“Where are we going?” I asked, anticipation building inside me.
“You wanted to find out where you come from, yes?” He cocked his head. “Here’s your chance. We’re going to Tenebra.”
The Bait
15
Devora
Mountain after mountain passed by the carriage window, the same gray and dark brown landscape mixed with icy silver as far as the eye could see. White-capped peaks loomed in the distance on both sides. The solid doors did little to dispel the chill from the winds as we rode.
Everett, Arowyn, Nox, and I had left two days ago for Tenebra. It was all happening so quickly. I’d gone from months in a single room to days in a carriage, traversing miles and miles of foreign ground. We had less than three weeks until the ball in Scarven’s mansion for the Mysthelm contingency. Less than three weeks for me to learn how to be a Shadow Wielder competent enough to spy on and infiltrate a sadistic Shifter’s stronghold. Less than three weeks for me to find my family.
No pressure.
More than anything, I yearned to learn about where I came from and this magic that had been dormant inside me for over twenty years. But I was also curious about what Scarven had up his sleeve. If my magic could help, then I’d happily use it. I wanted to finally be seen as more than the mistakes of my past. I wantedredemption. A chance at a new life.
And I was terrified. Of the weight I now bore, the possibility of failure, the inevitability of disappointment.
My fingers ran along the handle of my dagger on the outside of my leggings. I was comforted by its weight back at my side while my mind ran through everything that had happened. I couldn’t help but wonder what awaited me when we arrived in Tenebra in three days. The place I was born. The place myfamilymay still be living.
What would they be like? What would they think of me? I often thought abouthowI would find them, but hadn’t let myself think much on what I would do if I everdid.
I didn’t imagine a particularly warm reunion with my family. I wantedanswers. I wanted to know why they’d abandoned me in Mysthelm as an infant. Was it even their choice? Or was there something larger at play?
I leaned back in the carriage I shared with Everett and Arowyn, the latter of whom had dozed off next to me. Everett occupied the space across from us, his long legs stretched out as much as the cramped carriage would allow. Adjusting my glasses, I looked out the window to the west, where the orange sun began its descent beneath the mountain peaks.
The carriage slowly rolled to a stop, causing Arowyn to jerk awake. Nox tapped on the window before opening the door.
“We’re at the Mistwood Mountains.” He nodded toward the enormous mountain range separating Drakorum and Tenebra. He’d taken up the habit of going ahead of us each day to make sure the path was clear, then meeting back up with us at night.
“We’ll stop to make camp in about an hour.” His ear-length dark blond waves were tousled from the wind, making him look more roguish. His tan cheeks held a twinge of pink, and his eyes glowed from being outside. He didn’t wait for a response before shutting the door, and a moment later, the driver started up again.
A strained silence spread over the carriage, so naturally, I decided to break it headfirst.
“So, how come you can’t just whisk us to Tenebrawith your magic?” I asked Arowyn. We’d had a few exchanges over the past couple of days, and I’d grown more comfortable around her. She didn’t seem as wary of me as the others did.
Everett glanced up as I spoke, then went back to his book. I didn’t think he particularly wanted me here. He had mostly ignored me, splitting his time between staring out the window or thumbing through one of his books.
“Too much magic,” Arowyn said with a shrug. “Striding four people over this great a distance wouldn’t make any sense. It would take me weeks to recover.”
“But youcould, if you wanted to?” I pressed.
She gave me a smirk beneath hooded, pale blue eyes heavy with dark kohl. “Sure.”
A woman of many words.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Everett said in his husky voice without looking up from the pages. “I’ve seen you rescue half a dozen refugees in one go and walk away like it was nothing.”
“Yeah, well, that was a much shorter distance.”
Everett grunted, then gazed off into the sunset, running his thumb along his lip. Dark scruff had grown on his face in the days we’d been traveling. It made him look older than he was—his early twenties, if I had to guess. Probably around my age.
“Everett, how long have you been working with Nox?” I asked.
“About three years,” he said gruffly.
“He was a rescue from one of their earlier missions. Before I got here,” Arowyn added. When Everett shot her a stern look, she shrugged. “What? We’re all working together. It’s not like she can’t know.”
