by Ash Night
The woman raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re a slave?”
“Don’t have a master right now. I’m free. I guess.”
“You’re free, girl. At least in this house you are. How long has it been?"
"Ten years."
Cam's right hand twitched. The old woman’s lips tugged in a wicked, almost sadistic version of a smile. "Are you awake yet, boy?"
A scream tore from his throat, raw and painful. I winced at the sound.
She chuckled at his pain. "I'll take that as a yes."
"Can you give him something?" I rested my hand over his, hoping to provide whatever comfort I could.
"No, I can't. It won't touch the pain. His body is too weak for my stronger potions."
I could almost hear Cam’s answer to that. Give it to me, old woman. I can take it. I’m not too weak for anything.
“Nothing affects Shadowsilver poison, anyway. Poison usually has an antidote, but little is known about Shadowsilver poisoning so no antidote was ever created. Not to my knowledge anyway, and I’m the best in the biz."
"I'm sorry, Cam..."
I jumped when he chuckled. “It’s nothing.”
“Really, boy? Because that scream of pain nearly shook my house apart. I was under the impression Fae can’t lie, even if you are that demon’s offspring.”
Cam’s eyes opened slowly. His laugh was dry. “Damn, and here I thought I could outrun that old bastard’s shadow. It appears that’s a rather futile endeavor. Fuck.”
“Are you okay? What happened? The witch said she found you passed out in the street.”
He shrugged, as if passing out wasn’t any need for concern. Taking my hand firmly, he sat up, his movements slow and deliberate. I’d never seen him so unsteady, and to say it worried me was an understatement.
“Sunshine, stop with the worried face. It doesn’t suit you at all. And, for the record, I wasn’t lying. I am fine and it is nothing.” A thin sheen of sweat coated his forehead and his breathing was ragged. His eyes were bright with fever, but he smiled as his gaze rested on me. "I didn't get around to bringing back the magicart back yet."
The old woman marched up to him and cuffed him in the back of his head. "You are not fine, boy. You are an idiot. Do you not know not to use magic when you've been cuffed with activated Shadowsilver?"
Rubbing his head, he scowled. "I know not to. I needed to, though."
"Are you continuing your father's legacy, by any chance?" she asked, ignoring his angry tone.
He sighed, smothering a cough with his bicep. "Yes, but I'm not doing it because of him. Did you take my shirt and jacket off? Whoa..." His eyes widened as he looked down at the burns winding around his body. "When did that happen?"
"While you were being a reckless idiot!" Her scowl turned into a smirk. “You aren’t nearly as smart as your father, but clearly just as reckless.
Kat laughed. “You're scolding the offspring of the nation's hero."
"How the hell does everyone know I'm related to Kalden Crossfire?"
Adell chuckled. "Because you're his spitting image, kid."
“Dammit, I must be. You aren’t the first old person to tell me that.”
“Careful. This old bat can still kick your ass.”
"Hey old lady, Cuff Boy will probably want his cuffs off. Any way to do that?" Liam asked.
"Million-dollar question, Snowflake!" Cam grinned at Liam and then looked hopefully at the woman. "Well, old lady, can you?"
"I have a name. It's Adell, you idiots. Goddess… Maybe it a blessing in disguise I never had kids. I forgot how annoying they can be."
"Can you get these damn cuffs off or not?" Cam's eyes searched her face and his whole body was turned toward her. This was really important to him. Noticing how desperate he seemed made my heart ache.
"Do I look like I own a key?"
"A key?" I asked, inspecting his cuffs. "But there's no keyhole."
She huffed, annoyed. "Kids, do they teach you anything in school? The key is a small triangular stone. It's similar to an arrowhead. You activate the key with magic."
"Well, do you know where one is?"
She growled. "Ungrateful brat. Lay down before you pass out again. Your temp is through the roof."
Cam started to get up. "I'm fine. Just needed a nap. I naturally run ho—"
"I said lay down!" Whipping around, Adell kicked him square in the chest and held him down on the table with her heel. I gasped.
