by Cait Ashwood
Audrey couldn’t get over how many people were in the Grove. She’d previously only been in a Grove with a maximum of two other women, her former companions Jess and Lindsey. Now, looking at the thirty-odd women surrounding her, she couldn’t quite believe it. Saving the Order had been a goal for so long that seeing it actualized was still surreal. The air around her buzzed with supercharged energy, the moon waxing large above them.
She wasn’t tied into the Grove, but she turned with everyone else when Hound entered the sacred circle, his taint a blemish on the energy of the sacred place. He wore a pristine white robe with a plain rope belt. Each of his steps were carefully measured, his eyes wary as he approached the circle of women.
Conversations quieted and the women moved into their formal positions. Hound waited outside the ring, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Audrey glanced at Ellen, who stood closest to the father tree.
“Ladies, disrobe.” Her voice wavered with age, but she had no trouble making herself heard. The whisper of cloth over skin seemed loud when repeated so many times. Ellen looked to the sky, judging the position of the moon.
“Audrey, come forward.”
Audrey swallowed, taking hesitant steps through the mulch, stepping carefully in her bare feet. She tried not to feel self-conscious, being nude in front of so many people, but no one was really staring at her that way. Even Hound’s eyes were on his feet, excluded from the circle as he was.
“Let the Seeker enter.” Ellen’s orders were instantly heeded, a small break forming in the ring to admit Hound. Still fully robed, he entered their midst, pausing just inside the circle of bodies.
“Disrobe, Seeker.”
Don’t turn around, don’t turn around. She heard his robe slide over his skin, and a soft murmur behind her. There was a strict sense of ceremony here, and Audrey didn’t dare break the mood, though she was insanely curious.
“Approach.”
Audrey tracked his approach, turning to face him just as he got to her side. She started off with her eyes on her feet, and was pleasantly surprised to see that he still wore a loincloth. For some reason, possibly the mark, she felt like she had a claim on him. She bathed in her secret satisfaction that no one else got to see him.
Ellen inclined her head toward Audrey. “Find his taint within yourself, and bind you together.”
Her forehead crinkled as she felt for the contamination within her. She honestly hadn’t noticed it, and with the time difference between the two locations, she worried that too much time had passed to still be affected. Audrey began to panic, but felt Hound reaching out to her through the mark. He was more experienced working with the taint and guided her straight to the source of his sickness within her. He helped her understand how to create the bonds that would connect them. It felt like an eternity passed before she was able to nod to Ellen, confirming that everything was ready.
Ellen’s next command wasn’t verbal, but a single drum started up, a stately, rhythmic beat echoing through the Grove. Thank heavens we don’t have to dance. Audrey hadn’t had a chance to learn the complicated steps, but her job in this ceremony was largely as a director and conduit. The Leaves would perform the Skyclad dance, building up energy with Audrey as the focus, and then she would release it, banishing the taint first in herself, then the bonds, and finally, Hound himself. Theoretically, at least.
She could feel his tension through the mark, and found her eyes tracing the lines of the wolf on his chest. Following some unspoken instinct, she reached out, placing her hand over the wolf. His eyes jumped up to meet her own, questioning, searching. She smiled as the tempo around them increased, vaguely aware of the ring of women dancing around them. The ground under her feet felt alive, and she could feel the power thrumming just below the surface. Hound brought his hand up to her mark, covering the entire thing with his hand. They stood there, each with a hand on the other’s chest, eyes locked together as the power of the Order built up around them.
A voice broke into song, joined after a verse by others. A tambourine chimed in, the percussion instruments gaining in volume as some of the older women had to leave the dance. The music was hypnotic, consuming, and it felt like her heartbeat had changed to follow the pounding of the drums. The well below the Grove was filled, and still the women danced. It’s not going to hold much longer.
Audrey wanted to look at Ellen, wanted some sort of hint as to what she was supposed to be doing, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Hound. His terror flowed between them, but he wasn’t afraid of the ritual itself. He was more afraid of what his life would be if it failed. I can’t let that happen.
