by Candy Crum
It wasn't like her to be so rude, but she knew it was necessary if she were to be successful. Giving them a sarcastic smile and a rather half-assed wave, she turned to walk away.
She heard several whispers behind her before she very clearly heard Caydon say to Jackson, "I know it. Trust me. She's the one. Just watch; I'll prove it."
Maddie wasn't completely certain, but she hoped that meant she'd caught their attention. She heard footsteps approaching behind her, so she stopped and turned, making sure to appear annoyed as she did.
Just as she'd suspected, both of them stopped when she did, and their eyes—particularly Caydon's—were locked on hers. "Yes? Did you need something?"
"So, how do you feel about all this Arryn stuff?" Caydon asked.
Her brows furrowed. "That's why you stopped me? To ask me about her?"
The men looked at one another for a moment before turning their gazes back to her. "Yeah. Just curious. I heard you stood up in the middle of her class and cheered her innocence. I heard the accusations upset you quite a bit."
Maddie looked at him incredulously. "And that matters, why? She's gone now. Ran out of the city."
Caydon smiled, and the very sight of it gave Maddie chills. He was an attractive young man, but his good looks were marred by his terrible attitude and quest for power. He made her sick.
Caydon made a small gesture with his hands. "Actually, it matters a lot. See, Arryn is a murderer, I mean, in case you hadn't heard. And how could you not believe it? As far as I'm concerned—as far as we are concerned—if you stand up for her, you're no better than she was. You're a traitor to Arcadia, too."
Maddie smiled, taking a step forward. "If that were the case, we’d have had Jackson's head on a pike long ago, wouldn't we? I mean, he has very publicly cried out for the old ways. For Adrien's ways. Given that Adrien quite literally tried to destroy the city, wouldn't that make Jackson a traitor for supporting the former Chancellor’s unbelievably stupid ideas?"
Jackson's expression turned slightly angry; he was obviously offended at her suggestion. "I think you should watch your pretty little mouth," Jackson warned. "Arryn's not around here to protect you."
Maddie's eyes narrowed as she locked her eyes on Jackson. "Was that a threat?"
Caydon shrugged, a wry smile on his face. "Take it however you want it, little girl."
"Yeah," Jackson added. "You're in the minority now. You might want to watch your back."
Maddie lashed out without warning, her knee successfully finding Jackson’s balls. Before her foot had even settled back to the ground, her eyes turned jet black. Jackson cried out and hit the floor, and Caydon's eyes widened as he looked from his friend to Maddie. When he saw her eyes, he took a step back.
"I'm not sure threats are the way for you to go, boys. In fact, I find it strange. Arryn is supposedly guilty of murder, but I'm the one who needs to watch my back when I support her? Hmm. One would almost think that maybe she wasn’t guilty at all. Maybe it was someone else."
Caydon opened his mouth to protest, his expression telling her it was more than likely to be a threat or insult, but she stopped him. Raising her hand, she said, "In the words of another once-accused traitor and now hero-of-the-city friend of mine, you douche nuggets don't know who you're messing with."
With an overly confident smile, Maddie turned and walked away, already plotting how to get to Amelia without being seen. Her plan had worked, and now her life was in danger. She would need to make sure this opportunity wasn’t wasted—and that she didn't get herself killed exploiting it.
***
The icy air burned Arryn's skin, but it wasn't nearly as cold as it had been before. As she laid there, trying to will herself to open her eyes, her last few moments of consciousness fluttered back through her memory. She sat bolt upright and clutched her throat as she remembered the tiger’s jaws locking around both it and her head.
Looking around frantically, she studied her surroundings, quickly realizing she wasn't where she had been when she passed out. Now, she was in a rather large cave, the walls, floor, and even ceiling of which were covered in ice, giving it a beautiful blue color.
It was as if someone had created a frozen bubble inside the bluest water.
