by Linda Kage
Once dressed, I padded barefoot to the door and opened it quietly, peeking into the front room.
If I was lucky, no one else would be awake yet. I could sneak back to my bedroll without Bison or Indigo realizing I’d been with Nicolette at all last night.
From the table, however, both Indigo and Bison turned from where they’d been sitting and talking, and they each gave me a severe once-over.
Dammit. Busted.
The High Clifter scowled irritably, his eyes bleary with signs of sleeplessness. But the earthling grinned broadly.
“Sleep well?” Bison asked, cocking up a teasing eyebrow.
Cursing under my breath, I stepped into the room and shut the door behind me. Then I cleared my throat discreetly and sent them a stiff smile. “Quite soundly, thank you.”
“Well, thank God someone in this fucking cottage did,” Indy complained. “After the way Nicolette screamed down the house, I’m surprised anyone could rest.”
I paused, sending him an astonished glance for so indelicately mentioning her cries of pleasure.
“Just ignore him.” Chuckling, Bison slugged his friend on the arm with the back of his hand as he told me, “He’s just sour because you got nookie last night, and he didn’t.”
“Well, it’s not bloody fair,” Indigo groused. “I’ve been nothing but a good, honest soldier, and I haven’t had a woman in nigh on a year now. But you…” He motioned vaguely toward me. “You betray your lady repeatedly for days, and she lets you right back into her bed within a week? I told her…” He shook a finger warningly at me. “I said she should wait at least a moon cycle before forgiving you. But did she listen to her best friend? No. Of course not. Why would she do that?”
“Because that was terrible advice,” I countered, pulling out a chair and sitting with the men so I could reach for a bowl of fruit that had been cut for breakfast. “Thank God she didn’t listen to you. I would’ve expired if I had to wait that long.”
When Bison threw his head back and belly laughed, Indigo glowered his way. “And just why are you so chipper? You had to go without and listen to others have all the fun most of the night, too.”
“Sure,” Bison agreed. “But I’ve been satisfied more recently than you have. A couple village girls up the shoreline visit me weekly.” He slapped Indy’s arm again. “Sounds like you need to get yourself laid, Indiana. You’re wound up tighter than a virgin’s anus.”
Indigo sent him a dry, unimpressed sniff. “Thank you for that very obvious reflection, you arse. But it doesn’t change the fact that I got no damn sleep last night.”
When he sent me an accusing glower, I could only shrug. “I had little time for actual sleep either,” I said. “But I’m not complaining.”
When Bison burst out cackling again, the sudden caw of a bird echoed from just outside the window.
Surprised by the interruption, all three of us turned that way to find a messenger raven landing on the open windowsill, pecking at the fluttering curtain before it cawed again and stepped into view.
“More news?” Bison said, sounding curious as he pushed to his feet. “Jesus, you three sure caused a stir when you stormed Blayton yesterday, didn’t you?”
He strode to the bird, frowning and muttering under his breath as he worked to unfasten the small spool of parchment attached to its leg.
Just as he finished, he blistered the air with a ripe curse. “Oh, hell, man. No! Don’t take a dump on my window ledge, you rude little fucker. Scat! Shoo! Get outta here.”
He swiped an aggravated hand at the raven, and it cawed in outrage, flapping its wings before flying off. “Fucking great, man. I really miss phones, and televisions, and blessed broadband internet for my source of information. There was a hell of a lot less bird shit that way.”
“Sounds like something you should invent here,” Indigo answered.
“I wish,” Bison muttered as he unrolled his message. “Too bad I was a basketball player and not a rocket scientist. I don’t know the first thing about even creating electricity.”
I understood about none of anything he said, but the word rocket made me pause. Here, comparing someone to rocks did not make them smart in the least. But he made a rock scientist sound like the smartest sort of profession. This Earth place must be vastly different than our land.
“Uh, guys,” Bison burst out uneasily, lifting his face from the message. “You might want to read this.”
“What do they mean by burning Dimway Forest?” Nicolette asked, squinting as she read the raven’s message yet again.
