by Candy Crum
Amelia nodded as she looked from treetop to treetop, having no idea who—or where—she was actually speaking to. "They are. It's a long story, one I would gladly tell, but I would prefer not to repeat it. I'm quite fine waiting outside the barrier while you send someone for Cathillian, his mother, or the Chieftain. Or, I'll offer myself as a prisoner. You can lift me over the barrier and bind my hands to take me to them. You have my word that no man or woman here will cause any harm to the forest or to your people."
"I won't risk the lives of our Elders. I will take your second offer. As long as they honor your promise, you will stay safe," came the reply.
Amelia nodded, sliding off her horse. She turned the mare and walked her a few feet closer to the governor so she would continue her path back to the others. After letting go of the reins, Amelia returned to her negotiating spot.
A vine dropped from the trees, expertly wrapping around her body in a way that would distribute the weight evenly so there would be no pain as she was pulled into the trees. Once she was high in their branches, the vines unraveled and she saw her host.
It was a young woman only a few years older than Arryn—maybe just a little older than Celine. Her face was flawless, her skin medium-toned, and her hair auburn. Her face had been painted, and there were green and white symbols she did not recognize running down her cheeks.
"My name is Alehah. I'll escort you to the tribe," the woman said. Her voice was stern, but also gentle.
Amelia smiled and nodded. "Understood. Thank you."
Without being asked, Amelia turned and placed her hands behind her back, allowing the woman to bind them. It was the first time Amelia had ever seen the Dark Forest, and it was every bit as stunning as Arryn and Cathillian had described.
Instead of thinking of herself as a prisoner, Amelia focused on the landscape surrounding her, allowing her mind to escape as she was taken to the Chieftain to do something that had been done once before not too long ago—when the Founder had come to him, his old friend, begging for his assistance to beat Adrien in the upcoming war. Amelia was going to make a similar request, only this time it was to shelter the lives she’d brought with her so they might be free of Adrien's daughter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Arryn awoke several hours later—she imagined it was just around midnight—lying on a bed surrounded by the warmest creatures on the planet. She sat up and scooted to the end of the bed, which was only a mattress on the floor. Standing up, she rubbed her eyes and made her way across the house to find Roger on guard at the window. He looked out once more before turning around and seeing her.
He smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
She nodded. "I did, thank you. I'm sorry to have put you out, but I really do appreciate the help."
He shook his head, setting the mug down on the table next to the couch. "Don't worry about it. Trust me, it's for a good cause. Besides, it gave me a chance to work. I have something for you."
Arryn followed the man into the kitchen. He lifted one of her daggers from the table and handed it to her. The steel was now smooth and shiny. It had an edge on it that was sharp enough to slice someone through with little effort, and the point at the end had been sharpened as well.
The tip of the ram’s horn she'd used as a handle had been properly cleaned and coated with something that gave it a glossy appearance. On top of that, it had been appropriately attached instead of the crude fastening she’d designed in the mountains.
"I got them finished while you napped," he said.
She smiled and turned her gaze on him. "Thank you. They look amazing! How did you do it so fast?"
He shrugged. "I don't know much magic, but fire I'm an expert in. That's why I took up smithing. I can make quite a bit of money in a short amount of time. Travelers come through here all the time, so I do pretty good. They head north to the land beyond the mountains. There's a town full of stormcallers there. From what I hear, they're persecuting the nobles from Arcadia who fled there after the old bastard Chancellor was killed. Sinking their ships and shit. Can't say I'm really torn up about it. Some of them came through here, and they were assholes. They deserved what they got."
"Can't say I am either after what I've been told about what happened in Arcadia before I got back there. Anyone who fled the city was an enemy of the current Chancellor, and I happen to know she's a pretty good person. Anyway, thank you for everything. This is a huge help."
He nodded, jumping a little when the tigers walked into the room. The mama tiger was as tall as Arryn. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know. I wish you the best on your journey, and I hope you get to take that bitch down. For yourself, but also for the Arcadian people and for my friend. It ain't much, but if you ever need shelter, I have it here for you."
Arryn reached out and gave him a hug, thanking him one last time. She made her way outside with the tigers, eyeballing the mama. The big cat looked at her, her eyes narrowing as she grumbled.
Arryn gave a toothy, exaggerated smile. "Come on, you knew this was gonna happen. You didn't wander all the way down the mountain to find me without having at least thought about the fact that I might have to ride you."
The tiger grumbled again as she knelt on the ground. Arryn reached for the cub, and he stretched out his front paws again, waiting for her to pick him up. After straddling the tiger, she set the cub between her legs, making sure to hold him tight.
"Take it easy at first. We all need to adjust. Then we need to move as fast as we can. I'll teleport us as far as I can, but it's still pretty new, and I imagine I’m going to screw it up a time or two. Or, you know, every time. It’s hard enough to teleport myself."
The tiger rose onto her massive paws, and Arryn finally realized how the Chieftain must've felt when riding Zobig. Just as they were about to take off, a small voice spoke from behind Arryn.
"You made it," she said.
Arryn turned to see a woman standing there, her eyes wide. She looked disheveled—not quite dirty, but unkempt. She saw a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision and looked over to see Roger standing in the door, a bow drawn and aimed directly at the woman.
