“And you’re the only Avem in the Order?” Mara laced the question with as much disbelief as she can muster. She pressed her palms to her temples. Would she ever be free from Cadmus? Even though she was leaving, he still found ways to torture her.
“I’m the only one with a connection to you,” Oona shot back. She dropped the pack on the ground. “Do you think I want to go?”
“Just what I needed—yet another hostile traveling companion. Have the disciples started taking bets on how long I’ll last before someone stabs me in the back?”
“Mara, I . . .” Oona looked down at her feet, her face full of regret. “I’m sorry I turned you in.”
Mara’s eyes bulged out of her head. “I’m sorry, I think I just blacked out for a second there. The Oona I know would never apologize.”
“When I turned you in, I thought you would be disciplined. I swear I didn’t know how far they would take the punishment. Seeing your back . . . you didn’t deserve that. I’m sorry.”
Not sure how to respond, Mara shuffled her feet awkwardly. She seemed genuine, but it was difficult for Mara to trust her instincts. Only a few months ago, Oona had tried to get her killed. That level of animosity wouldn’t disappear overnight, regardless of the circumstances. She resolved to sleep with one eye open until they arrived safely in Merrowhaven.
She sighed. This was going to be a very long week.
14
The sun was fading behind the bare trees by the time the group made camp. Mara eyed the site for weaknesses, but she had to admit that it was the perfect place to spend the night. Man-sized boulders offered a windbreak, and there were plenty of fallen trees to burn for warmth and protection from predators. In the distance, she could hear the faint sound of running water.
Disciples scurried about, setting up tents and scavenging for firewood while Oona scouted the area with her falcon. Even Tamil was sent to fetch water, though he complained that he’d rather forage for poisonous winter berries to eat. Mara thought he had lost his mind, but when she’d voiced her concerns, Ethan had simply shrugged and said that the more poisons and venoms a Venelo absorbed, the stronger his Gift would become. That did little to ease her worries.
Snow crunched under Mara’s boots as she paced, rubbing her arms to keep warm. Everyone had a job, except for her. She’d offered to help set up the tents but was told, under no uncertain terms, to stay out of the way.
A disciple shoved her as he stormed past with an arm-full of firewood, causing her to stumble. “Move it, monster.”
Mara bristled. Did he really think that would affect her? She’d been treated like garbage since she was a year old. A bunch of antagonistic pricks in glorified dresses weren’t going to crush her spirits. She was finally out of the Order and away from Cadmus. She was going to see Merrowhaven for the first time and meet the emperor. It was more than she could have dreamed.
Ella separated from a group of disciples who were setting up the fire ring and sidled up to Mara. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a six-legged pig.”
“Completely useless then?” Ella laughed.
“Something like that,” Mara said with a smile. She gestured to the campsite. “I just wish they’d let me help.”
“Old habits die hard. They’ve seen you as the enemy for so long that they can’t switch it off and trust you to do a job without turning rabid and killing them all. No offense.”
“If that’s all it is,” Mara muttered under her breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“Listen, why don’t you go have a seat. I’ll fetch something for you to eat. You can share my tent, too. Otherwise, they might throw you in with Patrick and trust me, no one wants that.”
“Thank you,” Mara said automatically. As Ella walked off, Ethan’s warning flared in Mara’s mind. Mara walked over to the log and perched on the edge. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, and rubbed her face. Ethan hadn’t mentioned what the sleeping arrangements would be. Could she trust Ella? Sure, the girl had been the one who’d whipped her, but that was under orders, and it was clear that she didn’t want to. Mara couldn’t fault her for wanting to save her own skin.
A disciple with gray hair and a permanent scowl leaned over and hissed, “Don’t get too comfortable, Impriga.”
She shivered and pulled her robes tighter, but her sudden chill had nothing to do with the weather. To an extent, she could understand their reaction toward her. If someone had attacked Stonehollow, knocked down her home, and killed her family and friends, she would hold a grudge as well. She’d want that person to suffer. Her only hope was that they’d reach Merrowhaven without incident. They could go back home to Order Headquarters and never have to see her again.
