Frey

by Melissa Wright

  Chapter Fourteen

  Traveling

  The group was waiting for us when we crossed over the ridge, down to the site where we had spent so many days and nights. If I hadn’t been so exhausted from lack of sleep, I would have probably been nervous. As it was, I blindly followed Ruby as we gathered and eventually mounted to leave.

  Chevelle, Steed, and I were back on our mounts from the earlier leg of the journey. Ruby, Grey, and Anvil each rode their own black horses, though Anvil’s was larger—I assumed to accommodate his massive frame—and Ruby’s was decorated, tendrils of red and gold in his mane. Though it wasn’t unusual, I didn’t see Rhys and Rider or the wolves. I wondered if they had their own horses and preferred to stay out of sight or if they ran with the wolves. I felt slightly comforted either way.

  Once we were on our way, I didn’t mind so much. I was enjoying being back in the rhythm of the ride, not to mention the break from training. Conversation flowed easily as we made our way farther up the mountain. I had been thinking about my discussion with Steed, but hadn’t decided how to respond if I were asked again about the incident in the clearing, about controlling the snake. No one knew about the hawk and I wasn’t sure how I had done it to begin with, so I couldn’t exactly explain it. It would have been like explaining how to wiggle your ears to someone who wasn’t able. But it had been easy for me, much easier than fire even.

  I drew my cloak tighter around my shoulders and yawned as I considered my horse. I’d had so much trouble learning to control him, trying to push him from the outside. Falling back from the group only enough not to gain notice, I tried to settle into his mind as I had the snake and the hawk. I closed my eyes, trusting him to avoid running into anything, though a low limb was the more likely problem. It was more difficult and… different. I was there though, leading him and seeing what he saw. It felt odd, uncomfortable, not like the hawk. The feeling reminded me of something and I drew back, opening my eyes to focus on remembering.

  The small gray bird on the lip of the library window. For a fraction of a second I had been there, in that bird before I dropped it. I hadn’t realized. The moment had seemed insignificant in the course of things. I laughed at myself as it dawned on me that I probably could have simply made it stop singing. And the frog that had exploded on my white gown—I had been there for a mere instant. Their minds were so small, so simple, it was like nothing. The horse was different. It was watching for predators, concentrating on the path, its steps, carrying a load.

  I tried to find another animal to experiment on. Our group wasn’t exactly small or quiet, so I was sure we’d scared most of the larger animals off. I wondered if I could figure out a way to locate them without seeing where they were first. I thought of the wolves. If I had an animal trained, I could call it to me to use at my leisure. I had no idea where they were now. Besides, the thought of entering those massive, vicious-looking animals made me uneasy. Maybe I could get in on the hunt tonight, find something away from the clatter of rocks under horse hooves.

  At the lack of options, I closed my eyes again to fall into Steed’s horse. It felt similar to my own, though I could tell he had more power, more confidence. I pulled back and experimented with each of the other horses. Anvil’s seemed slower, fatigued. The others were about the same, though I noticed Chevelle’s horse was more skittish. I was sure Steed had done that on purpose.

  “Frey?”

  Ruby was talking to me. I pretended I’d been alert. “Yeah?”

  I hadn’t fooled her. “Doing okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” I decided to take the opportunity; I had a dozen questions since reading the diary. “Hey, Ruby, are there any castles around here?”

  The caravan stopped as everyone turned to stare at me. I had no idea what I’d said wrong. I must have given away the fact that I had no clue where I was. It wasn’t my fault. I’d never left the village. I didn’t know anything about anything.

  She glanced to the watching eyes and again to me. I was sure they were waiting for something.

  “Well, it’s just that I remember reading in the village about castles in the North.” Was I supposed to have read that? Had that been in the documents I had pilfered from the library? Shut up, Frey, shut up!

  They seemed to relax a little as Chevelle shook his head and brought his horse back to pace. I thought I knew what they were thinking. Idiot. Ruby answered, “Hmm,” with a cocked eyebrow as she turned to follow the group.

  They were mostly silent the rest of the day, until we stopped for the night. The group split after dinner as Anvil and Grey positioned themselves on rocks at the perimeter of our camp. Ruby hung out by Grey and Steed busied himself as Chevelle paced stiffly around the camp. I was bored again, with everyone entertaining themselves, so I leaned back against a rock and pulled my pack to my lap. I wrapped my cloak loosely around me and positioned my legs so I could place the book there and, hopefully, not be found out. I wondered how many more days of traveling we’d have. I didn’t see a peak—didn’t even know if we were going to the peak of the mountain we were on—but I was too cowardly to ask, to think about what had happened, so I distracted myself in the journal.

  My sister hasn’t spoken to me since our mother passed. I wish she was… different. Not merely a different personality, but different altogether. I can remember the stories in my mother’s journal about her own sister. They were so close. That was, of course, until my father. But I suppose my sister might be different as well, if not for him. He’s taking a journey, they tell me. He’ll be gone a long time. I’ll be here alone, except for Rune. He’s to continue my practice.

  Chevelle approached during his pacing and I slid the book into my pack, pretending to examine the beading on the material of the dress. This seemed to disturb him. He avoided pacing near me the rest of the evening, throwing me odd glances now and again. I shrugged it off and went back to reading.