Outside the mouth of her current resting place, she saw snow pouring from the sky so heavily she could barely see through it. A low grumble from across the cave caught her attention, and she turned to see the mama tiger standing there staring at her.
The cat’s mouth was hanging open like a dog’s when it panted. She didn't know much about cats, and she wondered if maybe they were like snakes. Did tigers taste the air as they breathed? Why would she need to pant in such cold weather?
"Did you save me?" Arryn asked. The tiger plopped down in response, laying her head on her massive paws. Her eyes never left Arryn.
A chill swept the air, and Arryn suddenly remembered that she’d strapped the ram and leopard pelts to her back. She pulled both free, unrolling the first one to lay on the cold ground; she would use the other for a blanket. She only hoped the tiger wouldn't realize she'd skinned a leopard to keep warm.
Would she be mad about it?
Part of Arryn wanted to trust the tiger, knowing that if she had wanted to eat her, it would have already happened. But that didn't mean she hadn’t been brought here as future food. After all, the tiger would eventually get hungry again.
Another part of Arryn focused heavily on the fact that she hadn't used any magic to subdue the tiger, nor did she have the energy to do it now. It was quite possible the tiger would attack at any moment, especially if it was for the survival of her cub.
Arryn had no idea how long she'd been unconscious, but she suddenly remembered the food she'd stashed in her cloak pockets. She silently prayed the meat hadn't thawed from her body heat and the berries hadn't been crushed.
She felt around in her pockets and quickly realized she hadn't been unconscious for long. Both the berries and the meat were still frozen, though the berries had started to soften a little. She sighed in relief, popping a raspberry into her mouth to let it thaw so she could eat it.
Even though she was protected from the elements in a cave, the temperature was too low for her to stay there for long. She had no idea why she hadn't frozen to death already. Her body had been so weak when she’d passed out that it had seemed quite unlikely she would be able to survive.
In the cave, almost everything was dry. She would need to start a fire. Slowly and very unsteadily she stood, never losing track of the mama tiger as she looked around for anything she might be able to burn. Toward the back of the cave, where it was darkest, she saw what looked like the roots of a tree.
How a tree could have grown up here was beyond her. Though, it was still very early spring. The top of the mountain wouldn't have grown warm yet. It was possible it got temperate enough in the summer months that plant life might grow well.
As she went over to the roots, she heard little footsteps and a loud growl. Turning on her heel, she saw the tiger cub running toward her before Mama snatched her baby up by the back of his neck and carried him back to their warm spot on the ground.
Arryn sighed in relief as she realized she wasn’t being attacked, and continued toward the back of the cave to investigate the roots. Not only were they dry, but they would provide more than enough wood to create a fire. In fact, there was plenty to create several fires, which would keep her warm for days if she stayed here. The root system extended deep into the walls, so taking the visible roots wouldn't do enough damage to kill the tree.
As with most things she'd discovered lately, the best course of action was to use a combination of physical and nature magic. Several minutes later, she brought back several chunks of wood and placed them in the area she believed would be the best for building the fire.
She had looked at the ceiling to make sure no icicles overhung the area. The last thing she wanted was to melt them enough to drip on her fire or break off entirely and impale her or the
tigers.
Luckily, most of the icicles had formed toward the front of the cave, though there were quite a few sprinkled around the inside as well, none of which would pose a problem in the area she had chosen.
Arryn looked around for anything she might use to light the fire with, but was left with only a few rocks that she wasn't sure would work and sticks she had pulled away from the roots.
After setting up the makeshift firepit, she began rubbing the sticks together to start the fire. Her hands were incredibly cold, so she wasn't exactly sure how skilled she would be right now.
She caught movement from the corner of her eye and glanced at the cats. The mother had gotten up and was now slinking around the cave watching Arryn's every movement.
As she tried to create enough friction to start the fire with the sticks, the bulk of her attention was on the several-hundred-pound animal stalking her. Unsurprisingly, Arryn's hand slipped and a sliver of the wood went through her palm.
