by Hope Collier
His words bit like a scorpion’s sting, their meaning perfectly clear. The duplicity ran to my core. He turned his back on me and walked away.
“Gabe, no!” My voice echoed off the cavern walls.
His shoulders tensed, and he paused for a moment then rounded a bend, never looking back.
I fought against the thick arms wrapped around my waist, clawing and kicking, trying to escape. A white cloth appeared from behind me and tightened around my nose and mouth. The rock walls swirled as a sweet chemical smell filled my lungs. I didn’t fight the blackness that teetered so near; I welcomed it, hoping it would devour me absolutely.
Gabe betrayed me.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Desperation
Light danced across my eyelids as I floated in and out of consciousness. I tried to reason through the impossible motion around me before finally concluding I was being carried. Muted voices drifted through the darkness, drown out like I was back in the river.
“Clearly you were mistaken.” A deep voice close to my ear swam into focus, sounding unimpressed.
“I’m never wrong,” a second man said, the rumble of his tone loud against my ear resting on his chest.
“Spare me your overconfidence. No one is that good of an actor.” The first sighed.
“I think you’re both idiots.” Oren’s voice sounded near my head.
Hot hands brushed across my face. Disgust coursed through me; I didn’t want to be touched. It felt more intimate than it should have.
“How is she?” someone whispered.
“Still no change. Guess we used too much chloroform.” Oren laughed.
A frustrated sigh blew my hair across my face.
“I’ll let you know when she starts to stir,” the man carrying me assured.
My throat felt like sandpaper when I tried to swallow back emotion.
“Gabe,” I rasped. My heart ached as I thought about him leaving me. A tear trickled down the side of my face.
“Hey,” the one carrying me spoke up. “She’s starting to come around. Ashton? Can you hear me?”
“Mmmm,” I moaned. My reluctant lids opened into slits. A flood of sunlight blinded me at the same time the warm hand slipped away. Someone moved to stand over me, casting a welcomed shadow over my stinging eyes. I squinted through the brightness, trying to make out faces.
Sturdy arms lowered me to the ground. I lifted my head and swayed, feeling groggy. The thick arm supporting me, shifted to help me stay upright. I cupped my hands around my throbbing skull and squeezed against what felt like a giant crack down the center, hoping to hold the two halves together.
“Hand me the canteen,” Oren said. “Here, drink this. If you go dying, Darach might want to kill me. Again.” He laughed.
For a second I thought about pouring the water on the ground, but the sloshing sounds overpowered my resolve. I tipped it up and emptied it to the last drop.
Wiping my mouth, I peered around at the enveloping forest and the beings that seemed as big as the trees. The man supporting me studied my expression when I looked back to him.
“I’m Pearse,” he said. “If you need anything, you can ask Elon or me.” His brows pulled up in the middle as his honey-tinted eyes flickered to the man who stood at his side. The guy at my feet rolled his eyes and gave a dramatic sigh. I got the feeling Elon wasn’t especially excited about the arrangement.
A shrouded figure at the outskirts of the trees drew my attention. He was the only one with his hood still up. His body stiffened when he caught me staring, and he turned away.
“Don’t mind him. He’s quite the wet blanket these days.” Pearse shook his head. A stray lock of dark-brown hair drooped over his forehead, and he brushed it back.
“She awake?” Oren’s booming voice echoed throughout the forest. Dread seized me as I openly recoiled from the source. “Can she walk?”
“I don’t know. She seems pretty weak.” Pearse helped me to my feet. My legs felt like Jell-O. Suddenly, my knees gave out, and I toppled backwards. Oren’s arms whisked under me, and he held me to his chest with more of an embrace than I liked.
“Hey there, gorgeous.” He winked and began walking forward. “How are you feeling?”
I scowled and made a show of pinching my lips together.
