by Cait Ashwood
“There’s a guardian here that almost used me to break out.” She was getting dizzy now, nearly hyperventilating. She’d never be able to attain her trance this way.
Gwyn tilted her head, and her eyes flashed a pure green as she analyzed the Grove. “The guardian sleeps.”
Audrey swallowed, glancing between Gwyn and the Grove. “Will she stay asleep?”
Gwyn shrugged a single shoulder. “How long ago was her awakening?”
“A little over a year.”
Gwyn nodded more decisively. “It takes a tremendous amount of energy for a guardian to manifest. She’ll be quiet for several years, I’d imagine, unless provoked.”
Audrey sighed heavily in relief, feeling like she was finally getting some oxygen back. “Oh, thank heavens.”
“Breathe. You’re freaking them out.”
Audrey did as instructed before fixing Gwyn with a quizzical glance. “How are you so calm all of a sudden?”
Gwyn’s eyes were serious as she stared down at Audrey. “No one can hurt me near a Grove.”
That makes sense. Audrey had experienced the same sentiment before, though she’d never considered locating near one for her safety. That was an idea to keep in mind for the future, though.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Tops, who had come through the Chosen ranks to address them. “Ladies, Amberfoot’s importance can’t be overstated. Still, I don’t think you should do a full workup on it. We don’t want your identities compromised.”
Gwyn nodded, but Audrey shook her head. “You’re not a fan of letting me visit the other cities, and I understand and will yield the point.” She paused, taking a deep breath for courage before continuing. “That being said, I’m giving it my all here. I’m not sure when I will be able to help the common folk again, and what is the point of the Order reforming if we can’t help the people?”
Tops sighed, running a hand over the back of his head. He glanced backward at the Grove and returned his gaze to her. She hated how massive Tops was; his shoulders would span two of her, and he was a good foot and a half taller than she was.
“There’s enough of us here that if we barely rely on the empowerers, we can pull this off. It’ll seem legitimate.” Audrey glanced at Gwyn.
“There is truth in that.” She nodded slowly, moving slightly behind Audrey and edging away from Tops. She was doubly nervous around men, and big ones even more so.
Tops threw his hands up, though it was more show than actual frustration. “Fine. Do what you want, then. But don’t wake that damned guardian again.”
Audrey and Gwyn shared a look, then led the Chosen in a double line into the Grove. The Chosen backed off once unable to be seen from the perimeter, and the two Leaves continued forward into the heart of the Grove.
This time when Audrey hung back to let Gwyn lead, the other woman had no problem taking charge. Audrey was very much the neophyte, and Gwyn knew it now after their experience in Anvilon.
“What specifically do you want to accomplish here today?”
Audrey bit her lower lip. There were only two of them, but the Grove itself was relatively clean. Of all the cities, Audrey had visited here the most. “We need to boost production of those fields as much as we can.” She’d been so deep in thought that she hadn’t noticed Gwyn staring at her intently. “Did I…say something wrong?”
Gwyn blinked, taking half a step backward. “No. I’m just.” She stopped, putting her hands on her hips and searching for words. “I’m not used to someone caring about what happens. Out there.” She waved a hand to the land outside of the Groves.
“Well, in his way, even Zaddicus cares what happens.” Audrey shrugged, trying to get rid of her anxiety with the movement.
Gwyn’s eyes flared. “But not in the selfless way you do.”
Audrey snorted. “If I were truly selfless, I wouldn’t cling to my children so much. I’d be out in a Grove every moon cycle, doing as much as I possibly could.” She scuffed her boot in the mulch on the ground. “I’m so selfish I wonder they put up with me.”
“When it’s safe for you to let them know you exist, that will change.”
Audrey stared at her, not entirely sure which part of her life would be changing in the public limelight. She decided it didn’t matter though. “We should get to work.”
“Yes.”
