I gently closed my hand around both of hers. I told her that tomorrow night, as long as nothing changed from what I observed during the day, that we would make our attempt to leave. She explained the best route out of the castle to the forest, and said that she knew the path to Wester Lea. According to Eve, it would take us about a full day of travel to get to WesterLea.
Out of all of these variables, I had nothing to go off of. The only thing I knew with some degree of certainty was that I could trust her. I still had the ability to somewhat read people, and I did not feel anything telling me not to trust her. I had no choice but to trusther.
As I closed my eyes to sleep, I went over the plan several more times. I did not want Octavia coming here. I realized that there would be a chance that once I am out of the cell and moving through the castle that if I were to come into close proximity with any of the Carpe Noctem that my hearing, vision, and energy could be greatlyaffected.
The morning came, and I had two fruit pastries and tea waiting for me. I stayed close to the bars all day and listened to everything going on. Though no one came up the steps, there was one sound that I had heard through most of the day; rain andthunder.
Just like we planned, shortly after the sun had dropped down behind the trees, Eve appeared. She quickly unlocked the bars, and I stepped out from the cell. Eve quickly led us down the stone steps to the ground floor. I kept my head moving, hoping that I would spot someone before it was toolate.
I also paid close attention to how my body felt. I knew that if I started to feel tired, there were Carpe Noctem near. As we quietly moved along the walls of the castle toward the forest, I blinked my eyes continuously, trying to quickly detect if my vision was starting to getfuzzy.
Before I knew it, we had made it to the forest. Eve trotted a few steps ahead of me, but my brisk strides were able to keep up with her. Rain began pouring down, and thunder boomed overhead. Eve turned around and smiled at me. She was happy to be going home. She also knew better than for us to rest on our laurels. We had a long, long way togo.
We walked and walked until the wind and rain forced us to stop. Hail began beating down on us, and the wind literally blew Eve against a tree. She fell down and tried to shield her face from the punishing ice. I carefully picked her up, and when she began to walk, I gently took hold of her arm and pulled her back toward me. She looked up at me with questioningeyes.
“We must wait the storm out, Eve,” I said and pressed her against thetree.
I used my body to shield her from most of the ice pellets. Her cheek had been cut from the ice and was bleeding a bit. I swiped at the blood on her cheek and then noticed two more places on her chest just below her collarbone that were bleeding. Eve was so frail, and her skin was so thin that the ice was shredding her. I pulled off my shirt and wrapped it aroundher.
“Sir, no! Then you will be cold, and the ice will hurtyou!”
“Eve, I promise you that I will befine.”
“We should go, Sir. We should not doddle in theforest.”
I knew that she was right, but I feared for her safety just contending with the storm. I looked around us and noticed the fog was forming. I focused on the path ahead of us; I could still see, and I felt fine. I nodded and held her hand as we pressedonward.
A short distance away, I could see a shack and soft glowing lights from inside. Shelter, and perhaps protection. I pointed to it, and we headed there. As we approached the shack, my hearing began to become muffled. I turned around, and a thick blanket of fog was back there. It was not moving very fast, but it hung backthere.
With Eve’s hand firmly in mine, we climbed the wooden steps to the door of the shack. I banged my hand loudly on the door. I had no idea what kind of person we would find inside, if anyone, but I was nowhere near prepared for River to be standing on the other side of thedoor.
“Klyn?”
“River?”
Resting on River’s shoulder, pointed right at me, was a crossbow. The tall man who held the crossbow lowered it and stepped aside. Behind River stood Michan and Sean with bows in theirgrips.
“Klyn!” Seanyelled.
He set his bow down and shoved his way forward. River ushered us inside, and a young woman and an older man came over toEve.
“She is cut from the ice rain, and hungry,” I quicklyexplained.
Arms flung around my body, and the familiar scent of sandalwood filled my senses.Octavia.She sobbed against my neck as I held her close. She wassafe.
“Shh, no crying, Octavia. I am right here and perfectly fine.” I swayed for a few moments with her in my arms. “I thought I asked you not to come to Stonewald,” I lightlychastised.
“Well, I did not make it to Stonewald, Klyn,” shecountered.
“Close enough,” I said as I squeezed hertightly.
“And I see you managed to get a girl even while in captivity,” she murmured against myear.
I could not help but smirk at herhumor.
“I thought you did not have a heart,” I whispered into herear.
She squeezed me and kissed myneck.
“I told you that if I ever discovered it, I would make sure that you were around for it,” she whispered. “But do not tell theboys.”
“I am certain that they already know,” I whisperedback.
“My Queen, Sir Klyn, we are going to have company very soon,” River announced as he came away from thewindow.
