‘How in the blazes did you do that?’ Gabe said, staring at Kaira in astonishment.
‘You men are all the same,’ Kaira replied matter-of-factly, in an almost bored tone, as if she were used to having her way. ‘All bravado and bluster, until reason renders you speechless.’
All the same, with the Hunter nearby, she had kept her voice down to almost a whisper.
‘Reason, my-,’ Gabe snorted under his breath.
Brey made a sharp ‘hm!’ as she passed Nathaniel, holding her nose up all the way over to Vaera’s side of the fire.
Great, just what I need, two girls wanting to stick a knife in my back!
He jumped when he turned to find the other Lycan girl, Kaira, standing right in front of him, with her arms crossed under her breasts. She bore the same expression as she had with the Hunter. Yet, the girl may as well have been snarling, for all the ill will Nathaniel felt coming his way.
‘I’m going to make this clear once and only once, Regal.’
‘Make what clear?’ Nathaniel said, acutely aware that he was slowly edging back to the fire.
‘I don’t believe you killed your Emperor,’ she said.
‘I–wait. You don’t?’ Nathaniel looked at the girl in surprise.
Then why do I feel like you’re still angry with me, Lycan?
‘No. I don’t think you’d have the stomach for it,’ Kaira said plainly.
Nathaniel frowned. The girl had a strange way of reassuring him.
‘Well, if you don’t think I did it–’
‘What I have to say, concerns Brey,’ the girl continued to shepherd him toward the flames.
Ah.
‘What about her?’ Nathaniel swallowed hard. He was beginning to feel the heat of the campfire on his back.
‘I heard you were quite rude to her back in Sanctuary,’ she said.
Had he been? He seemed too busy stumbling over his words when Brey was around to have time to be rude.
‘If you decide to upset her once more, I won’t hesitate in doing the Szar’s dirty work for him.’
He hadn’t mentioned the Szar and the girl hadn’t been at the meeting in Thorne’s office… how did she know?
‘Have we reached an understanding?’ Kaira inquired. The look she gave Nathaniel suggested that his input on the matter was a mere formality.
‘I–yes!’ he said, glancing back at the leaping embers that were now dangerously close.
‘Good,’ the girl replied, as she went to join Brey and Vaera.
Vaera moodily stoked the fire with a stick. While she did not openly object to the Lycans’ company, she certainly didn’t appear enthused about the prospect of sharing a journey with four of them.
Kaira may have said all she needed to, but Nathaniel got the impression the other two girls had unfinished business with him. One at a time, and sometimes simultaneously without either girl realising, Brey and Vaera would shoot a cold look in his direction. It was a wonder how they didn’t snuff out the fire. What a situation he found himself in. If the Szar didn’t kill him, either Vaera or Brey probably would for him.
Chuckling away, with Samir, already buried in one of his books, in tow, Gabe gave Nathaniel such a fierce clap on the back, he was almost sent sprawling into the campfire.
‘Whatever she told you to do, ginge, I’d just do it,’ Gabe advised him.
‘It’s Nathaniel,’ he replied irritably.
‘Whatever you say, Regal,’ Gabe shrugged.
The Lycan dropped himself heavily onto the grass and put his feet up to the fire. Samir looked up from his book to give Nathaniel a reassuring smile.
‘Women are… strange,’ he murmured, blushing into his book a moment later after realising he had spoken his thoughts aloud.
Nathaniel could not find it in himself to disagree.
Chapter 22
Tap. Tap.
Vaera sat bolt upright, staring out at the dark expanse, past her outstretched legs. Waiting.
Must have imagined it, she thought.
Her hackles remained raised and unconvinced. With a soft shrug, the Regal nestled herself back into the bump of grass she’d made her bed and closed her eyes.
Tap. Tap.
Vaera sat upright again, looking all around herself but could see nothing in the immediate vicinity. A small animal perhaps? Or a larger one, she thought darkly.
