Lost Girl

by Mary E. Twomey

  I rubbed my temples. “Okay. I wasn’t planning on taking it off, anyway. Thanks for the heads up, though. The whole thing felt really strange.”

  “Master Kerdik’s not to be trusted, but neither is your aunt. I’m watching,” he assured me, though I couldn’t tell if he meant that as a threat or a kindness.

  When the others finished their meal, I hefted myself up onto Cheval, with Bastien riding behind me. He was in better health and spirits today, making sure we took the lead on our gallop, so he could tuck his hand under my shirt and stroke my navel. The hours passed while he teased my skin, the wind whipping at us while nature grew greener and lusher. “You’re driving me crazy,” I admitted.

  “Good. Consider this payback for all the times you made me insane wanting to be near you.” His head was next to mine, my temple resting against his chin while we rode. I’d safely tucked my new hat inside my backpack before I’d fallen asleep the night before. Though I loved the feel of it on my head, I didn’t want it to go flying off me when we rode faster than usual. Our bodies moved together easily, and I wished we could always be in sync like this. He kissed my hair and said low in my ear, “Is it wrong that I don’t like to see another man’s ring on your finger?”

  I shot him an eye roll as I twirled the gem on my knuckle. “You know it’s not like that.”

  “I know, but still. Can’t fault a guy for being a little jealous.”

  I didn’t know what to do with that information. I mean, it was so weird. I’d never had a guy be jealous of my attention before. “Huh. I never pictured you as the jealous type.”

  “Me neither. Guess you bring out the beast in me.”

  “Good thing I can communicate with animals.”

  Bastien growled and then bit down lightly on my neck. Goosebumps stood out on my skin when he started sucking on the juncture between my neck and my shoulder. I couldn’t hold back the gratuitous moan, my embarrassment peaking quicker than I could shake off his animalistic advance. “I love the taste of your skin,” Bastien breathed into my ear.

  I inched my shoulder away from his mouth. “You’re going to make me fall off this horse. You might be used to being a lot more open in public, but I’m not. I don’t want Mad to hear me groan like that. Totally embarrassing.”

  “Apologies, Princess.” He frowned as he straightened, though his hand remained on my stomach under my shirt. “But you should probably call him Madigan. He only likes the Brotherhood to call him Mad. Gets touchy about stuff like that.”

  “Oh, he asked me to call him Mad last night. Something about me being your lady makes me an unofficial member of your boys’ club, apparently.”

  Bastien stilled, like an animal caught in headlights. “Oh. I guess that makes sense. To Mad, yes, you’re one of us. That’s good. But if we come across any other Untouchables, Rachelle’s my lady, so best not confuse them yet. I need to figure all of this out.”

  I kept my chin up while my spirits sunk to the dirt. “You’ve got all day to puzzle it out, dude. But maybe we should stop kissing until you do sort it all out. I know I brought it upon myself, but now it’s making me feel about twenty kinds of cheap and eight kinds of slutty. Maybe I shouldn’t be kissing a guy who’s got a fiancée that’s so engrained in his life. She’s probably a really nice girl, and I’m throwing myself at her fiancé. Not cool.” I held up my hand to his protest. “I know, I know. I get the ins and outs of the situation. I’m just saying you should take some actual time to make sense of it all. You can’t very well do that with your tongue down my throat. I should’ve been more careful. I let it go too far. It’s my fault, not yours. I had all the facts, and I kissed you anyway.”

  Bastien slowly took his hand from under my shirt and banded both arms around my midsection, hugging me tight to hold my heartbreak in. “I’m sorry I’m putting you through this.”

  “I’m putting myself through it at this point, and it’s time I stopped being selfish. I’m sorry I’m making you feel torn. I get it. If you have to be off the market, I totally understand. I’ll be sad, but I know you want to do right by Reyn’s family, and I don’t want to make you less honorable.” I hung my head. “But that’s exactly what I’ve been asking you to do. If Lane wants me to get a Guardien, I’ll find someone else. That way you won’t have to hurt Rachelle.”

  Bastien tightened his grip around me. “You’re breaking it off? Just like that? We finally get on the same page, and you’re jumping ship?”

  “I’m trying to make things easier on you.”

