We waited in silence in Banak’s sex room until Danny joined us with Mariang. She had been carried inside, her skin almost completely translucent from three weeks of reaping for an entire kingdom with no backup. Now she was standing, looking very much alert with no hint of frailty. Her skin was normal now, if not a little pale. I’d never seen her with regular skin before, and the difference was shocking. She crashed into me with the most ferocious hug I’d ever received from the woman, thanking me in tearful whispers while Finn glared at us to shut up. Now she had a chance.
Now we both did.
Sneaking five people out of the palace was easier said than done, but Finn managed the feat with no hiccups, though Mason’s stomach growled pretty much nonstop.
Finn brought us to Lang, who’d ported Danny and Mariang into Dagat. Lang had waited for us, hidden in the woods to the left so he wouldn’t be associated with Banak’s death.
Finn inclined his head to Von, who was attached to my side. “I need a word with her before she goes.”
Von looked Finn over. “A word? Sure. But I don’t port until she’s safely on her way.”
Lang jabbed me with his elbow. “I see you’ve found yourself another husband or two while I was away.”
“Oh, shut it.”
Finn jerked his chin to the side, motioning for me to follow him out of earshot. Von had stellar half-vamp hearing, so I guessed we didn’t have anything more than the illusion of privacy, which seemed to be what Finn needed. Finn lowered his head, speaking quietly to me. “I didn’t know Atius would do what he did to you. That was about getting even with me, and I’m sorry you got caught up in it. You should know my men killed them all.”
I don’t know why that made me feel better, since I didn’t plan on ever coming back here again, but somehow it did. “Thanks. And thank you for saving me.”
Finn rubbed my cheek with his thumb, cupping my face. “I’m pretty sure you saved me.”
I couldn’t help but be transfixed by his pure green eyes, earnest as they were. I placed my hand over his to hold onto it one more time before we parted. “Be a good man, Finn. Be someone I’m proud of.”
He smiled at me. “You’ll be a good mother when this one comes out. Promise me that Von’s a good guy.”
“He’s a good guy, and I’m not pregnant. For the millionth time, I’m not baking his bun in my oven.”
His eyes shifted, remembering his frustration with me. “You shouldn’t have gone up against Banak without us. No backup, no warning. It was stupid. You’re lucky you didn’t get yourself raped or killed.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” I reached down into my pack and pulled out his knife. “This is yours. Thanks for letting me borrow it. Security’s kind of lax around here, don’t you think?”
Finn grumbled and sheathed the knife on his belt. “You make me crazy.”
“You make me laugh.”
Finn’s eyes moved on to that next emotion our friendship always pivoted on. “You make me happy. I haven’t had a lot of that.”
“You make me…” I swallowed. “Thanks for saving me.”
“Anytime, sinta.”
Von cleared his throat. “And that’s the last time you call her that, yeah?” he shouted to Finn, who scowled at the eavesdropper. “You don’t want to know me when I’m in a foul mood.”
Finn snarled at Von, but cut the feud short when I jerked his chin back to me. “Knock it off. We’re all one big happy family. We’re the Brady Bunch incarnate. No one’s fighting here.”
Finn brushed my hair from my face, looking at me like I was more to him than anyone ever could be to a person as jaded as he was. “Be safe. That knife I gave you? Not the one you stole, but the one I actually gave you? Keep it close. It’s the only way I can help keep you safe while I’m here and you’re Topside.” Then he leaned forward and kissed my cheek, gripping the nape of my neck in a way that reminded me of his constant need for control, for domination. Now his world was set tail-spinning, first with his mother dying so horribly, and then with the country on the brink of a change in monarchy. I was leaving right when he needed me.
“I’m sorry I’m splitting the second it’s all hitting the fan.” I watched as Lang ported Mariang and Danny, and knew our time was up. “Thank you for loving me so well,” I whispered. I knew I could never say anything that would make him understand just how amazing it was to be loved by someone as incredibly fierce as him.