“Aw, don’t be like that now, darlin’. See, I told you.” Oren looked up at the sunny sky. “No rain on our date, ‘course it seems you’ve grown somewhat fond of the water.” His nose turned up, his expression accusing. “I guess that’s to be expected with you going through the change. Though I’m sure that experience left a bad taste in your mouth, huh?”
A sharp pain constricted in my chest, but there was a hollowness there now — a void where the pain seemed to flood in and settle, smothering and drowning as heaviness pooled inside. I stared forward, fighting the grief that followed the truth.
“That’s what I thought.” Oren grinned smugly, his stride lengthening as he picked up the pace.
“You hungry?” Oren asked. I didn’t respond. “Oh, come on, you gotta be starving. It’s been at least two days since you had anything.”
Had I been out for two days? I was famished of course but refused to openly admit it. My stomach on the other hand, was in a traitor kind of mood and rumbled loudly, giving me away.
“Right again. Trust me. I’m a lot better than you give me credit.” He winked.
“Not likely,” I murmured under my breath and glowered toward the blurred wall of trees.
We ran in silence for the better part of the day. The Dryads’ speed and agility bothered yet amazed me. They never seemed out of breath. Their knack for running on land was equal to mine in moving through the water, possibly better.
I bit down on my lip and considered the situation. Now that I was here, had they let Harry go? What if the Dryads still held him captive? …Maybe I was going about this the wrong way. Maybe I should change my tactic, get some information. I might even gain enough knowledge and trust to escape. A wave of desperation engulfed me as I thought about the step following my freedom.
There wasn’t one.
I didn’t have anything to go back to. My family was gone. I had no idea if my presence meant Harry was going to be freed. And Gabe was … he gave me up.
Thinking of everything brought a sickened frown to my face.
Oren caught my expression and grinned. “What’s the matter? Finally realizing I’m right?”
My notion resurfaced. I didn't know if being alone was worthwhile, but anything had to be better than being stuck here. “What if I am?”
His stride faltered. “You trying to be funny?”
A glimmer of arrogant anticipation shone in his ash-gray eyes. I offered Oren a coy smile, hoping it appeared genuine.
“I don’t know.” I attempted to flirt in spite of my gag reflex. “Maybe you’re better than I’m giving you credit for.”
He might have been good but he was either A) not perceptive, which was very likely regardless, or B) so narcissistic that he believed everyone would fall into wanting him, which was quite probable, because he was eating this up.
“Maybe I am.” He arched an eyebrow.
My lips pursed as I studied him, pretending to consider his statement. Oren stared at my expressive mouth.
“Hmm,” he interrupted my thinking with a smile. “I can see where that would be tempting.”
A short gasp slipped out as I understood his meaning. The intimate scene between Gabe and me in the forest on the way here filled my memories. My façade quickly fell in horror.
“Guess you’ll never know,” I murmured through a tight throat.
Oren stopped running and glanced over his shoulder, a wicked expression curving his mouth upward. He lifted me higher and tilted his head down. My pulse shot into the realm of hysteric as his breath fanned across my face.
Laughter rumbled through his chest. “Sorry, didn’t mean to get your hopes up.”
“Your loss,” I whispered, sound
ing like a fraud even to myself.
“Hey, you never know. Maybe Darach met someone. He’s been waiting a really long time for you,” Oren hinted. “I might get that chance after all.”
The stiff sound of a throat clearing growled behind us.
“Hey, he’s alive after all,” Oren retorted. His sarcasm was met with silence.
Surprisingly, the narcissist didn’t speak again. I risked a fleeting glance at Oren’s face. He stared straight forward, all traces of humor removed.
Intriguing.
Time passed by in silence till the low setting sun warranted a break.
“We should make camp for the night,” Oren suggested but looked to the cloaked man for approval. He was met with a nod.
Oren left me on the ground in an oak grove clearing. “Don’t you move now,” he directed with a wink. “We’ll rustle up something to eat.”
His ego was back. Wonderful.