"Gah! Fuck me!" Arryn cried, grabbing hold of her hand and inspecting the wound.
There was a loud growl of protest from Mama. Arryn looked at her, angry. "If you're going to eat me, just fucking do it already! Do you have any idea how hard it is to focus on not stabbing yourself while also making sure you don't get eaten at the same time?"
The tiger grumbled but didn't move from where she stood. Her body was still in a semi-aggressive pose.
"Yeah, I didn't think so! I used the last bit of my energy to save your son's life, and you're being a real bitch. So, either eat me, or lay the fuck down with your baby, because I have shit to do. Not all of us are covered in fur."
The tiger seemed to scowl at her as she slunk back across the cave and flopped down next to her cub.
Arryn huffed in irritation as she turned her attention back to her hand, grabbing hold of the sliver and yanking it free. She clenched her jaws tightly, groaning deep in her throat to keep from crying out again.
Dark red blood steadily trickled down her hand from the deep wound, but she just wiped the blood on her cloak and did her best to go back to work. After several minutes, several more mistakes, and quite a few more curse words, Arryn finally achieved the spark she needed.
Once the fire had been started, it was easy for her to use just enough magic to make it thrive, since it took far more energy to create flames than it did to sustain them. Soon, her fire blazed, and she smiled as she felt the heat warming her. The smoke rose and coated the angled roof of the cave before drifting out into the outside air.
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a piece of meat and laid it on a flat rock at the edge of the fire. The rock would heat up fairly quickly and thaw the meat enough to allow her to ram a stick through it and cook it over the fire. It wasn't a perfect solution and it wouldn’t be as neat a job as she could've done in the forest, but she was doing the best she could with the resources she had.
As she stared at the fire, a flash of something went through her mind. She shook her head and tried to push the strangeness of it away. Only a few moments later, however, it happened again, only this time she saw an image.
She saw herself from across the room.
Her gaze immediately went to the tigers, who were lying across the room. They were both watching her. It was the oddest thing she'd ever experienced, but she did her best to brush it off.
She looked at the mother and son, then reached into her pocket and put two more chunks of meat on the rock. Those wouldn’t need to be cooked, only thawed.
They were her last pieces, but she knew they would be just as hungry as she was. She had the raspberries to snack on as well.
Once the meat had thawed, she tossed the tigers’ share across the cave to them. Mama inspected the meat, giving it several sniffs before allowing her cub to partake. Arryn began cooking her own piece, excited at the prospect of a full belly.
She was pulling her dinner from the fire when another flash went through her mind. This time, she watched herself pulling the stick from the flames. Once again, her eyes darted to the tigers in confusion.
She took a deep breath and blew it out, doing her best to focus. "I'm just really tired," she said to herself.
Biting into the cooked meat, she closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She couldn't wait to get back to the forest. She was going to eat fruit by the handful, as well as a bowl of nuts. And wine! She planned to get good and trashed with the Chieftain. It would be a celebration. A homecoming.
After she’d finished eating, Arryn laid down on the ram’s skin and covered herself with the leopard’s pelt. While waiting for the skins to warm up, she continued to dwell on all the things she planned to do once she was back in the forest, and even what she planned to do once she was back in Arcadia after the city had been saved.
As she closed her eyes and settled into the warmth of the pelts, she advised the tigers, "You missed your chance earlier. You’d better not eat me while I'm asleep. I wouldn’t be happy about it. I promise you the worst indigestion of your life if you do."
She'd only just dozed off when she felt something touching her. Opening her eyes, she saw the tiger cub nuzzling her chest and belly, trying to get under her covers.
She smiled, but quickly looked at Mama to get permission before she let him in with her. Mama was gone, but then she sensed something behind her and turned her head just enough to see the large tiger lying there.
Without warning Mama laid her enormous head on Arryn's side, the warmth from her body feeling infinitely hotter than the fire only a few feet away. Arryn lifted the leopard pelt and the cub climbed underneath, turning around once before plopping down with his little head nestled against her breasts.
