Dark smiles crossed the women’s faces as excitement took hold of them. They nodded before turning away and heading out of the tent to complete their orders.
CHAPTER TEN
By the time Arryn and her group arrived in Craigston, the sun had nearly set. High in the mountains, the sky was grey, and there was a distinct chill in the air that hadn’t been present in the valley.
“It’s about ta snow,” Samuel said with a smile on his face. “It’s good ta be home.”
Arryn smiled. “I bet it is. We should definitely make a plan before getting all the way into town. Are we stopping at Ophelia’s, or going straight to your house?”
Samuel laughed. “We get a keg an’ then head back ta my house, lass. Did ye really need ta ask that?”
“Yeah, lass, did you really need to ask?” Cathillian asked as he rode up beside Arryn.
Arryn rolled her eyes and shook her head, as she usually did when Cathillian was being slightly ridiculous. “You know, I—”
“Hold on, there, lass.” Samuel brought his horse forward, moving past Arryn and Cathillian as he studied the area.
When Arryn sensed his apprehension, she immediately became more serious. Looking around, she searched for what Samuel might be seeing or hearing. From what she could tell, there was more buzzing in the streets than usual. More than that, the rearick walking around seem to be very sober.
“Boy, that is something to worry about. Rearick running around sober?” Cathillian said.
Arryn shot him a look, but it wasn’t quite as stern as she had meant for it to be, considering she had been thinking the same thing.
“Shut yer trap, little boy,” Samuel said.
Cathillian opened his mouth to fake his offense as he usually did, but Samuel was quick to interrupt him. He no doubt knew Cathillian was about to make some smartass comment, even without looking at him. “They’re sober ‘cause they’re headin’ ta the medical buildin’.”
Snow grumbled a bit, and Arryn reached through the bond.
“Snow says she smells blood,” Arryn said. “But it isn’t fresh. Not all of it, anyway.”
Samuel pointed his horse toward the medical building, and Arryn was quick to follow. When they reached their destination, Snow lowered herself to the ground, and Arryn dismounted, giving her a quick scratch before she went to catch up with Samuel.
“Excuse me,” Arryn said to one of the rearick passing through. “What happened here?”
A rearick woman who was a few inches shorter than Samuel, but looked twice as mean, stopped hard. She turned and looked at Arryn, her brows furrowing as she moved her eyes over the druid’s entire length, sizing her up. She almost seemed offended.
“Remnant. Not that you’d care, Arcadian.” The woman almost spat the words.
“Ethel, ye right twat,” Samuel said. “There ain’t no need ta be such a beast. She’s tryin’ ta help.”
Ethel scoffed. “Is that so, ye ol’ bastard? So, ye got a thing fer outsiders, do ye? Ye like living with ‘em, do ye? Well, those men an’ women in there got hurt fightin’ off the remnant. Injured doin’ what they were meant ta do—protectin’ their own. Where were you?”
Ignoring almost everything the woman had said, Arryn only responded to the part that meant anything to her. After all, rearick insulted each other regularly; if a rearick didn’t insult someone at least once in a conversation, it was pretty certain he or she didn’t like the person. “Remnant have been coming out this way?”
The woman turned cold eyes toward Arryn. “A little over a week ago. But we sent the ones we didn’t kill running like the little bitches they are.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” Arryn said. “Rearick are some of the strongest fighters I’ve ever seen. That doesn’t mean they have to lay there in pain.”
The woman eyed her suspiciously, then turned her eyes to the side a little, where Arryn could feel Cathillian’s presence. “Maybe yer not Arcadians, after all, but ye still ain’t—”
Samuel groaned loudly as he stepped forward and clapped his hand down on the woman’s shoulder. “Yes, she is. She an’ that tall, pretty, girly boy over there—”
“Hey!” Cathillian interjected, but Samuel continued as if he hadn’t heard him.