"Leave her be, Widow," Roger ordered, his voice cold and authoritative. "Arryn, leave. Now. I'll take care of this."
"No," the Widow said, her voice barely a whisper. She gave Arryn the creeps, but Arryn didn’t think the woman meant her any harm. "I'm happy you made it. I was the one who changed your bandages when she brought you here. She got mad at me, hoping your wounds would fester and cause you more pain. I couldn't save the others she took from me, but I did what little I could to save you."
"Thank you," Arryn said. "You do realize what I plan to do."
The woman stepped forward, and Roger pulled the bowstring farther back as she did. Cautiously, the woman reached into her cloak pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment. She handed it to Arryn.
"I don't know if this will help. This is her birth record, signed by her father. It's the only copy, and I promised Adrien I’d destroyed it when he decided he didn’t want anyone knowing about her."
The woman's voice was quiet and weak. She couldn't even make eye contact with Arryn. It was obvious that Talia had destroyed this woman as surely as she'd destroyed everything else.
"She won't be able to hurt you anymore," Arryn said. "I can promise you that."
Tears spilled down the woman's face. Arryn thought it might've been because she was about to lose her daughter, but then the widow smiled. "It's a terrible thing to wish for the death of your own child, but she was never mine. She was his from the moment she was born. I gave birth to her. I raised her. But she was Adrien's. May we both find peace."
After saying her piece, the Widow turned and walked back down the street in what Arryn assumed was the direction of her home. With one last goodbye to Roger, Arryn headed south for Arcadia.
After she’d traveled a few miles, she heard a familiar screech ring through the sky. Looking up, she saw Echo flying above.
Without even questioning it, Arryn knew she was on the hunt for her.
"Echo!" Arryn called. "I'm heading to Arcadia. Tell Cathillian I'm on my way!"
The bird screeched again and then veered off toward the west. Arryn was confused for a moment, wondering why the bird didn't continue flying south. As Echo continued to head west, Arryn realized then that Cathillian was no longer in Arcadia. He'd gone home to the Dark Forest, more than likely to get Elysia and the others.
There was no need, Arryn thought to herself. I'll be home soon.
***
It was nearly dawn when Arryn finally reached Arcadia. The sun would rise soon, but it was still plenty dark enough for her to sneak into the city. She had teleported several times, stopping to kneel in the warm grass and feel the blades against her hands as she fed on the energy of the earth, allowing it to heal her. While it used some of her energy to take from the earth, it replenished much more.
It had allowed her to make several jumps, and the tiger had carried them the rest of the way. As fast as the big cat was, they completed the trip before sunrise.
They approached the northern wall, and Arryn found herself debating what to do with the cub. He was still too small to fight, so she couldn't take him with them, but he also couldn't be left alone.
Eventually, Arryn decided to hide him on the top of the wall. He would be well concealed there, and no one would be on the wall—Arryn knew that for a fact. Arryn wordlessly gave the tiger the instructions, and the big cat jumped all the way to the top of the wall. It was impressive, Arryn had to admit.
She wouldn't be able to do that, so she called vines from the ground to wrap around her and the tiger cub and lift them onto the wall. Once her feet touched, she knelt and placed the baby down.
"You have to stay here," she whispered. "We'll be back for you. If you stay here, no one will be able to find you."
She kissed the top of his head, and the mama tiger licked him before they began moving as quickly as possible toward her objective while crouching low enough to avoid being seen on the wall.
The Capitol building wasn't far from there, and Arryn wanted to get to Amelia as quickly as possible. If she could, she wanted to teleport inside. After several moments’ thought, Arryn realized she'd been gone for quite a while. It was possible things weren't the way she’d left them. If Cathillian was no longer in the city, it stood to reason the worst might've happened.
Arryn nearly growled, thinking about it. And the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
As they came to the center of the northern wall, Arryn risked a peek over the edge into the city. Everything looked quiet, but she knew better. From her position, she could see the Capitol building, and even farther away, the Academy.
Capitol building or Academy? Which one? Where would she be?
Sighing, Arryn decided the Capitol building would be her first choice. It was closer, and if she was wrong, she could head toward the Academy. She didn’t know where Talia actually lived, so this would be the best option.
Arryn slid over the edge of the wall, landing on a shed behind one of the more secluded noble homes. Making her way to the edge of its roof, she jumped down to land on the ground. Though her tiger weighed several hundred pounds, the large animal was even quieter than she’d been when she landed.
They were both completely silent as they snuck through the yards, keeping to the shadows and making their way to the back of the Capitol building. As Arryn approached, she felt a familiar buzzing in her brain, alerting her that Scarlett was now very aware of her presence.
"Shit," Arryn whispered quietly.
Taking a deep breath, she led the tiger to the rear of the building. At the very bottom of the wall, just at ground level, were several small windows. They were the only source of natural light—a very pathetic excuse for it—in the dungeon.
Dropping down, Arryn peered inside to see where she would need to land. Her teleportation still wasn't as accurate as she'd like, so she wanted to make sure she had a good look at where she was going.