Cam coughed again. "Geez, lady..."
"Adell," she hissed. "Stay put and you won't get hurt, got it?” She lifted her foot off his chest and turned around, grinning at me. "Tell him to play nice. Those burns won't just disappear. He needs to be careful." She put her foot down and sat in back in the rocking chair.
I sighed and shrugged. "It won't be easy to tell him that. Cam can be a bit...stubborn. In case you haven’t noticed."
"And cocky," Liam added cheerfully. "He's cocky enough for a whole town full of Fae."
Cam glanced at Adell warily before slowly sitting up. "Watch it, Snowflake."
Liam laughed as he sat back down. "Are we stuck here then?"
"Goddess, no. You brats can leave."
"Where do we go?" I asked. "We didn't get to check in at an inn and check-in time was a while ago."
"Come on, I know a place." Kat said, jumping up from her seat.
I smiled, glancing at Cam. "Are you coming?"
"Ye—"
"Hell no. You can come pick him up in the morning. He needs to rest.”
"On a table?" His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Great thing for a patient."
"Patients who don't do harm to themselves get the bed. You did this to yourself."
"Enjoy your stay at hotel hell, Cuff Boy."
Flipping Liam off, Cam laid down. "Sunshine, stay safe. The city isn't like your village. It's more dangerous than you probably know.”
“She's got me, don’t worry. I was basically born here. It's fine, okay?" Kat shrugged. "We're best friends now. She has nothing to worry about."
"Good."
"Bye, Adell. Thank you for taking care of Cam!" I called as Kat pulled me along. Liam followed.
"We'll take the magicart."
"Ooh, I can't wait to drive it!” Kat replied excitedly. "I can drive it, can't I? She looked at Liam with big puppy eyes.
He laughed. "Of course. You didn’t even have to ask, ya know."
"Woo! Serena, let's go!" She ushered me in to the cart after flying out the door. Liam shut the door behind us.
He banged on the roof of the cart once inside. "Hey Kat, you know how to drive this thing?"
"Yup! Ezell and I took one joyriding once when the master’s family was on vacation in a different country. Figured we were safe enough." She laughed, and the cart lurched forward. It was the third time in two days that I'd been in the cart as it flew at breakneck speed and I still hadn't gotten used to it. The rush was just as exhilarating.
"Having fun?" He smiled at me. "That smile of yours is pretty as ever. Do you want to drive it tomorrow?”
"Yes!" I exclaimed before the question was even fully out of his mouth.
He laughed. "All right, I can't wait!"
Chapter Eighteen
Kat led us to a small camp outside of the city. She had a giant grin on her face when she hopped down. "That was the most fun I've ever had!"
"I can't wait to drive it next!" I said, getting out. "Where are we?" It looked like an open field with wildflowers dotting the tall grass. A few tents were forming a half circle around the perimeter.
"It's a homeless camp. I come here sometimes when I want company." Kat took my hand and led me to a glowing fire a few yards safely away. An elf was sitting hunched over, the firelight illuminating the deep wrinkles in her face. "Granny!"
The old elf smiled. "Hello, child. How have you been? It's been a few weeks."
"I'm really good. You?"
Granny coughed sharply. "I'm glad. I'm fine. It's getting cold
at night. Hopefully, you have some warmer clothes." Her own clothes were a few shirts and two jackets. The clothes had seen better days. Her pants had holes in them, exposing the pair underneath.
"These are my friends, Liam and Serena."
I stepped forward. "Hello, ma'am."
Laughing, Kat hugged my shoulders, steering me to an overturned log to sit down. "Granny is blind. You can stand there all day. "
"Oops, I'm sorry." I blushed.
Granny chuckled. "It's quite all right. You were just trying to be polite. Kat, honey, are you eating?"
"Yes, ma'am. I had a few sweets today. We were going to go to dinner, but then we kinda got sidetracked."
"Oh yeah, we did." I laughed, remembering about our forgotten plans. "Would you like to come with us?"
"That's very nice of you to offer. I'm afraid my wardrobe isn't sufficient enough for a night out."
