Vision swimming, I blinked the ground into focus. No tin. I swallowed hard and tasted bile. Oily residue coated my palm. The first time touching a spirit in this world and it had left a mark.
I would bind the wound with blessed herbs and keep an eye out for infection.
Three more days, two really, and I would leave Erania. My head pounded as a plan formed.
Ward my room. Hide from this spirit. Pray I survived yet another visit to the in-between.
Air whooshed from my lungs. I woke gasping on the tiles. Cold sweat slicked my nightdress to my body. Salt stung my eyes as the room came into focus. My heart skittered. Not my room. I coughed, tasting blood and rolling onto my side. A gilded mirror reflected the mess of black hair twisting over my shoulder and the white gown pooling on the floor around me. Gold. Araneidae gold glinted on every surface of the room. I owned nothing as fine as the baubles glittering welcome around me.
This was not my bedroom. This was not my home. I was buried deep in the Araneidae nest.
I touched my chest and winced. Gods but that hurt.
Every time I ripped my soul from my body, I swore I’d never do it again. Yet here I lay, my body trembling from reentry, my soul panicked. How soon the spirit forgot this world. How short the memory of the body. Echoes of life rang through empty shells left from my brethren who had lost their way back to this world. I had no anchor here, not without Old Father guiding my walk.
Panting as I rolled flat onto my back, I exhaled through those doubts. I’d find a stout anchor or I’d stop crossing into the spiritlands. What use is a spirit walker who ignores her true calling? I asked myself a better question. What use is a dead spirit walker? Why, none at all, that’s what.
With a curse and a shove, I sat upright, checking each corner where herb sachets sat barring the spirit or those of his ilk from entering my room. I had knelt for so long before crumpling, my legs were numb. Still, it was worth the risk. My prayers were spoken and the room emitted a faint light as the protection charm activated. Bone tired, weary from exertion, I rubbed my eyes.
A soft sigh of well-oiled hinges and my bedroom door peeked open.
I felt foolish for asking, “Is someone there?”
“Why are you sitting on the floor when you have a perfectly good bed?”
I squinted, but my eyes were weak, my reflexes dull. “Vaughn?”
The door opened a fraction to allow a view of his scowl. “You’ve forgotten me already?”
“No, I—” I shook my head to clear the mental fog. “What are you doing in my room?”
His gaze traveled up the length of my bare thigh. I tucked my legs beneath me, arranging my gown so only my toes were visible. The infuriating male stared until I tucked my feet in too.
“You said you wanted to go.” His eyes sparkled. “Let’s go.”
“Go?” With my head and sight clear, I noticed the nicked boots he wore. His pants and shirt were plain, textured and thick. A travel cloak tied at his neck and his fingers tapped a sword hilt. “We’re leaving so soon? I thought we had days left in Erania.” Had I exhausted myself warding my room for nothing?
“Plans have changed. We’re leaving now.” He glanced past his shoulder, then slid inside my room and shut the door on a soft snick.
“What’s happened?” I held my breath until his expression softened.
“I decided if one little mouse learned of our meeting, then rats might have as well. I think it’s in our best interest to leave now while we still have the advantage.” He tossed a bag at my feet. “I had to guess at your sizes, but I wager I got them close.”
I stared up at him. “You brought me clothes?”
“I don’t remember you being quite this slow.” He frowned. “Did your nightcap sack you?”
I covered my mouth and managed a muffled, “How did you know I was drinking earlier?”
“As long as we’ve known one another and you have to ask?” He tapped the side of his nose.
“Oh.” Witty, Mana, very witty. I settled on a comfortable lie. “I think you’re right. The sweet wine was more potent than I realized.” It was easier than explaining the wards I had constructed.
“The Araneidae don’t serve sweet wine.” His face split in a grin. “Gods’ web, it’s no wonder you’re having trouble remembering your name.” He inhaled. “The akash was imported for Rhys and the other males, not for little mice like you. Come on. Let me help you get changed.”
That snapped me to attention. “I can dress on my own.”
His dark brows rose. “Are you sure? You don’t look steady.”