Her eyes turned black as she reached back and grabbed her tiger's leg. The magic surrounded her, pushing in all directions as they disappeared, Arryn landing hard on her side on the floor and the tiger managing to land on her feet.
Arryn groaned as she rolled over on her hands and knees, then stood. "Perfect," she whispered to the big cat with a wink.
As she turned, her eyes widened. Next to the door frame that led to the stairs she found her staff, her bow, and her quiver. The quiver was empty from the battle against the remnant, but there they were.
The tingling feeling in her brain returned. Enjoy your gifts, came Scarlett's voice. Arryn froze in surprise. I spent the last week minus a couple days waiting for you. I expected you back a while ago, but I'm happy now.
What is this? Where are you?
Why would I tell you that? Scarlett asked, her internal voice sounding almost offended that Arryn had asked. I'm here, but nowhere you can find me. I thought I would give you some time alone with Talia. She's in the Chancellor's office, by the way.
Arryn didn’t understand. None of this made sense. This is a trap. You knew I was coming. How?
Because you're annoying. You were so weak that day that I saw straight through you. There was no way in hell you were going to give up. It's been a real treat watching Talia collapse into her own psychosis, and now I get to enjoy you taking revenge on her. The best part is that she has no idea you’re even alive, let alone back in Arcadia.
Well, after I’m done with her, I'm coming for you next, bitch, Arryn sent, her internal voice flat and angry.
Oh, I'm counting on it. Have fun now! Do tell Talia I send her my best.
With that the tingle in her brain was gone and she was left to her own thoughts. Scarlett had set Talia up, or so it seemed. That was okay—Arryn didn't care if it came easy, though she was happy she wouldn't have to fight her way in.
Arryn slowly made her way through the door and up the stairs, hoping the wood wouldn't creak under her tiger’s weight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Arryn didn't trust Scarlett as far she could throw her, so she didn't believe for an instant that the mystic hadn't alerted Talia. While the mystic fully believed she was capable of betraying the Dean, Arryn didn't feel that luck would be on her side when it came to catching Talia off-guard.
When Arryn reached the top of the stairs, the landing’s boards whined loudly. Her entire body froze as she watched the door, waiting for someone to investigate the noise. She didn't have to wait long.
The door swung open and a woman stepped through, one Arryn didn't know well but was certainly familiar with. Rebecca was her name, and she was a teacher at the Academy.
Rebecca smiled as her eyes locked on Arryn's. The tiger had ducked out of sight, lying flat on the stairs while Arryn stood on the landing above.
"Oh, Talia is going to love this."
Arryn smiled. "Not nearly as much as I'm going to—trust me."
Arryn stepped to the side, flattening herself against the wall. The landing was a slightly wider area than the stairwell—more like a foyer—but Arryn didn't want to be in the way.
Rebecca regarded her with a confused expression, and Arryn winked. She had no more than thought about the big cat before she appeared at the top of the stairs. The woman's eyes widened when she saw the oversized tiger pull her lips back over her long, sharp teeth.
There was a low growl coming from the cat’s throat, and the rumble was so deep it gave the illusion that the walls themselves might rattle.
"As I said, I think I'm going to enjoy this far more." Arryn stepped forward and placed her hand on the tiger's neck. "Make it as quiet as possible. I have an office to sneak into."
With a wave of her hand, Arryn magically yanked the woman farther into the small area and slammed her against the wall across from her.
"How many people are in the building?" Arryn asked.
"Fuck you! I'm not telling
you anything."
The tiger walked forward, placing her nose a couple of inches away from the woman's face. Rebecca’s breathing became ragged as tears formed in her eyes. She squinted them shut as the tiger pushed forward, licking the entire side of her face.
"Did I mention she climbed all the way down a fucking mountain yesterday? Oh, and then she traveled all the way here tonight. Haven't seen her eat once. I'm starving, and I rode her here. I can't imagine how famished she must be."
While Arryn hadn't ever enjoyed being particularly nasty to people, after having spent a couple weeks nearly freezing to death on the mountain while torturing herself in the worst way possible with the exhaustion and training, her rage was even more satisfying than she'd imagined.
"Five, counting Talia!" Rebecca said quickly. "Five. Please. Please don’t kill me."
Arryn shook her head. "You know, I couldn't remember anything from the day I was taken. A couple of flashes, that was it. Nothing made sense. But you? I remember your face. You helped take me down in the alley. You helped put me there. You helped a murderer. You helped dump me on that mountain and expected me to die, so you’re a murderer, too."
Arryn turned and made her way to the door and slowly poked her head through, scanning for people. The immediate area seemed to be empty, but that could change at any moment.
Looking back at the tiger, Arryn ordered, "Make it quick and quiet."
Ducking low, Arryn stepped into the outer room, searching the area again. She heard a sound down the hallway. She closed the door to the dungeon without latching it so the tiger could walk out when she was ready.
There was a low rumble followed by a thump against the wall, and Arryn knew it was done. She took a few careful steps before stealthily running through the building, making as little noise as possible.
As she sped down the hall, she followed the sound to a room on the right. Sensing the area, she felt three people inside, and one of the life energies in the room was familiar to her.