by Camille Rae
He shrugged, almost cringing, and said, “Of the Rebellion.”
“What are you rebelling against?” I asked skeptically.
“The Queen’s reign of terror and destruction,” he said flatly, his eyebrows raising, daring me to question his answer.
I saw Loel’s body tense, and then he was beside me, pulling me down into a crouch. I looked around, confused, and he pushed my head down lower.
Leaves crunched somewhere to our left, and I watched him grab a small dagger from his belt. My heart throbbed in my temples in terror.
“Can you climb trees?” He breathed beside my ear.
I gulped and nodded in response.
“When I say go, you climb. Whatever’s nearest,” he breathed.
It happened in a blur, as though all at once. A twig snapped, and Loel’s eyes widened as he said something to me, then I was halfway up a tree before I could think, rather than act. It felt good to use my muscles, to feel in control of my body again. My shoulders welcomed the use, even though my headache did not.
I heard a strange cry and looked below to see Loel dodge some type of club, then jerk his dagger forward into the man’s side. The man crumpled to the ground in a limp pile. I held my hand over my mouth to prevent screaming outright and climbed further. The tree had the branches of a strong oak, and I was easily twenty feet off the ground with still higher to climb.
He looked around, taking a few steps in either direction and pausing to listen, then looked up at me. “What did I tell you? Blue scout,” he called up. “He was alone.”
I climbed up another branch, my entire body beginning to shake. I had seen dead bodies, obviously, but I had never seen anyone murdered before. The way the scout’s body crumpled seemed unreal. The man with whom I had just been depending on had just killed someone with such ease.
“Come down,” he called.
“Hell-fucking-no,” I said, white knuckling a tree branch above my head.
Chapter 3
Loel
I stared up at the woman hiding in the tree. Her red hair fell around her face as she looked down at me, her gray eyes as wide as boulders.
I willed myself to have patience. I had, after all, just killed a scout in front of her, which seemed to have made her panic.
Was she panicking because of the scout or because of me? Did she really think I’d hurt her?
Theo had sent us out to the Hollow Wood on an important mission. He had us tracking a specific regiment of Blues, but that regiment had just kidnapped a woman and led me to Caia.
I had a feeling just by the look of Caia that Theo’s real mission was something else entirely.
My entire body hummed at her nearness, even with her being fifteen feet up in the tree.
I knew from the first moment I held her in my arms that she was my perfect mate. The one I had been looking for. I had never lost hope, even after watching so many I knew find their mate.
“Blue Scout found me. Going to need backup.” I told the guys through our bond. I knew they were in the area. We typically went out in missions in the group, but I had left them behind once I felt the pull of her.
I knew it the second she stepped foot in Laeris.
She wasn’t from here, but I had no idea where she truly was from.
Her past didn’t matter. Her future was too important.
I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her that she was Queen Elestra’s twin. The Lost Princess, returned.
That meant she was in danger from every angle.
Something growled inside of me at the thought, wanting nothing more than to protect her against it all.
“On our way, boss,” Lachlan joked, his voice in my head.
“Woman, get down here,” I said impatiently.
“No,” she shrieked, her voice rising in obvious terror.
I hated that she felt that way because of me.
“Why not?” I said as patiently as possible, though it sounded as though I was reasoning with a child.
“You expect me to trust you? You just killed someone,” she said, her voice breaking.
I winced, as though wounded. I said, “I’m not going to hurt you, Caia.”
“I’m sure that’s what you tell all of the women you’re about to murder,” she called down in a huff.
I paused, shielding my eyes as I looked up, and then I shook my head, saying, “Suit yourself.”
I walked away from the trunk of the tree to find the others.
Chapter 4
Caia
I climbed down a branch and tried to get a better look at the man in blue, to see if he was really breathing or not. Loel had a knack for knocking people unconscious, it seemed, but I had to know. I leaned down as far as I could, crouching to see if I could recognize any chest movement.
Nothing.
A new man appeared at the base of the tree I was perched in, glowering up at me. He had dark skin and was one of the largest men I’d ever seen, well over six-and-a-half feet tall — closer to seven, if I had to guess. I realized quickly he wasn’t in blue, but instead in the beige and brown that Loel had also been wearing.
Two more men showed up beside him, also staring up at me. One even waved with a bright smile on his face. Loel came into view, talking to the men and motioning down to the scout on the ground. They knelt and rummaged through the dead man’s pockets, then stripped his coat.
“We can drag you down or we can wait you out, it’s your choice,” Loel called up to me.
Charming.
The sun was up, though hidden behind clouds, and all I could see was more trees around me.
“We’re very patient,” said a man wearing glasses.
“We’re not going to hurt you,” said the waving guy.
“That’s what all murderers say immediately before they kill someone,” I called down.
I would stay up here as long as it took. I would live in that tree forever. I was never coming down. Ever.
I waited as the moments ticked by, weighing my options. Live in the tree or go down to the captors. I didn’t even have my day pack with me, so waiting wasn’t really much of an option, especially now that there were four of them.
