We’re both smiling through the salty tang of tears, and as Kay’s grip once again tightens on me, I finally look around. There are six trees like the one Kay was bound to. Five are now empty, while an old man is still bound to the other. His posture is hunched and his grey hair is limp around his shoulders where it blends with an identically coloured beard.
‘What do we do now?’ I ask Kay. ‘Will the priestess come to take you back?’
‘The others released their loved ones and then, after a moment or so, they disappeared.’
She lifts her hand in a wave to signify something disappearing, only to freeze partway through the gesture. Her face pales.
‘Kay?’
‘My ring. Mother’s ring!’ Before I can even respond she throws herself to the ground and starts looking through the dirt.
‘I had it. I know I did! Rose, I can’t have lost it. I can’t!’
Without hesitation, I join her on the cold earth, raking my hands over the leaf litter. ‘Don’t worry,’ I say. ‘We’ll find it.’ We have to. It’s Kay’s last memento of Mother.
‘What did you mean when you said the others “disappeared”?’ I ask.
‘Oh Gods,’ Kay moans. ‘Please, I?—’
No sooner has she started to speak than the world begins to spin. The colours of the trees and the brightening sky blur as the forest floor drops away beneath our feet, taking with it any hope of finding Mother’s ring.
Chapter 39
When the ground appears again, it’s a rocky road. No more crunching leaves, no tall trees with a twig-filled canopy. An unnatural weakness has afflicted my knees, sending me off balance.
Fear and adrenaline pour through me. ‘Kay? Kay, where are you?’ I spin around as flakes of snow drift down and settle on my skin. ‘Kay!’ The scream scrapes at my throat.
‘They’ve taken them already,’ a female voice says bitterly. ‘They gave us just long enough for the briefest conversation.’
I blink at the figure beside me. It’s Grenda. Grenda, with her fierce tattoos and rippling back muscles. Though now she barely resembles the knight I’ve grown used to. Her eyes are red-rimmed, and her shoulders are hunched.
‘At least I saw him.’ I hear the pain in her voice and my own anxiety momentarily fades.
‘One of your sons?’ I ask.
She nods and sniffs before taking a long, shuddering breath and stiffening her back. The transformation is instant. The mourning mother is gone, and the warrior has returned.
‘My youngest,’ she says. A small smile flickers on her lips now. ‘He was well. It’s been three years since I last saw him. They’ll send him straight back to the front line now, I know that, but at least I got to hold him. I gotto hold him for as long as possible. And he’s well. Strong.’ Pride courses through her words.
I curse myself. I spent too long with Kay talking about the trials and looking for the ring instead of telling her about Llinos and her offer for us to go live on Brandish with her after the trials. Thankfully, I know I’ll get to continue the conversation with Kay at the ball.
I’d like to think that Korvane’s commanders would give Grenda’s son leave long enough to attend the dance too, but if it’s up to Holden, there’s no chance.
‘Is this all of us?’ I say as I look around. There are only two others on the road, and my gut clenches. ‘Where are the others? Jonas? Llinos?’
The panic of nearly not having made it through the trial ebbs, giving rise to a cold dread that I’ll have to endure the rest of it on my own.
‘I saw one body in the woods while I was walking.’ Grenda’s voice is solemn. ‘A young woman from Rowell. Elenor, I think her name is.’
In terms of the people from Rowell I hope won’t make it, Elenor wouldn’t be top of my list, but I also won’t pretend to be saddened by this news.
‘There must be others,’ I say, thinking of the way Kyor sped through the woods on Elska’s back. There’s no way he didn’t get back in time. Which means there’s at least a chance that Llinos and Jonas are alive too, just in another portation group.
‘What now?’ I ask. ‘Where are we meant to go?’
‘I think I heard carriages. Horses’ hooves that way.’ Grenda nods her head. ‘We should go see.’
There is no talking as we make our way down the path, until, sure enough, there is a carriage waiting there. Two other Rettlings are sitting inside. Oke from Rowell, and Moryal the wind weaver from Galreck.