After Indigo and I saw the note, I had hurried to rouse her from bed, and it was obvious she was still trying to wake up enough to think clearly.
“It means they set it on fucking fire,” I exploded, thinking of all the people who lived and traveled in those woods.
“But…” Nicolette blinked up at me. “Why would they do that? And what about the traveling mages who live there? And Max, and Jax, and Pax?”
I had no clue who Max, Jax, or Pax were but I threw up my hands in disgust. “Because they’re livid after my king sent them a message saying they had you held prisoner, and they want their only princess back. That’s why!”
She merely stared at me as if I were speaking a different language, then went back to rereading the note that was not difficult to decipher at all, as all it said was:
* * *
Donnelly's army invading. Burning Dimway Forest. They march toward Blayton to reclaim their princess. Seek safety at your own risk.
* * *
“We need to intercept them,” Indigo announced. “We need to go now and stop them, let everyone know you’re okay and safe, under my watch.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” she said vaguely before admitting, “I just can’t believe they would go to all this trouble because of me.”
“I can,” I told her.
She met my gaze and smiled softly, only for reality to finally intrude. “Oh, good Lord. We need to leave now. Before any innocent people are harmed. Or, any more innocents are hurt. I hope no one’s been injured. Lord, this is bad.” She popped up from the chair, already racing back toward the bedroom. “Do we have everything packed?”
“Almost,” Indigo called after. “I’ll go saddle the horses while Farrow gathers the rest of the supplies.”
Nicolette nodded. “Good idea. I’ll change into my riding clothes. Be out in a minute.”
I lifted my eyebrows, surprised they were both so worried about the safety of the Far Shore people and even more amused that they’d assigned me with a task to help out and pitch in without actually asking me to do anything, just expecting I would comply.
I did comply, of course. It was nice to be included. Besides, I didn’t want Donnelly to destroy my kingdom any more than anyone else did. So we were ready to depart within the hour.
Bison came outside to wave us off.
“Thank you so much for your assistance. I’ll never forget this,” Nicolette promised, reaching up to hug him and place a grateful kiss on his cheek. “My people owe you a debt of gratitude you can collect on at any time.”
He gave her a bashful grin and touched the spot on his face that she’d kissed. “I will, princess. Thank you.”
Indigo and I shook hands with him next, and he wished us all good luck.
Once in the saddle, Nicolette, Indy, and I galloped straight for the castle. We had skirted the edge of the Back Forest on the way to Bison’s cottage so we could keep hidden and evade palace guards who might be pursuing us, but that wasn’t a concern for this trip. So we took the shorter, direct route.
Pushing the horses hard, we approached Blayton just as evening approached. Before we could enter the city, though, a handful of cloaked figures darted out from a copse of trees, shouting what sounded like my name.
I pulled up on my reins, halting my horse and watched curiously as what looked like a group of young girls raced toward me.
To my right, both Nicolette and Indigo brandished w
eapons, ready to fight.
“Who the hell is that?” Indigo demanded.
“I have no—” I started until the hood of the tallest figure blew off her head in the wind, and I was able to see her face. “Bricklynn?” I said in shock.
Nicolette shot me a reproachful glance. “Who’s Bricklynn?” She sounded pleasantly jealous.
“She’s my—” I waved a hand, twirling my fingers. “She’s one of the king’s legitimate children. The oldest daughter.”
Her jaw dropped. “You mean, she’s your sister?”
I blinked. Sable had been the only one I’d ever thought of as a sister. The others had never had much use for me. I’d even taken a couple of beatings for Bricklynn when she’d angered the king. And I never received a thanks for any of them.
Squinting, I realized Bricklynn had two of the king’s other daughters, Dewla and Payne, with her, as well as—
Oh hell no.
Roloff, the soothsayer, trailed behind them as if trying to catch up. Cheering, he pointed at me and called, “See. Didn’t I say we’d find help if we went this way?”
