?”
The sparkle returned to his eyes and he laughed. “I think that would be a might fine distraction for you, your highness.”
Next to the archery field stood a small wooden structure that looked like a roof on stilts. Under the roof was a work table and a series of tools. Master Edward showed me how to clear and smooth my branch to prepare it. Next, we carved a handle in the center and notches for the string. We set it in a vise that would hold it in place so it could develop the curve it needed.
“It’ll be in there all night tonight.” He tightened the stand. “Tomorrow, we’ll add the string. Only wood in the world that can make a bow so quickly.”
My shoulders sunk. “Now what?” I didn’t want to have extra time to wait around.
He placed his forefinger and thumb astride his chin as he thought. He snapped his fingers. “How about I teach you how to make arrows? Just in case you ever have to make them on your own.”
“That sounds great.” I clapped my hands together. “Can we start right away?”
He patted his large stomach. “We’ll start after lunch.”
I wasn’t feeling hungry so I grabbed a handful of berries to take to the birds. The aviary had become my favorite place in camp. The little white owl I met on my first day here was one of my favorite things about the camp.
Four doves and my favorite owl were inside the small structure today. I held out the berries in my open hands. The doves ignored me but the little owl swept down from her high perch and landed on a railing next to me. She nibbled the berries out of my hands. I laughed as her beak brushed my palm. She was a gentle bird. I reached out to stroke her soft feathers, and she let me touch her for a moment before flying back up to the top corner and burying her head under her wing.
It was a warm day and the interior of the aviary was a little too hot for my taste. Reluctantly, I headed outside. A few steps from the door I heard a loud snap. My heart started pounding. I flattened myself against the building and didn’t move. The king has found me. I shook my head. The letter was getting to me. It’s probably a rabbit. A really big rabbit.
Halfway through talking myself into peeking around the aviary, I heard voices. They were on the other side of the building and speaking in hurried, hushed tones. I tip-toed to the edge of the wall and peeked my head around. I couldn’t see them, but I could now make out two male voices. I strained my ears to listen to the conversation.
“She got the message, then?” said an amused male voice.
I couldn’t make out the muffled reply.
“So they still think he doesn’t know where she is - good.”
The second voice was louder this time. “They won’t move her until tomorrow. Things are going exactly according to the plan.”
My heart was
pounding so hard, I was worried they would hear it. There’s a traitor in the Ravens. The king does know where I am. The other letters must be decoys.
“Wait for the signal,” the first man said.
I have to get out of here. There was a large tree a few feet away from me. If I could quietly get to the tree, I could hide there and make my way back to the common area one tree at a time.
I crept slowly toward the tree. Snap. I froze.
“What was that?” One of the men had heard me.
I heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being unsheathed. I ran.
My lungs burned with effort as I neared the common area. I could see people still sitting at the tables eating lunch. I tossed my head back to check behind me and ran right into somebody. I tumbled to the ground, panting.
I spun my head around wildly, making sure nobody was behind me then looked up to see Ashton smiling down at me.
His smile faded and he knelt down next to me. “What’s wrong?”
I hugged my knees to my chest while I worked to slow my breathing. “Can’t. Talk. Here.”
He stood and pulled me up. “What do you mean?”
My breathing was returning to normal. “Not safe. We have to go somewhere safe.”
His eyes softened. “Is it about the letters? Because Max has a plan for that. Everything will be fine.”
I shook my head. “No. I mean yes.” I let out an exasperated sigh. “Please. I just need to find Saffron.”
Saffron was with Max in his quarters. For the second time that day, I entered without permission, which I instantly regretted when I walked in on the two of them mid kiss.
They pulled apart abruptly and Saffron’s cheeks turned pink. I looked away and cleared my throat, trying to ignore what I just saw.
“What’s going on? Ashton, didn’t we talk about this?” Max’s gaze was locked on Ashton.
He looked down. “I’m sorry, Max. Wilona said it was urgent.”
Max let out a breath. “Etta, what can I do for you?”
I glanced around the tent then peeked out the flap.
Saffron’s brow wrinkled. “What’s wrong?”
“I overheard two men talking.” I told them the story about the men behind the aviary. I watched Max for reaction as I spoke. His face went from an annoyed look to a scowl.
Max began pacing the room. “I have wondered if there was a traitor in the Ravens for a few months now. We just never found any proof, and everything that has gone wrong could have been coincidence. Now we know.”
He stepped up to me. “We have to move up your departure.”
I nodded and resisted looking at Ashton standing next to me. The back of his hand brushed against mine ever so slightly. The familiar warmth I now associated with his touch spread up my hand. I pulled my hands together and clasped them in front of me.
Saffron took a step forward. “We can’t let them know we’re on to them.”
“I agree.” Max looked at her before turning his gaze back to me. “We’ll sneak out tonight after nightfall. They won’t expect us to travel at night.”
“I’ll take her,” Saffron said.
Max looked concerned for a moment, but nodded nevertheless.
“Etta, can you find something to do for a few hours that won’t arouse suspicion?” Max asked me.
“You can go to the archery range,” Saffron suggested.
“Archery?” Max frowned.
She put a hand up. “We’ll talk later.”
“Take Ashton with you,” Max said. Then he turned his back on me to face the papers stacked on the table.
Ashton and I walked to the archery range in silence. We were the only ones there when we arrived.
I reached for Ashton’s hand. He flinched, then let me lead him to the structure where my bow sat in the vise.
“I want to show you something.” I ran my hand over the smooth wood of the bow. “It’s mine,” I said. “Though I suppose I won’t get to finish it now.”