  “Life without you isn’t easier. You living with another man would kill me. Absolutely kill me.” He rested his forehead to the back of my head. “Just give me time to talk to Reyn and his father. We’ll figure this out, Daisy.”

  I didn’t respond because my mind was already made up. I’d indulged enough and done the wrong thing too many times with Bastien. I needed to get my head screwed on straight and focus on the mission. Delivering the gems to Lane was job one. After that, I wasn’t sure how I was going to pry the rest of the jewels from Morgan’s hand.

  My mother’s hand.

  The mission needed to be top priority. Then, if Bastien was still around, maybe I could investigate the uneven thumping of my heart that pattered clumsily whenever he was near.

  36

  Accusations that Break Us

  When we finally reached the forest we’d left the search party at, I breathed a sigh of relief that I could hear Remy’s voice calling to me. I wasn’t sure how long they were willing to wait for us in the exact same spot. Cell phones were the one thing missing from Avalon. And cars. And tacos. And indoor plumbing. And tacos.

  Tacos, tacos, tacos…

  I pointed Cheval over to Remy, who came out of the woods with alarm on his face as he flagged us down. “Princess! We were worried you’d never be returned to us. Three Cheval Mallets? How is that possible?” Remy gaped at the identical horses.

  “Hey, Remy. Guys, this is my friend, Remy. He’s a healer. Remy, this is Duchess Avril, Duke Roland and Madigan the Formidable. Where’s everyone else?”

  Remy was distraught, and helped me down with eager hands. The second I flung my arms around his neck, he crushed me to his chest. I chuckled at the sweetness. “I was so afraid the Forgotten Forest would swallow you whole, and we’d never have you again. Are you safe? Are you well? What happened? Why did it take so long?”

  “We’re alright. The Forgotten Forest is like, a long way away. Came back as fast as we could. Where is everyone?”

  Remy shook his head while I ignored the others. I let Bastien explain to them that Remy and I could talk to each other. “They’re gone, Princess. The Queen’s Army found us, and they took Reyn to her palace. Duchess Elaine rode with them, and Damond, Draper, Rousseau and Duke Lot are all trying to make their case to Morgan so she’ll release Reyn.”

  I relayed the news to the others. Bastien was already getting back on Cheval, a cold look of determination washing the playfulness from his features. “I’m going to the palace, then. It’s me Morgan wants to punish. I killed Captain Burke, and she’s trying to pin it on Reyn because she can’t punish an Untouchable.”

  I nodded and moved to put my foot back in the stirrup. “Okay, then let’s go.”

  “You’re not coming,” Bastien scoffed. “Morgan doesn’t need to know you’re in Avalon.”

  I blinked up at him, confused. “Reyn’s my friend, too, and he’s important to Lane. I don’t think it’ll exactly be a secret I’m in Avalon if Lane storms the castle. I mean, everyone knows she took off with me.” I put both feet on the grass.

  “No, honey. Morgan’s manipulative, and you’re sweet. I don’t want you within a thousand feet of her. Mad, I won’t ask you to come with me, since Reyn’s not in the Brotherhood, but can you take Rosie with you and hide her somewhere until I bring Reyn home?”

  “Aye. Come along, Princess.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and glared up at Bastien. “Isn’t the plan for me to try and take
Morgan’s jewels from her? How am I supposed to do that without meeting her and actually getting into her castle? Seems like now’s a good a time as any to go meet my mom. Maybe she’ll let Reyn go if I ask.”

  Bastien’s teeth ground together as he fished for a hole in my plan. “Morgan’s evil, Rosie! You have no idea what we’re dealing with, here.”

  “Tell me a better plan to get the jewels back. That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? I’m supposed to find the gems and give them back to the Daughters of Avalon. I’ve got Lane’s now, Roland can have Heloise’s gem back, and I can send Gliten’s with Lane to give back to Province 3, where it came from. Aunt Avril’s got hers, Lot’s got his, Morgan can have the one she was originally given, but the other three need to be found.”

  Roland’s head perked up. “You’re going to send my mother’s gemstone to my province?”

  I threw my arms up in the air. “Of course I am! What do you think we’ve been doing all this time?”