Dismounting, I set my hands on my hips and frowned at my half sisters while they approached at full speed as if the hounds of hell were after them. “What the devil are you three doing out here without—umph.”
They plowed into me as one, wrapping trembling arms around my waist and sobbing as they clung.
“Farrow! Oh, thank God it’s you.”
I gaped at the clinging girls, then met Nicolette’s gaze over their shoulders to find that she seemed as boggled by the whole production as I felt. She and her bodyguard jumped off their horses, approaching cautiously.
I turned to the soothsayer for answers. “What the hell, man?”
I had wanted to hurt him desperately at the castle for betraying me to the king, but he appeared rather pathetic just now, panting to catch his wind as he rested his hands on his bent knees and wheezed.
Since he seemed unable to answer, Bricklynn pulled back enough to look up at me and blurt, “She’s gone stark raving mad. That’s what the hell!”
“It’s true. She—she tried to kill me,” Payne announced, looking up with large eyes that filled with tears, while her bottom lip trembled.
“Oh, you poor little lamb,” Nicolette said, tugging her from me. “Come here, sweetling.”
“She tried to kill all of us,” Dewla added as Nicolette cuddled six-year-old Payne into a comforting hug.
Completely lost, I demanded, “Who tried to kill you?”
“Kalendria!” Bricklynn screeched as if that should be obvious. “Pay attention. She sent assassins after us, worried we were a threat to her bloody fucking crown. The woman’s lost her damn mind, paranoid we all want to overthrow her and take her stupid throne, because we have royal blood.” Then she snorted bitterly. “Like I’d even want to look after this piss pot pathetic excuse for a kingdom.”
“She already killed Crickett.” Dewla hugged herself as she continued to tremble with fear.
I cocked my head. “Who the bloody hell is Crickett?”
“Her daughter!” Bricklynn roared, once again giving me a glare as if I was supposed to know that. “Your sister. Did you not even bother to learn her fucking name?”
With a flare of understanding, my mouth fell open. “You mean the babe that was just born?”
I didn’t want to care if some infant I’d never even laid eyes on had perished. The girl should’ve meant nothing to me. But an ache spread through my chest, anyway. She could’ve grown up to be like Sable, or some different, interesting, worthwhile person. Either way, she should’ve gotten the chance to live and be who she was going to become.
So, when Bricklynn raged, “Yes, I mean the babe that was just born,” I hissed out a regretful sigh. “The queen’s so cracked in the head she had her own infant child murdered this morning just to secure her reign. And now she’s after the rest of Torrance’s progeny, you included.”
Payne peered up at me and began to suck on her thumb, even as she rested her cheek against Nicolette’s stomach. “You’ll help us stay alive, though, won’t you, Farrow?”
“You risked everything to help Sable,” Dewla reminded me, arguing her case as if I’d already denied them. “Well, we’re just as much your kin as she was.”
“I—” I started, not sure what to say.
But dammit, they were going to make me care about them, too, weren’t they?
Obviously reading my emotions, Nicolette spoke for me. “Of course,” she immediately gushed. “We’ll help you in any way you need. You’re Farrow’s family.”
I sliced her an incredulous glance, because family seemed like a bit of a stretch for Bricklynn, Dewla, and Payne. Or at least, too soon to say. But I didn’t correct her, because she was already adding, “My brother’s currently invading your kingdom, so I just need to stop him real quick. And then you three can come home to Donnelly with us. How does that sound?”
They blinked at her in horror, before Bricklynn burst out, “Bitch, you’re crazier than psycho Kalendria. We can’t go to fucking Donnelly. We’re Far Shore royalty. They’ll murder all three of us the moment we step foot on sand.”
Nicolette fisted a hand against her hip and sent the other princess an arch stare. “Oh no, they won’t if I tell them they won’t.”
Bricklynn eyed her a moment longer, then turned to me, nodding astutely. “It appears you’ve made a wise choice in mates, brother.”
I smiled, agreeing even as I admitted, “I had very little choice in the matter, but yes…” With a pleased purr, I met Nicolette’s gaze. “She’s a fine mate, indeed.”