White, pure energy gathered at Audrey’s feet, spilling up from the well beneath the Grove. It’s time. She opened herself to the energy, let it fill her until she wasn’t sure she could hold anymore. It was as if she were spindly twigs trying to hold back a raging river, her efforts to contain the power going unnoticed. She had to redirect it, and quickly. The taint within herself vanished instantly, then the bonds dissolved with only a half-formed thought. Audrey held back the flood for one moment longer, planning her course, and then…
She let it go.
The last time she’d sent healing energy anywhere near Hound, he’d ended up on the floor, writhing in agony. She had no small amount of fear that it would be the same this time around. The energy pool was endless, but it restricted itself to the taint, sweeping it away and healing any gaps left behind, coursing between them in an endless circuit.
There was too much. It had to go somewhere, now that the containment had been breached. The drums and tambourine were pounding at a frantic pace, and Audrey’s heart hammered along with them. Ellen hadn’t told her what to do with excess energy, and Audrey searched in a panic for any power lines. They were in the Grove at Prestin, which was well-known for its orchards. Surely there would be lines here.
Someone else, perhaps Gwyn, pointed the way to the lines and Audrey directed the energy there. More than that she couldn’t do, but the rest of the Order stepped in, guiding it along the proper channels and preventing the huge release from doing any damage. Audrey didn’t exit her trance—it felt more like she was ejected from it with great force. She staggered, every major muscle in her body trembling and weak. Strong arms caught her before she could slip more than a few inches, Hound’s arms under her own as he held her up. She tripped forward, falling against his chest and taking a few moments to catch her breath.
“Did…did it work?” Hound’s normally rough voice was now only raspy, as if he was afraid to speak at all.
Audrey stepped back, mouth open, but she didn’t speak. When she’d come out from the taint poisoning, she’d demanded that Deuce verify that her children were unharmed by the endeavor. She hadn’t been able to rest until she’d had that proof. She knew without asking that Hound wanted the same thing. She took a few breaths to steady herself, then let her vision shift into monochromatic hues. The only color she would see in this state was various shades of purple, showing the concentration of the taint around her.
Everything was black and white. Nowhere in her vision was there a hint of color. The smile spread across her face, almost literally from ear to ear. “It worked, Hound. You’re free.”
Shock, then a surprisingly overwhelming joy rushed over her. “I’m clean?” He still seemed to doubt it, like he had to talk himself into believing it. His face fell into a look of deep concentration, the lines on his forehead deepening as whatever he was struggling with continued to elude him. Slowly, a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “I’m clean. Audrey, you did it!” He closed the limited space between them, sweeping her up in his arms and spinning them around. Audrey laughed, throwing her head back as he brought her back down to the ground. He kissed her soundly, right in front of everyone.
“We did it,” she corrected, jerking her head to the side to indicate the rest of the Order.
Gwyn spoke up from her spot around the circle, her body covered in a light sh
een of sweat. “And the surrounding orchards have been cleansed as well.”
Audrey grinned, giddy with relief. She turned back to Hound, who was giving her a lopsided smile.
“We should probably get you dressed.” He raised an eyebrow, as if surprised she hadn’t already thought of it.
“Oh! Right.” She felt the heat rushing to her cheeks, though what she had to be embarrassed about at this point, she hadn’t the slightest idea. Women around them were slowly donning their robes, though many still hung open in the front as the dancers cooled down. Chairs were pulled in from the woods for Ellen and a few of the older women, allowing them to rest in comfort. No one discussed leaving, and Audrey wasn’t sure what she should be doing. She felt like she owed them all her thanks, and yet what they did here tonight was part of their job.
Hound cleared his throat behind her, and many of the women turned to look at him. “I, uh.” He stopped, shaking his head. “I don’t have the words to thank you for this,” he gestured at himself, shrugging helplessly.