Determined to prove him wrong, I shoved to my feet and locked my knees so I didn’t weave. “Thank you, but I can handle things from here. You can wait outside for me, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll wait right here, if you don’t mind.” He braced his legs wide. “I can’t go ducking in and out of rooms. It’ll draw attention I went through pains to avoid.” He gave me his back. “Better?”
“That will do.” I upended the bag onto my bed, and my jaw dropped. “I can’t accept these.”
His head fell back on his shoulders. “And why not?”
I ran the silken fabric through my fingers. “I can’t afford these. That’s why. My gown—”
“Your gown is too thin, too green and too difficult for you to wear while riding. Now, make sure you put the vest next to your skin. The shirt, pants and coat, well, you know where they go.”
Lifting the vest in question, I inspected it, and my stomach roiled. It was woven from fine gold thread, the style and color unmistakable. “This is Araneidae armor. It’s worth more gold than I’ll see in my life.”
The Araneidae had made their fortune spinning their silk into armor. Their artisans, all male except for Lourdes, spun threads ten times the strength of any known metal. Their armor made even hardened mercenaries weep with yearning, and I held a vest made in my size in my hands.
“Don’t consider the fabric, consider what it protects.” He paused. “A life is irreplaceable.”
I fisted the fabric until my knuckles turned white. Pining for home did me no good if I didn’t live to see it. Before I lost my nerve, I shucked my nightdress and shrugged the armor into place. Warm fabric slinked over my skin, almost lighter than my gown. With the same blind purpose, I dressed in the rest of the clothes he’d brought me. I kept my shoes, but I made use of his socks.
“I will pay Lourdes back.” From the corner of my eye, I spied the mirror but I ignored it. If I glanced down, I saw gold from my collar to my toes. Seeing that in my reflection? No thank you.
“As I recall, she is in your debt.” He traced the doorknob. “Can I turn?”
“Yes.” I spun a short thread from my fingertips and used it to bind my hair in a tight braid. My thread was not as fine or as strong as Araneidae silk, but it was serviceable.
“You’ll do.” Vaughn held out his hand. “Come on. The others are waiting. We’re the last.”
I reached for my travel bag. “Let me gather my things.”
“Pack only what you can’t live without.” He watched me. “Rhys can bring the rest later.”
Giddy at the prospect of returning early, I gathered my supply roll and the herbs and implements of my trade. Palming a tin with a fir bough stamped into its lid, I frowned.
Henri. It was a balm he’d made for me to help my skin adjust to the drier northland air.
I tossed it onto my nightstand with enough force to make Vaughn raise his eyebrows.
“I’m ready.” I slung my satchel onto my shoulder. “You said the others are waiting?”
“They are.” Cracking the door, he scanned the tunnel. “It’s clear. Even the most dedicated revelers are asleep.” His grin brought heat to my face. “Or they’re behind closed doors at least.”
Following his silent cues, I trailed him past familiar landmarks. We met a steep ramp, and he urged me upward. By the time we crested the ledge, my thighs burned. “What is this place?”
<
br /> “Come a little closer and you’ll see.” He pointed. “Look down there.”
My gaze followed his finger, and my eyes widened. “I’ve never seen so many ursus.”
“This cavern serves as the nest’s underground stables.” He indicated another, steeper incline. “That ramp leads up and out. That’s our exit. All others are closed due to the inclement weather.”
It had been so long since weather was a concern of mine, I marveled. “We’re going outside.”
He laughed at me, but I couldn’t blame him. Sleep deprivation and my sojourn into the heart of the spiritlands had left me lightheaded and tipsier than any wine. My thoughts swam, and I doubted I could stay awake long enough to watch the sun rise once our party left the nest. Think of home. Think of fresh air. Think of sunlight.
He took my hand and guided my descent into the stable. “Have you ever ridden an ursus?”
“Only once.” I watched as several of the beasts were saddled. “During our journey here.”
“Unconscious and strapped to a litter wasn’t what I meant. I mean you, in a saddle, on a boar’s back, upright and in control.” His pace slowed as we neared the aisle. “Well, yes or no?”
“In that case, no, I haven’t.”