The Guardian—Alex, she learned his name was—sat down beside her with an easy smile, brushing his long, black locks from his face. “Don’t mind Patrick. He’s a colossal jerk to everyone. Hungry?” He held out a strip of dried meat.
“I probably deserve it. And no, thank you,” she said, eyeing the food suspiciously. Trying to be inconspicuous, Mara slid away just out of arm’s reach. She watched him from the corner of his eye. Forget poison. A Guardian had the power to remove her Gift, and she wasn’t about to risk losing hers now. Not after everything she’d been through. If he made a move, she’d be ready to run.
His face fell. Apparently, she wasn’t as subtle as she’d thought. Alex swallowed, and something like sadness colored his brown eyes. “You don’t have to be afraid of me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Sorry, I’m not big on the whole trust thing anymore.”
“You trust Ethan.” Alex gestured to the Magi who was currently weaving through the group of disciples again with a frown that only deepened.
“Ethan’s like a snake sunning himself on a rock. He’s dangerous, but at least I can see him,” Mara said, though she didn’t really believe it. For some reason, she did trust Ethan, and that scared her. She shouldn’t allow herself to grow close to anyone, not after what had happened before. “You and the rest of the disciples are like a pack of wolves, hiding in the brush, just waiting for the opportunity to tear apart their prey.”
“Ouch.”
She watched the disciples as they worked, but her eyes always came back to Ethan. He slipped up next to a disciple and exchanged a few words. Then he slipped a casual hand on the woman’s shoulder. It only lasted a second, then he moved onto the next one.
Alex followed her line of sight. “Impressive, isn’t he? Next to Cadmus, he’s the most powerful Magi on the continent.”
“Really? How do you figure?” She arched a brow. By the way Cadmus treated him, Mara expected Ethan to be one of the weaker Magi, not one of the strongest.
“He’s so focused that it takes a minimal effort to channel the visions. Most Magi need to meditate or chant in order to focus their minds. He just . . .” the Guardian snapped his fingers. “No wonder the Head Magi is so threatened by him.”
“Cadmus feels threatened by Ethan? Why? I thought he hated Ethan because he doesn’t measure up to his expectations.”
“I’m sure that’s part of it, but it’s mostly fear. Imagine spending your entire life working toward a single goal. Now what if your heir has different ideas, more radical ideas, on how it should be run? The Head Magi is afraid that if Ethan succeeds him, he’ll destroy everything he’s accomplished.”
Mara’s mind reeled. What did Cadmus want? She knew he craved control and power, but it had to be more than that. What was his end game, and why would Cadmus believe that Ethan would ruin his plans? She made a mental note to ask Ethan about it later.
She glanced over at Alex. On the journey, the other disciples had given him a wide berth. Was he lonely? She felt a flash of sympathy for the Guardian. “It must be hard, though, knowing that people don’t trust you enough to touch you. Can you even touch people? Or would that be enough to take a Gift?”
He stiffened, and his jaw clench
ed. “I can control it, you know. It’s not like I’m some sort of uncontrollable toddler who’s one cuddle away from making a mistake. I have to do it intentionally. I could touch your arm and you’d be fine unless it was my intention to remove your Gift.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize—”
“It’s fine. A pleasure to meet you, Impriga.” Alex stood abruptly and walked away, his movements jerky.
Mara wished she could take back her questions, as innocent as they were. She hadn’t meant to offend him.
Ethan walked over and plopped down onto the log next to her. He stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. Smiling, he said, “Well, we’re doomed.”
“Why are you so cheerful about it?” Mara cast him a sidelong gaze. Had he finally come undone?
“Isn’t it fantastic? There’s an even split of six who are on our side, and six who want us dead, not including Oona, who won’t stand still long enough for me to get a solid Read on her.”
“Yeah . . . still not getting a positive out of those numbers,” Mara said, exasperated.
Ethan dusted snow off his cloak. “Because we have the advantage—Alex.”
“What about Alex?”