Oren, Pearse, and Elon dashed off into the woods, leaving me alone with my unknown captor. He reclined against one of the mossy trees, the steady rise and fall of his chest the only movement. The hood of a long dark cloak shielded his face, but his unseen gaze burned a hole through me. His rigid posture hinted that his focus was in my direction, though his body wasn’t turned toward me.
My stiff but weak limbs ached to move. I struggled to my feet and arched my back, stretching my arms overhead. A wave of dizziness blurred my vision, and I lost my balance before staggering forward. Two hot hands wrapped around my waist and lifted me up before placing me beneath the tree again.
“You can let go now,” I said gruffly, surprised by his speed. I hadn’t even seen him move.
He scoffed and let out an irritated sigh.
“Am I bothering you?” A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.
The man hesitated then shook his head.
I studied him for a moment trying to gain an ounce of understanding before he shifted to turn his back to me. Sitting up, I crossed my legs. My eyes stayed on the mystery man’s back as he stared over the clearing, his hands clenched at his sides.
“Why won’t you speak to me?” I asked.
His head turned sideways as if he was peeking at me from the corner of his eye. He couldn’t see me anymore than I could him. Apparently, this bothered him. He swiveled around once more, his disquietingly thick arms folding across his chest, the hard muscle of his forearms tensing.
A new course of action worked its way through my mind.
“You won’t tell me your name?” I asked.
He exhaled gruffly and shook his head once more.
“Would you like me to be quiet then?” I pressed, almost enjoying his discomfort.
To my complete surprise, he shook his head again.
My eyebrows rose in speculation, his action throwing me for a moment. “If you don’t want me to be quiet, you’re going to have to talk. It’s hard to carry on a single-sided conversation. Monologues aren’t really my specialty,” I harped. “I wouldn’t have the slightest idea what to say to you or what to even talk about in general so unless you just want me to—”
The cloaked figure took a deliberate step forward and huffed as he jerked his hood back. “You could’ve fooled me,” he boomed, his beautifully recognizable face annoyed.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Traitor
“Kyle?” I gasped and shuffled backwards, wedging my back against the trunk of the tree.
“All this time, you can’t be quiet for more than five minutes, even when you’re irate … especially when you’re irate.” He threw his hands up and shook his head like he couldn’t believe the girl sitting in front of him.
“Wh-what are you…? H-How did…?”
“Really, Ash?” Kyle spoke. “How could you not notice?” He smiled without humor. “Never mind.”
My arms wrapped around my knees as I battled with the impossibility that stood in front of me.
“Well, you wanted to talk. Talk. Have at it. I’d just love to hear what you have to say right about now,” he almost growled, waving his hand in front of me when I kept quiet.
The silence stretched on with my back pressed into the tree. What was I supposed to say?
Kyle stared at me, his black brows low over his eyes. “Fine, I’ll start,” he said, running his fingers through his thick hair, his mouth set in a hard line. “You don’t seem entirely clueless about all of this. You’ve been with him though, so I imagine some minimal information has been passed along not that most of it wasn’t fabricated.”
Kyle stared at me with accusation, and my eyes fell to a patch of daisies behind him. He sat down in front of me, an olive-toned arm resting across the top of his knee, the other falling along the ground. He began tugging at a piece of grass with his free hand.
“Before I tell you anything, answer me this.” One brow rose. “What exactly happened with him?”
The tempo of my heart increased, and I held my breath. My lip quivered, and Kyle looked away.
“Can’t ever get you to be quiet at home and now you won’t even speak to me.” Hurt touched his expression. “You should’ve talked me about this before, Ash. You know you can trust—” His face fell.
My guilt and confusion unnerved me. I discreetly wiped a tear away before Kyle could see it.
Kyle forced a smile. “Kev won’t know what to think. I bet he doesn’t even recognize you by the time we get there.”
“Kevin?” I choked. Why would he be with the Dryads? Did he have something to do with everything happening? I swallowed against the growing panic and prayed my notions were wrong.