I shrugged. "Doesn't matter to us. We'd be happy to take you. Although we may have to wait for breakfast."
"I'd love to join you for breakfast then. Thank you very much."
Liam yawned. "I’m ready for bed."
"Me too," Kat replied. "Any beds available, Gran?"
"Not sure. I just got back from visiting an old friend I met earlier at the market."
Suddenly, a small boy, no older than five summers old, ran up to Kat and jumped in her lap. "Kat!"
She smiled wide. "Hi Aidin! How are you?"
"Good. Did you bring me anything?"
Looking at the sky, she not-so-discreetly hid a crudely-wrapped package behind her back. "Oh, I don't know... Maybe."
His eyes lit up. "Lemme see! Lemme see!" She laughed and gave him a small jelly pie she’d taken from the bakery. He ate it as if he hadn't eaten in days.
"Now, Aidin, what did I tell you about running off like that?" A young woman slowly waddled up the fire. "Oh, hello, Kat. I see you've brought friends. Hello." She placed a loving hand on her bulging stomach.
Kat's eyes widened excitedly. "Eea! You're pregnant!"
Eea smiled. "Yes, seven months."
"Where's Finn?"
"He left us to go fight against the Seven. I'm afraid he won't be back in time for the birth, but you know him. He promised he would.”
"He will!" Kat cheered. "Are you getting enough to eat? I know Collin was looking for work."
Eea's gaze dropped to the ground. "My brother, always the provider… He went into town, practically begged for a job, but no one would even look at him."
Exhaustion flooded my body as I gazed into the fire and I began to realize how tired I was now that I had sat down. I stifled a yawn.
"Let's get to bed, Roseheart." Liam held out his hand. "We've had an exciting day. Kat, are you coming?"
She nodded. "I have a spot where I normally sleep outside the city. It isn't too far."
"Do you think Cam will be okay?" I asked. “His burns were pretty bad."
"And they'll only get worse if he keeps thinking he can get away with using his magic like that. He knows what he's doing so it's his own fault. No use feeling bad for him." Liam shrugged coldly.
I sighed. In some ways, I suppose Liam had a point. Cam did know he wasn't supposed to use magic. I was a fool to think that would stop him though. If anything, this little incident would only make him want to get his cuffs off faster.
"How much longer?" Liam complained. "You said it wasn't far, Red."
Kat flipped her hair out of her face. "Not much longer, you baby. How you holdin' up, Serena?"
I offered an encouraging smile. "Fine."
"That's the spirit! Take notes, Snowflake!"
Liam chuckled. "You don't even know why he calls me that."
"'Cuz you're always complaining?"
"When’s the last time you heard snow complain? That doesn’t even make sense. It's because winter magic is my specialty."
Kat stopped in her tracks, causing Liam to nearly crash into her. She turned around, facing him with wide eyes. "Can you make it snow? Whenever you want?" Her strong, confident voice had taken on that child-like quality I had come to love.
Liam thought for a moment. "Probably. I've never been able to do much with my magic unless I’m in danger. At least not yet. I keep telling Serena we'll work in it, but we haven't found time."
"Soon!" Kat promised. "I'll help as much as I can! It's the least I could do for my new best friends!"
"Thanks, Kat!" It would be exciting to have an experienced female’s perspective. Maybe she could show me a way to access my magic without my emotions being all over the place to do it. The guys seemed to be able to harness their emotions so easily when channeling their magic. It was unfair.
"Here we are!" Kat gestured to a small makeshift tent made of stitched-together fabric. It looked so homey and I was so tired that I swore I heard it calling to me.
"Good night, ladies," Liam said, plopping down on a patch of grass and used a few shirts he grabbed out of his backpack as a blanket.
"Good night, Li," I answered, crawling into the tent as Kat held the flap aside. Inside the tent was a cozy-looking nest of blankets. "Wow, this looks so much better than the ground!" I laughed.
"Home sweet home!" Kat replied, snuggling into one side of the nest. "I wish I had more than one pillow, sorry."