The women found their trances and met in harmony, not binding themselves quite as closely to the father tree out of fear of waking the Guardian. Audrey followed Gwyn’s lead, the pair dipping into a metaphysical well beneath the earth with their energy. Gwyn was pulling stored energy from the Grove itself, though Audrey got the sense she was dissatisfied with what was available.
Is it a result of the manifestation last year?
It’s possible. Or she may be spiting us.
Can she do that? Audrey wasn’t entirely familiar with Guardians and how they interacted with the Groves. She hadn’t even known what they were when she’d woken the woman on her last trip to Amberfoot.
Yes.
Well then. That put a bit of a damper on things. They continued their work, healing whatever small ills ailed the Grove before turning their sights towards the north and the fields.
There are power lines here. Can you feel them?
Audrey banished the thought of tall, wooden poles with the unsightly black cables dangling from them. Sometimes she still got flashes of the world she’d grown up in, and it was always disconcerting when it happened.
Below ground?
Gwyn moved to a specific spot on the ground.
Audrey stared, but couldn’t see anything specific.
Follow me.
Being in the Grove was an out-of-body experience on most days, but as Audrey threw herself into the ground after Gwyn, she hit a new level of disassociation. Sure enough, though, there was a channel Gwyn was following, and it led unerringly to the fields.
Spread out.
The path branched off, and Audrey felt a rush as the power from the Grove caught up to them in waves. She fought to direct them, doing her best to ensure even dispersal of the energy on her side of the fields. After nearly being overwhelmed by the first surge, the rest were easier to direct. When at last everything had been dispersed, she and Gwyn took the channel back to the Grove. Audrey felt the familiar snap as her essence returned to her physical body, and she wavered for a moment, off-balance.
Gwyn came to with grace, not even the least bit affected by the return to herself.
“Are those power lines in every Grove?” Audrey couldn’t believe that so much knowledge had been lost. The Chosen didn’t have any idea about so many things. It was no wonder they were largely ineffective. Hell, I look like a bumbling idiot myself, but that’s okay. I’m learning.
Gwyn shrugged. “Haven’t been to every Grove, so I’m not sure. They weren’t in Anvilon, though.”
“Hmm.” Maybe Anvilon didn’t have the lines because they weren’t particularly dependent on their fields for their food.
They exited the inner sanctum of the Grove, walking through the trees until they reached the huddle of Chosen. Several Seekers stood just outside their line, well within sight. Gwyn frowned, edging closer to Audrey.
Audrey had to smile. In the Groves, she was the inexperienced one. In life, it was Gwyn. She wished she could get the woman out of the Institute. Maybe a few more outings like this would convince Tops that the woman wasn’t dangerous.
“Audrey?”
Audrey’s head turned towards the familiar voice, standing on her tiptoes to see through the crowd. She knew that voice. She hadn’t heard it in ages but— “Lindsey!” She took off in a sprint, heading towards the heavily freckled brunette that was making her way out of the throng. They met in an embrace that knocked the wind out of them both, then stepped back, laughing as they caught their breath.
“You weren’t here earlier, were you?” Audrey would feel simply terrible if she’d completely missed the girl.
Lindsey shook her
head, her face flushed. “No; they called me in once the fields started changing.”
Audrey raised an eyebrow. “Changing?”
Lindsey grinned, glancing behind Audrey for a second before getting her attention span back in place. “Yeah. They need me to call in the pollinators.”
“Remember when you were so worried that being an animal seer was useless?” Audrey nudged Lindsey’s arm, grinning like a fool. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling, but she didn’t care.
“Yeah, yeah. But who’s your friend?”
Lindsey was normally rather shy, but for whatever reason was apparently feeling rather outgoing today. “This is Gwyn. She’s been, uh, helping me figure out some of the things I’ve been reading about.”
Gwyn arched an eyebrow at her, and Audrey stepped behind Lindsey and made a cutting motion at her throat with her hand. If she understands what that means.
Lindsey beamed at Gwyn, offering her hand. Gwyn took it hesitantly, glancing at Audrey for reassurance.