“—are gonna go in there an’ heal whatever injuries they can. We rearick have our pride, and I get that. I ain’t lost mine. But I’ve come ta know there are some things more important than pride—like the ability ta care fer one’s family. How can those people get back in the mines and earn coin if they’re disabled fer the rest o’ their damned lives? How important is pride then?”
Ethel grumbled to herself before shaking her head and turning toward the entrance of the building. Without saying a word, she nodded in the direction of the door, signaling for them to follow.
Arryn smiled at Samuel, amused by watching him argue on her behalf. “Thanks for volunteering me.”
He shot her an incredulous look. “Hush. We both know ye were gonna fight yer way in there, one way ‘r another.”
She smiled again. “You know me too well.”
The building was not quite as full as she had expected. There were only about ten people stuck in beds, but they had terrible wounds. A few of them had been run through with a weapon of some kind, a couple were missing limbs, and there were even a couple in a coma.
Arryn and Cathillian saw to them first, healing what had been severe head traumas. As they woke, each patient became very emotional, crying as they reached out for Arryn and Cathillian.
Though Arryn found that reaction to be very surprising—coming from a rearick—she was less surprised by the rearick standing around turning their backs on the spectacle. They weren’t a very emotional bunch. Weakness was weakness, though there were exceptions. Those standing around found it to be more respectful to turn their backs and give the person space than to witness their vulnerability.
Arryn couldn’t do anything about the few with severed limbs, but she was able to heal the wounds left behind so they could get on with their lives. It had taken a little coaxing, but with Samuel’s help, there wasn’t too much protesting about magic use.
“Are you ready for that drink, yet?” Samuel asked as Arryn approached after healing her last patient. “Because I sure am.”
She smiled. “Oh, are you? How many people did you heal today?”
Samuel looked taken aback as he quickly leaned forward. “Shh! Shut yer mouth, lass!” he whispered forcefully. “If the others knew about… Well, ye know.” He lowered his voice even further. “About me magic…”
Arryn nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Ye’d get yer arse kicked,” she said, copying his accent over the last sentence.
He leaned back and smiled. “Hey. Yer gettin’ pretty good at that.”
“Are the two of you done making out now? Because I’d love to get a drink,” Bast said from just outside the door. They had waited with Corrine and the animals to keep out of the way. “I wanna get drunk. Pass out. And go hunt down some assholes. Sounds like fun, yeah?”
“I’m not sure.” Arryn looked down at Samuel. “Are we done making out?”
He looked at her with a shocked expression. “Get outta here before I kick ye out. What’s the matter with ye girls? Yer supposed ta be frilly—‘r some shit like that.”
“I do believe his little face is turning red,” Bast said, pointing at Samuel. “Does that mean it’s about to explode?”
The rearick nearly opened his mouth to protest, but Arryn clapped him on the back. “Relax, lad. You stay here and cool off. Send Cathillian out when he’s done flirting with the patients. Bast and I are going to the bar so we can pass out, wake up, and hunt down some assholes first thing in the morning.”
“Ye can start with that arsehole right there,” Ethel said casually with a nod toward Samuel in passing.
The girls laughed loudly as they made their way out of the medical building. Just as Arryn stepped out the door, she poked her head back in, giving S
amuel a genuine smile and a wink.
The rearick smiled in response before shooing her out the door with his hands.
When Arryn and Bast got back to Cleo and Corrine, they found them straddling a log, and Cleo playing with Corrine’s braids while the little girl petted the rabbit. Snow and Dante were cuddled up together on the ground, and the horses stood nearby.
“Damn. You guys finally finished making out in there?” Cleo asked.
Arryn looked at her incredulously before turning to Bast and shaking her head. “Yep. Twins.” Turning back to Cleo and Corrine, she said, “We’re going to the bar to grab a keg of mystic’s brew; it’ll help us relax and get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day. We have to trek down the other side of the mountain.”