“Come here, Seeker,” Ellen called from her chair.
He went to her without hesitation, dropping to his knees at her feet so he wouldn’t tower over her.
“What was forced on you should never have happened. That said, you would have remained in-state had you not won her love.” Ellen jerked her head toward Audrey, who blushed fiercely again. She still saw the whole thing as rather scandalous, though as she peered at the faces in the Grove, she saw no judgment or condemnation there. These were women like her, women who understood. For the first time, Audrey felt like she might actually belong. It lit off a warm spark in her chest, rather like hope.
Ellen continued. “The mark you bear is no easy thing. It will force honesty where you might wish to keep things concealed.”
Hound nodded, body language relaxed. “I have nothing to hide from her, your grace.”
Ellen chuckled softly. “You’ll learn how to cope with it, in time.”
The warning should have seemed ominous, but all Audrey had room for right now was a level of happiness bordering on delirium. So far, the mark hadn’t given them any trouble, and she had no reason to expect that would change. As for whether they pursued a relationship moving forward or not, time would tell. Now that she’d had a taste of what their life could be, though, it would damn near destroy her if he didn’t want to stay.
Audrey’s face fell and she shook her head, intentionally squaring her shoulders. No. It would hurt like hell, but she’d survived much worse than a broken heart. She had the twins to shower with as much love as she had in her heart, and she would be happy with that life if it was the only path left open to her. Ellen caught her gaze and smiled warmly. Yes, matron. Message received. She dipped her head, and Ellen seemed to take that as a cue that everything was over.
“We shall process out, now. You two,” Ellen waved at Hound and Audrey, “walk together.”
Audrey fiddled with the tie on her robe as Hound got dressed, the women around them slowly forming into a column three women wide, with Gwyn assisting Ellen at the front. Audrey stationed them towards the middle of the procession and expanded her awareness outward as they began their march. She was bone-tired, but still had enough adrenaline in her system to keep her functional. She was trying to force her awareness at all times, but her step still faltered as she realized something.
A few of the guards watching the Grove had been tainted, albeit mildly so. In searching her surroundings, finding them had become second nature, but now they seemed harder for her to locate. Audrey glanced up at Hound, but he shook his head, a smile on his face.
“My connection with the taint is gone, now. I can’t tell you if they’re any weaker than before.”
Audrey opened her mouth, then closed it. She wasn’t used to the mark keeping them so closely synced, and yet, it seemed she was. She’d wanted his help, but had never verbalized what she wanted.
Hound took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of her knuckles. “We’ll get used to it.” His eyes scanned around them, Seeker training too ingrained to allow him to be relaxed even here.
We’ll get used to it? Does that mean… she didn’t finish the thought, trying to clamp down on her emotions. Privacy was going to be a hard thing to find, and heavens help them if they ever got mad at each other. She wasn’t sure she wanted to experience that, endless anger swapping back and forth across the link. She shuddered, and Hound chuckled beside her.
“I think the way this works, we manage to avoid pissing each other off entirely.”
Well. If he had to pick up on any of her recent thoughts, she was glad it was that one. “Wouldn’t that be handy?”
Hound grunted in reply, giving her hand a squeeze as they stepped out from beneath the sheltering boughs. The column was breaking apart, the encircling Seekers beginning to transport women back to the Tower. Ace was unsurprisingly helping Ellen and Gwyn. While there had been no vote, people deferred to her as the head of the Order. As First Seeker, technically, Ace was obliged to help them. That’s got to be awkward, though.
Hound pulled her close, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “You have got to get some kind of hierarchy established, and quickly. After tonight, the world will know the Order has returned, and they’ll want answers.”
Audrey stiffened, but quickly relaxed, nodding solemnly. “I know. I haven’t wanted to force a vote before now, but you’re right.” When the townsfolk of Prestin awoke in the morning to see the state of their orchards, there would be no hiding who had visited in the night. Audrey let herself get lost in thought, only coming back to herself when Hound took a step away from her and straightened his back.
