"What would you do?" she whispered.
He shook his head; his hand slipped inside his shirt, and he pulled something free. "I don't know. That's the kicker of it all; I don't know. But I know you, and I know you'll make the right choice, but only you will be able to make it. I'll miss you if you choose to leave, and I'll stand by you if you choose to stay."
"Thank you."
He flashed a smile so endearingly similar to what she remembered of their mother's. "For saying aloud the same things you already knew?"
She laughed as she rested her head against the trunk of the tree. "For standing by me no matter what. How did it all come to this?"
"You let yourself get caught and hauled into the palace," William informed her.
"Yeah that's exactly what I let happen," she retorted.
They sat in silence for a long time as they listened to the familiar sounds of the forest.
"No matter what happens, Aria, something good will come of it," Daniel said.
"I hope so. Braith is coming."
"How do you..." William broke off the question. "Never mind."
"This is for you."
She started when Daniel slid something into her hand. Her mouth parted as she gazed wonderingly at the beautiful drawing before her. Tears clogged her throat. She'd always known Daniel was a talented artist, a trait he never had enough time to exhibit, but this was far beyond anything she could have imagined. He’d sketched her curled within Braith's lap with her head on his chest as he rested his chin on her head to look at the book in his hand. The look of love on their faces nearly caused her to sob.
"I came across you by accident. I just saw you for a moment," Daniel added quickly when her face colored faintly. "It was then I realized that what's between you isn't something easily broken, it's not a passing fancy, it's not a rebellious moment, it's not even just love. It's something more. It's this." He pointed at their faces in the drawing. "It astounded me, Aria; I can only hope to find something like this one day for myself."
"Daniel," she breathed as tears rolled down her face. "It's beautiful."
"No matter what you decide, I think you should have this."
She nodded as he ruffled her hair affectionately. William was staring at the sketch over her shoulder when Braith emerged from the cave.
"Do you want me to take it?" William asked.
"Yes."
William took the drawing from her and slipped it into his shirt. "I'll keep it safe."
"I know."
They remained seated with their heads tilted back as Braith stopped before them. "It's not safe up here," Braith said.
"We're fine. We know these woods better than most of the animals," Aria said.
He didn't seem at all appeased by her reassurance. He stared hard at each of her brothers, obviously wanting them to leave, while she wanted them to stay right where they were.
"How did it go?" she asked.
He locked his hands behind his back. "We're going to run a few scouting missions to the palace and back. I would like for you to go on one, Daniel, so you can get a feel of the town and its dimensions to formulate a design."
"Of course," Daniel murmured in assent.
"When do you think we'll be ready to make a move on the palace?" William inquired.
"Hopefully within two weeks. I would prefer to move by the end of this week, but I realize that's asking a lot. Jack, Saul, and Barnaby are going into the outer towns to gather the vampires Jack recruited there. We'll need them here before we can make any solid plans."
"I'd like to go on one of the scouting missions," Aria informed him.
He frowned at her, and his fingers curled and uncurled at his sides. "Aria—"
"I've gone on plenty with Daniel and William before. I'll be fine, and I'm tired of feeling useless and confined. I have to do something useful."
A muscle jumped in Braith’s cheek as his jaw clenched.
"We'll keep her safe, even from herself," William nudged her playfully.
She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. He wasn't helping. "No one will recognize me. I need to do this, Braith."
The last thing she wanted was to fight with him, but she couldn't sit here for the next couple of weeks being torn apart by her decision and feeling useless. She had to find something to do, or she would go crazy.
"Fine," he relented.
She didn't feel good about the fact she’d gotten her way; she merely felt the gulf between them growing. It took everything she had not to cry as she bowed her head. She couldn't look at him anymore; it was too painful.
Chapter Nineteen
Aria's head was down, her bow tucked away on her back and covered by the gray cloak she wore. The cloak billowed around her ankles and allowed the rain to wet the bottom of her pants. As much as she hated the cloaks, she was grateful for the cover it provided from the surprisingly chilly rain. She stood at the top of the hill, staring down at the town rolling out from the hollows of the knoll.
The town was beautiful, deadly, and far too close to the palace for her liking. A palace she could see the gleaming top of as it rose out from behind another hill. Braith moved closer to her, but now that they were amongst his people again, he’d returned to trying to keep his distance from her. Saul and Calista came forward to speak with Braith before returning to the small group gathered within the tree line.
William and Daniel stood beside her with the hoods of their cloaks pulled up. Max also wore a cloak, but he had the hood tossed back. Rain trickled down his face and plastered down his fair hair. He was still handsome, but she was reminded that the boy she’d grown up with was gone. He looked wiser than his young years. He was only a couple years older than her, but there were lines around his eyes and the corners of his pinched mouth. Seeming to sense her attention, he turned to her and offered a small smile.