‘I swear to Athrana, Lycan, if that was you I’ll–’ she whispered, as she crawled to Gabe. Though he was very clearly - and very noisily - asleep. Indeed, it was a wonder that the low rumble of his snoring, like waves smacking against a cliff face, didn’t disturb the local wildlife, let alone their small camp.
But someone had poked her as she slept, Vaera was sure of it. Yet everyone appeared deeply submerged in their dreams. At least, she assumed the Hunter was. It was impossible to tell from where he was positioned, facing away from the dwindling campfire.
No, she couldn’t have imagined it, certainly not twice. One of them had to have been playing her for a fool. As Vaera was considering whether to give one of the Lycans an unpleasant awakening, some movement by one of the knolls, at the edge of visual range in the dark, caught her attention. Squinting through the pitch black, she could see a woman sat observing them all. Or just her.
Perhaps she is from a nearby village, Vaera thought.
Vaera waved her arms but the woman remained unresponsive.
Is she lost?
The woman suddenly rose, turned on her heels, and began marching back over the knoll.
Does she want me to follow?
She glanced back at their camp, debating whether to wake one of the others. As soon as Vaera had turned, however, that strange feeling of being poked in the back of her neck resurfaced, and she looked back to find the knoll occupied once more.
The woman raised her hand and beckoned her to follow, before disappearing once more. Deciding it was probably not worth disturbing any of her companions, the Regal hurried over to the knoll.
‘I’m coming, I’m coming,’ Vaera muttered.
The woman stood in front of a pair of forked trees that marked an entrance, of sorts, to a circle of oaks, forming a grove. An amber glow, seemingly emitted from within the grove, haloed the woman, illuminating her and her strange clothing for a brief moment.
Vaera thought that the maroon dress and matching veil she wore were beautiful and shapely, but entirely unsuited for travelling any distance. From her garb she could have been a noble’s wife, but what was she doing out in the wilderness, so far from any city?
‘Who are you?’ Vaera asked the woman, ‘are you lost?’
The smile she got in return took her breath away. Even though she could see so little of her, Vaera thought instantly that she must be beautiful.
‘As lost as any other, darling,’ she beamed, ‘hoping to find answers… and questions.’
Vaera frowned at the woman’s strange response.
‘So, you’re not lost?’
‘Me? Not quite. But I wonder if you’ve not been led astray?’
There was something… different about the woman. Her face remained hidden behind her veil, yet, Vaera had the uncomfortable feeling of one who was being, not only watched, but stripped bare for all to see.
‘What do you mean? Have you been following us?’
The woman smiled again, laying her hand out toward the grove. The lights continued to flash within, but it was unclear from where… or from what.
‘There is nothing here that will harm you,’ she said reassuringly, noticing Vaera’s hesitance.
As terrible an idea as it felt, Vaera found herself trusting the woman’s words, and with a deep breath, she stepped inside. Lilies formed a white carpet across the grove’s floor, but it was what lay just under the leafy ceiling that grasped the Regal’s attention. Hundreds of fireflies pirouetted over their heads at such a speed that they left impressions of their movement in blurs of light, like shooting stars.
‘Tell me, have you decided
whether you’re going to kill him yet?’
Vaera’s breath caught in her throat.
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she said quietly, ‘who are you?’
It suddenly became important for Vaera to feel the weight of a blade in her hand. However, her fingers were stiff against the handle at her waist, as if it were encased in stone.
What does she know?
‘You can call me Zakariyanna,’ the woman inclined her head and continued. ‘So, darling, is he aware of your potentially fatal intentions?’
‘My intentions – whatever they be – are of no concern to you,’ Vaera said coldly. ‘And why are you following us? Who even are you?’
Zakariyanna brought her hands together and smiled. It was perhaps the sweetest smile Vaera had ever seen, but she was determined nonetheless to keep a hold of her dagger. The woman crouched down and took a seat in the middle of the bed of lilies, indicating the space in front of her for the Regal to join her.
‘You have nothing to be afraid of, darling,’ she said soothingly.