“Speaking of mates…” Fourteen-year-old Dewla moved closer to Indigo and batted her lashes before sighing demurely. “Are you the High Cliff prince they say was imprisoned with Farrow? The one Kalendria’s sworn to marry? If you two don’t suit, you know, I’ll take you.”
Indy winced and eased a leery step back, uttering a doomed, “Oh boy.”
34
Nicolette
So, the headcount in our expedition more than doubled. Farrow was adamantly against the idea of letting Roloff join us, but the soothsayer defended his case quite handily, if you wanted my opinion.
“They had an axe to my head,” he sobbed. “What was I supposed to do? Besides, destiny was whispering in my ear, telling me you needed to be caught there, sneaking into the castle.”
I glanced toward a glowering Farrow. “You really can’t argue with destiny, you know.”
“If destiny meant Sable had to die and your life was put into jeopardy, then the hell I can’t.”
“It had to happen that way,” Roloff insisted, tears spilling down his cheeks. “I loved Sable, too. She kept me sane while we lived in those dungeon cells together. We watched a tongue-less man starve to death. Rats swarmed in. I would’ve lost my mind without her. But destiny said…” He paused to dab at his wet eyes. “Destiny said it was to happen this way. The results will cause peace among many and—”
“You call this peace?” Farrow roared, flailing his hand around us. “The Donnelly army is invading as we speak, burning down our forests as they go. The fucking queen is trying to kill my entire family, and if we’re caught by any Far Shore guards, we’re all as good as dead. What, in any of this, sounds peaceful to you?”
“Farrow.” I touched his arm gently.
But he jerked away, not in the mood for softness or logic, and he advanced on Roloff menacingly. “No,” he growled. “This pathetic excuse of a mage was supposedly tested for goodness and purity, but he’s steered us wrong at every goddamn turn. I don’t want him anywhere near you or my sisters.”
Roloff calmed suddenly as if seized by another one of his messages from destiny. Then he stepped to Farrow, rather bravely since I was fairly certain Farrow was already gripping a knife to end his life, and he said, “You turned me in to palace guards to be executed merely to send your sister a message, my lord. Yet, here I am now, following you blindly
. I may not know exactly what will happen or how it will come to be, but I know without a doubt that I never steered you wrong.”
Stubbornly refusing to believe him, Farrow shook his head and laughed without humor. “Then why has this whole fucking trip been fraught with problems?”
“Life is rough, my lord. A mountain can’t be climbed if it’s smooth. And you need to climb right now. You need to make it to the very top. To save us all.”
“I think that’s our answer, then,” I said, making the decision for everyone. “Roloff stays.”
Farrow sent me a dark look but didn’t refute my claim. He trusted my choice.
“We’ll need more horses,” Indigo spoke up. “Seven of us can’t ride all the way to Donnelly on only three mounts. And food. Bison set us up with enough staples for three, but we’ll need more. Soon.”
I blew out a lungful and agreed with him. “Brentley’s army is already headed to Blayton. We’ll just wait for them there, purchase the rest of what we need, and go home with our soldiers when they arrive.”
“If we’re not caught by any of Kalendria’s guards first,” Bricklynn muttered helpfully.
I nodded. “Right. And we need to avoid them while we’re at it.”
“We could go to the safe house where we were staying after we fled the castle,” Dewla suggested.
“Wouldn’t that be one of the first places Kalendria would send people to search for you?” Farrow asked on a wary squint.
Dewla shrugged. “They never showed up while we were there.”
“We could at least check it out,” I said. “If it seems safe enough, we’ll give it a try.”
“It’s this way,” Roloff instructed, leading us along.
We let the three Far Shore princesses ride the horses while Roloff took the lead and Farrow and Indigo scouted either side of the road. I lingered behind as the tail, kind of wishing I had my magical wrist guards back. But Indy hadn’t been lying when he told me he wasn’t returning them. They looked rather feminine attached to his forearms, yet he still refused to remove them, so I sighed and fingered the key on my necklace.