When Braith stepped in front of her, he drew her attention away from Max. His hands fisted in impotence as he grappled with his urge to protest her decision. Her father wasn't happy about this either, but at least he was used to them going on such missions and more accustomed to watching his loved ones walk away.
"Make sure your hair stays covered," he ordered, His frustration was obvious as his hand twitched toward her. Her hair was already tucked beneath the hood, but she adjusted it again to try and ease the tension she felt running through him. It did little good. "If anything goes wrong—"
"I'll be fine. I'm fast; you know that," she assured him.
"You're not faster than a vampire, and you have a habit of throwing yourself on the sword to protect others. You need to run if something goes wrong; I mean it."
She bristled at his commanding tone, but he was frightened and arguing with him about it would get her nowhere. He would force her to stay with him if she pushed him. Then, not seeming to care about the others, he pulled her hood tighter and held it for a moment.
"Don't do anything stupid," he commanded.
Frustration filled her; she ached to touch him and reassure him she would be fine and she wasn't doing this to be reckless. She wouldn't do anything to damage their cause, but she would be helpful down there. That's why she was going. She wasn't the girl who had nothing to live for anymore. Even if she had to give him up, there was still plenty to live for, and even after her deal with Gideon, she hoped she'd be around to see it all.
She restrained herself from grasping his hands. "I promise I won't."
He pulled on the hood again and walked away. Aria watched him go before turning back to her brothers and Max.
"Let's go," Daniel said.
She chanced a glance over her shoulder at Braith. He was watching her intently with his arms folded over his chest as Jack stepped beside him.
She didn't look back as they picked their way down the hill, moving at a diagonal angle to the town below. Aria struggled to keep her balance as wet leaves slipped and slid beneath her beaten shoes. Relief filled her when they made it to the road even though she felt expose
d and vulnerable.
They received a few questioning glances as they strolled passed others, but their gray cloaks were typical here, as were random people moving through town in search of food or employment within the palace.
Not all the people here worked within the palace and served the royal family, but they were still traitors to her. They didn't fight or go against the grain. They only lived in this hollowed existence and did whatever they were told or whatever was expected of them.
They passed a bar with its doors thrown open to let in the fresh air. Bawdy laughter filtered out from inside. It surprised her to realize there were already people inside, drinking. Life in the towns was far different than life in the woods. She couldn't recall a day wasted on such things.
"Keep moving." She hadn't realized she'd stopped until William grated the words at her.
She turned away from the bar as a woman's laughter joined in with the men's. She shook her head, uncertain about this place. Max grasped her arm gently and urged her along when she fell behind.
"It's so different here," she muttered.
"Yes. Don't stop," he replied.
Aria fell into step beside him as they wound through the town, taking in as many details as they could. She had been in the town once as a child, but she hadn't paid much attention to it.
Now, she noticed details that made her sick. The homes weren’t as opulent or fancy as the ones within the palace walls, but they gleamed with the rain beading on them. Their paint was fresh, and their porches decorated with more furniture than she'd owned in her entire life. Flowers, like she’d seen in the palace, flowed over people's walkways.
Though the rain had driven most inside, the few who did brave the weather were wearing the deep blue cloaks marking them not as servants, but as free people who held higher positions within the palace. It was a coveted position, one earned by the ultimate betrayal against their fellow man.
Her fingers itched to put an arrow in the hearts of every one of them. She hated those blue cloaks more than anything. And judging by the stiffness in Max's shoulders, he was fighting the same urge as her. These people were the ultimate traitors, and as far as Aria was concerned, they could all die in the upcoming days, and she wouldn't lose sleep over it.
She kept her head down so they wouldn't see her revulsion. She was supposed to be in awe of the people wearing the blue cloaks, not plotting their demise as she shuffled down the dirt road slowly turning to muck.
They reached the end of the main road and began to move through the narrower side roads. The homes were smaller here, but they were as nicely maintained.
"Why haven't we seen any soldiers?" Aria wanted to know.
"It's so close to the palace they don't fear anything. I'm sure there are some posted here, but the weather has probably driven them inside," Max answered.
Aria's heart began to hammer; she shrank deeper into her cloak when they moved even closer to the palace that had nearly destroyed her and Max. It was situated on a mountain, tucked behind the hills and valleys rolling through this area. She knew they weren't going to get much closer, but she couldn't stop the foreboding feeling pulsing through her.
To her surprise, Max seized her hand. Though they were trying to repair their fractured friendship, things had still been awkward between them more often than not. But now his hand squeezed tight as they stopped to stare at the place where they’d been imprisoned.
Even in the dim light of the murky day, the golden gates shone from the hours spent polishing them. The top spires of the palace were visible above the homes and hills, but the main bulk of the massive building was obscured. She knew it well though, she would never forget it, and she would be back within its massive walls again soon if everything went well. In the meantime, she would need to reign in her loathing for the place if she was going to be of any use.
Max's hand was sweaty in hers, and small tremors rocked him. She wanted to tell him it was okay, but it wasn't, and she wasn't going to lie to him. It would be a long time, if ever, before he got over what happened to him.