There was something really strange about this woman, Vaera thought. But, at the same time, she felt oddly drawn toward her. It was as if all that separated the two of them were a series of strings, held taut between.
She planted herself on the floor, the flower bed forming a soft seat underneath. Her eyes followed Zakariyanna’s hands, as they caressed the petals in front of her. Sweeping across, to-and-fro, in a hypnotic fashion.
‘You are most curious, Regal,’ the woman remarked, her attention not leaving the flowers. Not that it would have made any difference; even as close as Vaera was to her, she could barely make out the tip of her nose from behind her veil, let alone her eyes.
Perhaps she has none, Vaera thought grimly. Why else would she hide them?
‘And what makes you think that?’ Vaera replied hesitantly.
What does she know?
‘There are several in your party that will ride the chariots of change across this fragile land. And yet it is you, at this moment, holding the reins.’
The lilies, over which Zakariyanna’s hand flew, suddenly changed. In their place, stood tall orchids, vibrantly purple before Vaera’s widening eyes.
‘How did you–’
‘It is you who shall decide whether the reins are placed in another’s hands. Whether another summer will go by unhindered.’
Zakariyanna plucked one of the orchids from the ground and held it away from her. The petals seemed to pulse in tune with the fireflies, as if one.
‘Or whether we fade into oblivion.’
Zakariyanna’s words brought a lasting sense of dread, knotting itself deep in the pit of Vaera’s stomach. The flower the woman held wilted, shrivelled and turned black, before drooping against the back of Zakariyanna’s hand. Ashes fell in the space between them and then the orchid was gone.
‘I don’t understand,’ Vaera murmured, ‘what reins… what are you talking about?’
Zakariyanna’s smile now seemed cold - almost frightening - and made Vaera faintly aware of the strings that tugged at her once more. She let the woman grasp her hands and lift them up high enough for Vaera to see what was now held between her trembling fingers.
A crown of black leaves glinted up at the Regal.
The Obsidian Crown felt heavy despite its delicate appearance, almost too heavy for a head, Vaera thought. She twisted it around her hands, dazzled as it cast sparks of light across the grove.
Without warning, she felt her fingertips become damp. Vaera initially thought she had been so engrossed in the crown that she had failed to notice that it was raining, but it was not so. The maroon dress that covered Zakariyanna remained as dry as her own clothes. Frowning, Vaera drew back a hand and shrieked, as blood ran from her fingers.
She dropped the crown, as if it were a hot iron, which dissipated into the air like a mirage, and scrambled to her feet.
‘You did this,’ Vaera murmured, shuddering. She gave Zakariyanna a mournful look, ‘you did this,’ she murmured once more.
‘Darling–’ the woman began to say, but the Regal was already sprinting away, as if to escape her own shadow.
Tears stung Vaera’s eyes as she tore out of the grove, although she wasn’t quite sure why. All she should could think about was that damned crown… and all that blood… so much blood.
Why would she show me that? Why?
She looked over her shoulder to see if the woman had followed her out and, in that split second, collided with something solid, knocking her off her feet. She wondered at first if she’d hit some kind of wall. A stupid thought, given they were far from any kind of settlement. Indeed, the man that stood over her was no such obstacle.
She gaped at it… him… whatever it was, that towered over her. Two amber eyes, within a shiny golden face, gleamed down upon the ground in which Vaera lay.
‘Forgive me, child,’ the golden man smiled, extending a hand toward her. She settled on ‘man,’ for that was indeed what he resembled.
Vaera allowed the man to lift her back up to her feet, her thanks mumbled into obscurity as she stared at what stood before her in utter amazement.
‘Why do you run?’ he inquired. His voice was settled, virtually morose in its lack of expression. She felt suddenly calm in his presence.
‘I–’
The sound of leaves crunching behind them attracted Vaera’s attention. She uttered a strangled cry upon spinning round to find Zakariyanna stalking towards them. The sweet smile was gone and instead her mouth formed a hard line underneath the veil.