Ace was approaching, face an unreadable mask. He ignored Hound entirely, instead looking at Audrey. “The twins are at the Tower?”
“I thought it best while…while things were happening.” Their crib hadn’t moved, after all, and it hadn’t taken long to pack an overnight bag for them.
Ace looked momentarily distracted, glancing over his shoulder at Ellen and Gwyn. “Probably a good idea. Was just wondering where they were going to be staying, tonight.”
Audrey narrowed her eyes. The twins may be their first children, but they were seasoned enough parents to know there was no good reason to wake the twins in the middle of the night just to change their domicile. “They’re likely asleep, already.” No. This wasn’t about the twins at all. He was trying to figure out what was going on with her. She bristled at the intrusion, not appreciating his patronizing behavior.
Hound stepped up beside her, close enough that his arm brushed hers. “I was going to see Audrey to the Tower and ensure she had everything she needed for the evening.” Hound let his eyes wander over to the two Leaves Ace was supposed to be escorting. “I could take them as well, since you seem to be neglecting them?”
Ace narrowed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists at his side. “I have duties to more than one group, Hound.”
Audrey rolled her eyes, taking Hound’s hand. “As do I. Which is why I am the one that ensured the twins had someone to watch them during the ceremony, and why I’m the one that’s going to get Ellen out of this night air. It’s not good for her health.” She tugged Hound along behind her as she made her way to Ellen, though he caught up within a step or two.
The mother-daughter team looked at them with surprise as they approached, and Audrey had to swallow back the vitriol threatening to break loose. She wasn’t mad at them, after all.
“It would be my honor to escort you back to the tower, this evening.” Hound held out his arm. Ellen stared at it for a moment, a smile tugging at one side of her mouth.
Audrey ignored Ace’s disgusted grunt behind them, feeling nothing but relief as he stormed off, leaving them to their self-appointed task.
“Thank you, Hound. It’s getting rather cold out.” She took his arm and Gwyn said nothing, moving to stand behind Hound. She placed one arm on Hound’s shoulder, and slid the other around Ellen’s waist t
o help stabilize her. Hound double checked their connections, then phased away, leaving the Grove at Prestin far behind them.
27
They’d spoken nearly until dawn, discussing issues Hound was aware of and exchanging information. The public apparently was already suspicious that something was happening, as the number of Seekers seen around the cities had been lessening for quite some time. In truth, the only settlement that was even aware of Audrey’s true heritage was Hallie’s Manse, and that was because Audrey had told them about it. None of the other settlements had any firm information, but Hound pointed out that it was only a matter of time before the people started poking about for answers. The Ravens weren’t the only spy guild, just the one with the best reputation. If the Order was going to come out of this with even a modicum of respect, they’d have to move quickly.
Right now, however, Audrey was getting the twins cleaned up from their breakfast of small bits of cereal, which they had gotten everywhere. After wiping Rowan’s other hand clean with a wet cloth, Audrey’s gaze shifted to the black-clad form asleep on one of the cots in the room and smiled softly. She hardly expected him to stay, but they’d both had one hell of a night. She’d taken enough time for herself, entertained enough fantasies for now. The Order had to be her top priority, even if she didn’t end up at its head.
She’d had maybe three hours of sleep, and after the solstice ceremony, that hardly even counted as a cat nap. It took a great amount of willpower to avoid sitting down, though she knew if she took a break, she’d likely fall asleep and be out the greater part of the morning. Instead, she tiptoed across the room and opened the door, peeking her head out into the hall. Empty, for now. She knew Falda was around here somewhere, she’d just have to look for the woman.
Audrey stepped into the hall, carefully pulling the door shut behind her. She couldn’t leave the twins for long, so hopefully Falda was somewhere nearby. She padded down the hall, peeking into open doors as she passed them, not spotting the woman anywhere.
