by Helene Gadot
“Deal.”
We work in efficient and companionable silence, something changed between Sterling and me since our experience together in the mine.
And not just the kiss.
All of it.
He doesn’t seem to resent me anymore.
Or think I’m pathetic and useless.
And I don’t think he’s a shitty brute any longer.
But we do have diverging paths and even though the bond and our Arcane sides want to force us together, now isn’t the time.
And that’s okay.
Maybe one day it will be.
Maybe it won’t.
Either way, I’m glad I met them. I’m glad they helped break me out of here.
We save the kitchens and refectory for last, where we meet up with the others.
Archer grabs me into a hug. “You scared me, Al.”
“Sorry.” I’m not really.
He snorts and puts me down. “Liar.”
Zak is right there when I turn around, reaching out to cup my cheek. I cover his hand with mine and smile.
Gavyn reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. “Glad you’re okay.”
“Can we save all this shit for outside the walls of this hellhole that’s burning around us?” Tahira grumbles.
Her grouchy attitude makes the rest of us laugh.
Sterling and I set a quick fire to the last building, and together the seven of us leave the smoldering remains behind us as we stride through the fallen fence past a crumbled and still smoking guard tower, heading in the opposite direction the rest of the escaped prisoners went.
“Where are the guards?” Dara asks.
Archer laughs. “Locked in the mine.”
Sterling’s lips curl in his usual evil grin. “Perfect. Maybe they’ll send someone to find them soon. If not, they can see what it’s like to be trapped underground.”
It’s a fitting end for them.
I cast one last glance behind me at the place I’ve spent my whole life.
And I raise a middle finger at it.
Good riddance.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Allegra
WE TRAMP THROUGH THE woods for thirty minutes until we reach a small clearing where a bunch of horses are tied up.
I guess now is when we say goodbye.
My throat clogs and my eyes sting, but I refuse to release any of the building sadness and longing.
This is best.
And if I keep telling myself that, hopefully I’ll soon start to actually believe it.
When we stop Gavyn turns to me. “We’re planning to escort you to the resistance cell who can use your help. A woman named Lacy runs an underground shelter sort of thing. She helps Arcanes hide who are on the run from the authorities. It’s important work and she doesn’t have enough help.”
“Right. That sounds great. But it’s going to have to wait.”
It actually sounds perfect. And I would’ve agreed yesterday morning.
Before.
Archer raises a brow. “What?”
“Things changed.”
Everything changed.
Tahira, Zak, and Dara hang back, letting the four of us hash this out.
“What changed?” Sterling asks.
“Information I got yesterday.”
Sterling’s eyes narrow. “What information was that?”
I blow out a breath. “Rowan is alive.”
Silence answers me.
Dara raises her hand in the air. “Uh. Someone want to explain?”
I give her the short version. “My mate I thought was dead. I feel him. Barely, but he’s there. I have to find him. I have to know what happened to him and where he’s been. I can find him.”
Gavyn rubs the back of his neck. “Okay. You understand, we can’t go with you.”
Even though I didn’t expect them too, him admitting it still shoots a pang right through my middle. “I know. But maybe Tahira can go help your friend Lacy and I can join her later once I have my answers.”
Tahira steps forward with a scowl. “Nope. I’m going with you.”
“Then maybe Zak—”
Zak shakes his head. “Fuck no.”
I throw my hands into the air with a huff. “Then the three, maybe four of us will be happy to come help once we find Rowan.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Gavyn asks.
Probably not.
“There’s no other option. I’m doing this.”
“All right.” Gavyn moves closer to the horses, reaching into the saddlebags of the gray one and pulls out paper and a quill. “Let me give you a map so you can find Lacy. And where we’ll more than likely be or help will be if you end up needing it. I’ll also mark off the dangerous areas you need to avoid at all costs. None of you have been on the outside in decades or ever. Are you sure you don’t want to wait and we’ll try to find a guide for you at least?”
