by Imogen Elvis
“No, thank you.” Rowen turned to Briar with a look of concern. “Do you think-?”
Did she think it was about her and Kade? It could be a coincidence. After all, not everything had to be about them. People here didn’t know or care who they were or where they came from. But then, it could also be that Master Sachio warned the nearby towns through the singers, in which case, this could mean danger. And realistically, they couldn’t afford to risk it.
“It could be,” Briar said reluctantly.
A deep frown creased Rowen’s face. He opened the pouch of money on his belt. “How much for the blankets?”
The man eyed the stack, head on one side. “A duke and two nobles.”
Briar’s eyes widened. That was a small fortune. Rowen should be able to haggle the price down easily. But instead, he just dumped the money into in the man’s hand and tucked the blankets under his arm. “Come on.”
Together, they hurried away from the stall. Briar’s stomach twisted. She had hoped, unrealistically of course, that it would be longer before anyone came after them. Briar supposed they were lucky to have made it this far. With the wind singers weaving their songs already, it was only a matter of time before everyone knew to look out for them.
At the entrance to the market, Briar and Rowen stopped to wait for the other two. “Kade and Lara will be here soon, I’m sure.” Rowen’s voice was tight. “There’s no point searching for them in there.”
With the number of people milling through market, they could walk right past Lara and Kade without ever seeing them. Briar hopped up on her toes, peering through the crowds of passing travellers. “I hope they’re alright.”
“They will be.” Rowen sounded like more like he was trying to convince himself than anything. “Kade’s smart, and Lara’s cautious.”
But still, even with all that, there was every chance someone could have found them. There was only so much two people could do if Master Sachio sent a whole squad of soldiers after them.
“There they are.” There was a note of relief in Rowen’s voice. He waved.
Lara and Kade slipped out of the crowd and came to join them on the street corner. A bright smile lit up Lara’s face, and Kade looked like he’d been laughing. Their packs bulged with fresh supplies. At least they had been successful.
“We have so much food I don’t think we’ll ever run out,” Lara said merrily. “Almost enough to satisfy even you, Rowen.” Her face sobered as she looked from Rowen to Briar. “What’s wrong?”
“The town singer is sending messages.” Rowen lowered his voice. “It could be Sachio. We need to go before someone recognises Kade and Briar.”
“We’ll have to leave town by another route,” Lara said. “If Sachio alerts the soldiers, the main entrance will be guarded.”
“And we’ll have to stay off the north road,” Kade added. “There are always patrols.”
“How are we supposed to get through the mountains if we can’t take the road?” Rowen protested. “We don’t know these trails nearly well enough to go cross-country. It’s not safe.”
“I don’t think safe is really an option anymore,” Kade said, his voice sober.
They swapped items in silence, stowing the food in their packs and strapping on the new blankets. Then, with Kade in the lead, they headed away from the market. Glancing back, Briar caught a flash of blue and bronze among the drably dressed travellers. A uniform? She tapped Kade on the arm and pointed. Kade looked back, then waved them down the nearest side street.
“Soldiers?” Lara asked.
Kade nodded. “We keep to the backstreets. They might not know yet, but we can’t take the risk.”
Briar licked her lips. Was this what it was like for Kade every time he came to town, his heart beating faster at the glimpse of anything that might be a uniform? His face never let on what he was thinking, but surely he couldn’t be as unafraid as he appeared? She followed close behind as Kade led them a winding path through the side streets, avoiding the main road.
At the end of a lane, Kade stopped, holding up a hand. Briar peered past his shoulder into a wide street ahead. They’d have to cross it to continue. Her eyes searched for the vivid blue of the soldiers’ uniforms, but the passers-by were mostly rumbling ox carts and townspeople. It seemed safe enough.
Kade started into the street, then suddenly backed up. “Shh.”
They scrambled away from the road. What was it now? Briar’s heart beat a little faster. Moments later, three familiar, black-clad figures strode past their hiding place. Nameless Ones? Already? But that was impossible. How could they have caught up so fast? Then again, the wind could have told them, or the animals. Even the earth could have whispered of their direction. With magic like that, it was impossible to hide for long. But if the Nameless Ones had caught up so quickly, how would they ever make it to the Tree?
The crowd parted around the Nameless Ones like water round a rock. They exuded an aura no one wanted to get too close to. It was only once the Nameless Ones were well out of sight that Kade finally led them out across the road and into the next alley.
Street by street, they made their way out of the town until at last they broke free of the buildings and set out across the open countryside. The road stretched away on either side of the town, but their route led them straight towards the rolling foothills, across the trackless grass. There was no highway here, just the path they forged themselves, taking them straight towards the dark line of mountains and the possibility of safety beyond the known roads.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
The group pushed a quick pace away from the town, although no one appeared to be chasing them just yet. Their path rose through the foothills straight towards the line of mountains. Briar struggled along in the wake of her companions. Her feet were heavy from lack of sleep and too many miles on the road. She breathed a sigh of relief when, late in the afternoon, with the town far behind them, Kade finally stopped.
“I think we can take a break,” he said.
