They couldn't find her. No one could. I couldn't find her. I searched and searched, River, Kael and Lex trailing behind me like faithful bodyguards. But I paid them no mind. My heart thundered too loudly, my mind spun in too many circles. All I could think of was my mother and what could have happened to her.
She'd indeed followed me deep into the woods. My tracks from running were prominent in the earth. Hers stopped halfway.
The hounds picked up no scent.
She was gone.
She'd disappeared.
After looking for hours, the sun had started to set so we trailed back and met up in the dining hall once more. I took one look at my father and didn't do so again. I couldn't bear facing the heartbreak twisting his scarred face.
My brothers were quiet, looking to each other occasionally as if communicating mentally. I wish I had that comfort. But I didn't. I had no one.
My mother was missing and it was entirely my fault.
If I hadn't gone after the beast.
If I hadn't left the village.
If I hadn't been so stubborn.
If I'd just accepted my fate.
A warm hand on my arm brought me from those thoughts. Kael looked down at me with dark eyes. I'd nearly forgotten they were there.
I'd dragged them into this and surely they wanted to be gone by now. Wanted nothing to do with me or my village or my missing mother.
I stood up numbly, ignoring my family as I gestured to the men to follow me with a flick of my fingers. We went to the hall and I turned to them. Numb. I felt so numb. My thoughts frozen. And I felt as though nothing could thaw them out.
As soon as those thoughts fluttered through my mind, Lex grabbed me roughly and pushed me against a wall. "Snap out of it, little red!" He gave me a sharp shake. My brain rattled in my head and my wound throbbed down my back.
"What the hell are you doing?" River demanded angrily, readying his weapon to take down Lex.
But the nomad ignored him and shook me again. "You need to wake up . Your mother is missing."
I glared at Lex. At his words. "You think I don't know that, Lex?" My words shook.
Lex eased his grip slowly. "What happened to the warrior who threatened to take down a hybrid beast?" Then he let me go all together and took a step back. To observe.
River looked at me with a shocked expression, eyes widening with the realization that I'd been hurt, that I'd gone after the beast. Kael was looking at me with sorrowful eyes. Lex was outright glaring.
I racked my brain for answers. We hadn't gone so far into the woods to look for her. We hadn't made it even halfway to the hedge stones. She could have followed me there. I needed to go back out there. I needed to track her myself, without the restrictions of curfew holding me back.
"There's my little red," Lex smiled. "I can see you plotting. What's the plan?' He crossed his arms against his thin chest and tapped his foot in anticipation.
"The plan?" I looked at him incredulously. At all of them. They were all nodding.
"I've known you all my life, Keanna." River said with a pointed look. "You don't think I'd let you go on your own, do you?"
Kael looked much less smug. "We are here for you, princess." He said calmly.
No. The word wanted to tear out of my throat but I couldn't. They looked so hopeful, so eager to help. But I wouldn't drag them into my problems. I'd already dragged my mother into my mess and she was missing. I wouldn't have their lives on my conscious as well.
I smiled at them. "Thank you. We will leave at first light. It'll be easier to track in the light of day. Get some rest in the meantime." I looked to River. "Please find them some rooms for the night. I'm going to bed."
That being said, I turned and left.
I burst into my mother's room to find Maude tidying it up. So it'd be clean when she returned or to keep herself busy? She started at my entrance.
"Maude, I need you. Now."
She scrambled to follow me to my own room. When we were inside, I locked and bolted it behind us. I started getting to work, grabbing a small bag and began stuffing the necessities into it.
"I need you to go to the kitchens and sneak out extra rations. Things that won't go bad. Jerky, hard fruits and a canteen full of water." I put in an extra pair of clothes, nothing too bulky that would slow me down. I looked to Maude to make sure she was paying attention. I didn't miss the protest on her features. "I know you steal extra rations for my brothers. Don't tell me you can't do it."
She blanched. "But...princess,"
"I don't want to hear it, Maude. Just do what I ask. And when you're done there, go to the blacksmith. Tell him I want a quiver full of his most powerful arrows and tell him to sharpen my sword. When it's done, leave it all by the back wall. Do you understand?"
I couldn't go out the entry. Not anymore. My father had given them strict orders to let no one in or out. I'd have to sneak out the back. Climb the wooden fence. I'd done it before. Practice for this very occasion.
"I understand, princess." She said quietly.
I nodded. "Good. Tell no one until later and then only tell my father andonly if he asks about me. Tell him not to worry, that I'll bring my mother back. I promise."
There were tears in her eyes now. The sight annoyed me. Maude was short and plump with blonde hair she kept hidden behind a head scarf. She wore a plain brown cotton skirt and a white apron over it. She inclined her head and went to do my bidding.
"Maude," I stopped her before she went out the door. "You do know you've been sleeping with all three of my brothers, don't you?"
She flushed bright red but nodded. "I can tell them apart by their-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence." I threatened, feeling the bile rise up at the back of my throat. Ugh. "I'm guessing you care about them?" She nodded. "Don't even think about telling my brothers what you're doing for me. Or I will kill you. Whether they love you or not."