“Well, you guys are doing some amazing work, that’s for sure. You should have seen the look on Jacob’s face!” Lindsey giggled, folding her arms over her stomach.
Jacob had given their party a very hard time on their first trip to Amberfoot, and while Audrey felt a bit mean making fun of him now, it still felt well-earned.
“He about shit himself.” Jess had wandered over, and just like that, the old crew was back together again. They’d had their arguments through the months they’d traveled together, but there was a bond of camaraderie there nonetheless. Audrey glanced up at Gwyn, feeling bad for excluding her, but the other woman seemed content to lean against a tree, staring up into the canopy.
“Oh, hey, are the guys here?” Audrey blurted out the question before she really stopped to think about it. Hound, of course, was missing, as was Ace. They’d lost track of Deuce somewhere along the way, so of their original party, only Trio and Quad were left.
“Probably mingling with the others.” Jess waved at the crowd of black-clad Seekers milling about. “Have to say; I’m not a fan of the replacements they assigned to the squad.”
“Oh?”
Lindsey groaned. “The new leader doesn’t care about rules, or schedules, or, well, anything aside from ‘where’s the next tavern?’.”
The brunette never spoke harshly of anyone, so Audrey’s concern was nearly immediate. “I can see about getting him reassigned.”
Jess snorted. “Don’t bother. We don’t need the rep of calling in favors from the big wigs, after all.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure what else to say to that. Mia bumped against her thigh, and it was amazing how quickly she fell into old habits, scratching behind the dog’s ear.
“But hey, you’re the one we haven’t seen in ages. You and Ace, eh?” Jess nudged Audrey in the ribs.
She tried to hide her grimace, she did, but Lindsey was the observant one in the group. “Everything okay, Audrey?”
“Yeah, it’s just…” she shook her head, shrugging. “It’s not like I wanted it to happen, or anything.”
“Stop right there.” Jess now appeared dead serious, her previously relaxed and even jovial behavior gone in an instant. “You mean to say he forced it?”
Audrey’s eyes widened. “No, no, not at all, it’s just…he was the only one there, you know? And when biology takes over, eh, forget it. It’s complicated.”
Her friends shared a long look and Audrey cringed, wondering just what was coming her way.
“If you don’t wanna be with him, then don’t be with him.” Jess shrugged as if it were that simple.
“It’s not that simple. There’s the twins, and then—”
“Twins?” Lindsey gaped at her.
“Oh, I thought they would have told the other Chosen, at least.” Audrey bit her lower lip. “Uh…surprise?” She grinned sheepishly at them.
Lindsey wrapped her up in a hug, her grin a mile wide. “Congratulations! Oh, that’s such wonderful news. Are they identical?”
Audrey shook her head. “Fraternal. Rowan and Lily.”
Jess rolled her eyes. “Of course you’d pick plant names.”
Audrey returned the gesture. “Well, you guys should see if you can stop by sometime.” She paused, looking at them. “I really miss you both.”
Jess snorted. “Now we know she’s lying.”
Lindsey shook her head. “Oh, come on, you guys got over your mess ages ago.”
Jess slid towards Audrey, covering her hand with her mouth. “That’s what she thinks.” Jess bumped her shoulder before wandering off, waving carelessly over her shoulder as she rejoined the throng of Chosen. The Seekers were calling out, waving their arms to reassemble their squads.
“Well, guess it’s time to go.” Lindsey shrugged, a frown tugging at her lips.
“Hey, it won’t be for forever. You’ve gotta come meet the twins, at the very least.”
She smiled. “Yeah, that would be great.”
Audrey watched her rejoin her fellows with a lump in her throat. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d missed the company of her friends until she saw them again. Lindsey had to call Mia multiple times before the dog left Audrey’s side. Watching them leave together made her even more acutely aware that she didn’t get to go with them. She turned away, moving back beside Gwyn.
“Just hold yourself together until we get back.”