As they watched, guards appeared. They marched across the front of the gates before disappearing once more. The goosebumps breaking out on her arms had nothing to do with the chill in the air. After a minute or so, the guards stalked back across the front of the gates.
"We should get moving," Daniel said.
She fell in beside her brothers again as they strolled further through the town. She could practically see the gears turning in Daniel's head as he mapped out the roads and plotted the best ways to move through the buildings and streets with all their troops.
They were all here to take in as much of the details as possible, but Daniel would be the one who remembered the most, who would see things the rest of them didn't, and recall it far more vividly.
When they arrived at the edge of the town, the road continued onward as it wound up another hill before dipping from sight and reappearing again near the palace gates. Aria had seen enough. She didn't want to see any more of that place than she had to.
"Let's go back," she said.
The road was becoming muddier as they walked back through the town. The rain was picking up to a steadier flow that was creeping through the cloak to wet her clothes and skin. Her hair clung to her neck and tickled her skin. For the first time, she wanted back into the caves and away from this oppressive place.
They passed more people as they hurried through the town, but no one paid them much attention. She heard the laughter from the bar before she saw the building again. She kept her head down as they approached the raucous place.
People emerged from inside. Two of them ran in the opposite direction, squealing happily as their laughter trailed down the street.
Don't look, she told herself. Bending her head lower, she kept her attention focused on her feet. She was so intent on getting free of this town that she wasn't expecting it when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her sharply around.
"It is you!" a voice accused.
Aria had only a moment to get her bearings before someone seized her hood and ripped it back. A sharp gasp escaped her; she scrambled to pull it back up. And then she saw her attacker.
The girl still grasped her arm with a bruising intensity as she glared furiously at Aria. The venom spitting from the girl’s blue eyes would have seemed out of place if Aria hadn't already figured out who she was.
"Lauren," Aria breathed horrified and staggered by the sight of the servant girl who had taken such cruel pleasure in abusing her while she was in the palace.
Lauren was far different than Aria recalled; her blonde hair had always been neatly coiffed, with every hair in place. She'd been refined and elegant in a way only the palace servants could be. She was not poised now.
Her dress was dirty, her fingernails broken, and a strange odor wafted from her. Laughter burst from the bar behind Lauren, and Aria suddenly understood where the girl had come from, what the smell was, and what Lauren had been doing since Braith banished her from the palace.
"I knew it was you," Lauren sneered.
Her pretty face twisted with disgust as her hand squeezed harder on Aria's arm. Aria’s heart pounded; astonishment held her so riveted she couldn't react, not even when Lauren thrust her face into Aria's. They were so close their noses almost touched.
"I know someone looking for you, bitch," Lauren sneered.
"What the hell?" Max, seeming to have just noticed Lauren's appearance, was coming back toward them. Lauren's eyes darted to him, and amusement filled them when recognition sprang forth.
"Both of you," she whispered excitedly.
"Who the fuck are you?" William demanded.
Aria's surprise was wearing off. She tried to pull her arm free of Lauren's grasp, but the girl clung like a burr. Lauren attempted to haul her toward the bar.
"Let go of me!" Aria snapped, as anger completely replaced her remaining shock.
"Get your hands off her!" William ordered.
; William was beside her; Max had circled behind Lauren to block her pathway to the tavern. Daniel seemed as if it hadn't quite penetrated his artist induced haze that something wasn't right.
Lauren was brought up short when she bumped into Max; her fingers twisted painfully on Aria's arm as she pinched her skin. Panic flashed across Lauren's pretty face as Max's hands fell on her shoulders.
Seeming to realize she was cornered, Lauren began to yell. "Guards! Guards!"
Reacting on instinct alone, Aria fisted her hand and drove it straight into Lauren's nose. It was something she'd itched to do since she'd been a prisoner, but she felt no satisfaction when blood spurted forth, and the girl groaned in pain. Lauren finally released Aria as her hands flew to her brutalized nose and she staggered back.
"Run!" Aria shouted as Lauren began to wail for the guards.
She bolted down the road, shedding the cumbersome cloak as she ran. Shouts echoed behind them, but she didn't dare look back as they rounded a curve in the street. Her eyes darted over the tops of the houses; the roofs were pitched, steep, and slippery from the rain.
She thought she might be able to navigate a few of them, but none of them in succession, and there was a good possibility she would fall from the slick tops. If she didn't kill herself, she would at the very least break something.
It was all a mess. The muddy road hindered their progress. It tired them out quickly and made it difficult to get any real speed up. There was still too far to go; they would never reach the safety of the woods if they didn't do something. She'd promised Braith she wouldn't do anything stupid, but she'd never expected to be discovered.
She broke away from the others and raced toward the porch of a small house that would be easy to scale.
"Aria!" Daniel barked.
The Captive Series 1-5 Page 56