“No. I can find him through our connection.”
“Alright. You guys divide up the supplies so they have plenty while I sketch this out.” Gavyn uses the saddle as a hard surface as he starts sketching the map.
“Right.” Sterling nods and moves to sort through the bags of stuff we brought from the kitchens.
Archer spins me around to face him, his expression unusually somber. “Be careful, yeah?”
“I’ll do my best.”
He frowns harder. “If you get in over your head, please come find us or find our people and ask for help. Can you at least promise me that?”
I raise a brow. “If you get in over your heads are you going to come ask me for help?”
He grimaces. “Maybe.”
“Liar.” I throw his word right back at him.
“If I promise, will you?”
I smile, touched at his concern. “Let’s just promise to do our best to live through this and if we’re able we’ll come find each other if we really need it.”
He sighs. “Alright. I can live with that.”
“Good. Me too.”
“This better not be the last time I see you. I want to meet this lion of yours. Is he handsome?”
I chuckle and nod. “He is.”
“Of course. You were certainly paired with beautiful people.” He tosses his head with a cocky smirk.
“Most Arcanes are beautiful,” I point out.
He scoffs. “Not as pretty as us.”
“If you say so.”
“That’s hurtful.” His lips curl down into a pout.
Gavyn steps in between us and holds the map out for me to take. “Alright, the map is done.”
I accept it with a grateful smile and hand it off to Tahira. She’ll be best at reading that thing.
“I’ve got the supplies divided as well.” Sterling calls out from where he straps bags to the back of horses.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I say.
The lot of us exchange rounds of hugs and quiet words of goodbye. Even the mage I barely know.
She hugs me tight. “Thanks for taking care of my brothers.”
“I think I got them in more trouble than I got them out of.”
She pats my back. “Don’t sell yourself short. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.”
“I hope so.” And I do.
Something tells me the two of us could be really good friends. I’d like to have the chance one day.
Sterling is next and he stands with his arms crossed and a familiar scowl on his face.
“Burn it all down, birdie.”
I let out a wet chuckle. “Bye, Sterling.”
Gavyn leads the small gray horse over to me loaded with supplies and kisses my forehead. “Here. You guys will need her to carry your stuff. I’m sorry we can’t spare more than one.”
“This is more than enough, Gav. Thank you.”
“May we meet again.” His hands curl into fists at his side like he’s forcing himself not to reach for me.
“Don’t worry. We will.”
He
steps back to join his family. I blink back tears as I give them one last wobbly smile.
I can’t stand the idea of watching them ride off together, so I cluck at the pretty gray horse and lead her in the direction I feel the pull to Rowan, Zak and Tahira falling in at my sides.
My nightingale lets out a sad warble in my head, torn as we leave half our soul behind.
But we have our family beside us and we’re free and soon we’ll be reunited with our first and only love.
Chapter Sixty
HE FINDS THE RED DRESS covered in muck in a ball in the corner of her cell. He bends down to pick it up, his fire-scarred hands a blemish against the beautiful fabric he picked out himself for her.
She’ll be back where she belongs soon enough.
He won’t stop until he finds her.
And he has a pretty good idea of exactly where she’s headed.
See you soon, flower.
Chapter Sixty-One
I KNOW. THAT WAS KIND of an asshole ending.
Not exactly a cliffhanger, but also completely shitty.
I hate cliffhangers too, so I understand and I try not to do them, but this is where the story took me. This was not at all the original ending I had planned.
It won’t be as long of a wait for book 2 as others have been in the past, so stick with me. The HEA is coming, it’s just going to take time to get there.
XOXO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A WANNABE EXPERT IN parkour, Helene Gadot moonlights as a Nail Polish Namer and occasional ghostwriter. She lives with her husband and trio of rugrats in the South. Helene has a serious coffee mug and throw pillow addiction, and when she isn't reading or writing, she's probably shopping online or watching Marvel movies online.
You can stalk her on her Facebook page or join her group.
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