‘Stay away from me, witch!’ Vaera cried. ‘You hear me? Leave me alone!’
‘Ah, sister,’ the golden man greeted Zakariyanna with a sad shake of the head, ‘meddling in dreams now?’
‘Brother,’ Zakariyanna replied, ‘I thought that was your forte?’
The golden man looked back at Vaera, who quivered behind him, staring down at something unseen on her hands, and muttering over and over again to herself.
‘So much blood… so much blood…’
The golden man sighed.
‘It appears you have upset the Regal. What did you show her?’
‘Merely, a choice she must make,’ Zakariyanna said.
‘You thought it wise?’
‘I thought it necessary.’
‘So we must hope.’
The golden man planted a hand gently on Vaera’s shoulder. ‘This is just a dream, Regal,’ he said reassuringly.
‘Just… just a dream?’ Vaera said hopefully.
‘Yes,’ the golden man smiled and placed a fingertip against her forehead, ‘Sleeeep.’
*
Vaera gasped sharply, as she rose to her knees. She spun her head to-and-fro and found herself, to her relief, once again surrounded by her fellow companions.
Just a dream. Yet it had felt so real…
A hundred lights had blinked all around her, like sparks snapping off a grindstone. Then she’d held something in her hands…
Vaera felt her breath catch in her throat.
She slowly angled her neck down toward her lap, sighing with relief upon finding her hands bare and dry. But there had still been that strange woman, who had known so much about her… and that… man. Had he been made of gold?
She gave herself a shake and twisted to the other side.
It was just a dream.
Yet, something still irked Vaera. An inescapable feeling scratching at the base of her skull.
Out of the corner of her eye, Vaera could make out a group of trees that formed a grove.
Just a dream.
She turned over once more. Still, the trees lurked in the back of her mind.
But was it really?
Her cloak flew aside, as Vaera pushed herself to her feet.
No harm in having a look.
The Lycans snored on around her, oblivious, Nathaniel muttered something incoherently in his sleep, and Zaine remained motionless where he sat. How
he ever managed to get a wink of sleep sat up like that was beyond her, it was as bizarre as seeing a horse asleep on its legs.
Just as Vaera thought she had made a clean escape, however, an all too familiar voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
‘It is unwise to explore alone at this hour, young Regal.’
Zaine’s back remained still, but she was certain it had been his voice.
‘Have you been awake this whole time?’ Vaera hissed.
The Hunter was already on his feet, as though he had been so for hours. With his long raven locks and black overcoat underneath the dark, bruised sky, he may as well have been a walking shadow.
‘Can’t sleep?’ he asked.
‘Bad dreams,’ she replied hesitantly, ‘what’s your excuse, Hunter?’
His hand leaned against the pommel by his waist, as he looked down upon her bemusedly. ‘Someone has to keep you all alive, don’t they?’
‘I suppose…’ Vaera murmured her assent. She could feel the grove scratching at her neck all the while but resisted the urge to look back. ‘Well… goodnight.’
She began to trudge away but Zaine had appeared by her shoulder the second she’d turned back.
‘Do you have to follow me? What about the others? Don’t they have to be kept alive?’
Zaine merely smiled and tossed something over his shoulder. A sharp growl emitted from their campsite a moment later, dark oaths spilling into the night.
‘They’ll be fine for now, I think,’ Zaine said.
Gabe would not be happy in the morning; the thought brought a smirk to Vaera’s face.
The two forked trees, bending towards each other to almost form an arch, looked all too familiar, as was the light that trickled from within. Zaine kept a firm grip on his sword, as they passed in-between them, not offering an explanation for his sudden edginess. Vaera thought she could see his eyes shifting rapidly side to side, scraping every last detail from every dislodged piece of bark to the last twisted blade of grass.
The fireflies they found inside she remembered. Every detail, as she glanced around, serving only to further Vaera’s discomfort and draw the gnawing sensation deeper into her stomach.
Nathaniel Grey and the Obsidian Crown Page 14