Then again, climbing down the tree felt like I was giving up, and I wasn’t.
I’d fight the entire time to make sure I could find Jude and get the hell out of this place.
I tensed, remembering Jude’s scream as she was captured in the net.
No. I wouldn’t be held captive.
I climbed higher in the tree.
“Don’t,” Loel called up, exasperated.
I looked down in horror as Loel began climbing the tree beneath me.
I climbed faster, my muscles familiar with the movement as I propelled myself higher.
“I will kick you in the face,” I warned him as he came within close range to my foot.
He reached, grabbing my ankle.
“We don’t have time for this,” he said, holding me as I squirmed.
“I’m not coming with you,” I said, my voice getting higher in pitch as my fright gave way to the urge to scream and throw my fists at him.
He overtook me as I clung to the trunk of the tree, my legs wrapped around a thick branch.
“Get away from me,” I said, pushing at him.
“Who are you?” He asked.
“Who are you?” I countered.
“Listen, I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. “We’re the good guys.”
“That’s not entirely convincing, seeing as how you just chased me up a tree after I watched you murder someone,” I said.
He put a hand on my shoulder and I felt strangely calm. It was as though all of the terror and frustration had been sucked right out of me.
I looked down at his hand, then up at him.
“Who is Theo?” I asked.
“He’s our Alpha,” he said.
“Your what?” I asked again.
“Alpha. The leader of the Rebellion. Of our pack,” he said.
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br /> “Your pack,” I repeated.
“Well, yeah,” he said simply, shrugging a shoulder.
I stared at him, not understanding.
“Can we explain it as we move? It’s not safe out here,” he said, his interest piqued by something behind me.
I turned, looking over my shoulder.
“Gotcha,” he said, his arm wrapping around my waist.
I pushed at him, my weight teetering on the branch I was sitting on as he held me against his body.
“Please,” he said, looking me straight in the eye. He lowered his voice. “You need to come with us.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because you look exactly like the Queen,” he whispered, looking serious. “And I don’t know what that means but I have a hunch, and it’s going to get you into a lot of trouble.”
I studied his features, waiting for him to break into a smile. The Queen.
The Queen.
I burst out laughing, hysteria and exhaustion and terror wound tightly inside of me.
“I’m not joking. You saw that man in the blue uniform. That’s her army. They’re coming for you. They have your friend, and now they’re after you,” he said. “Which means they’re after us.”
“So, let me get this straight, you want to take me to the leader of your pack to hold me as a political hostage because I look like the Queen?” I asked.
“There’s more to it than that,” he said, growing more frustrated and exasperated by the minute.
“I can’t tell you, but you have to trust me,” he said. “I promised you I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”
His body was warm against mine; his face was so close to my own. I turned my head, looking in every direction. There was just forest anywhere I looked.
“This is fucking crazy,” I said.
He snorted and then flipped me over his shoulder, holding me as he climbed back down the tree one-handed.
As soon as King Kong’s feet hit the ground, he let me go. I jumped back, smacking into the chest of the tall, dark man.
The new men stared at me with a look of wonder of their faces. Then they all exchanged looks, having an entire conversation in silent shrugs and eyebrow raises.
Cool, I guess they spoke caveman.
“Pardon us, Miss, but may we just talk to Loel alone for a moment?” Glasses man said politely.
So they were bilingual in caveman and super formal, polite English. I nodded, stunned.
The four men walked through the woods about fifty feet from where I stood, forming a huddle.
I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I crossed my arms, looking around for the wolf. She was lazily sunning herself in a bright patch between the trees, one eye open and watching me. The men looked at me over their shoulders, brows furrowed. Whatever their discussion was about, it didn’t seem to be going very well for Loel. He looked to be getting the lecture of a lifetime.
I sat down on a log, growing impatient. I could be escaping, or finding Jude, not standing around waiting for some group of guys to figure out what to do with me.
All four looked like warriors — broad and muscular, carrying themselves with a kind of tightly-wound but casually held power. They made me think of grenades with the pins still in… safe for now, but overall, horribly dangerous.
The men came back after a moment and circled around me. Loel stood back as they introduced themselves — Silas, Formal Glasses Man, who was less broad than the others but whose eyes bore into me with intense curiosity behind his glasses, and Lachlan, goofy waving guy who looked as though this was the best day of his life as he grinned from ear to ear. The tall, dark man didn’t bother telling me his name, but Loel introduced him as Cash.
I noted that all of the men wore swords strapped to their hips except for Lachlan, who had a bow across his back and a small dagger at his waist.
Loel must have found his LARPing friends.
“Theo will be so happy to meet you,” Silas said, giving me a small bow as he shook my hand.
Lachlan elbowed him in the ribs, and the four exchanged another unreadable look that I was growing tired of quickly.
“So you’re all just roaming the countryside, picking up damsels in distress?” I asked, my hands on my hips.
Lachlan shrugged and ran a hand through his short brown hair. “Something tells me you’re really not from around here,” he said.
I looked to Loel and he sighed, shaking his head. “She doesn’t even know what Edenth is,” he said.
