“Did… did that really happen?” she asked in a quavering voice. Then, as if only just noticing where she was: “Where are we?”
I sat next to her, arm around her to provide comfort. “I’m so sorry,” I said with a sigh. “It did happen. And we’re safe now at a farm outside the city. I promise I’ll get you safely away from here and pay that horrible man back for what he did.”
She blinked, confused. “Get me away? But my House… my home is here. I can’t…” she trailed off as it sank in for her. Hale was the son of Lord Horn, who was the second in command of Pegasus House; her House. It was possible the older man had known of these machinations the whole time. Even if he didn’t, that spoke to how unknowing and ineffectual the other high Nobles were. “Oh, Spirits,” she breathed. Then she stood suddenly. “I have things I need to get… I can’t just… How…?” she moved toward the door, but then flinched back as if it would attack her… no, not the door, but everything beyond it.
“My friend has already retrieved some of your things,” I said. “They’re in that trunk. If there is anything else dear to you, let me know and we’ll make another trip to get it. But you’re staying here.”
“Yes, I…” She turned back to me, a lost and desperate look in her eyes. I’d never seen her this disoriented and fragile. “I’ll stay.” She looked directly at me then. “You’ll take care of me, won’t you Sara?” It was a testament to her unsteady state that she used my old name.
“I will, Ella. Now come and sit, tell me what you need.” She moved listlessly and sat with me on the edge of the bed, listing off a few items she felt she couldn’t live without. Yet there was little energy, little life left in her voice.
I searched through the chest and found most of what she’d listed. Then I laid her down to rest again. I brought her some food and helped her eat, and finally she settled down after that.
I left the room feeling drained. It was horrible to see her like that, when she was usually so bright and full of life. I swore I’d personally tear out Hale’s heart for what he’d done to her.
Midnight took my short list of other items to retrieve if possible and was off as a bat once more.
I walked out into the yard. The fog was gone, but heavy clouds hung low, and a light rain had started. I didn’t really notice. I was too distracted. I just needed to be out in the fresh air. My clothes soaked through quickly, but still, I just stood there.
“You’ll catch a chill, you should come in,” Sparrow said tugging on my arm.
I turned to her, then turned back as a wagon wheeled its way off the road onto the farm lane. From this distance it looked like a farmer and his daughter on the wagon. I was instantly on guard until they drew closer and I recognized Jack. For a long moment I wondered if the insatiable flirt had picked up some young woman in his travel here, but then… there was something familiar in that mousy brown hair and how the woman moved as she hopped off the wagon… then came running to me.
Silence?
He threw his arms around me and kissed me fully on the lips, and I was more than just a little confused by this, mostly because… he looked really good as a woman and I was just a little aroused at his disguise.
Foggy came tumbling out of the back of the cart and Jack got down slowly, ambling over to us.
“Do we all get a kiss?” he asked with a wink. Between him and Amber… I was always going to be a little off kilter, I think.
“I like the rain!” Foggy said capering around.
“Then feel free to stay out here, I’m going inside to warm up and dry off.” Jack moved passed us.
Silence, still holding me tightly, whispered, “I can’t wait for you to warm me up.”
I smiled at him, but noticed Sparrow’s heavy sigh from the corner of my eye. I reached out to her, pulling her into the embrace with us. “Let’s all go in and warm up together.” And suddenly the cloud hanging over me had lifted, just a little.
Once everyone was assembled and dried off — and Midnight had returned, thankfully able to get the few things Dove had wanted — we all gathered around the not-large-enough table in Ana’s kitchen to discuss our next moves.
Maverick was steely and somber.
“Things have happened, and I fear our enemies are moving too fast for us to stop.” He sighed. “But we’ll do what we can.” Looking at Midnight, he nodded. “Midnight will remain here with Foggy, Silence, and Sparrow. They are to watch and learn. We finally have a lead, and—”
“I’m staying too,” I said, soft but firm. “I have a certain lord to kill.”
Maverick’s heavy gaze swung to me. “No, Legs, you don’t.” And I felt his heat rise, warming the room before it dropped off suddenly and we were all left chilled. “I know you want revenge for your sister, but that’s not going to come quickly. First, we need to wait and see who Hale leads us to. If we give him time—”
“If we give them time, they’ll ruin this nation and kill even more people!” I blurted and instantly flinched back at the surge of annoyed fire in Maverick’s eyes. His jaw twitched and bunched, as he stared me down. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “Go on.”
He nodded. “I don’t like this either, just so we’re clear. I have a suspicion Hale might be behind other deaths, even the Lumani deaths, and for that he’ll need to pay, but for now we need more information.” And only then did I realize that the fire in his eyes, the tense jaw, hadn’t been for me. It had been for the necessity of this mission. He wanted Hale dead too. That was something at least.
“Legs, you’ll be with me, Amber, and Jack. You’ve played bait long enough, and we have a lead, so we don’t need you here anymore. I know you don’t like that, but I think you will like where we’re heading.” He drew in a breath, and I could see he was half-expecting to be interrupted, but I remained quiet, listening. “We’ll take your sister to Hedgewild and make sure she’s safe, then… the next time the prince and Fin check in… the four of us are heading to the Vauphan war front.” He blew out a breath. “It may be a longshot, but we need to see if we can meet with the Elistan commanders there and talk some sense into them. Stop this war before it starts. And if we can’t… then we fight.” He gave me a cold grin. “You can work out some of your aggressions and test your battle-readiness.”
I felt a little cold at that. “Fighting our own people?”
He nodded. “That gives us all the more incentive to stop it before it comes to that. And make sure as few as possible are killed on either side if it does come to war. Trust me, Legs, we have the harder job here.”