Ashton touched the bow. “It’s beautiful. I can tell it’s going to be a great bow when it’s done.”
“Can you finish it for me?” My stomach tightened. “And hold on to it for me, until we…”
Ashton moved in closer. Our bodies were almost touching. He could probably hear my heart beating. He touched my cheek lightly and ran his fingers down the side of my face, leaving a trail of tingling skin. He leaned down and touched his lips to mine gently. For a second, I was too surprised to react but as his lips moved against mine, time seemed to stand still. It was as if we were the only people in the whole world. I pressed my mouth into his and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. I could feel the muscles under his tunic. I wanted him to pull me closer, to be completely wrapped up inside his strong arms. He slid his hand on the back of my head and the kiss grew deeper. Something was growing inside me that I hadn’t felt before. I wanted more.
He pulled back slowly, cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry.”
I pushed my hair out of my face. I knew we couldn’t be together, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to kiss him again. “Don’t,” I said. “Don’t be sorry.”
He cupped my cheeks in his hands and shook his head. “How did this happen?” He laughed.
I smiled at him and put my hands on top of his. I closed my eyes, burning this moment into my memory. “Come with me. Who could protect me better than you?”
“You know I can’t.” He dropped his hands. “Besides, even if I could convince Max, I have my exam next week.”
“Then I can go with you.” I practically jumped. “How perfect would that be? Nobody would suspect that I’d be traveling to the trials, and I’d be surrounded by sorcerers.”
Ashton shook his head. “But not all of them are on our side. It’s too dangerous.”
“Nobody would know who I was, though. You could say I’m an apprentice, just like you.”
He thought about it for a minute. “That might work, you know. Except for the fact that you’re supposed to be going off to get married.”
I shook my head. “There has to be a way to stop that. Why is Max so determined for me to get married right away?”
“I guess I can see why he wants to have you…” Ashton couldn’t finish the sentence.
I knew it was a bad idea, but before I could stop myself, I reached for him and pulled him into another kiss. His arms wrapped around me and for the first time in weeks, I felt truly safe.
“Ah-hem.”
I pushed myself away from Ashton and turned to face Master Edward. I covered my face with my hands to hide my flush. Of course. I was supposed to meet him here after lunch. I’m in so much trouble.
“I - uh - was just showing Ashton my bow.”
He cleared his throat. “I can see that.” He looked at Ashton. “I didn’t realize you were back already.”
“We made good time,” Ashton said.
“It looks like you had extra motivation to get here.” He waved a hand dismissively. “But it’s none of my business, really. We live in dangerous times. None of us know how much time we get. It’s important to make the best of it.”
“You won’t tell my brother?” I asked.
“What would I tell him? That you showed your bow to Ashton? I doubt he would be interested in that. Far too busy, your brother. Doesn’t stop to notice the beauty in life.”
I let out a breath and relaxed.
Ashton’s shoulders dropped a bit. He smiled at me.
Master Edward’s face grew serious. “Your brother is all about power. No heart. Not like you. I think you’ll do what is right for the right reasons. I wish I could say the same of your brother.” He pointed to the pendant clearly on display around my neck. “That symbol you wear says it all. Takes a true royal to bear such a strong crest. There’s a reason your brother has a dragon on his arm and not a Ouroboros.”
I reached up to grasp my pendant. “What do you mean? He told me his tattoo was for some sorcery order.”
“Aye, that’s right.
Nobody has been eligible to take the mark of the Ouroboros since your great-grandfather. He was the last of the water sorcerers.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s not the time for a history lesson. You’ll learn all of this soon enough.”
I put my hand on my hips. “You know, it’s getting old having everybody else know more about my family than I do.”
“Patience, your highness. Right now, the focus is on keeping you alive.”
I huffed, making me feel like a spoiled child, demanding something I wasn’t allowed to have. “Do you know all of this?” I asked Ashton.
He shook his head. “This is all new to me. History wasn’t a big priority in my lessons with Max. My guess is the only reason he even let me learn how to read was so I could decipher old spell books.”
This wasn’t getting me anywhere. I stood up straight and fixed my best serious expression on my face. “Master Edward,” I spoke in a tone Lady Genevieve would be proud of, “I will drop this for now as long as you promise me, we can pick it back up at a later date.”
The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile and he raised an eyebrow. “Agreed, your highness. Now, let’s check on this bow of yours. I hear a rumor that you might not be here to finish it tomorrow?”
How would he know that? I stared at him. Master Edward seemed to have the pulse of the whole camp at his fingertips. I wondered if he’d be willing to travel with me when I went. The idea of leaving him behind, even if it was temporary, caused an emptiness inside.
He chucked. “Saffron found me. Sent me along to help keep your mind off of things.” He turned some levers and used some tools to measure and pull on the wood of the bow.
He sighed. “I was hoping we could force it, but it’s not ready yet. I’m afraid you’ll have to use one of mine for now.” He walked back outside of the structure to where he had propped a graceful bow against a tree. Picking it up and running his fingers over the wood, he handed it to me.
“This is beautiful.” I traced my fingers along a flower pattern that had been carved into the wood. “Did you make it?”
He nodded. “For my granddaughter, but she never got the chance to use it. Now, it’s yours.” His eyes were watery. “It’s made of Scarlet Elder wood. The properties of the tree will make it easier to hit your target. It’s also lighter than bows made of other materials. You’ll be able to get more shots out of it before you tire. My granddaughter was about your size, it should be a perfect fit.”