“I'm right here, stop talking about me,” I said, frustrated. “There is no Edenth where I’m from.”
Silas looked at Loel and tilted his head. “It really could be possible,” he said,
“You think she really doesn’t know?” Silas turned to Loel, who shrugged again.
Silas studied me, and under his appraising eye, I felt suddenly self-conscious. I had been camping for a few days and hadn’t showered recently, and I was only wearing my workout leggings, a tank top, and a light puffy jacket. Alternatively, all of the men wore brown slacks and beige t-shirts. And although I had never met a Navy Seal up close, this is certainly what I’d imagine them to look like. All muscle and power and masculinity, which wasn't usually my thing, but I was willing to make exceptions.
“We just need to get to Nos to see what Theo wants to do,” Loel said, more to the guys than me.
They all nodded in agreement and began to form a single-lined group on the trail. Cash led, followed by Silas, then Loel and Mika, the not-wolf, on either side of me, and Lachlan behind. I felt a bit like a prisoner, though I hadn’t been netted or even tied.
The group began to move away, walking further into the wood. Loel grabbed my arm, which I yanked away from him.
“I’m perfectly able to walk,” I said.
He sighed quietly, but fell into step behind me.
We walked for hours, and I felt heavier with each step in the wrong direction.
I was also starving, and my stomach wouldn’t stop growling. I was lightheaded from not eating a real meal, and I grabbed a protein bar out of my pack. Lachlan eyed me with interest and I gave in, handing him a corner of the bar. He chewed it with a smile on his face, his eyebrows raised in delight.
Silas and Loel were discussing the best route to take, arguing about two different paths, one that was closer to a cliff side, and one that went deeper into the woods.
“We should take the cliff side,” I suggested. If I remembered correctly, the cave would have been in a cliff side. If I could only get back to the other side, I could form a plan for finding Jude that didn’t involve trudging through the forest with four men I didn’t know.
“We should stop to eat anyway,” Cash grumbled, walking off of the path toward a small clearing.
Best idea I’d heard all day.
The other men seemed to agree with Cash, thank goodness, and they all began setting up a small camp.
I was grateful for the break. I had only worn casual tennis shoes, not my hiking boots, since Jude and I weren’t trekking far to our favorite climbs, and wearing comfortable shoes after changing out of climbing shoes always felt like a treat.
That felt like a lifetime ago. Was it really only yesterday?
“So, tell me again what happened,” Silas turned to Loel after we all settled down, circling the fire as Lachlan and Silas prepared a meal of meat and carrots. Mika was off somewhere hunting, I imagined.
Loel stayed silent for a moment, holding Silas’ stare. Silas’ face went through a range of emotions: from concentration to confusion to intrigue.
“Why were you in the Hollow Wood over by the cave, anyway?” I asked, and the men all turned to look at me.
Loel nodded at them and shrugged.
“We were on a mission, scouting near the Ridge, and I heard shouts. The Blues were capturing a woman,” he said. He paused after that, returning to the intense eye contact with Silas, and Silas nodded.
“That woman was my best friend,” I muttered,
not pleased to hear her capture being referred to so casually.
Beyond that, something was going on that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was almost like Silas and Loel were having an entire conversation without words.
“Are you two telepathic or what?” I asked, mostly joking.
Lachlan laughed.
Both Loel and Silas turned slowly to me.
Silas tapped Loel’s knee, and Loel rolled his eyes. “Yes, I trust her,” Loel grumbled.
“Trust what?” I said, as Loel reached to touch my arm.
It was as though I was recalling a memory, but from a different point of view. I was in the forest, watching Jude get captured, but from the wrong angle. Then I saw myself sprint past, and I was running after myself.
I inhaled sharply, pulling away.
“What was that?” I asked, hugging myself. I must have looked at him like he was crazy, but only because I definitely thought he was crazy. Or that I was crazy. Definite insanity all around.
He didn't answer, but I knew. He was… showing me his memory somehow.
My heart pounded in my chest and I felt my anxiety rise, my hands tingling. There had to be a rational explanation. There had to be some way to explain how I had just seen Loel’s memories. I realized I was beginning to hyperventilate.
Lachlan touched my shoulder and I calmed almost instantly. I stared up at him, wanting to be upset but only feeling comfort. He smiled warmly down at me.
Cash sat quietly across the circle, never making eye contact with me. Silas and Loel, apparently forgetting all about me, carried on their silent conversation, and every once in awhile all of the men would nod in agreement.
“Why don’t you rest?” Lachlan said, touching my arm very gently, and I felt exhausted suddenly. I looked down at his hand, and then his bright, kind face.
The men went silent and looked at me with confused expressions.
I was feeling as though I had taken about seven Xanax and was fighting against the peacefulness. I was in a strange land with strange men and now… magic? I should feel more hysterical, shouldn’t I?
I was surely dreaming. I pinched my arm as hard as I could, trying to wake myself up. “This isn’t real,” I said. “This can’t be real. I’m either dreaming or losing my mind.”