by Megg Jensen
“You can do it.” Mark rubbed my shoulder. “I’ll be there the whole time watching out for you. Tania is ready to help. Roc is there too.”
“How did that go?” I asked. “Turning Roc in? Was he okay?”
“That man is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met,” Mark said, jumping over a fallen tree. “He’s the one who did this, by the way.”
My eyes grew in shock as Mark pointed to the bruise on his cheek.
“We wanted to keep things realistic,” he said. “So we struggled in front of Kandek. Roc got a right hook off on me. Knocked me down.”
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. “What?”
“I actually had to avoid looking in his eyes after that,” Mark said. “I wanted to laugh.”
“Laugh?” I asked. “It had to have hurt. I can’t even imagine.”
“It did hurt,” he said, his shoulder shaking with his laughter. “But I’ve been through military training and Roc knew that. He knows what I can handle. A blow to the eye doesn’t stop a good soldier.”
“I guess…” I said, wanting to reach out and touch his eye again. I held back, afraid it would hurt him too much.
“They took him away. It was a bit rough, but he didn’t struggle too much. Kandek was happy with me. Told me he’d double my reward if I brought you in too. Now there’s a stroke of luck. We’ll get some extra money out of this too. The Sons can use it.”
I ignored his last comment. If he received a reward, it was his to do with as he pleased, but I’d hate for him to give it to an organization whose reputation left both Serenian and Malborn children afraid, even if he did claim to be a member.
“Did you see his bride?” I asked, changing the subject. “It was a quick engagement. I wonder if it was someone who’d visited before.” I thought of all the royal women with nests in their hair. The rare times I’d seen him holding court he’d never given one more attention than another. It was hard for me to believe he’d fallen for someone so quickly.
“No, she didn’t seem to be around,” he said. “Who cares who she is? She’s irrelevant as long as she stays out of the way.”
Chapter Eighteen
My eyes fluttered open as the morning sun filtered streaks of light through the trees. I glanced over to Mark’s sleeping sack close by and I saw his shoulders rising and falling in the slow rhythm of sleep. I resisted the urge to sweep his hair from the corner of his right eye. Instead I stretched and tried not to focus on what I was going to do today.
We had made camp off the road in a clearing. Without a doubt this was not the first time someone had used this campsite. We found remnants of a fire, long burned out, but the ashes remained. Deep in the night I had curled up in my blanket, trying not to think of the task I had waiting for me the next morning. I had felt so brave making the plans, but the thought of following through made my stomach roll. Night captured the woods, leaving us in darkness but for the smoldering fire Mark had built. Soon sleep overcame me.
As I climbed out of my bedroll, I entertained running back towards Keree, and watching Mark sleep so soundly I wondered if I might be able to do it. Unfortunately picturing those people in prison, who by the end of the day might be executed, left my legs rooted to their spot. I couldn’t leave anyone else behind just to save myself.
“Morning, Reychel,” Mark said as he opened his eyes, breaking my reverie. He stretched and I could see the muscles in his arms ripple as he reached his fists towards the sky. He stood up, cleaned up his bedroll, and lit a fire for our breakfast. The whole time I tried to appear busy, but I continued to sneak glances at him over my shoulder. There was something different about seeing him in the morning in the moments between sleep and the drudgeries of the day. This time was precious and I didn’t want to lose a moment of it.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” I admitted. “What if it doesn’t work? Then I’ve not only put myself back where I came, but I’m putting you in danger and making it impossible for Roc to escape.”
“It will work,” Mark said. “Nothing is standing in our way.”
He crouched in front of the fire, arms across his knees.
“The only remaining question is, can you do it?”
“I don’t know.” I rubbed my hands together, warding off the morning chill.
“Can you leave Roc there? Can you leave those prisoners there? Or can you stand up and defend them?” he asked, not taking his eyes from mine. I wanted to look away but I could feel a fire building inside me pushing away the doubt piece by piece.
“What if I get there, take one look at Kandek and revert back to how I was when I was a slave, obedient? What if he gives me one order and I follow it?” My hands shook. Kandek was my greatest fear. I didn’t know if I could stand up to him after so many years of following his every wish.
“You won’t,” he said, jumping up and grabbing my hands before they shook right off my body. They steadied as his warmth enfolded me. “You’ve come too far to go back. You’ve tasted freedom, even in a limited form. You’ve made friends and allies. You’ve seen the world exists outside those castle walls.”
I looked through the trees to the sky, wishing for a cloud to pass by. If I could glimpse my future, maybe it would erase my last doubts. But I couldn’t see anything substantial beyond the treetops.
Out of everything I had seen and experienced, Mark was the key. Without him I wouldn’t have doubted Ivy. Without him, I may never have discovered my gift. Without him I wouldn’t know what it is to have the freedom to fall in love.
“What if I never see you again? I promised Nemison I’d come to him when this is over.” It was a promise that seemed so far away. It depended on our success today. Until everyone was safely away from the castle prison, I couldn’t fathom learning more about my gift.
“I’ll find you.” Mark squeezed my hands.
“It might not be that simple. I don’t even know where he’s going to take me.”