"It's okay. I don't mind sharing." Resting my head on one side of the pillow, I smiled at Kat. "Thank you for sharing your city with us. It's been an unforgettable night. I wish we could stay longer."
"We'll see lots of exciting new places. Cam seemed to tolerate me."
I squeezed her hand gently, beyond excited she had decided to come along with us. "Cam will love you. I promise."
"Think so? So many people don't like slaves. I didn't miss Liam's royal reaction to my mark. He didn't like me at first."
"Royal reaction?" I bit back the urge to laugh. Liam dressed as a prince was laughable. Imaging him sitting through meetings on a throne, bored out of his mind, was even funnier. "He can be a bit standoffish at first, but he's already warmed up to you."
Kat turned away and sighed. "Today feels like a dream. What if I wake up tomorrow and I'm alone again?"
I hugged her from behind, awkwardly draping my arm across her. "Don't worry, we'll be here. We'll pick up Cam from Adell's place and we’ll have so much fun, you'll forget what it's like to ever be lonely again."
Seconds later, I felt teardrops hit my hand. She turned around and hugged me with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Serena! Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome, Kat.”
She snuggled up close to me, clearly not shy about personal space. “I’m glad we’re friends.”
I smiled. “Best friends.”
Her soft breathing was all I got in response.
* * *
Liam was gone when I got up. Kat followed me outside, blinking in the bright sun. "Where'd he go?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes and yawning.
"I'm not sure. Maybe to find breakfast?”
The pounding of hooves made my heart race. They were coming toward us—whoever they were—and fast. Kat stepped back into a defensive stance and pulled her dagger from her boot. Her green eyes were hard like flint, her body stiff as a coiled spring. I admired her. She was much more prepared for danger than I was. I didn't even own a weapon and my use of magic was severely limited.
The six cloaked figures who had been riding toward us stopped just short of trampling us and dismounted. Kat all but hissed at their presence. I merely stood there, dumbfounded. A few of the horses snorted, looking at me with curious amber eyes. The others nibbled at the sparse grass, probably thankful for a treat after enduring the harsh concrete world of the city.
"Who are you?" I asked, attempting to seem like I was in a fighting stance, though I'm sure I looked more like a child playing pretend and not at all threatening.
The figure who had stepped forward drew back his hood, revealing startlingly blue eyes and short, cropped black hair. "Excuse me, ladies. My name is Pri
nce Talen, commander of the Royal Guard."
"Get the fuck out of here," Kat said through gritted teeth. She looked like she was about to spring forth and tear his head off. The anger almost seemed personal, but that was silly. How could they possibly know each other? Confused, I raised an eyebrow at her before turning my attention back to the man. Or, should I say, the prince.
Talen smiled, clearly amused. "Katerina Silverblood." He inclined his head a fraction of an inch toward her. I swore her eyes flared in response. "Fancy meeting you here. But we're not here about you. There have been reports of a Kalden Crossfire lookalike running all over town. Have you seen him? He is to be captured and interrogated at once. Even though we suspect his intentions to be harmless, and for him to be clearly delusional, one can never be too careful. I have a duty to this city and this land, after all."
Kalden Crossfire lookalike? I groaned internally. Of course word had gotten out about Cam. But couldn't it have been after we left the city? Picking him up from Adell's in broad daylight had just gotten a lot harder. What were we going to do?
"How can you say that after everything the king has taken from you?" Kat hissed. "You're four hundred years old. You remember what magic was like! How can you say you have a duty to a land that openly fears and abandons magic? Tell me!"
Talen's calm composure cracked for a second. His jaw ticked in obvious annoyance. The mask of calm was quickly recovered, though his voice was a bit tighter. "Watch your tongue, Silverblood, or I will cut it off." His black-gloved hand went to the sword at his hip.
My heart jumped to my throat. We couldn't risk a fight. No matter how powerful Kat's magic was, we were still outnumbered two to six. And with how lame my skills were, it may as well be one to six. "We—we haven't seen him!" I said quickly. "But if we do, you'll be the first person we look for."