“He’s on our side.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because he’s one of my oldest friends. I served Fran during my year as a novice, and we stayed close ever since.” Ethan leaned forward and lowered his voice. “The six against us are Cadmus’s lackeys. I wouldn’t have needed to Read them to tell you that they don’t have good intentions. The other six . . . let’s just say that they were a gamble. I wasn’t sure if Cadmus would take the bait.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Remember what I said about how our thoughts can influence our actions, enabling Cadmus to predict the future? I selected those six disciples and focused on not wanting them to come along. It didn’t hurt that I pitched a fit within Cadmus’s line of hearing, complaining that I thought they would betray us. It worked perfectly.”
“That was . . . risky.”
“True, and I doubt it would have worked for anyone but me. Cadmus loves anything he believes will make me suffer. In his mind, he probably relished the idea of making my life miserable. Speaking of Alex, what did you say to him? He looked upset.”
“I . . .” Her face flushed, and she pulled her cloak tighter around her, wishing the log would swallow her. “I asked if he could touch someone without removing their Gift.”
Ethan scowled, his brows shelving over his dark eyes. “Why would you ask that?”
“I didn’t know it would upset him so much!”
“Alex struggles with the implications of his Gift on a daily basis, and the fear and ignorance surrounding the Guardians does nothing to help. Do you understand how hard it is for him to make friends when everyone is terrified of him?”
“I’m sorry . . . I didn’t know,” Mara said, shrinking back in her seat.
Ethan sighed. “I know. But do me a favor. The next time you have questions, please come to me first.”
The rest of the night passed in a blur. The group gathered around a blazing fire and passed around bowls of food. Tamil eagerly gobbled a bite of her stew and took a sip of her water, appearing disappointed that it wasn’t poisoned. When the glares of the disciples became too much to bear, she escaped to her tent. Snuggled between Tamil and Ella, she drifted off into a fitful sleep.
15
The days passed quickly. Except for the occasional sneer and barbed comment, the disciples mostly left her alone. Mara couldn’t ignore the building tension. The disciples who were loyal to Cadmus tended to stick together, talking in whispers and watching her closely. They made no move to hurt her, but Ethan wouldn’t risk leaving her vulnerable. She went nowhere without an escort—her days spent walking with Ethan and Alex, and her nights wedged between Ella and Tamil. While she appreciated his concern, his paranoia was more than a little annoying. As they neared the capital without anything happening, Mara wondered if Ethan was mistaken. Maybe the disciples were genuinely taking them to Merrowhaven after all.
“How much further to the capital?” she asked, out of breath from the steep climb. Rather than circle around to the plains, Patrick had led the group on a treacherous path that hugged the Drocan Mountain range. The days of running around in the forest and training with Ansel felt like a lifetime ago. Her muscles screamed from the exertion. At least she wasn’t the only one, she thought, as Ethan gasped for breath, struggling to keep up with the suicidal pace. That Magi was definitely more at home in a library than on a mountain.
“Two days,” Alex responded in an even voice.
She made a mental note to ask him if being a Guardian gave him superhuman stamina, because the fact that he was unaffected by the punishing climb made her burn with jealousy. Up ahead, Ella glided along the path, using the wind to fuel her steps. Lucky Caeli. Mara glared down at the Deleos on her wrists, wishing to be free for one wild moment. Ella made the movements look effortless, so it couldn’t be that difficult, right? Then again, her training with the Order had been woefully limited to wielding pure energy, rather than attempting to manipulate the elements. Even if she were unrestrained, trying to harness the air would likely result in nothing more than providing an entertaining spectacle for the disciples’ amusement.
At least they were only two days away. She tried to decide what she was most looking forward to: a hot bath or sleeping in an actual bed. After they reached the capital, she would never take civilization for granted again. Maybe she could convince Ethan that a plate of chocolate tarts was essential to her health and well-being. It was the least he could do, considering his father was an evil, no good, disgusting piece of—
Alex darted his arm out, catching Mara before she could tumble head-first over a cliff. “Watch your step, Impriga.”
