“Vivi… you know that’s not—”
“Definitely lick him,” Aras interrupts, plopping his bedroll down by our feet. He catches my eye, a shameless smile poised on his lips. Even though I know better, I momentarily forget about my little sister’s claims. “Excuse me, ladies, but is this sleeping spot taken?”
Vivi groans, giving me a swift hug before she flops back onto her pallet. “I should have known you’d want to make your pallet next to us. We are big girls, you know. We can take care of ourselves.”
The sharp edge of her tone confuses me, and my reply is quick. “Vivi! What has gotten into you? It’s Aras—no matter how much he annoys you, he’s family. You can’t treat him that way and expect him to be okay with it.”
“It’s fine, Brave.” Aras touches my shoulder, bending down to pat Vivi’s back. “But her question is a valid one, Vivi. I’m not sure why you’re angry. You know all I’ve ever wanted to do is protect you, and if that means sleeping closer to you as we near a violent war, that’s what I’ll do.” He pauses, looking back to make sure he has my full attention—as if he ever lost it. “Plus, your sister is pretty cute, so that doesn’t hurt.”
Vivi rolls on her side, genuine remorse etched on her face. “I’m sorry, Aras. I didn’t mean it. It’s only that I’m getting bigger now—fourteen years to be exact—and I don’t need you to protect me like I once did. I think it would be best if you shifted your focus onto Brave and Brave alone. She needs you much more than I do.”
“Vivi?” I hesitate, unsure if I heard her words correctly. “You shouldn’t worry about me. I know times are scary, but we’ve both been through worse. Together, we can do anything.”
She bites her lip, sliding out of her covers and pulling me into a tight hug. “I know, sister. You’re the strongest, smartest, and bravest person I’ve ever met. Don’t forget it, even when our journey becomes difficult.”
I pull back, pushing an errant strand behind her ear. “I’ll never forget, Vivi, but you also shouldn’t forget you helped to make me so. I’m counting on your courage to get me through to the end.”
“And you have it,” she says, placing her hand above my heart. “Right here. Sleep well, Brave. It won’t be long until this is over and we’ll have true peace in our lives.”
“True peace,” I echo back, tucking her into bed.
Now, more than anything, I hope the worry doesn’t show in my voice.
ↄ
I awake as the fire’s embers have begun to settle, seeping into the ground and allowing the dark sting of early morning to take over our camp. I blink my heavy lids and take a deep breath, the muggy forest air bringing more pressure than relief. Rolling to my side, I reach out for Vivi as I usually do each morning, expecting to find her wide awake and unusually chipper.
Instead, my hand comes up empty.
“Vivi?” I sit up straight, the blurry edges of sleep tearing my thoughts, leaving behind a jumbled mess.
The place where my sister’s bedroll laid not mere hours ago now lies vacant, its smooth outline still visible in the dirt floor. I throw off my blanket, the weight of sleep no longer pressing on my chest as a fear takes root in its place. My heart pounds, dangerous ticks of pressure dancing along my neck.
“Aras?” I turn to the side, the sight of boy who has become my anchor the only thing that could calm me now. Except… I don’t find him either. In fact, the only thing I do find is a crumpled note.
I reach for the worn paper, mostly ruined and crinkled, like whoever left it didn’t have a lot of time or a lot of options. My breath hitches, and I call a tiny flame to my palm, not daring to wake the whole camp until I know what’s going on. The thin letter melds to my fingers, opening like a blooming flower in the desert.
It begs to be read.
My Bravest Penelope,
You were right; your sister is up to no good. She got up when she believed everyone to be asleep, but after her troubled words last night, I had a feeling I needed to stay awake. She took off on my horse, probably believing that whatever trouble she was bound for was too dangerous for her own. It works in my favor, because now I have her horse to follow her path. She doesn’t have more than a few minutes lead, so I suspect I’ll find her and drag her back before morning light. Don’t worry, Bravest. I meant it when I said I’d take care of you both.