Thank goodness. Briar dumped her pack on the ground and stretched her sore shoulders, wincing as her stiff muscles protested. She yawned. The others looked as exhausted as she felt. Lara lay back on the ground, dark circles surrounding her closed eyes. Rowen’s head drooped as he sat cross-legged, soaking up the sunshine. Only Kade didn’t seem to know the meaning of ‘tired’. He flattened his map on the ground and studied it, tracing route after route.
The sun-soaked ground was pleasantly warm. Briar sprawled on her stomach at the edge of the rise they had just crested and blinked lazily at the scenery below. From up here, everything seemed so small. The town, sitting at the foot of the hills, had shrunk down like a toy. In the distance, the road they had abandoned was little more than a thread of brown dust against the grass. And, outside the town, a group of travellers heading cross-country appeared as tiny specks.
Wait, other travellers? Briar narrowed her eyes. Who else would come out here, avoiding the road? The group was too far away for her to see who they were, but a warning bell rang in her mind. They could be innocent enough. Or they could be soldiers or even the Nameless Ones themselves. Briar wriggled down from the rise, staying close to the ground, and rolled over to face the others.
“There are other travellers coming this way. It could be nothing but…” Briar shrugged. She didn’t have to say it. The way everyone tensed showed they understood well enough. It wasn’t worth the risk.
“Did they see you?” Rowen asked.
“I don’t think so.”
Kade crawled past her and stole a look over the rise. When he slid down to join them again, his face was grim. “Grab your packs.”
“How many are there?” Lara asked.
“Three.”
Three Nameless Ones in the town. Three people following them now. It was too much of a coincidence. A knot formed in Briar’s stomach. The Nameless Ones figured out their path so quickly that it wouldn’t take them long to catch up. They were inhumanly fast.
“What’s the plan?” Rowen’s voice was strained.
“We keep heading for the mountains,” Kade said. “The north road we were on isn’t the only path through. I bought a map in town, which gives us a few other options. Hopefully, this should throw the Nameless Ones off our scent. At least for a while.”
If anything could, that was. The Nameless Ones pursued them with a relentlessness that turned Briar cold inside. Could anything stop them? She was beginning to doubt it.
Lara tossed her hair back off her face. “You think these paths will work?”
“I only know what the map says. We’ll just have to take our chances.”
“Wonderful.”
“We could stick to the known roads and be caught by the Nameless Ones if you prefer?” Kade’s voice was sharper than usual.
Lara made as if to say something, then caught Rowen’s eye. He shook his head slightly, and she stopped herself. Kade was right. It wasn’t as if they had any other options. Briar wiped at the sweat trickling down her face. If they could just gain a little ground... But the gap was getting smaller, not bigger. Every time she looked back, the three Nameless Ones were just that little bit closer than before. Kade had better be right. Unless some miracle happened, it seemed impossible that they would reach the Tree before the Nameless Ones caught them.
The sun sank slowly below the horizon, and a biting chill crept into the air. The foothills melted into the base of the mountain towering over them, and shadows covered the ground. Now whenever Briar looked back, it was too dark to see where the Nameless Ones were. A sick feeling grew in the pit of her stomach. It was so much worse not knowing where they were, like at any moment they might materialise out of the dark.
Evening deepened towards night. Underfoot, the ground turned from grass to a scree of loose rocks. Briar slipped and slid with each step. The shifting surface made any kind of speed impossible. Her ankle twisted beneath her, and she pitched forward with a small cry. Rowen grabbed her arm, steadying her.
“You alright?”
Briar forced a smile, though her ankle throbbed. “I’m fine.” She swiped a loose strand of hair off her face. “Will we stop soon do you think? It’s so dark…” Surely even the Nameless Ones would have to stop eventually. Well, maybe.
“We’ll stop if I have to tie Kade’s feet together.” Rowen jogged on ahead, catching up with the other two. Briar tried to follow, but her feet were heavy, and her eyes gritty, and it was far easier to just stumble on at the same speed, and hope to goodness she didn’t lose them in the dark. She blinked tiredly as Kade turned suddenly, leading them across the slope rather than straight up it.
“Where are we going?” Briar asked when no one offered an explanation.
“Looking for somewhere to set up camp for the night,” Kade said. “The further from this path the better.”
Oh. That made sense. The further from the trail they got, the further away from the Nameless Ones they’d be. Hopefully.
“Look, there’s a cave,” Lara called. “Maybe we could camp there?”
“Good idea. Stay here. I’ll check it out first.” Kade jogged on up the slope, leaving the others to follow at their own pace.
Briar glanced over her shoulder. Still no sign of anyone following. But, she couldn’t shake the crawling feeling of the Nameless Ones slowly but inevitably catching up. She jumped as Kade squeezed out of the cave again.
“It’s safe. Be careful though. The opening’s very small.”
Lara slipped inside first. Then Briar followed. The entrance was just a slit between two rocks really, much like the small opening to the tunnel under the wall in Osman. Inside, it opened out a little, but not by much. Briar scrunched up against the back wall of the cave as the two men followed them inside. By the time Rowen crawled in, the little cave was filled to overflowing.
“I think we need a bigger cave.” Lara tugged her pack into her lap. “It’s very… cozy.”