She gulped and left.
As soon as she was gone, I began stripping. First, pulling off my footwear and then the pants. The long cotton shirt took longer. It hurt a bit to lift my arms up but I managed, pulling it off. I turned to my full length mirror to glance at my back. The black gunk Kael had placed over my wound was cracked and peeling off, revealing the pink flesh beneath. It would leave a nasty scar. And I'd be like my father, after all.
Turning away from my reflection, I went to the wash basin by my bedside and cleaned my entire body, dried and then pulled on a clean pair of underwear and comfortable army pants, clean socks and my sturdy boots. After lacing them up, I pulled on a black T-shirt and a black jacket over it. The jacket was embroidered with flowers and blue birds but it was comfortable and warm.
My hair was a mess. After wetting it and running a brush through it, I tied it into a simple ponytail. Hoisting my travel bag over my good shoulder, I glanced one last time around my room and breathed out.
I left before I could get emotional.
The bags were right where I'd told Maude to leave them and there was no one there to ambush me. I hiked my weapons to my back, tying my sword to my hip. The rations weighed my bag down but that didn't matter.
I looked up at the looming wooden gate. It had taken me weeks to master the art of climbing it. It was all about body position, strength, balance and finding the right place to press my feet.
Taking a deep breath, I went to it and grabbed hold and pulled myself up. I bit back the painful scream that threatened to claw out as I felt my wound split open. Burning pain seared down my back. Shit.
I let go of the wall, falling onto the ground. My entire right arm throbbed as well as my back and side. Stars danced behind my eyes. Shit.
Taking deep breaths, I stood from where I'd fallen and adjusted my things to the left side. The weight shift helped a little.
I went to the wall again, lifted my arms up and grabbed the
wood. It was blindingly painful. I was putting too much strain on it. Too much. But Ihad to get over. I had to find my mom.
Ignoring it, I pulled myself up but my right side was too weak.
I fell back down.
"Need a hand, little red?"
I jumped at the voice.
"Easy, Keanna. It's just us."
From the shadows stepped Lex, River and Kael. Dressed for an outing. Carrying travel bags.
I glared at them all.
"Don't give me that look." River scorned. "You really think I believed that load of horse shit you were trying to feed us back there? I've known you my entire life, Keanna. I know when you're up to something."
"I won't drag you into my mess." I ground out. My shoulder and back throbbed hotly.
"That's our decision to make." River narrowed his eyes.
Beside him, Lex was nodding. "I could use a little adventure anyway."
Kael walked forward on silent feet and bent down to my level. "You'll need a healer, princess." He said gently. "You've torn at your wound. I need to tend to it so it doesn't get infected."
His eyes, as dark as the night around us, were hypnotizing. They had my nerves calming as if by magic and replaced them with a different type of sensation. Tingles shocked through me when his hand covered mine.
"Not here," I managed past the distraction of his gaze. "Let's get over first."
Kael nodded and gently helped me stand.
"No arguments?" River asked sarcastically. "That's surprising!"
I shot him the finger. "Only because I'll need you guys as bait for the beast."
He snorted a laugh but stepped over to me, placing a hand on my non injured shoulder. "Are we going to stand around talking or are we going to go save your mom?"
"I need to tend to the princess's wound before we go on." Kael demanded. As soon as we'd gotten over the wall, he'd insisted he treat me but I'd refused. I needed to track my mom. There was no time for anything else. So he reluctantly agreed and we ran to where her tracks stopped and then further towards the stone circle. But Kael had finally stopped us halfway.
My heart thundered and my chest heaved. My back throbbed on in endless heat that shot straight to my head. I glared at Kael. "We have to keep going." I wheezed. "We can't afford delays."
"You won't make it much further if you keep going. Look at yourself."
Since I didn't have a mirror, I only imagined what he meant. The sight wasn't pretty but it didn't matter. There were more important things.
"He's right, Keanna." River agreed. "You look awful."
I shot him the finger. "We can't." I protested. "We have to keep going."
"Princess," Kael's voice, for the first time since I'd met him, held an edge to it. "I need to tend to your wound."
I sighed in defeat. They obviously weren't going to let me go on if I didn't do this. "Fine," I said. "But make it quick."
Kael led me to an overturned log past the treeline. Open enough for us to see Lex and River keeping watch with their backs to us, but dense enough to hide us.
I sat down and began peeling off my jacket as Kael opened his carry-on apothecary. There were little clear and dark vials filled with liquids, herbs and powders of all kinds. He even had pills. Pills had supposedly gone entirely extinct along with everything else. But he had them. Along with roots to different plants, bandages, a sewing kit and alcohol.
I whistled. "Impressive."
He chuckled as he began pulling out various vials, creams and bandages. "Not really. It's just stuff I've collected along the way." He looked up at me. "Take your shirt off." He commanded, the sound of his voice rolled slowly, deliberately down the length of my body.
"Excuse me?"
"Take your shirt off." He repeated slowly. "If I'm going to tend to your wound, I'll need to see it."
"Ah," I felt my face flame. I'd mistaken his words for something else, had mistaken the low sultriness in his voice for something it wasn't.