  “I thought you were trying to steal the gems for Morgan le Fae,” he admitted, perplexed. For the first time, he was looking at me like I was a person, and not something evil and disgusting. I barely recognized him.

  “Oh, I really can’t stand you, and I don’t say that about many people.” I smacked the back of my hand into my palm and spoke slowly. “I. Live. In. Common. What the crap would I want with your gems?”

  “Surely jewels have value in your world.”

  “Not as much as a whole kingdom’s survival. Do you really think I’m that petty?”

  “You’re a Daughter of Avalon. I know you are.”

  My fists clenched and my nostrils flared. “That’s it, man! You and me are taking this outside.” I glanced around at nature, cringing that my challenge made little sense, since we were already outdoors. I motioned for him to dismount and held my fists up. “Come and get it, you jag. I’m through looking over my shoulder to keep an eye on you.”

  Mad and Bastien got off their horses and stood between us, though Roland didn’t look like he was ready to tear my head off (for once). My cousin held up his hands in surrender. “If you’re going to turn over the gems, then I was wrong about you.”

  “Not good enough! I could’ve died because of you.” I don’t know why his compliance made me angrier than his attacks had, but my temper flared dangerously. Judah called this the Rosie Danger Zone. “Do you know how excited I was to get a cousin? I wanted to meet you so badly, I crossed into the land of no return to find you! Then you turn out to be this? Having a family sucks!”

  Aunt Avril was digging in Bastien’s pack for the last of our apples, paying us no mind. Mad was silent, but placed himself between us like a brick wall facing Roland, should he decide to strike.

  “Would you like me to apologize?” Roland offered, his mouth in a tight line.

  “I’d like you to jump off a cliff, you jackweed. I don’t want your apology, and I don’t want a cousin. Take Heloise’s gem and go home.”

  “Reyn is one of my closest friends. I’ll not leave him to Morgan le Fae. Bastien, if you’ll have me, I’ll ride with you to throw in what power I still have to save Reyn.”

  “How are we going to explain that you’re back? Everyone knows you went into the Forgotten Forest.”

  I glowered at the men. “Um, how about with the truth? I’m coming with you. There’s no way to keep me secret from Morgan and still find the jewels she stole. Two birds with one stone this way.”

  Bastien held up his hands to the both of us. “Wait! Just let me figure this out. There’s got to be a way to keep Rosie from Morgan and still get the gems back.”

  I was through listening. I stalked over to Cheval and gave him a pat. “Cheval and I are going. Not sure you should come, Bastien.”

  Bastien reared back, his face twisting in defiance. “I’d like to know when you thought you were calling the shots. I’m your Guardien, and you don’t go riding headfirst into danger without me.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “First off, you’re not my Guardien, so don’t play the babysitter card with me. Second, I don’t think you should come because Morgan clearly hates you. Might not want to go strolling up to her castle, since she’s got it out for good old Bastien the Bold. I’m not being mean; I’m thinking practically. I’m trying to keep you safe.”

  Aunt Avril slowly mounted her horse. “I’m returning to my home. Morgan stopped listening to me long ago, so I won’t be of any use to you today. Safe travels, Rosalie. Give your people my regards when you lead them back to your homeland, Roland. I’m going to take my gemstone back to Province 8, and see if I can redeem my land somehow.”

  She didn’t even bother offering up a hug, but turned on her horse and charged off before I could tell her goodbye. My chin lowered and my shoulders slumped as the fight fled from my fists completely. I stepped back and stood next to Remy, whose arm draped around my back to pull me protectively to his side.

  Bastien seemed to see the shift in me and softened. “Look, it’s not safe for either of us to go to Morgan’s castle, but I have to try. I can’t let her kill Reyn for something I did.”

  “Fine. Then we’ll go together.”

  Bastien closed his eyes. “I don’t like this.”

  I shrugged as Remy tucked my forehead under his cheek. “I don’t much care. It has to be done.”

  Bastien pinched the bridge of his nose. “Roland, go ahead and take Heloise’s gem home to your province. I know Province 4 was absorbed by Morgan, but if you have your own jewel again, maybe you can split your people off from her and reclaim them.”

  “I’m coming to help with Reyn,” Roland protested, his chest puffed.

