Everwylde Page 12

  “How do you feel?” he asked, his pale green orbs studying her.

  “Horrible. You?”

  “Not much better.” He let out a sigh and leaned to the side, resting on his hand. “I believe we slept for several hours.”

  She looked at the sun coming up through the trees. “Actually, I think it could have been all night.”

  A deep frown furrowed his brow. “I have never been struck down for so much time after doing magic before.”

  Malene hid her hands as she climbed to her feet. She might not have had anything to do with it, but she didn’t wish to talk about it either way. Turning away from Armir, she wiped her skirts and tried to stop thinking about being in his arms.

  It was probably a good thing that she had been unconscious. Otherwise, she might have done something incredibly foolish.

  “Malene.”

  His voice coming from close behind her made her jerk slightly in surprise. “Are you well?” she asked.

  “Aye,” he answered in a clipped tone. “I am more concerned about you.”

  She whirled to face him and raised her hands, palms out so blue light shone around them. “Me? Look at this. I can handle the magic.”

  Instead of retorting angrily, he merely raised a blond brow. “Is that why both of us were on our arses the remainder of yesterday and last night?”

  She dropped her hands to her sides. “Do not worry about me.”

  “You are the Lady of the Varroki. It is my duty to be concerned.”

  He had said those same words many times, but for some reason, this time, they irked her. “Because you do not want to have to explain to everyone that I died? Or is it because you have no wish to find the next Lady and train her?”

  Seconds passed as he stared at her without a clue as to his thoughts. Nothing showed on either his face or in his posture. Then he said in a soft voice, “Both.”

  Just as she figured.

  “And neither,” he added. “The truth is, you are the strongest Lady the Varroki has seen in ages. I believe that you can do untold things. Without a doubt, you are powerful, but that does not mean you are immortal.”

  She pulled a leaf stuck to the material on his arm. “I know that.”

  “You do not, and I do not blame you for it. These past five years, you have felt the magic within you growing, but you have yet to test it against anyone. It is easy to grow arrogant, to think that nothing can harm you. I knew it was a risk for you to leave Blackglade.”

  “If you were so against it, why did you agree?” she asked, thoroughly perplexed.

  He moved closer and reached up. His hand came away with a twig that was tangled in her hair. “Because I know once you have made a decision, nothing will stop you. I knew if I fought to change your mind, that you might very well leave on your own. I would rather stand beside you against whatever we encounter.”

  “You are a powerful warlock yourself.”

  He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I have only encountered the Coven thrice in all my years, and each time, they left a lasting impression.”

  “Meaning?”

  Armir looked away. “Which way should we go?”

  The fact that he wouldn’t answer her made Malene’s curiosity grow. In all the times they had spoken of the Coven, she hadn’t realized that Armir had encountered them, let alone three times.

  If he didn’t want to talk about what the Coven did, then she wouldn’t press. “The abbey could be anywhere.”

  “It is hidden by magic.”

  “Then we need to make our presence known.”

  His head snapped to her, pale green orbs narrowed in warning. “You will also alert any Coven members nearby.”

  “Do you prefer that we walk around for the next days or weeks searching?”

  Armir’s lips flattened. “As you wish.”

  Malene might have suggested letting the Hunters know she was there, but she didn’t know what to do. Most everything she did came on instinct. Sometimes, she made a fool of herself, but most times, her intuition was accurate.

  She placed her palms together and closed her eyes. Then she opened herself up to the magic within her. She felt it amassing. Behind her eyelids, she could see the blue light growing brighter, building with her magic.

  Malene then focused her thoughts on the Hunters. Once her magic was great enough, she sent out a silent call that another witch—hopefully only those at the abbey—would hear.

  Once the signal had been sent, she dropped her hands and opened her eyes. The blue lights of her palms were still glowing brightly, bathing Armir in their radiance.

  His gaze was on her, a peculiar expression on his face. She blinked, and it was gone. As if it had never been. But she knew what she’d seen. What it was, however, was another matter entirely.

  “I suppose we will know shortly who took notice of my summons,” she said, needing to fill the silence.

  “Aye.”

  Most of her time was spent alone with Armir in the tower, but only now was she aware of their current circumstances. In Blackglade, her situation was normal. But she was out in the world again. Alone with a virile, handsome man.

  Things might be more worrisome if he were attracted to her, but Malene knew that wasn’t the case. It saddened her, but then again, maybe she was drawn to Armir because he was the only man she saw on a regular basis.

  She wasn’t going to wait around to be found. Without a word to Armir, she walked past him to explore while she could. Who knew how quickly she would have to return to Blackglade.

  Not that it wasn’t pretty. Its wildness appealed to her more than she liked to admit. Remote, stormy, and, some might say, feral, Blackglade was as beautiful as it was harsh.

  Still. It had been five years since she had seen anything other than the sea from her tower. Malene wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass. Besides, if the Coven were going to be defeated, then she and the Hunters needed to meet.

  A union of the two groups would be necessary to eradicate the Coven. And that’s exactly what she planned. To remove any and all trace of the Coven. It was time someone took drastic action. For too many centuries, the Varroki had battled the witches of the Coven off and on. And the Coven had grown strong.

  Maybe too strong for the Varroki.

  Especially when the number of Varroki was diminished.

  Armir moved up alongside her. “You have changed much.”

  She glanced at him, laughing softly. “It has been five years. Of course, I’ve changed.”

  “I mean in the last few weeks.”

  His words concerned her. “A good change?”

  “I would say so,” he replied. “You have more confidence. It’s almost as if you know your path now.”

  She jerked her head to him. One of Armir’s purposes was to keep her on her path. If he thought she didn’t need him, then he might leave. And she wasn’t prepared for that.