Lowering the skin once again, she wrapped her arm around him and pulled him tight against her, her fingers scratching the sides of his face. His bloody fur had long since been cleaned; his mama had spent quite a while doing so, she imagined.
Arryn wasn't exactly sure why the tigers had decided to lie with her, but she imagined it was for her heat, little as it was. At that moment, it didn't matter. The only things she cared about were her full belly, that she was warm, and that she had shelter.
Somehow, even with a predator twice her size at her side, she felt safer at that moment than she had the entire time she’d been on the mountain.
As she fell asleep, her last thoughts were of her snowy rabbit friend, hoping he'd find his way back to her to let her know he was safe.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
When Maddie arrived at Amelia’s office around lunchtime that afternoon, the Chancellor didn't know what to think. They had been working together to train Ash to fly between them carrying messages, and things had been going well. It was far too dangerous for them to be seen together. For Maddie to have come in person, Amelia knew something must've gone wrong.
And it had. Maddie had done exactly what Amelia had told her not to do. She’d put herself in harm’s way, but it had been a rather strategic plan, and one that might turn out for the best.
After quickly discussing things, Amelia had sent Maddie back to the Academy, telling her to find a way to make it obvious what she planned to do that evening. She needed Jackson and Caydon to know she would be out for a run that evening.
It appeared that Maddie had done her job well, though Amelia had been surprised. Maddie was nothing if not resourceful, and her training and guidance had been much of the reason Hannah had been so successful at impersonating a noble.
Amelia had taken a trusted guard with her and they threaded through the streets, avoiding any other guards whose allegiances might prove questionable. They climbed onto a rooftop and waited. It wouldn't be long before Maddie ran through with the boys on her heels.
Amelia had two Hunters hiding in the shadows below, waiting for the students to pass. They had to wait until Jackson and Caydon struck, hopefully not injuring Maddie in the process. But that was why Amelia and the guard were on the rooftop; to ensure Maddie's safety while the two Hunters took action.
<
br /> Once the boys made their move, the Hunters would capture them and make as much noise as possible, angrily—and loudly—asking questions.
The idea was that people would hear and begin to watch what was happening. The questions had been pre-selected, ensuring that anyone peeking out their windows or listening behind their doors heard them and thought carefully about their meaning.
They needed to create doubt in the minds of others. Two students who were incredibly close to Talia going after a young woman known to support Arryn? That certainly looked suspicious, or at least it should. They planned to make sure it did.
The sounds of footsteps pattering down the cobblestone road caught Amelia's attention. Amelia saw Maddie turn toward the end of the street, and she looked small from that distance. Soon after, Amelia saw two shadows behind her.
Amelia wasn't the best at mental magic, but she'd learned quite a bit from Julianne in the short time she’d trained with her. She’d been getting better at it recently with all the practice she was getting.
They’re behind you, Amelia sent telepathically to Maddie. Keep up your pace, and when you hear their footsteps, I want you to run faster and make noise. If they speed up, scream. Make a scene.
Can do, was all Maddie replied.
Maddie had passed a few extra houses when Amelia saw her look over her shoulder. She heard her say something to her pursuers, but couldn't understand at that distance. Maddie's focus returned to her run and she began to speed up as Caydon and Jackson sprinted faster behind her, just as they'd expected.
As instructed, Maddie began frantically glancing behind her and making frightened noises. The boys picked up speed; they were almost too close for Amelia's liking.
Now! Scream for help, Amelia instructed.
"Get away!" Maddie cried. "Somebody help me!"
Caydon leaped, and Amelia had a fireball in her hand before he landed on Maddie, knocking her to the ground. Amelia stood and raised her hand, ready to throw it, but the Hunters were already on them, ready to do their job. There was a flash of steel as Caydon reached for a knife and dove once again for Maddie.