“Sounds good to me,” Cleo said. “My ass is killing me from being on that damn horse all day, though. I’ll walk. You lead the way.”
The friendly white rabbit jumped out of Corrine’s lap and onto the ground, and Arryn noticed a bit of green fur around his little feet. She laughed and knelt to the ground.
“Mr. Snoogletoosh, your feet are stained from the grass, I think.”
The rabbit ran into Arryn’s arms, and she lifted him, inspecting his feet. Around the bottom, they were dark green—almost the color of the leaves in the trees in midsummer—but just on top and around the lower part of his legs, they were a lighter green.
“Maybe he should stay off the grass for a while. His poor snowy white fur is getting all stained from the journey,” Arryn said with a smile. She put him down on the ground, and he ran back to Corrine.
The little girl smiled as she picked him up. “Well, he rode most of the way in my lap on Dante, but he can definitely stay with me even more. I don’t mind.”
Arryn smiled and stood, and Snow and Dante followed suit as they made their way to Ophelia’s.
“Why is it that the women are heading to get the booze, while the guys stand around and chat?” Cleo asked.
There was a laugh from a passing rearick woman. “Welcome ta Craigston, lassies. We haven’t a feckin’ clue, either.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The following morning, Arryn awoke to the sounds of giggling and playing coming from outside Samuel’s cabin. The adults had all stayed up drinking, picking on one another, joking, and laughing, while the animals and Corrine had gone to bed—as they should have.
There had been a plan: drink some, relax some, go to bed early. Instead, they’d had fun watching Samuel get drunk on something much harder than the mystic’s brew, and sang songs, which was something they tended to do, if enough alcohol was involved.
Arryn arched her back, lifting her arms way overhead as she stretched. She was wearing nothing more than a small pair of cotton shorts and a thin, cotton tank top as she went to the door to look outside.
As she cracked the door open, the cool air hit her, and she sighed. It felt good. There was a slight dusting of snow on the ground; Samuel had been right about that. He’d kept the stove burning all night, and it was roasting inside—which was the cause for her less than adequate attire. Though she had been close to stripping entirely.
His cabin was surrounded by large trees, but they weren’t tightly packed together like they were in the forest. There was more than thirty feet between each one—fifty feet, in some cases—their branches only barely touching one another in the canopy above.
Looking around the scene outside, Arryn found the source of the laughter.
Corrine was on the ground, her eyes glowing neon green as she moved her hands. In the tree, Arryn saw vines whipping about, swinging four children from the branches. There were more than a dozen children on the ground waiting for their turn. Though Corrine was doing all the work, she seemed to be having just as much fun as they all were.
It was the first time Arryn had really seen her play with other children. In the Dark Forest, the relationships were much different. There was a lot of playing and horsing around, but there was always an underlying sense of duty and responsibility. Corrine had many friends in the Forest, but she had never seen or learned how to just play.
Not like these kids.
Rearick were a rowdy bunch anyway, and the little rearick were no different. Arryn was surprised they weren’t out there teaching Corrine how to curse creatively—though Arryn was a bad enough influence for that.
Still, it brought Arryn happiness to see Corrine play, like she had herself, when she was a little girl in the streets of Arcadia. The Dark Forest taught her everything she knew about survival and real family—regardless of blood relation—but Arcadia taught her how to have fun.
Even while there was such darkness, lingering in the background with Adrien, that she knew nothing about.
Arryn was just about to turn inside to get some clothes on, when she heard a deep roar come from Dante. Only half a second later, she heard the distinct thock of an arrow piercing a tree, quickly followed by a child screaming as he hit the ground.
Before she even had time to react, she felt a burst of power come from Corrine, and vines shot down from all over the massive tree, picking every child up and carrying them high into the branches. She was protecting them.
Snow let loose a roar meant to send Arryn running. She could feel the tiger calling her through the bond. Dante and Snow leapt from the branches in the tree, their heads lowered as they growled ominously at something Arryn couldn’t see. Dante was even larger that morning, having grown several inches overnight, from the looks of it.