He kissed my lips just once, reminding us both of the connection that might always be there.
Slowly I migrated from Finn to Von, my hand resting in my best friend’s. I couldn’t help but sneak one last look, my heart pounding as I geared up to leave the man who’d given me his home and his arms to borrow as a safe haven. I looked over my shoulder to catch one last glimpse of the soldier I’d held to my breast when he’d been reduced to a lost child.
Finn kissed two fingers, looking at me with such unfathomable loss that I had to turn away, lest I run back to him.
Mason wrapped me in his embrace, kissing my temple as he held me, gearing up to zippity-doo-da Von and me out of Dagat.
Fifty-One.
Laying it all on the Table
I held on tight as a sucking sensation lifted the three of us from Dagat, straight to Ezra’s front doorstep. My shoulders slumped. “Any chance I could get a one-way ticket to my house instead?”
Mason kept one arm around me. “Ezra was pretty specific.”
“Sure. And thanks for the lift. King of Sombi being my chauffeur? You’re spoiling me all over the place.”
Ezra greeted us with open arms, messy hair and his shirt untucked, which told me things hadn’t been smooth sailing Topside. “I’m so glad you’re all home safe.” He hugged Mariang in a bone-crushing embrace I could tell he’d been waiting to unleash on the girl who’d been so frail for too long. He kissed Danny and Von on the cheek and hugged Mason like a son. Before I could ask, Ezra held up his hand. “Oliver’s helping Kabayo, Alton, Graham and your mother in Lumipad still. They’re close to the well, but they needed a bit more manpower. I hope to have them back by morning.”
“They’re still there? But it’s been weeks.”
“Indeed, darling. Lumipad is in complete and total anarchy, which makes traveling problematic. They’re hiding out until the opportunity presents itself to deliver the stone.”
Ezra’s face was streaked with tears, but he said nothing further, other than that he’d missed us. When the others made their way to the kitchen, he was reluctant to leave the foyer, needing an extra few seconds to get himself together.
“Ezra?” I inquired of his hesitance. “Are you alright?”
He shook his head, making me appreciate his honesty and the fact that it came with a small shadow of a forced smile. It was as if he didn’t want to tell me the truth, but knew he couldn’t very well lie to me about something I’d spotted outright. “I fear it might be a long time before I’m alright.”
I softened, seeing the hurt boy behind the ruler. “I’m sorry I made you worry. I didn’t mean to.”
He didn’t have words for this, but closed the gap between us as if I was cold, and needed him for shelter. His hug was tight and filled with emotion he didn’t voice, worrying me as I kept my arms tight around him. “You belong here. You know that, yeah?”
“Thanks. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, dear.”
I tilted my head at up at him. “I think I know you better than that by now.”
“I guess you do.” Ezra pulled away and braved a smile. “Nothing’s wrong yet. There’s still hope for now. I’m doing my best hold tight to it, so it doesn’t slip through my fingers.” He held my arms and took a good look at me. “My, the last time I saw you, there was more blood than girl. Healing waters, indeed. I can’t believe King Banak kept that from us this entire time.” His tired eyes were lined at the corners, which for some reason drew me toward him. I let him hold me, since it seemed to give him a brief rep
rieve from his sadness.
As I pressed my nose into his shirt, I couldn’t help but admit to myself that having a dad felt kind of nice. He worried about me, waited up for me, slayed dragons, Ekeks and Manas in my name. It took me a few seconds of muscling past my aversion to anything permanent as far as parental figures went, but eventually my gratitude couldn’t be put off. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my fist bunching in his shirt.
“My darling. Whatever could you be sorry for?” His stomach growled, and he begged my pardon, as if that was something he could’ve controlled.
I wanted to tell him so many things, but I stuck with the most basic root of it all. “I kept pushing you away. Your life, all of it. I took my anger out on you. I was mad that everything got turned on its head, but it’s not your fault.” I swallowed, unable to look at him. “I shouldn’t have treated you like it was.”