“It’s simple to me. No matter where you go, Reychel, I will find you and I will protect you. You discovered your purpose as the Prophet of the Clouds,” he paused. “I discovered my purpose in protecting you.”
“I still don’t know,” I stuttered.
“Don’t know what?” he asked, resting his palm on my cheek.
“The Prophet. How do they know it’s me? How can anyone be sure?” My stomach churned. Excitement from Mark’s touch combined with fear of my supposed destiny.
“You’ve volunteered to sacrifice yourself for all those prisoners. I don’t care if you’re the Prophet or not, Reychel, you are a good person, a strong person. Isn’t that all that really matters?”
I stood still, unable to move as he gently placed his lips on my forehead. The softness of his kiss left a deeper mark on me than Kandek’s brand ever could have. It seared into me, became a part of me.
“I’m yours Reychel,” he said. “Whether you want me or not.”
Before I could answer, Mark backed away. Was he just as nervous as I was? I wanted to reach out to him, to take his hands in mine, but I stood still.
“Let’s go. We still have an hour’s travel ahead of us. We need to get there before the wedding.”
“But, I...”
“No more talking,” he said. “Just a one word answer Reychel. Can you do it? Can you go through with our plan?”
“Yes,” I said, finally feeling sure of myself. Looking at Mark, I also had a feeling I was saying yes to more than just following my destiny as a prophet. In spite of the seriousness of today, a smile crept on my face.
“Now there’s only one thing left to do,” he said, pointing to the wig that I had taken off before falling asleep, now lying on the ground in a messy heap. My short dark hair stuck out in every direction, but I didn’t care. I ran my fingers through it, relishing the soft curls.
Sticks and leaves protruded from the wig, making it look more like a squirrel’s nest than the hair of a freewoman. I grabbed the hated hairpiece and shook it out.
> “Guess I don’t need it anymore,” I said. “I hated it anyway.”
“I know,” Mark said. “It didn’t look as good as your real hair.”
I laughed, knowing I must look ridiculous to him. All women, except for the occasional little girl whose hair was taking a long time to grow, had long hair. It was a symbol of freedom few were willing to part with.
“I don’t ever want to wear it again,” I said.
“You don’t have to,” he said. “And you certainly can’t wear it where I’m taking you.”
I looked at it one more time before tossing it into the small fire Mark had rebuilt to heat breakfast. The wig quickly caught the flames and burnt. My nose wrinkled at the foul smell.
“Ready?” Mark asked, holding out his hand.
“No,” I said. “I can look like a slave and I can act like one, but you aren’t doing your part. You have to bind my hands.”
“I won’t do it.”
“You must. If we don’t look like captor and slave, it will never work.”
“No,” he said. “I can’t treat you like that.”
I held my wrists together and held them out to him. “Please.”
I waited and finally Mark sighed and wrestled with his pack. He wound a rough rope around my wrists, not tight, but tight enough to fool anyone who might look our way.
Mark grabbed my shoulders and pulled me closer. I lifted my arms and put them around his neck. My bound hands didn’t hamper my fingers from twisting into the hair at the nape of his neck.
“I can’t tell you no,” he said, his brow furrowing. He leaned in closer, until I could feel his breath on my lips.
“Good. It has to be this way,” I said. But I didn’t finish what I was going to say. I couldn’t. His lips pressed against mine with the lightest touch. I leaned in closer to him and our bodies pressed up against each other as I surrendered to my first real kiss.
Chapter Nineteen
I looked up at the metal gates to the castle. I had never seen the front entrance, which reminded me of a wicked pointy-tooth grin, from the outside. When I lived there I’d never been allowed on the grounds and never so far as the gates. I had only run through the garden and the woods outside the window as Tania and I escaped. The outside of my former home was as strange to me as a place I’d never been to.
The town outside was odd too. I’d never realized how big it was. Seeing it from street level rather than high up in Kandek’s chambers left me with a new impression of the surrounding town. The castle was surrounded by many streets filled with homes, inns, and stores. The brightly colored signs told what lie inside by the symbols painted on them. I saw a clothing store, an apothecary, and an inn with a boar for its symbol. I saw hundreds of people milling around, going about their daily business. Every so often I saw a bald slave running like the wind, probably on some last minute errand for Kandek’s wedding.
While I was amazed by what I saw, I was sad to be seeing it this way. People stared at me. They whispered to each other at the sight of the young soldier and his short-haired prisoner. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and it did not fade. How could it when every person I passed stopped to stare?
“Are you ready?” Mark whispered, not looking at me. I knew he had to pretend I was nothing more than a slave. It hurt to be so close and not be able to reach out to him. My chest heaved as my breaths grew shallower. I forced myself to breathe in deeply, now was not the time for cowardice.
“Yes.” Whether I actually felt ready was a different question. I’d come this far. I had to follow through. Before ringing the bell at the front gate, Mark roughly grabbed my bound wrists. I felt him gently hold my fingers, his thumb rubbing mine before he pushed me in front of him. There was one good thing about my nervousness, anyone who saw me wouldn’t think my fear was an act.
“Announce your arrival,” he yelled, thrusting me into the thick rope attached to a huge bell. My face scraped against its rough strands and burned my cheek.