Arryn flung the door open, turning toward the inside. “EVERYBODY UP NOW! MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!” she screamed out.
She turned and ran—half-naked and with no shoes—into the cold. She could hear the whistling of dozens of arrows shooting through the air, and her adrenaline spiked.
Arryn ran harder beneath the tree, her eyes turning black as she allowed her magic to wrap around her. Her magic pulsed, transporting her from where she ran to directly under the tree. Without hesitation or even taking a breath, Arryn thrust her hands outward, causing a magical shield to burst forth.
It was the size of a large wall, and was tall enough to shield the familiars, Arryn, Corrine, and all the children in the tree. The magic was a translucent pink, so Arryn was able to see every arrow strike as the shield deflected them.
“Snow!” Arryn called out as women and men ran through the trees and into the opening.
Snow and Dante darted off in opposite directions, running around the shield to attack the crowd at opposite sides. Echo screeched overhead, having returned sometime in the night. She dove down, forcing several people to the ground as the tigers pounced on them.
“Corrine, get into the tree with the other children,” Arryn said. When Corrine started to protest, Arryn interrupted. “They have no magic. None. If something happens, they will die. You’re the best healer we have. Get up there.”
A look of determination came across Corrine’s face as a vine appeared and lifted her up into the branches. Once she was safe and out of the way, Arryn dropped the shield and ran forward.
Fuck me, she thought, knowing she had no weapons.
A man came at her with a sword, swinging it with one hand. She moved to the side, but the blade caught her thigh as she pulled it back too late. Only letting out a single grunt of pain, she stepped into him and wrapped one arm around the one that held the sword. With his free hand, he grabbed a fist of her hair, and she countered with a knee to the groin.
He cried out, and she repeated the move, loosening his grip enough that she was able to stand upright again. She flexed her arm as tight as she could and jerked, breaking his elbow and causing him to drop the sword.
As he fell back, she dropped to the ground, grabbed the weapon, and turned just in time to run him through with it.
“Thanks. I needed one of these,” she said as she shoved harder and then twisted before pulling it free.
Warmth filled her leg, and she looked down to see the wound knitting itself back together. Her eyes darte
d up to see neon green orbs glowing in the shadows of the leaves.
“Higher in the tree than that,” she said, smiling. “And thank you. Don’t waste your magic on the small stuff. I’ll be fine.”
She looked forward to see over a dozen men and women now coming for her. Snow and Dante were busy with others, farther back.
“Then again…” she said, lifting her sword.
Two shadows passed above only a second before the ground quaked beneath her. The twins landed several feet ahead, directly between Arryn and the oncoming mob.
The resulting blast of power that moved through the ground was enough to almost knock Arryn off balance. She heard screams from high in the tree as a few children tumbled, but Corrine was fast, and snatched them back up with vines.
More screams erupted from just ahead, and she looked to see Bast and Cleo punching and kicking opponents.
A shift in the air behind her caught her attention, and she turned just in time to dodge a knife to the face. She heard a yelp from behind her and turned to see an angry Cleo with raging blue eyes, pulling a knife from her thigh.
Looking back to the man who had thrown it, Arryn said, “Uhh… You should probably run. You’re not going to like what happens next.”
His eyes only widened as the knife whizzed back past Arryn’s head, and struck him directly in the face. While the blade entered like it would have into warm butter, the hilt caved in the entire front half of his skull. With the amount of power the angry Kemetian had called upon, Arryn was surprised his head hadn’t exploded.
“I really need to never piss Cleo off,” Arryn said to herself.
Then she waved her hand, and a knife in the man’s belt quickly levitated to Arryn. She tossed it in the air once, catching the tip of the blade in her hand, before throwing it hard at the next person coming at her. It stuck in the woman’s chest, and Arryn ran for the next.
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