“I thought as much.” His grip tightened. “In that case, you’ll ride with someone.”
“Are you volunteering?”
He shook his head. “I have other obligations.”
Following his line of sight, I spotted Pascale. “She’s riding with you.”
“She is.” His thumb swiped over my hand in a caress so light it was an afterthought. “You’re going to ride with Lleu.” His mouth twisted grimly. “I can trust him to keep his teeth to himself.”
He was Mimetidae then, like Vaughn. I suppressed a shudder. It was unfair of me to judge a male I hadn’t met. Not all of his clan members caved to flesh hunger. Most suppressed the urges.
Odd I hadn’t associated that particular danger with the nearness of Vaughn’s mouth earlier.
I cleared my throat. “How many are in our party?”
“Thirteen.” He stopped before a stall. “Nine of my men, Bram, then you and Pascale.”
“That’s a rather large party.”
“We’re escorting rather precious cargo.”
Life was precious. He would hear no argument from me on that score. “Why did we stop?”
“My mount’s in there.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “No one else will have her.”
No doubt drawn by his voice, a broad, black head peered over the stall door.
“She—she is a she?” I waited for his nod. “Well, she’s lovely. What’s her name?”
I reached for her. Her teeth snapped closed inches from my fingertips. I jerked my arm back.
“Her name is Noir, and I’d avoid her if I were you.” He grasped her halter as she snarled at him. “Ungrateful sow.” Her lips peeled from her teeth in a very Vaughn-like gesture. “Enough.”
With a snort I suspected was the ursine equivalent of a curse, she let him have his way.
Small talk faded as he gathered tack and prepared his mount. Not one stable hand offered to help. Most ducked their heads as if nervous Vaughn would call on them, so he managed alone.
“She’s a right bastard.” A husky voice drifted over my shoulder. “Eat your hand soon as let you touch her. Don’t know what Vaughn sees in her. Ought to be put down for what she did—”
“That’s enough, Lleu,” Vaughn growled. “If the youth hadn’t stuck his hand in her stall, she couldn’t have bitten him, could she?” He thumped a shiny plaque that read: Beware of ursus. “If he was tall enough to reach her, he was old enough to read this warning, so she can’t be solely to blame.” I kept my smile hidden. I doubted he would appreciate it if I pointed out his defense of the ungrateful sow. “Lleu, I promised Mana you’d keep your teeth to yourself. See that you do.”
“Fine, fine. I will.” Lleu’s grin was less than heartening. “Better things to do with sweet females—”
“Don’t.” The single word from Vaughn made Lleu retreat a step.
“I meant no harm.” Lleu offered me his arm. “So you’re the spirit walker, huh? You must be on account of the fact the others are crossing themselves when they see you.” He harrumphed. “I thought you’d be taller or something. You don’t even have a hairy wart or a hump on your nose.”
The male towered over me. His body was thick with muscle. Short blond hairs clung to his scalp. His eyes were a warm, murky brown. Though his features were rough-hewn, they were kind.
“You have no filters, do you?” Laughter bubbled up the back of my throat. “I think that you and I will get along well, Lleu of the Mimetidae.” I took his arm. “Your honesty is refreshing.”
“It’s why Vaughn here trusts me.” He winked. “If it’s on my mind, it’s out my mouth.”
“Don’t make me regret this.” Vaughn pinched the bridge of his nose. “Go. Get her settled.”
I didn’t know the words were there until they burst from me. “Be safe.”
His hand lowered, his lips hitched to one side, and I got the impression I had amused him.
Dangerous, that smile of his, for warming me when he said, “Be careful, little mouse. At the first sign of danger, scurry as far and as fast as you can. Don’t look back. Get yourself to safety.”
I nodded, knowing if the Theridiidae found us, I had no hope of outrunning their arrows.
Chapter 3
“This here is Rouge.” Lleu patted the flank of a reddish ursus whose eyes drooped. “He isn’t the fastest mount in the stable, and, well, he’ll wander off if you don’t keep an eye on him. Damn his hide, he left me stranded at the wall when I went to take a—” He coughed into his fist. “Let’s just say he has selective hearing, and if we don’t tie his lead properly, he’ll strand both our arses.”