“You can be mad at me.” His voice sounded like his mind was talking about something else I didn’t understand. “You can be very mad at me, and I’ll have deserved it.”
I looked up at him, confused. “That’s my whole point. You didn’t deserve it. I never had a… you know, a dad before. It’s a steeper learning curve than I was ready for. But I’m ready now. I’ll be better at this, at being your daughter.”
I didn’t anticipate this being the wrong thing to say, but apparently it was. Tears started forming in the corners of Ezra’s eyes, one blink sending them over the edge as he dabbed at them with a handkerchief from his pocket, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. To hear you say such lovely things?” He cleared his throat and braved a smile. “It’s a good day, then. No matter what, this is going down in the books as a good day.”
I eyed his sadness with suspicion. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s you that has the telling to do. You’ve been in Dagat for weeks! You dipped in the healing waters. Apparently you even made friends with Captain Finn, which I admit, I didn’t think possible. I trust he was a gentleman?” he asked with the hint of a threat.
“Very much so.”
Ezra’s arm coiled around my shoulders and corralled me to the dining room where the others had been shooed by Lynna. “I simply must hear everything.”
Lynna broke out more food than I’d seen in a while. Mariang and I ate our fill while the guys glutted themselves on ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables and wine. I tried to always keep my mouth full so I couldn’t respond when asked a direct question, but Ezra was wise to my game after the third shrug I tried to pass off as a response. “I’ve heard Danny and Mariang’s account of the healing waters. You’ve heard how many Ekeks and Manas we’ve slaughtered with the help of Prince Langgam, Ruiz and Klark. You heard every detail of Bishop’s funeral. Now it’s your turn.”
I pointed to my mouth again, which I’d just shoved a bite of mashed potatoes in, but Ezra folded his hands over his lap and waited, setting the precedent that all other conversation would cease until I complied.
Darn his good politics.
I took my time chewing, swallowing the lump in my throat as I offered up a simple smile. “So, you know, got abducted with Bishop, rescued by Finn, the healing waters, crashed at Finn’s place, Banak’s dead. And that’s about it.”
I didn’t expect Von to be miffed at my non-explanation, but his was the first reply that came out with a note of irritation as he speared his Brussels sprouts next to me. “That’s rubbish, and you know it. All Ezra knew was that Finn came flying out of the basement with you half dead and half naked in his arms. He mentioned something about getting you medicine or a healer or something, and that he’d bring you back once the Manas were destroyed. Fill in the blanks, or I’ll draw all sorts of sordid conclusions.”
Indignant that Von called me out on my evasiveness, I turned to him, arms folded across my chest and a defiant scowl on my face. “Did it ever occur to you all that I’m being succinct for your own good? Do you really want to hear all that Bishop went through down there?”
“I think I deserve to hear that much, yes. He’s my brother.”
I let out a steady exhale. “He was kneecapped, Von. He begged me not to tell Serena a thing about the stone, but I told them the exact truth, that it was on its way to Lumipad already. Serena didn’t believe me because she assumed I was the only one who could touch the stone. She tortured Bishop because she thought he was my boyfriend. Is that what you want to hear?”
“It’s a start.” Von mirrored my body language, sitting back in his chair and staring me down. “We deserve to know what went down, even if it’s ugly. Danny and I should know what happened to our brother. And Mason and I need to know what happened to you.”
“You need to know that Bishop was so far gone by the end, he could barely speak through the pain? You need to know that they killed him by accident? That if they hadn’t been careless with the torture, he’d still be here? He died in my arms, Von! Is that what you want to hear? They collapsed his lung. He’d lost too much blood by that point.” I sucked in a deep breath and dove for the deeper waters. “I kissed Bishop while he died. I kissed your brother because he loved your paintings and wished he could see them again. He wanted you to paint more, so I kissed him to make him see the colors, to take away his pain as he died. My own way of blissing him out as best I could.”
Von was patient while I got myself worked up, angry that he was making me talk about the trauma that never needed to see the light of day. “That’s good, and right decent of you to ease his pain. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in that.”