  “We don’t need Morgan to know Rosie can get in and out of the Forgotten Forest right now. Morgan shouldn’t know that Rosie has her Compass ability at all, or she’ll put her to use tracking down the Jewels of Good Fortune for her province. Plus, we can’t go taking the only jewels we have straight into Morgan’s palace.” He held Roland’s gaze with a command that made me understand just how valuable he would’ve been to the army before he left. “Save your land while you can. Go home a hero and redeem Province 4.”

  Roland shook his head. “I can’t abandon Reyn like that.”

  Bastien’s voice rose to a shout. “I can’t be looking over my shoulder the entire way to make sure you don’t take another swing at Rosie. You haven’t earned the right to take this trip with us. I’ve got enough on my plate, dealing with Morgan and watching Rosie. I can’t add you to the mix. I love you, brother, but I can’t trust you. My word should’ve been enough from the very start, but it wasn’t.”

  Roland’s mouth fell open. “Tell me you wouldn’t have thought the same thing in my position.”

  “I risked my life going into the Forgotten Forest for you! I deserve all the benefit of all your doubts. You belong in your province, so go back there. I’ll come for you when Rosie’s squared away.”

  Roland hesitated, but then nodded, his dimpled jaw clenched tight. “If that’s what you want, then I’ll fall in line.” He moved toward Bastien’s pack that was lying open on the ground and knelt down to fish out his mother’s gem. He frowned, and then dumped the contents out on the grass. “Where is it?” His hands moved frantically over the clothes and the few pieces of fruit that were left. “Where is it?!” I took a step closer, but jumped back to Remy’s side when Roland barked at me. “What did you do with the gemstones?”

  My eyes widened, and I stepped back in shock. “What are you talking about? They’re right in the bag. I didn’t touch them. I haven’t gone near the pack.”

  Bastien dove for the bag and shook it to make sure, sorting out everything until he came up just as empty as Roland had. “No! Where are they?”

  “Could they have fallen out?” I hoped aloud.

  As suspected, Roland cast aside his newfound apology and stood, seething in my direction with his fists clenched. “Boy, did you have me fooled. I can’t believe I let my guard down! We have to search her.”r />
  I turned the pockets of my jeans inside out. “Clearly I don’t have the gems.”

  Bastien stood slowly and narrowed his gaze at me. “Where are they, Daisy?”

  His question slashed a mark across my heart. “They were supposed to be in your bag! I haven’t gone near it this entire time.” Cheval and the other two horses chimed in on my behalf, but if you can believe it, no one listened to them.

  Bastien picked up my hat from Kerdik, and bunched in his fist. “Then how did this get in there?”

  My blood ran cold and my mouth went dry. “I d-don’t know. I mean, it was dark last night when I took my hat off to go to sleep. Maybe I put it in the wrong bag. But that doesn’t mean I stole the gems. Search my bag, Bastien. You really think I’d do that?”

  “I don’t know what to think anymore. Mad, search her pack.”

  We waited, and I hoped with everything in me that somehow the gemstones were in plain sight somewhere. Madigan turned up nothing, his face unsympathetic to my nervous squirm. “It’s not here, Bastien. Do ye want me to search her?”

  When Bastien hesitated, Roland prodded him over the cliff with a childish jeer. “If you were truly impartial, you wouldn’t hesitate to search her. This proves she most certainly is a witch, and her hold on you is deadly!”

  Bastien leveled his stony gaze at me. “No. I’ll do it. Everyone wait here. If it’s not on her, then we’ll have to retrace our steps. It’s possible it fell out.” He grabbed my bicep with a firm command to his grip, and led me deeper into the woods, ignoring Remy’s silent protests that this wasn’t right.

  “Bastien, where are we going? Would you let go of me? You don’t have to jerk me around.”

  When we finally got so far into the woods that we couldn’t see the others, Bastien released his harsh hold on me and crossed his arms over his chest. “Strip.”

  I guffawed. “Pass. Is that seriously the best pickup line you’ve got?”

  “I’m serious, Rosie. If you don’t want me to search you, I get it. I’ll send Mad in to do it. But I can’t leave you alone with Roland, and Remy would lie to cover for you in a heartbeat. Trust me, I’m your best option here.”