She blinked. The group stood at the top of a ravine that carved into the earth like a butcher’s knife. A shallow stream meandered between the boulders that dotted the valley. Dying trees clung to steep walls with claw-like roots. Any other time, the view might have sparked awe, but all she felt was a growing sense of foreboding.
“Explain to me why we can’t just go around it?” Mara asked, her palms sweating at the sheer drop. All it would take was a sudden gust of wind to send her catapulting to her death. She took a step back and collided with Patrick.
“Finding the path around would add a week to the journey,” Patrick said, shoving her to the side. Mara latched onto Alex’s cloak like a leech and scowled at the disciple. Patrick ignored her and barked out orders to the group.
One of the disciples, a Saxum, walked ahead to the edge of the gorge. Enjoying the view, maybe? With no hesitation, he stepped off the side. Mara screamed.
A deep, grinding noise churned the air, and the ground rumbled beneath her feet. What was that? She shuffled forward cautiously and looked down. The Saxum was carving a makeshift stairway into the steep walls. Thick beams of rock jutted out of the wall, and as he stepped off the side, the wall shifted and formed another step beneath him. Clever.
Mara stared dubiously at the makeshift stairway. Would it be sturdy enough to hold all of them?
Alex offered the crook of his arm. “Shall we?”
“Thank you, Alex,” Mara said, taking his hand after only a brief hesitation. Alex beamed at her.
Over the past few days, she’d put aside her fears in order to get to know him more. Much to her surprise, Alex was a gentle, quiet sort—nothing like the other Guardians. His personality clashed with his Gift’s reputation, not that she was in a position to judge. He didn’t choose to be a Guardian, after all. Unlike the other Guardians she’d met who wore sleeveless tunics to show off their tattoos, Alex kept his arms covered, as if he were ashamed of the marks there. It made her like him even more.
The first half of the group funneled after the Saxum, picking their way carefully down the steps. They didn’t seem worried about their safety. Ethan shepherded
Tamil onto the stairs, keeping the boy close to the wall. With Alex tugging her forward, Mara stepped onto the stairs, half expecting them to crumble beneath her feet. Ella guarded her back while the remaining disciples, including Patrick, came after. Oona brought up the rear of the procession, sending Zeke to fly overhead.
As they descended into the ravine, the stairs behind them vanished, leaving behind a smooth wall of rock. Mara met Oona’s gaze above the disciples’ heads. If she was worried that the Saxum would make a mistake and lose his hold over the stairs, she didn’t show it. She didn’t show much emotion at all. Since leaving Order Headquarters, Oona had kept her distance, which suited Mara just fine. While the Avem might feel guilty about getting her whipped, it was clear she hadn’t forgiven Mara for Ansel’s death. Maybe she never would.
Mara swallowed and turned forward, forcing one foot in front of the other. The stairs wobbled beneath her feet, and she placed a hand out to steady herself, heart hammering in her chest. What caused that tremor? She peaked around Ethan. The Saxum strained from the effort of maintaining the stairs. Sweat drenched his robes and the veins in his neck bulged.
In a voice that couldn’t conceal his terror, Patrick shouted, “Move faster!”
The group condensed as those in the back pushed against the front in panic. Whose idea was it to only send one Saxum?
Two disciples looped their arms through the Saxum’s, holding him up so he could focus his strength on forming the stairs. His legs scrambled for purchase. He looked like a newborn deer, trying to stand for the first time. Would their help be enough to get them safely to the bottom? Bunched together, the group hurried after the Saxum as the stairs vanished behind them with startling frequency.
They were still fifty feet in the air. The Saxum trembled from exhaustion, his head drooping to the side. If he fainted, they would all plummet to their deaths.
Patrick pushed into her back, and for one terrifying moment, Mara thought he might fling her off the side. Alex twisted his body, putting himself between Mara and the disciple. Patrick slowed down, apparently not wanting to take his chances with the Guardian. Up ahead, Ethan and Tamil raced hand in hand.
The Dreg Trilogy Omnibus Page 44