“No shame? Are you flipping kidding me? He was captured and tortured because of me! Your brother’s dead because of me!” I grimaced. “Nothing to be ashamed of? I’m surprised you can even look at my face!”
Danny spoke up, the anger in his eyes not directed at me. “Why are you making her do this, Von? It’s not going to bring Bishop back.”
“No, but it might bring Boston back. Boston’s been a wreck. Not eating, barely sleeping. He deserves answers, and we haven’t been able to give him any. And you didn’t get Bish killed, Peach. Serena did. Don’t forget that. They snatched up Bishop against his will and took him away. Blame yourself all you want, but no one else is. It could just as easily have been Mariang they kidnapped with Bishop. Would that have been her fault?”
I glanced over at Mariang, who was eating her dinner like a normal person, and not someone who looked like chewing the wrong way might make her faint from exhaustion. Through my frustration at the conversation, I was glad to see her so strong and alert.
Danny glared at me. “I’ll answer that one for you: No. It wouldn’t have been her fault, and it’s not yours that they took you and Bish. Let the guilt rest with Serena.”
“But I…”
Danny slammed his fork down. “Did you try to escape?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Did you do everything you could to help get the two of you out?”
“Of course!”
“Then you have nothing to feel guilty about. And you even kissed him to ease his passing.” He cleared his throat, gearing up to say something kind. “Thank you for doing that. It’s nice to know his last moments weren’t spent screaming for his life to end quicker.”
Mariang put her hand on Danny’s back, and for a minute, it almost looked like she was pulling the stress from him, instead of the other way around.
My mouth dropped open. “You’re seriously letting me off the hook? Just like that?”
“What hook?” Danny’s upper lip curled. “The only hook is the one you put yourself on. Move on to the next bit. How’d you get so bad off that Finn broke his guarded secret and took you to the healing waters? Mariang’s been on the brink of her last breath for years, and Finn takes you there? How bad off were you?”
“Just a little banged up,” I lied. It was all fixed now. There was no reason to invoke a freak-out amongst the ranks.
Ezra twiddled his thumbs in his lap. “She was a bloody mess. I barely understood it was her in Finn�
�s arms before he vanished. We owe Finn a lot on this one. The whole kingdom does, actually. My girls are better than ever because of him.” He leveled his gaze at the guys. “You’ll not forget that.” He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to me. “Can I assume the bulk of your injuries were Serena’s handiwork?”
I nodded, my eyes on my plate. “They knocked me around a bit. Then Serena took my shirt and carved up my back pretty good with her knife.” I shrugged at Von’s widened eyes and Danny’s dropped open mouth while Mason chewed without looking at me. “I survived, so it’s fine.” I scratched the nape of my neck. “The healing waters did their thing, but I guess it left a pretty big scar across my back. So, you know, be cool about it.”
“You guess it left a scar?” Von inquired.
“Yeah. I can’t actually see my own back. Finn told me.”
“Finn saw your naked back?” Von was reaching his breaking point of how angry one man could be.
I took a drink of water. “He saw a whole lot more than that. Serena took my shirt.”
“He should’ve given you his shirt.”
I slammed my glass down, unhappy we were having this conversation at all. “Look, Serena was going to peel the skin clean off my back, Von. She drew the outline over and over. My back was literally peeling off every time I moved an inch. A shirt? Really?”
“You shouldn’t have kept me away from the rescue team. I should never have listened to you.”
“You would’ve killed me without a blink, Von. I was drenched in my blood and Bishop’s. I hadn’t eaten in days. You were on the mend yourself. I couldn’t have fought you off. Be pissed all you want, but it is what it is. Maybe a lot of things could’ve been different, but I didn’t ask to get scarred.”
Von spoke through gritted teeth. “I would’ve controlled myself. Your kiss broke through a lot of my vampire curse. I’m not nearly as bloodthirsty as I was a month ago.”
Treat (Terraway Book 5) Page 27
