Of Remy.
She rushed over and stood before the rendition of her small friend. He’d been carved with a joyful smile and someone had placed a crown of flowers upon his head. Thorne stood beside her, putting an arm around her shoulders.
“They thought he deserved his own special memorial. Because of his sacrifice in retrieving what we needed to defeat our enemies.”
Ava let out a sob. Thorne pulled her tighter as she let out her grief, crying in the tranquil glenn. The sound of water trickling from a little waterfall at the edge of the pond washed over her. A peaceful comfort.
“Did I ever tell you exactly how we met?” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Only that he was imprisoned with you.”
“He threw rocks at me,” she said with a laugh.
“Really?”
She nodded. “When I arrived at their camp…they chained me up and”—she shivered at the memory—“hit me.” Thorne tensed. “I fell asleep soon after and the next thing I knew, someone was throwing rocks at me to wake me up. It was Remy.” Her voice quieted. “He was my lifeline during those weeks I was there. The person I leaned on every time I was tortured. He saved my sanity, Thorne. Helped me from completely breaking down.”
Thorne gave her a long, searching look, his expression full of warmth, relief and sorrow. “Then it is right we honor him. Not only as the one who gave his life in our quest to defeat our enemies, but as the one who helped our princess.”
35
They’d been traveling for almost a week, fortunately without incident, and tomorrow morning they would breach the edge of the Wastelands. Nervous was an understatement. Ava was petrified.
They had brought a company of soldiers, along with Gisela—the hybrid captain of the ship they’d taken to Saxumdale—for her ice magic; each ability now represented.
After Jorrar had explained all he knew about their barren destination—which wasn’t much—none of their party was enthusiastic about trekking through the heat and perils of the desert.
“Do you think Jareth truly wants to help?” Ava asked Casimir as they rode beside each other on their horses.
“I have no idea.”
“Regardless of his motivations, he’s here,” Raine called from ahead on his own steed next to Maeryn.
“You know I can hear you,” Jareth yelled from the back of the group. Alone. No one wished to ride with him.
“And you know we do not care!” Raine quipped.
But they’d brought Jareth along anyway. Whenhe showed up that evening with a map, they had no choice. Apparently, he’d gotten into a physical altercation with his father, broken into his study yet again, and discovered it. A map that would lead them directly to the cave system.
Jareth appeared to want to fight against Andras and his forces. Whether it was a political move, revenge against his father, or he cared about Eorhan, Ava didn’t know. But she supposed it didn’t matter. They needed his help.
At least Jareth hadn’t killed Orion…yet. The last thing they needed in the middle of the war was the assassination of a king to upend everything.
“Let’s camp here for tonight,” Casimir ordered, pulling into a nearby clearing.
The terrain changed the closer they got to their destination. The trees were sparse now, their leaves a dull grayish green. The bark peeled off in sheets with the slightest breeze and the only wildlife to be found were odd little lizards scurrying about.
The party stopped, dismounting and leading their horses to a nearby pond. Raine used his magic to create a makeshift pen, allowing their steeds to roam freely without wandering off.
Firewood was gathered, lit by Maeryn’s lava, and before long one of the soldiers was roasting several rabbits over the flame.
I’m going to go hunt with the rest of the animals,Luna said, disappearing after Aro and Sabriel into a small copse of trees.
Casimir approached from behind, his hands on Ava’s shoulders as he dug his thumbs into her stiff muscles. “You’re tense, love.” He placed a kiss on her temple.
“I’m nervous about this desert.”
“As am I. Come, sit by the fire.”