I pulled at the hem of my shirt slowly, because of the pain, and took it off, setting it on top of my jacket beside me.
Kael's eyes seemed to flare as they froze at my naked chest. He gave himself a slight shake and averted his gaze again. "Turn around," he said. Was I imagining it or had that been a hitch in his voice? Had it gone raspier?
I did as was told, covering my arms against my chest and turned on the log, baring my back to him. A cool breeze hit my wound and then was replaced by the warmth of his soft fingertips.
I gasped, back arching slightly at the feeling it caused. The feelinghe caused.
His fingers stilled for a brief second before getting to work. I felt him wipe away the dressing from my back. It stung but I kept still for him. He worked expertly, cleaning and disinfecting my wound before lathering it up with that thick gunk.
"This is supposed to seal the wound closed without the need for stitches." He explained lowly, his warm breath tingling the back of my neck. "But you shouldn't strain yourself so much, princess. It will never heal that way."
After he finished applying the cream, he grabbed the binding and began wrapping it around my upper body. I stilled as his arms went around and around me, hands strong against my back, pulling and tucking the material into place.
"Nearly done," he breathed.
I turned to face him. He was looking at me with wide eyes. I didn't quite know what to make of that look. His hand reached down to grasp my own between us, interlocking our fingers. I looked down at our joined hands. His so much bigger and darker compared to mine.
I was too dazed to realize that he'd inched closer, too focused on his body so close to mine that I didn't protest when he suddenly bent down to take my mouth in his. His kiss was sweet, slow...reassuring. It was everything I needed in that moment. It was so him. Dizzying yet comforting and warm. His tongue trailed a path against mine, making me breathless, making me reach out for him to keep me steady.
And all too soon, it ended.
"Now I'm all done," he said breathlessly. As breathless as I felt.
I put my clothes back on quickly. He waited as I did so and helped me stand when I finished. He said nothing, just observed me with quiet eyes as we made our way back to the group.
It took me a moment to realize that through it all, my wound had stopped throbbing entirely.
I observed the trail I'd left behind. Looked for any sign my mother had been here. She followed me. There had to have been tracks. They couldn't have just randomly disappeared unless someone had hidden them. People didn't just vanish into thin air. There was always a trace left behind.
That's what I searched for.
I searched for some sign of disturbed earth, for hidden tracks, for traps hidden away. It was hard without the light of day but it needed to be done.
I'd tracked wild boars in the dark before.
River, a fairly good tracker as well, helped me search the ground, feel the earth. Kael tried helping too, though he admitted he didn't have much tracking experience.
Lex just whistled and tossed pebbles around. "This is ridiculous!" He finally exclaimed. "It's too dark to see anything!" He took a step near a berry bush and suddenly there was a snap and he let out a cry as he was hauled up by the foot by a piece of rope and dangled aimlessly from a tree branch. His face went red. "See?" He groaned. "Can't see anything!"
I sighed loudly.
River looked at him with distaste. "You are an idiot."
"I should leave you up there as punishment." I said with annoyance. We were on a life or death mission and he'd went and gotten himself caught in a trap. The fool.
Lex let his head hang and he swung his body back and forth, eyes focused on the ground. "Guys," he said.
"Don't even." Kael interrupted sternly. "We won't be cutting you down until we are finished searching."
"Guys," Lex sung.
"Maybe we s
hould head further north." River suggested, looking towards that direction. "There's too much grass in this area and it being spring, no leaves are fallen to give us signs of disturbances. I can make out your tracks easily enough. You ran and tore out the grass as you did so because of force and pressure. Everywhere else appears undisturbed."
I rolled my eyes. "I know how tracking works, Riv."
"Guys,"
"I was saying it aloud for Kael's benefit."
Kael gave me a cheeky smile that melted my insides. "I need as much help as I can get."
"Guuuuys!"
"What?" I snapped, turning to Lex's direction.
He was looking down at the cluster of bushes below him with wide eyes. "There's something you should see."
Sighing, I stood and walked over to where he was and looked to where he pointed. There, in the middle of the cluster of bushes was exactly what I'd been searching for.
A disturbance.
The bushes looked to be mangled, twigs and branches strewn and broken. There was a clumpy pool of red and purple looking berries on the ground.
I bent to examine it closely.
"Someone's been here." River echoed my thoughts aloud.
"How do you know it's a human?" Lex asked, body swinging into me.
I pushed him away distractedly. "Animals don't make messes this big."
"It looks like someone was laying here," River said absently, circling around the bushes to get a closer look. "And then there was a struggle." It certainly looked that way. "They were dragged along here," he pointed to the disturbance in the bushes and grass. It looked like a rough path of flattened grass leading further into the woods.
I stood up and turned, rushing to that direction, following that pathway. The earth was disturbed all around. We'd missed it earlier because it was further away in the opposite direction of my own tracks.
Here, grass was torn from the roots, revealing the dirt underneath. River was behind me until the path stopped and gave way to something new. A different kind of tracks, ones I didn't recognize.
"What is that?" I asked fearfully.
Braving the Beasts Page 4