  Father has been gone for weeks. Rumor is he’s searching for a new mate. Someone unique, someone powerful, I’m sure. I can’t stand it anymore. He thinks I’ll sit here and exhaust myself practicing while he’s out running around. All the servants are gossiping and I know nothing.

  I have had it. Mother’s room remains sealed, but I was able to obtain some of her things from Father’s study. I am only to use them under Rune’s supervision, so I took the books out and returned to my room with them in secret last night. I have scoured through them and though I don’t know all the words of the spell exactly, I think I’ve found a way to escape. I’ll have to practice on a servant first.

  Practice on a servant. That brought back something Ruby had said. Chevelle would have to practice the unbinding spell on someone else first. Would he use one of our group? And if the spell went wrong?

  I tested the spell on Rain last night. I’m not sure what went amiss, but she convulsed for hours before she fell into a sleep. She finally rose late this morning, but she couldn’t remember who she was and she kept scratching at her face until it bled. At least she’ll not be able to tell anyone I did it. I’ll have to catch another servant tonight.

  No, I had a feeling he’d not be using one of our group. I was starting to get sleepy, but didn’t want to put the book down.

  This one worked. Dree’s nose bled for the first few minutes but after that she slept soundly and woke just before noon not knowing she had missed anything. Tomorrow, I try it on my watcher.

  Watcher. I fell asleep with her words in my thoughts. My imagination had filled in all the blanks, let the fear I’d been suppressing creep in, take over. It turned her words into my nightmares. Watchers and trackers, tassels and robes, Chevelle’s furious gaze as he pushed me from the cliff again. Chevelle. My watcher.

  “Frey.” Ruby woke me at dawn, urging me to stand for a few moments before we were back on the horses.

  I was exhausted again, so I hung back from the group as we rode. Steed slowed to ride with me as I watched Ruby and Grey banter ahead. “Steed, why aren’t they together?”r />
  He sighed; I didn’t think he enjoyed discussing his sister’s personal life. “Ruby. She doesn’t believe she can get close to anyone… that way.”

  I considered the way she was with me, as if she wanted us to be friends, the way she touched Steed, sat near him. “Why?”

  “Past experiences.”

  Yes, she’d killed her mother. And how many others? What had she said, until a pattern became noticeable? I shivered at the thought. “Poison.”

  He nodded in silent acknowledgement.

  “In the village, some of the elves never paired up.” I thought of Junnie’s family. “But I guess most of those had received the calling.”

  Grey scoffed ahead of us.

  I hadn’t realized he could hear us. I was embarrassed, but couldn’t stop myself. “What?”

  His horse slowed to fall in with ours as he spoke. “The calling?” I didn’t understand. It had been a thing of honor, but he spoke of it as if it were a joke. “Do you really believe such nonsense?”

  “What nonsense? It isn’t real?”

  He let out a harsh laugh and I jerked back. “Oh, I suppose it’s real. The service is real. Honestly, Freya, don’t you see?”

  “See what?” I cursed my bound brain.

  “Grand Council.”

  I drew a sharp breath at the words.

  “The calling is simply service to Grand Council. A hundred years of servitude under the guise of duty and honor. What is honorable about doing their bidding?”

  “So you don’t… answer the call?” I stumbled, searching for words.

  His laughter was a roar. “No. We do not answer.” It settled and he added, “They do not call.” At that, Steed joined in, chuckling.

  It didn’t make sense. I knew I had been assigned a watcher. From the North. “No one?” I asked.

  “No. Council does not attempt to rule the North.”

  I considered that, considered my watcher. He was a volunteer. I seethed for a moment, but flashes of my mother and council cloaks flooded my thoughts and I had to block them.

  “So the North… has no council at all?”

  His answer was uncomfortable. “No. No council.” He paused while he formed the rest of his reply. Steed watched him, intent. “We are… unruled.”

  “Unruly,” Steed added with a laugh.

  “You’ve never had a council?”

  Grey shook his head.

  “No rulers?”

  He gave Steed a sidelong glance. “Not anymore.” I could tell he intended to end the conversation with that but it only made me more curious.

  I was tired of always having to make everyone spell things out for me. “No council ever. No rulers… anymore? So what then?” Steed flinched at my tone, but didn’t answer.

  “Frey,” Chevelle called from the front of the line. I glared at him. “Time to resume your training.”

  They had me work with Anvil, trying to anticipate when he was preparing to send a small current of electricity toward me. Which meant I spent the day getting shocked. I was grateful when we finally stopped to make camp.

  I was afraid they would resume training after dinner, so I found a place off by myself and pretended to rest as I went back to reading the diary.

  Today was exhilarating. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I was out of the castle. Free from practice, free from duties, free from walls.

  Though tricky to set up, the spell worked on Rune. I showed up at practice early and whispered the words in case something went wrong and he heard. I can’t imagine what my punishment would have been, though it might have been worth it. He fell asleep quickly and I ran as fast as I could, my pulse pounding with excitement.

  I spent the entire day away from the castle. Without the drain of practice, I was thrilling with energy. I could feel the trees, the mountain. I hope Father never comes back! I am sure I will try again tomorrow and every day I can spare after that.