“What? You’re surprised? Where is your head?” He paused for a split second before scrunching his nose in distaste. “Stupid question. But really, you haven’t put two and two together?”
“You’re here to save me?” I guessed, knowing I was wrong.
“As if that were option. Kevin is his human name,” he murmured, resentment thick in his tone.
“What?” A hollow ringing echoed in my ears. The trees began to sway and blur as blackness teetered on the fringe of my vision. Kyle pushed my head between my knees and ordered me to breathe. Defeat swelled and enveloped my oxygen. I sucked in short bursts of air on the verge of losing it.
This whole time I’d been with Darach? How could I be so stupid? Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Don’t cry.” Kyle’s voice turned pained as he backed away.
“Don’t cry?” I whispered, putting my forehead on my knees. “My dad is dead, Gabe left me, my entire life has been one elaborate setup, and now I have to deal with this? What other reaction would you expect from me?”
Kyle scooted a little closer, but didn’t touch me. “I’m sorry about Charlie, Ash. I know there’s nothing I can say to fix that or anything else, but I’ve talked with the others. We’ve agreed not to mention your friend to Kevin.” He grimaced. “Nothing’s changed as far as he’s concerned.”
“I love him, Kyle.” My voice broke. “That changes everything.”
His eyes flickered with pain before they turned cold. “He doesn’t love you, Ash. He never did. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.”
Kyle’s words knifed through me, and the tears subsided, replaced with a bone deep sadness.
“It’s for the best, Ash,” Kyle said, his tone gruff. “You know Kevin’s temper. The rules aren’t the same here. Kev would act first and ask questions later, and I’d rather not have a potential war on our hands if we can help it.”
The threat in Kyle’s words turned my blood cold. “Would Kevin really start a war over me?” My hand slid to cover the last place Kevin marked in his rage. Kyle’s eyes followed my movement and hardened.
“Your people mean little to him aside from having you. You’re all he wants … and he’s used to getting what he wants.” Kyle looked away.
The other three reappeared from the woods, their arms full of a variety of fruit, roots, and some unknown meat.
“What�
��s with the sudden indiscretion?” Pearse asked with a mouth full of apple and dropped a few beside me.
“Don’t worry about it.” Kyle’s gruff tone grabbed everyone’s attention.
Pearse glanced at my sniveling and back to Kyle who yanked his hood up and stalked to the edge of the clearing. He got a fire going then settled down against a tree further away from me than the others.
The smell of cooked meat wafted through the air as three guys laughed around the fire. Each positioned themselves so that they could see me, but Kyle stayed at the fringes of the clearing, his back to everyone.
Oren ripped the flesh off of a bone with his teeth then grinned at my expression.
“Want a bite?” he asked, a chunk of something falling from his mouth. My lip curled in disgust, and I looked down.
Pearse left the fire and plopped down a few feet away from me. He stuck out his hand, offering me some beef jerky. “It’s not so bad there, you know. Home. You’ll like it,” he insisted. I sighed and concentrated on the ground. “It’s a beautiful place. And everyone’s excited you’re finally coming.”
“I’m sure it’ll be a delightful prison sentence, thank you,” I sneered. The voices around the fire silenced, and Kyle’s body shifted, his hood now pointing toward me. I looked away, rubbing the faded bruise on my forearm.
“How long until we get there?” My voice cracked, dread seeping through.
Pearse glanced at Kyle before looking at me again. “Tomorrow.”
I turned my body from Pearse. He sighed and reclaimed his spot by the others.
As dusk turned to darkness, the only visible light was from the crackling fire. Oren, Pearse, and Elon pulled rough looking blankets from their rucksacks and spread them across the ground. When no one had thought to bring an extra blanket, Kyle carried his over and laid it out for me.
A gray lump of cloth landed in a heap at my feet. “I couldn’t quite wash the stink out of this, but it’ll keep you warm tonight,” Kyle muttered under his breath then turned and retreated into the shadows.