Now, while I’m gone, I do have a mission for you. First, don’t tell anyone we’re missing until you absolutely have to. I don’t want to get the whole camp in an uproar over your sneaky sister and her unreasonable ways. Second, I need you to find a quiet place away from the others and think long and hard about something. When we were risking our lives like fools up in that tree, you kissed me as if you wanted me forever. But there’s one thing that’s been bothering me ever since, and even though I know it sounds silly, it still means a lot to me.
You never said yes. Next time we meet, please do.
I love you, too,
Your Handsome Prince
Twenty-Three
It’s not long until Darcy and Sara find me, huddled up in my covers as my eyes keep a vigilant watch on our boundaries, waiting for their horses to come back into view. Though I haven’t said a word aloud, I know my mind roars like a river, speeding down pathways and thrashing against its banks. I didn’t think anyone would hear me, not unless I wanted them to.
As it turns out, I’m not very good at hiding my thoughts when they’re in turmoil.
“Brave?” Sara nudges my side. Without a word, I wrap my arm around her frame, burying my head into her neck. I keep waiting for the tears to come, the claws of worry tearing at my heart, but they never do. Either I’m in complete shock, or I’m slightly stronger than I think.
“It will all turn out well, Penelope. Aras is a good man; he’ll take care of her. You’ll see.” Darcy’s words, so out of character, tug at my fears. Darcy never tries to placate. She’s always firm and blunt, like an aged blade ready to attack. If she’s trying to save my feelings now, what does she really think about the future?
“Darcy’s right—Vivi and Aras will be fine. In the meantime, you should probably let someone know… at least, someone who can speak.” Sara’s words rumble against my cheek. Despite my doubts, my mouth tugs up at the corners.
Sara has always tried to make me feel better. She’s still a good friend, no matter what I put her through.
Rising to my feet, I run a swift hand over Darcy’s head. “You’re both right, and if I don’t tell someone now, the knowledge of it will probably eat me alive.”
The strangest part is there is only one person who I want to tell.
Careful not to wake the whole camp, I tiptoe to the other side of the dying fire. Dropping to my knees, I prod his back with my finger, more nervous to wake him than to hear his reaction. As if he’s been pierced with a sword, he scrambles to sit up, brandishing a small knife in his hand.
“What are you—” He stops when he catches sight of my face, tear free, but haunted nonetheless. He grabs my arm, pulling me to his chest.
It’s the closest we’ve ever come to a hug.
“It’s Vivi.” I swallow, watching as the wheels begin to turn in my cousin’s head. “She snuck off during the middle of the night. Aras saw her and followed. I’m not sure how long they’ve been gone, but I’d say it’s been more than enough time for him to find her and bring her back.”
“Unless they ran into some trouble,” Reeve allows, his steady voice the only thing keeping me from crumbling to the ground. He squeezes my arm, catching onto my thoughts. “Which is highly unlikely. There isn’t a soul within The Lost who would come close to getting in their way, much less harm them. Honestly, I can’t think of any danger, nor why Vivi would want to leave in the first place. Unless she’s headed for… wait, you don’t think she’s that hard-headed, do you?”
I don’t have to ask what he means—it’s a scenario I’ve run across my mind at least a hundred times while I was waiting for their return. And every time
I do, the answer gets worse and worse. “I think she might have been after Knox.”
“You think or you know?”
I look away, his stormy eyes too much to handle when my own clouds threaten to break from within. “I have a strong feeling, which with Vivi is the same as knowing. Yesterday, she scared me, talking about surprises and whether ours was good enough for Knox. She seemed concerned that we needed to come up with a better plan.”
Reeve jerks back, the very notion of my sister’s wiles stinging him to the core. “And what exactly does she think would be better? Is she going to walk into his castle and try to kill him by herself?”
