All I can focus on is that swelling disappointment that hollows out my chest as we finally enter the carved city walls, the parapet featuring many little alcoves of statues and hiding spaces.
If it had been any other day, I would have noticed the arrows pulled taut from the city guards. If I hadn’t been slowly drowning in my darkening thoughts, I would have realized that The Hidden already waited for our prisoner, some of them eager for retribution. I would have been more prepared instead of greeting them with my fragile countenance.
Chapter 24
Alora
The sharp creaking of a bowstring pulling tight forces my head to snap to my left. I’m immediately greeted by the shaft of an arrow pointing right at me.
What in the goddess is happening?I pull Dahla up short, stopping her in her tracks. Kassiel’s grip tightens on my waist, partially concealed under my cloak.
I’m having a hard time rationalizing the scene unfolding before me. Our best archers are all trained on me and The Devourer. I twist my head to the opposite side of the path, directly to my right is a group of people standing with arms crossed and faces stony cold.
Suddenly, Leeson and Caym ride up to me, settling their horses on each side of Dahla, putting themselves between us and the archers as well as the group that’s intently staring at us.
Leeson shouts, loud enough to have me turn my head away from her boisterous yell, “Myrtlewood!”
I look at her, my eyebrows quirking and forming a deep vee. With a whisper, I begin, “Lees, what the shit is this?”
She grins warmly to me, “It’s the codeword to pass. When you were captured we went on high alert. I had sent Kina back with a ravenscroll to notify them.”
I release the tension on the reins and slouch my shoulders, relief flooding.
Almost comically I ask, “I had no idea, you didn’t think to warn me that we would be riding into this?”
Her eyes widen and her brows lift. “Honestly, I admit I forgot. We’ve had a bit of a journey if you don’t remember.” She finishes her statement off with a chuckle.
I turn back to look at The Devourer, he glowers at the group that still hasn’t moved to greet us. He looks moody the way his green eyes pierce the semi—lit cave. They’re a perfect hue to match the growing flora that surrounds the perimeter of the expansive cave. His dark tresses and soiled shirt give him a rustic look. Combined with his shadowed jawline from being unshaved, he looks devilishly handsome despite the distrust etched into his expression.
Caym clears his throat as a dark bronze skinned man begins to walk out from the back of the now chatting group.
“Nice of you to join us, Alora.” Naaveen speaks to me first. His smile is welcoming, and I couldn’t be more glad that he’s the first one to greet us.
“Naaveen,” I say his name in greeting, “it’s good to see you here, truly.”
He brings his hand up to grasp my forearm and I do the same. He has always been compassionate and eager for collaboration. His smile doesn’t falter as he looks at our guest.
The remaining members of the council saunter over. Though the rest of them could be vultures admittedly, generally I was quite fond of the group.
Consisting of seven, we all worked well together and could share our thoughts despite differences. Some had magic, some had none. I was one of four with magic, but the only one with a rarity, and unfortunately, I had no idea how to use it.
“Who have we here, Ms. Viren?” The mature voice, however grating, belonged to the oldest of the group. Her creamy skin wrinkled with her slightly upturned lip. Helena was nearing her sixties and was as sweet as an angry hornet, though she often was much softer when meeting alone or if you were able to get her on the subject of her favorite book. Which, lucky for me, was quite helpful as I also was an avid reader in my free time.
Dipping my head to her in a courteous nod, I begin what would turn out to be a long conversation.
“It’s good to see you, Helena.” I pause, thinking about how best to word what I’m about to say.
“Council members,” the façade easily slips over my face as I prepare to set out the plan I’ve knitted together the last few days, “I’ve brought you The Devourer, and we have quite the story to tell.”
Quite a few faces remain the same, unshaken by this revelation.
A feminine voice floats across the chamber, “We’re glad to have you home, Alora. When we received the news from Leeson that you and Caym had been captured, well, we weren’t sure what we were going to do.” Jessamine’s heart shaped face pops through the bodies and she saunters over to where Naaveen stands next to us.
She speaks again, this time to the council members, “We should really take this reunion back to headquarters instead of keeping our friends in their saddles.”
Murmurs of agreement begin and the group begins to disperse. Jessamine and Naaveen walk with us as I urge Dahla onwards.
Kassiel is ever so quiet. He’s moved his hands off of me and it feels as if he’s a world away. Caym and Leeson ride behind us, the clopping of the horse hooves on the river stone a welcomed cadence as we make our way into the edges of River’s End.