Reaching up with my bound hands, I grabbed the rope. With great effort I pulled down. The bell loosed a deep, thundering tone, one I was very familiar with. My ears rang with the sonorous clanging. I’d never had any idea it was so loud having only heard its muffled echoes within the castle walls.
A barred window in the huge doorway slid open to reveal an armed guard’s gnarly face, partially hidden by a helmet.
“It better be important. The king’s wedding is today and no one is supposed to be allowed in yet.”
His eyes left Mark’s face and glared at me. Taking me in, from head to toe I saw his eyes widen as he nodded his head.
“You,” he snarled in the back of his throat. “You filthy, stinking escaped slave. You remember me?”
I squinted at him through the bright unfiltered sunlight. Behind his helmet I could make out a tightly slitted pair of dark eyes. The same eyes that had glared at me through my cell bars the day of my branding. Tod.
“Come back for the wedding today?” he mocked.
“I’ve brought her back as our master bade me. Using our last prisoner as leverage,” Mark said, jerking me to the side out of the guard’s line of sight. “His family thinks that by turning her in, he’ll be released.”
“You actually going to ask him to release that man?”
“Might,” Mark smiled. “Depends on the master’s mood.”
I was surprised at how easily he could talk with this man about Roc, as if he cared nothing for our friend. Mark had spent one year training with the military, living and working with men just like this. It was a side of him I’d never seen.
The guard chuckled. “Smart man.”
He disappeared from the window. I looked at Mark but his eyes gave nothing away. There wasn’t a hint of the man I knew hiding in there. My hands begin to shake. I knew I shouldn’t be afraid of Mark, that all of this was just an act, but one I thought he was a little too good at.
A door to the side slid open and the guard motioned us in. Mark pushed me through the open doorway, but I didn’t know it was coming. I tripped over my feet and I fell to the ground landing hard on my elbow, unable to catch myself with my bound hands. Tears sprung to my eyes and burned my cheeks. I rubbed them away with the back of my hands, determined not to let either of them see me cry.
I lay on the ground, hands bound and unable to get up gracefully. I wasn’t sure what to do. I looked to Mark, but he only turned away with disgust.
“Get up, you stupid slave,” the guard yelled, kicking me with his foot.
I used my hands to push myself to my knees, even though I had considerable pain in my elbow, and I managed to get back up on my own. I hid my face from the men as another tear fell down my cheek. I didn’t want either of them to see any weakness.
“I’ll send word ahead of you.” He gestured to a young slave sitting on a stool in the corner. “Run now. Let them know the master’s missing slave has returned.”
The bald little boy looked up at me, his eyes wide. I didn’t recognize him and I wondered if he was new. “Is she the one?” he asked.
Before he could finish the guard smacked the boy across the mouth. His hand flew to this mouth, just catching the blood from his newly split lip.
“Did I give you permission to talk?” Tod growled.
The little boy shook his head.
“Go!” the guard yelled. He turned back to Mark with a smile on his face. “Slaves. Got to teach ‘em to listen early. You remember which way to go?”
“I do,” Mark answered, clapping the guard on the shoulder. “Thank you for your help.”
“Anytime. Maybe the master will be happier now that he has this slave back. He’s been a real tyrant since she escaped.”
“Yet he managed to fall in love?” Mark asked.
The guard laughed, his belly shaking under his light mail armor.
“If that’s what you want to call it,” he said. “His bride’s gorgeous, but they never seem to get along. He ignores her and she yells at him. No one kno
ws where she came from or why he’s even taking her on. Must have been some sort of arrangement with another overlord.”
“Interesting,” Mark said. Their conversation shook me out of my self-pity and forced me to focus. I might be able to use any information I could glean when negotiating with Kandek for release of the prisoners. Maybe an appeal to his new bride? If she was unhappy maybe a generous gesture on his part would make her happier, causing the level of tension in the castle to fall.
“I guess. Don’t really care for any of the drama. We’re all just hoping things calm down once they’re married.”
“Jitters?” Mark asked. I pretended to nurse my injured elbow as they continued their conversation.
“Hopefully,” he said. “Now get on with you. They’ll be wondering what’s taking so long.”
Mark pushed me, a little more gently this time, towards a door that led into the castle. He opened it and allowed me to walk through on my own. Once I stepped in, I recognized the hallway well enough. My home, the one place I never wanted to return to.
“We’re heading to the room where Kandek takes his smaller audiences,” Mark said. “You know where to go, I assume?”
His tone was still gruff but I knew we could be overhead at any moment. Slaves learned to become invisible to guests, but their ears were always open. Ivy and I would joke about the ridiculous things said in front of us, as if we were statues and couldn’t hear what was being said. Mark was obviously aware of that too as he kept up his role, a role he was much too good at playing.
“Reychel!” a woman yelled from the direction of the kitchen.
I turned to the right and Luci was standing with her apron tied around her waist, just like always. I looked at her, tears forming in my eyes again. I wished there was a way to stop them before they started.
“It’s me,” I said, holding up my bound wrists.
“I never thought I’d see you again and here you are. Come on the master’s wedding day just like he ordered.”