“I’ll try and keep that in mind.”
He nodded. “See that you do.” He glanced between me and the saddle, and laced his fingers. “I don’t suppose…” he made a lifting gesture, “…you need a leg up? I’ve never, ah, ridden with a female.” He chortled and nudged me with his elbow. “Been ridden by a few, if you catch my drift.”
My eyes widened. “I—”
“Forget I said that.” He swiped a hand down his chin. “All but that part about your leg. Not your leg, but…” His gaze pleaded with me. “Gods’ web, you know what I’m trying to ask you.”
I touched his arm. “It’s fine. I don’t need help.”
His exhale told me he was grateful for that.
Mounting Rouge was second nature to me. I rode varanus at home, and the ursus weren’t so different besides their warm blood and fur. Varanus had neither. They were cold-blooded, scaly.
Once Lleu was settled, he loosed a shrill whistle Vaughn returned. At his signal, the sluggish procession began. Ursus weren’t nocturnal, and their displeasure at being roused for a nighttime ride was evident in their curled lips and the guttural complaints they shared amongst themselves.
Rouge grumbled a more fitting complaint than I’d managed when Vaughn kept me from my bed as he climbed the incline toward the surface. Around us, our companions hunkered in their coats, bracing for the first blast of frigid air. I wasted no such effort. Nothing prepared you for the moment when Erania first breathed upon you and the oxygen all but froze solid in your lungs.
Before Rouge cleared the tunnel’s end, I held my breath. No matter. My first gasping inhale formed ice in my chest. Pain radiated through my face and neck. When the cold was proving too much for me, Lleu passed a gold mask over his shoulder. With numb fingers, I tugged it over my head and inhaled. The fabric was warm and smelled of Vaughn. So did the gloves he issued me.
“I should’ve given you these before.” He tugged a mask over his head. “Sorry about that.”
Feeling generous, I tucked the ends of his mask in his coat collar. Our eyes locked over his shoulder, and it was on the tip of my tongue to tha
nk him until his low chuckle reached my ears.
“Wrap your arms around me, if you like.” He grinned. “I’ll warm your hands in my lap.”
I laughed when his eyebrows wiggled, but said, “I’ll use the gloves, thank you.”
Twisting in the saddle, I scanned the trail behind us until I spotted a black smudge amid the flurry of snow. The rider stared at me with something akin to possession. His smile, what I could see of it, made tingles spread through my chest, caused my gut to quiver and made my toes curl.
Rouge skated on a patch of ice, and I clung to Lleu until our ursus regained his footing.
Tired and cold of the plummeting temperatures, I forced my eyes closed for fear they’d freeze in their sockets. Howling wind muted the steady crunch, crush, crunch of ursine footsteps in snow.
Unease brought my eyes open, made me stare long and hard despite the dagger-sharp pain.
My skin tightened when reflected moonlight illuminated a lone figure beneath skeletal trees along the roadside. Theridiidae archers or some trick of the light? Grasping Lleu’s coat, I did my best not to alert the watchful shadow. “I see someone. There, beneath those trees to your right.”
His chin lifted and scented the air. “I can’t scent. My nose is frozen.” He sneezed. “We’re all blind and deaf until this weather clears, but Vaughn will smell the Theridiidae if they pursue us.”
If Lleu said the woods were clear, I should trust him, but I saw what I saw. Intent on proving I knew a real threat from an imaginary one, I scanned the area where I’d spotted the apparition. No one stood there now.
“Is it wise for us to travel the main road?” It seemed foolhardy. “Aren’t we rather exposed?”
“It is and we are.” He gave me two non-answers. “Trust Vaughn, he knows best.”
Trust Vaughn. I wasn’t sure such a thing was possible, yet I took solace from Lleu’s words.
I yawned while sleet pinged off my cheeks. Chin bumping my chest, I let sleep claim me.
Jolted awake by an elbow to the ribs, I opened my eyes, or tried to, but my lids stuck tight. I touched my cheeks and found my lashes were an icy mesh. I forced down my fear and my hand.
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