“I don’t pity you. I pity myself right now for being so stupid. I knew you needed help. As much as I tried to turn my back on you, I couldn’t. I should have left well alone. I should have left you to her.” She says the last under her breath and more to herself.
“Can I get you some supper?” Julienne interrupts; she is stirring a pot hanging over the fire. “Or will you be leaving immediately? I can have the horses tacked and ready in no time. The saddle bags are already packed with supplies.”
Isla and I look at one another for a few charged heartbeats.
I pull in a breath and let it out slowly. “I think Isla will need to eat something before she goes on her way.” I need to make it very clear where we stand.
Isla’s face goes pale. “What? You’re going to throw me out? Where will I go?”
I have one small problem. Isla is a powerful magic wielder. I can’t use my magic if I want to stay hidden from the queen. I can’t use my magic at all, not without Snow tracking me down.
But Isla can use hers. Which means she’s a risk to me and my quest. One I can’t take.
It means that I can’t take her with me. She can’t know my plans, can’t know where I’m going or what I intend to do. I can’t and won’t trust her.
She’s beautiful and looks as innocent as they come, but that is more than likely a lie. A very convincing one, at that.
I need to stay firm. “I am very serious.” I force myself to hold her gaze. “Thank you for all of your help, but after you’ve eaten, I need you to be on your way.”
“And where will I go?” Her voice cracks on the last word.
“Anywhere you want,” I tell her, trying to keep my tone even. Trying not to let the hurt swirling in her eyes affect me.
“That’s just it! I can’t go anywhere I want.” Her hands clench into fists on the table. “They saw me. They know who I am. By now, there will be a bounty on my head.” She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “I’m a colossal fool. The biggest fool in the entire realm. Why did I help you? I knew kings could be arrogant pricks, but you take the cake.”
“I don’t care what you think of me.”
“That much is very clear.” Her voice is filled with anger.
“I suggest that we eat,” Julienne pipes up. She’s watching us both, frowning all the while. “We’ll be able to think more clearly with full bellies. As long as those bells stay silent, we are quitesafe.” She points to a row of bells above the front door. They all have a string attached to them.
She walks over to an animal skin on the floor near a wooden chest and pulls it aside, revealing a trapdoor underneath. “If they do come, you’ll need to go down into the room below. It’s well hidden. As long as you keep very quiet, you will be safe there.”
Neither Isla nor I say anything.
She glares at me, and if looks could kill, I would be run through or peppered with arrows.
Julienne continues, moving back to the pot. “You never know when you’ll get another chance at hot food. Then we can talk about what to do next. It isn’t good to make decisions while tempers are flared.”
My temper is just fine. Isla’s cheeks are a bright red, so I can’t say the same for her.
The sooner this female is out of my hair, the better.
This isn’t about her or me. This is about the realm. About stopping Snow before she destroys everything.
Isla is a risk. Therefore, I can’t trust her.
But I can ensure she has the things she needs to get away safely. I owe her that much, at least.
I nod once. “Let’s eat.”
Isla pushes out a heavy breath and rolls her eyes at me.
“Thank you, Julienne,” she says. “The food smells delicious. Can I help with anything?”
“No, no, you stay right there, you look exhausted,” Julienne tells Isla while she ladles thick stew into wooden bowls.
Julienne puts the food on the table in front of us, along with a loaf of fresh bread that she tears into chunks. My mouth waters at the smell of rich meat and vegetables. It feels like an age since I last had anything of substance in my belly.