“I don’t know.” And truly, I don’t. This is the part where Vivi’s actions become murky, a thick pool of swampy waters that I can’t trudge through. Vivi knows she can’t defeat Knox on her own, at least not with his promised circle protecting him. So what would be the point in finding him? If anything, her actions would only reveal our carefully laid out plans. An action that would put us all in danger, and because I know my sister, I’m positive it can’t be that. “But at this point, I’m not sure it matters. Either way, Vivi may be in danger. We can’t base our plans on the unknown; we’ll have to move forward whether we like it or not.”
“And hope your sister and her shining rescuer return unharmed,” he says, watching me in that trained way of his. The one where he looks for my weaknesses, the cracks in my armor that threaten to do me in. When his eyes come up empty, he nods, pulling me toward Ian’s pallet. “Now, let’s see if the prince and I are on the same page when it comes to our next steps.”
I risk a glance at his pale face, frightened by what I find. “And what page is that?”
“The one you’re not going to like.”
ↄ
As it turned out, Reeve’s page involved our immediate departure. Ian and I, along with the people of Ashen, took off toward Theron, while Reeve and his men prepared to take on the Orien army. The logic was that Aras would know to return to Theron rather than trek back through the woods when time is running short. It was in our best interest if we left for Theron and moved as fast as we could, or else we’d risk Knox beating us there.
When Reeve and his men packed up, saying their goodbyes, he had pulled me aside, whispering words I won’t soon forget. “Don’t you break down on me now, cousin. I have eyes in these trees, so I’ll know if you dare shed a tear. Your mother hails from Theron, and through your veins pumps the strongest of blood. When we meet again, it will be a time of celebration—of victory. And I’ll cross out of these woods and pull you in for a hug myself. Do you understand me, Brave? I’m counting on my hug.”
I responded with a handshake—ice against ice. “Be careful what you wish for, Reeve. One hug will never be enough. Before we know it, you’ll be the most affectionate person in the family.”
“I’m dreading the day,” he’d said, turning away to disappear into the woods.
I had watched him go, a horrible ache twisting my heart. He was right; I didn’t like his page at all.
“Penelope, did you hear what I said?” Ian sidles his horse up to mine, their steady gait quickening in tune with the setting sun. I jump at his presence, lost in a trance of ill-mannered cousins and missing loves. “We’ve been at it like this for the entire day. Theron is close, but not close enough. I think we should rest for the night and start back strong in the morning.”
Even though I don’t want to admit it, Ian’s wisdom sounds pretty nice right now. My legs ache from their constant hold against the horse, and my fingers, curled tight around the reins, feel as though they may never straighten again. But despite the pain, the day of Knox’s arrival is quickly approaching. We need time to brief the others on the details of our plans, and we need a convincing plea to stop our marriage. With Vivi missing, the stakes are even higher.
And if Knox is the one who has her…
“I understand your point, Ian, truly I do, but we also need to get back to Theron as soon as we can. I don’t think I can handle sleeping one more night in these woods, not knowing if Vivi and Aras wait for us or not.”
Ian’s shoulders sag, sending a stab of guilt to my gut. He’s tired, but he’s also concerned like me. “Then we should at least rest for half the night. We’ll ask Weston to wake us, and we’ll continue. If we make fast work of it, we should be there by sunup.”
“Deal,” I say, pulling my horse to a steady walk. “So long as you cook dinner.”
The tension releases from his frame. When he smiles, it’s genuine. “You drive a hard bargain, Penelope. It’s probably for the best that we’re not going to marry.”
I laugh, the heavy sound echoing through the trees. For a moment, the fog lifts, and I hope it’s enough to keep me from coming undone.
Twenty-Four
We arrive at Theron’s gates when the sun is just beginning to slide her way across the sky, lighting the world and making way for the new day. True to his word, Ian had Weston wake us up with a loud caw into the night, making me want to second guess our decision to leave early. But now that we’re here, the white gates opening wide at Ian’s command, I don’t find myself to be disappointed in the least.
“Are you sure you want to wait out in the woods?” I ask, turning on my mount to face Darcy and the rest of my people. On the way, they had decided they’d feel more comfortable hanging by close on their own. They also didn’t know how the people of Theron would handle a crew of wild animals marching through their gates.
