“That thing has murdered my people. It doesn’t deserve to live,” Savine snarled before he turned from her and stalked away.
Avery ran to catch up, looking at the wounded who were being carried to the rebel leader.
“What happened after you left the tent?” Avery asked.
“This was no typical battle between the loyalists and rebels. Yes, there were loyalists attacking us. But there were others who helped in the attack. The wolven and the Grimils were working together. We are still getting reports on how many they killed and injured. It’s not unusual for the wolven to attempt an attack on us as we travel to Bayberry. Usually under the cover of darkness to steal our elk. What is not normal is the three of them working together. The King of Latiah must be forming some new allies. Especially strange are the Grimils this far north.”
“What are they? The Grimil?”
“A dark fae. They live far south of here in the rugged mountains of Goldoth. Sometimes their bands will migrate into Nepheli territory, but not Latiah.”
“If they are typically not here, what are they doing here now?” Avery asked, concerned about the answer she would get. A sick feelingin the pit of her stomach roiled to think these creatures could be seeking her out.
“That’s a good question. Perhaps Raikin will have the answers soon. He is, um, interviewing one of them for me. As for the wolven, they live in the mountains around here. They do not answer to the King and have been a thorn in our side for centuries. They are shapeshifters, looking no different from I do in their fae form, but often attack in their wolf form where they can use their claws and teeth. Until now, they have refused to ally with the loyalists or the rebels.”
“But if they live in this territory, why don’t they acknowledge the King, or you, as their leader?” Avery was puzzled.
“The fae are splintered into many groups, with fluid borders and fluid alliances. This makes ruling over other factions challenging. I have known the king to hunt the wolven like wild animals, especially when they disrupt his peace. They have never followed a Latian King, and I would not have thought that they would ally with Jasper. We have worked for years to form an alliance with them, but they refused to take sides. It seems that things have changed.”
Avery shook her head as Savine spoke. She thought all this violence and bloodshed seemed unwarranted. “You fae are so brutal. It’s still shocking to me, even after a couple of weeks here.”
“For now, violence is a way of life here. Someday, I pray to Althea that this changes. But for now, it is our reality. So yes, I will continue to cut our enemies down. Soon you will learn to do the same.”
Savine walked away from her, leaving her chilled by his harsh words. Avery curled her arms around herself and sat down on the hard ground. All around her, people cleaned up from the attack, but she couldn’t make herself move. Her body shook as the adrenaline died down from her system, leaving her empty and cold.
Avery trailed behind Savine toward the group of fae gathered near his arrow-punctured tent. She didn’t know how she would ever fall back to sleep after this night. Plus, she could use a shower, if only a shower was a thing here.
“What now?” Avery asked Savine once he noticed she was near him. Everyone was asking him questions and looking toward him for what to do next. She really should have just looked for Rue and asked for some clothes.
“We’re preparing to move out as soon as possible. We’re a day and a half of hard riding away from Bayberry. Garnel and the other injured can’t travel that fast, but we will try to move as quickly as possible. Jay and Gaelyn have agreed to stay behind and move most of our people at a normal pace. But I want you with me. Not only because I don’t want you out of my sight, but also because I think you can help us keep the injured alive.”
At that moment, Raikin arrived. He had blood on his snow-white hands. The contrast was jarring. “Raikin, how did the discussion with our captive go?”
“Well, when I run out of diplomatic approaches, I can get the information I need very quickly.” Raikin looked Avery in the eyes with his bright green eyes. They seemed to glow as he spoke. The grin on his face gave Avery the goosebumps. Whatever he’d done to the Grimil, he seemed to enjoy doing it.
“What did you learn?” Savine asked. His brow furrowed as he waited for Raikin’s answer.
“The entire realm knows about Avery. The Grimils and the wolven were being paid handsomely to deliver her alive to Jasper,” Raikin replied.
“They want her alive? What was the purpose of keeping her alive?” Savine looked surprised at this response. Avery knew he suspected she was being hunted.
“The Grimil did not seem to know all the details, despite my… thorough prodding. He said that Jasper wanted to see how fragile humans are.” Raikin raised one of his white eyebrows as he looked Avery up and down with delight. There was something about this fae that made Avery very uncomfortable.
“Jasper will never get his hands on Avery. If he tries, I will tear down every building in Orofine,” Savine snarled. His blue eyes blazed with rage, and Avery felt strangely relieved that she had this powerful fae vowing to protect her. What wouldn’t he do for her?
“We need to travel with haste to Bayberry. Get those joining us ready to travel immediately,” Savine said to Raikin and a group of fae warriors.
“Yes, Lord. Garnel was already being loaded into a wagon with Kyla’s close care. There are seven other injured that may benefit from Avery’s care,” Raikin said through shining green eyes as he looked from Savine down to Avery.
“That was my thought as well. If she can get the others as stable as she did for Garnel, we will travel more quickly. Obviously, no one else survived the helmsbane-laced arrows, but we can get better treatment in Bayberry.”
How was she expected to save all these people? She didn’t know how she’d done it for Garnel! Before she could protest, Savine spoke to her. His hands wrapped around her arms in a way that could almost be mistaken as caring. “You look exhausted. Wash up and get ready to ride.”
This statement did not reassure Avery in the least.
Chapter twenty-four
Avery