Audrey looked at her out of the corner of her eye. The words sounded harsh, but Gwyn’s eyes were downcast, and her arms were crossed over her chest. Audrey attempted to smile. “I’m not the only one who’s lost people. And at least I know they’re safe.” She rested her hand on Gwyn’s shoulder until the other woman seemed uncomfortable, then waited for her ride back to the Manse.
10
Deuce sat on the side of the bed, head in his hands. Amelina, the recently childless mother assigned to him as his wench, sat prostrate at his feet, silent.
“I keep telling you. All you’re here to do is clean.”
She shook her head slowly; he could see the movement through the cracks in his fingers. “Zaddicus said I am to be your wench. I must serve.”
He rose to his feet, moving to the other side of the bed, putting the large piece of furniture between them. “I agreed because it was going to save you from the Pit. That’s the only reason.”
“Seekers don’t care about us.” She spat the words out, turning her head down and to the side.
He took a step back, rubbing at his temples. His head always pounded when she was near. She was such a strong projector that his empathetic tendencies were overwhelmed around her. “Maybe the ones down here.”
She lifted her head, staring at him. “You’re down here.”
Deuce opened his mouth to argue, but closed it. It wasn’t worth the effort. “I’m not sleeping with you. Period. Tell them we are if it makes things easier for you.”
She was staring at him, and his skin prickled under her attention.
“You like men.”
Deuce arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hardly.”
She stalked him, head tilted down but eyes staring up at him as she approached. He retreated instinctively, stopping only when his shoulders brushed against the wall behind him. “You claim to care about us, yet would leave me unclaimed come the solstice.”
I hope to be long gone before the solstice. Deuce cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at her. “Has no one claimed you before?”
Her voice was low enough he almost missed her next words. “They prefer to share.”
His mind flicked back to the Pit, the attitude the men there had towards the Leaves. He could only imagine what the result would be when the women were receptive to their attentions. He felt the blood rush out of his face and found it hard to swallow. “The solstice, then. And not a moment before.” He phased to the other side of the room, rubbing his hands over his arms. He felt dirty, contaminated, but it wasn’t her fault. It was this place, thi
s pit of darkness he’d somehow found himself a part of.
“Am I so ugly that you cannot stand the thought of me?”
“What?” He turned, his annoyance breaking through his carefully-built demeanor.
Amelina stood at the foot of his bed, her robes in a pile on the floor at her feet.
Deuce averted his eyes as quickly as he could, turning his head to the side. “I don’t dally casually.”
He heard movement behind him and prayed it was her putting her damned clothes back on. “You…have someone, then.”
As much as his mind wanted to escape to the life he’d built outside of this hell hole, he couldn’t allow it. Too much was at stake if Zaddicus knew more ways to control his errant heir. But if the thought of another woman makes her give it a rest… “Yes.”
Some more shifting about, then she spoke. “I am clothed.”
He turned his head back slowly, not believing her. He slowly let out his breath when he saw that she was indeed covered. Her outer robe was draped over the foot of his bed, but at least her shift was on. Small victories.
“Does he know about her?” The spark seemed to have left her. Her face was downcast, and she stood with her hands clasped loosely in front of her.
Don’t think her name. It was a mantra he had to repeat a few times before he felt in control of himself. “My life is over if he does.”
She glanced up at him as if startled. “How?”
Deuce walked past her and sat on the bed, giving her a sidelong gaze as he moved. She didn’t follow him, but her wide eyes tracked his movements. They’re nearly amber in color. He hadn’t given much thought to her appearance before, but those eyes seemed to see right through him.
“To protect her…I’d do anything.” The lump in his throat was harder to speak around, and this was dangerous territory for conversation.
Her shift whispered against her skin as she approached, falling gracefully to her knees at his feet. She put a hand on his knee, peering up at him. “Then he shall not hear it from me.” Her gaze peered earnestly into his own, and for a moment it was as if they connected on some intimate level.
The door to his chambers banged open and Deuce sprang to his feet, pushing Amelina behind him and half drawing his sword before he saw who it was.