“At least we’ll be warm.” Kade said. “We should take it in turns to keep watch tonight, just in case.”
“You think there might be trouble?” Lara asked.
“I think it pays to be careful,” Kade said. “I’ll take first watch. Rowen, I’ll wake you next. Then Lara, and Briar last.”
“Sounds good.” Rowen and Kade exchanged places, knocking Lara and Briar with their elbows and knees. Kade settled in the doorway, his back against the stone wall. Even with the cave crammed so full, he looked lonely sitting there, staring out into the night.
Briar wrapped herself in both her blankets and curled into a tiny ball, her head pillowed on her pack. The chill from the rock seeped through her clothing, despite the double layers of blankets. Beside her, Lara settled down, lying back-to-back in the tight space. The warmth of her body was comforting. Briar pulled the covers tighter. Maybe the darkness would slow the Nameless Ones and give them a little respite. She could only hope.
Briar woke with a jump as someone shook her shoulder. “Wha-?” She pushed herself up on one elbow, blinking the sleep from her eyes.
“It’s your watch.” Lara cuddled down in the space next to Briar and wrapped her blankets around her without another word.
Yawning, Briar gathered her bedding and shuffled to the entrance, creeping gingerly over Rowen and Kade’s still bodies. The air filtering in from outside was chilly, nipping at Briar’s skin as she settled just inside the opening. She shivered and pulled her blankets tighter around her. Outside, the stars shone dully. There was a strange stillness to everything, like the whole world was asleep, except her.
Someone moved inside the cave, and Briar jumped, half turning.
“It’s just me,” Kade joined her.
“Can’t sleep?” Briar shuffled over, making space for him to sit.
“Not really. Too much to think about.”
“Like what?”
Briar wasn’t really expecting Kade to answer, but he did anyway. “Like, what happens if we get all the way to the Tree and it won’t help us? What if we don’t even make it there?” Kade sounded uncertain, vulnerable in a way Briar had never heard him speak before. “What if we can’t stop Sachio?”
It would be so easy just to lie, to say that of course, it was going to be alright. The words were right there on the tip of her tongue. But they were hollow, empty promises. There were no guarantees, no promise that this would end well.
“We keep trying,” Briar said slowly. “Maybe the Tree doesn’t help us. We come up with a new plan. Maybe we don’t make it. We deal with that when it comes. Maybe Master Sachio does succeed.” She swallowed hard, a lump forming in her throat at that thought. “If that happens, we deal with that too. We just have to keep pushing on. It’s not over until we say it is.” Briar laid her hand on Kade’s arm. “You’ll find a way. I trust you.”
“Goodness knows why.” Kade laid his hand over hers. “You’re freezing. Here, share my blanket.” He draped half his blanket around her shoulders. “Better?”
“Much. Thank you.” Briar shuffled closer and let out a little sigh. “You know, I still find it hard to believe that you’re the prince.”
“Well, if it helps, I don’t feel much like one.”
“Do you miss home?”
“Yes. And no.” His voice was achingly sad. “It’s hard to forgive everything that happened, everything people said and did. But it’s still home, and they’re still my family. It’s impossible just to forget.”
The bitter ache in Briar’s own heart echoed his sadness. No matter what happened, you were always tied to your home, no matter how far you went, or how ha
rd you tried to forget. “What happened?” she asked gently.
Kade heaved a deep sigh. “My father loved Sachio above everyone else. He made him one of his closest advisors, asked his opinion in everything, and took his word over anyone’s. In a way, I think he was trying to make up for the fact that he was king and Sachio was not. But it was never enough.”
“Nothing would be enough for him,” Briar murmured.
“Sachio was angry at being pushed aside and came up with a new way to gain the throne. Most of that you know already.” Kade cleared his throat. “His plan started with getting rid of me. Father and I, we always had a rocky relationship. Father was often frustrated with me. I don’t think I was ever quite the son he hoped for.” His voice trailed off.
Briar laced her fingers through Kade’s. “It’s alright,” she said softly. What else was there to say? None of this was alright. But it was alright for him to talk about it at least.
Kade let out a deep breath. “No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t measure up.” His voice was flat now, and just a little bitter. He paused, and for a moment Briar thought he might not say any more. But then he went on, as if he couldn’t quite stop now he’d begun. “Father became suspicious, always questioning what I was doing, where I was. Somehow, Mother always managed to calm him though.” His voice softened.
Briar squeezed his hand. “She sounds nice.”
“She is,” Kade said simply. “But she couldn’t stop Sachio. He accused me of plotting with the Beldrans to usurp the throne. I would never do that. Mother knew it. But it was Father and Sachio against me. I never had a chance. I got away before the guards could arrest me. And I’ve been running ever since, trying to find a way to stop Sachio, to clear my name. To go home.” He sounded so wistful.
“And Rowan and Lara came with you?”
“Not at first. To be honest, I still don’t know how they tracked me down.” Kade’s voice warmed. “But I’m grateful. They’re all I have of home now.”
“I know,” Briar said softly. Rowen and Lara were Kade’s link to his past. Ava was hers.