“We’ll be fine, Penelope. Don’t you worry about us. If you need our help for any reason, just call. Until we hear otherwise, we’ll be waiting for your signal.” Darcy growls at the others, a signal of her own that they know all too well. Together, they mold back into the trees, the shadows reaching out with open arms, protecting them in their wings.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Ian clasps my hand, but his eyes remain on the shadows and the silver tail that disappears into the trees. For some reason, I think he may be saying so more for himself than for me.
I squeeze his fingers, giving a gentle tug as I turn my horse toward the gates. He shakes his head, grabbing the reins and commanding his horse to do the same. “I guess we shouldn’t keep them waiting. My parents will want a full report as soon as possible, and I know your parents are probably going out of their mind with worry.” He clicks his tongue, moving forward with ease. My mount hurries to catch up, the sights of home apparently too much to bear.
I would feel the same, if I knew my home awaited me here.
“Do you think they’ve arrived yet?” I ask, dreading the answer before it comes. I had only just gotten my sister and Aras back into my life; it’s too much to think about losing them again.
If Ian notices my apprehension, he has the decency not to show it. Instead, he leads us through the gates, greeting the two lone guards with his brightest grin. “I’d like to think so, Penelope, but we did ride fast. If they aren’t here already, they will be soon. Until then, it’s best to act as if all is well. We’ll get through this in the same way we planned to defeat Knox—together.”
Ian leaves me to my thoughts for the rest of the ride. Thankfully, the streets are quiet at this hour, the sun not yet high enough to open shops and start the day. We meander through back alleys, hoping to call less attention to ourselves as we make our way to the palace. When the four of us left, we exited through the back gates. Today, we’re arriving in plain view. Hopefully, we look like two lovers coming back from an early morning ride to anyone who may be up.
If only it were that simple.
“You’re back!” Tolan greets us as we slide off our horses at the front steps. He pulls me into a hug so tight I feel as though my bones will crack with the pressure. While Ian’s uncle has given us space during most of my stay here, now it seems he’s making up for lost time. “I think it would be an understatement to say that we missed you.”
I want to respond, tell him we’ve missed them, too, but the words clog my throat,
making each swallow harder than the next. I try not to tense as he pats my back, pulling away to show me that easy smile of his.
I’m too afraid of who he’ll notice is missing once he looks around.
Behind him, Sam comes flying down the stairs, taking them two at a time. His usually neat hair bounces against his forehead, for once not slicked down and styled as most of the guards at Theron tend to do. He stumbles midway—sharp eyes scanning the entrance as he takes us in. “Where’s your sister?”
Tolan freezes, the happiness of our return splintering into shards of ice. His head snaps up, awareness trickling down his back and making me shiver from the cold. “And Aras?”
Ian glances my way, a heavy sorrow edging his features. When I make no move to explain, he addresses our newest predicament the best way he can. “We were hoping she’d be with you. She took off during the night, not but a day ago. Aras woke up and went after her. We’ve been waiting for their return ever since.”
Tolan and Sam don’t take long to process the news, speaking over each other in a frantic search for answers.
“What do you mean, she took off during the night?”
“Of course she did. Is anyone really that surprised? Vivi always has to do things the hard way.”
“I’ll admit, Vivi is quite the character, but to endanger herself and Aras?”
“Oh, she’s a character, I’ll give you that. The problem is she never thinks of anyone but herself.”
“All right, that’s enough.” Ian’s stern voice halts their discussion, stunning them both into silence. Sam glances at my face, a flush lining his neck. He bites his lip and looks away, watching the gates as if this is a terrible mistake and my sister will come bounding through at any minute. “I think we can agree this isn’t one of Vivi’s finest moments, but we also know she doesn’t do anything without just cause. If Vivi felt she had to leave, we must trust her judgement.”
The Reigning Star (The Orien Trilogy, Book 3) Page 13