  “It is a good thing,” he said before she could form a response.

  She faced forward once more. “It means you have done a fine job.”

  “It means you are the right person to lead our people. Even though you still long to have another life.”

  Her steps slowed. “It has been years since I have said anything about that.”

  “Do you think I do not see you staring out over the sea? Do you think I do not see the yearning in your eyes?”

  At this, she halted and faced him. “You have said nothing of it.”

  “There was no reason.”

  “Because I could not go anywhere.”

  He held her gaze, his silence answer enough.

  It was then that Malene became aware they were being watched. She glanced at Armir to see that he was looking around because he felt it, too.

  There was a rustle of leaves, and then a woman wearing a white cloak appeared from behind a tree. Blond hair fell on either side of her face. Beside her was a man with long, dark brown hair graying at the temples.

  Malene faced them a
s Armir drew closer to her.

  “Be at ease,” the woman said. “I am Edra. I believe you are seeking me.”

  Malene smiled at the witch. “I am. I am Malene, Lady of the Varroki. And this is Armir, my second in command.”

  “A pleasure,” Edra said. She glanced at the man beside her. “This is my husband, Radnar. Come. We will bring you to the abbey.”

  “You trust us?” Armir asked skeptically.

  Edra was already turning away, but she stopped and looked at Armir. “Leoma spoke highly of Jarin upon her return. Both she and Braith said he was instrumental in helping to defeat the Coven. Jarin shared his culture with Leoma, and she, in turn, told us. I have been expecting you.”

  “We have common enemies,” Radnar added. “It is our hope that we can join forces against the Coven.”

  Malene nodded. “That is why we have come.”

  “Then let us begin. The Coven does not know where we are, and we would like to keep it that way,” Radar said.

  Malene looked at Armir to find him staring at her. He gave her a slight nod. With that, she followed Edra, while Armir remained right beside her.

  And she was coming to realize that she liked him there.

  Chapter 18

  It was a grand thing to be woken with a hard body against her and tantalizing lips on her neck. Ravyn moaned when she felt Carac’s arousal.

  “I need you again,” he rasped near her ear.

  His fingers wound in the strands of her hair and pulled her head back, exposing more of her neck. She loved his dominant nature. It called to her on a level she hadn’t known she wanted—or desired.

  He moved her onto her back and situated himself to push inside her when Simon said his name outside the tent.

  Carac stilled, and Ravyn’s eyes flew open. Without a word, both quickly rose and began to dress. Once her pants and tunic were on, Carac bid his friend to enter after pulling on his own trousers.

  Simon ducked beneath the flap and gave her a quick nod, but he kept his eyes on Carac. “We need to get to Bryce Castle immediately.”

  Ravyn pulled on her boots and reached for her vest as she eyed the men. She wanted to demand to know what was going on, but she kept quiet and listened.

  Carac found a tunic and yanked it over his head. He began reaching for his weapons and securing them to his person. “What happened?”

  “Five leagues away, a family was slaughtered,” Simon stated.

  Ravyn paused, her heart leaping in her chest. She knew what Simon would say next, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear.

  “It is being said that witches did it.”

  Carac’s gaze moved to her, their eyes meeting. Without looking at Simon, he asked, “Did they catch those responsible?”

  “Nay.”

  Ravyn found her cloak and fastened it before slipping the dagger into her boot. Every instinct she had urged her to go after the witches to avenge the innocents that were killed. This wasn’t the first time witches had struck families since hers, but each time grew harder and harder to bear.

  With barely any movement of the tent flap, Margery entered and walked straight to Ravyn. “Are you all right?”

  Ravyn felt Carac’s gaze on her. “Fine.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  Ravyn walked to the table and found her crossbow and a small quiver of arrows. Her hand shook slightly when she reached for the weapon, but once she had her fingers around it, she calmed.

  Ravyn turned her head to Margery. “I want to kill every last Coven member.”

  “I am ready,” Margery said with a lift of her chin.

  Carac took a step toward them. “It is not that simple.”

  “Aye, it is,” Margery argued.

  Ravyn put a hand on her friend’s arm. “Carac is right. Sybbyl suspects that we are Hunters. This could be a diversion.”

  Simon crossed his arms over his chest. “That was my thought, as well. That is why I said we needed to get to the keep.”

  “In case Sybbyl tries to locate the staff while everyone’s attention is elsewhere,” Carac said.

  Ravyn knew going to the castle was the right thing to do, but she thought of the now-dead family. What if there was a child—like her—crushed under the weight of a family member and waiting to be rescued? What if even one of them was alive? What if she could kill a witch? That would be one less Coven member to fight later.

  “Ravyn.”

  She jerked at the sound of her name. When she looked up, all three were staring at her. “Aye?”

  Margery eyed her with a worried frown. “I can go check out the story about the family.”

  “Nay. We remain together,” Ravyn said.

  Simon dropped his arms. “Dawn is approaching, and the men are already waking.”

  “Then we go now,” Carac said and looked at her.

  Ravyn nodded in agreement.

  Margery gave her one last look before following Simon out of the tent. Ravyn slung her crossbow over her shoulder and waited for Carac to put on his boots and jerkin. His eyes watched her as if waiting for her to say something.

  Finally, he stood. “Margery seemed particularly worried about you.”

  “She frets.”

  He raised a blond brow, his skepticism obvious. “And your distraction?”

  “Deciding which witches to hunt.”

  His lips twisted ruefully. “I will not push you if you do not wish to share.”

  She watched as he went to the opening to look outside before he motioned her ahead of him. She raised her hood and hurried out. To her surprise, her mare stood saddled next to his horse. She glanced at Carac to ask how, but he was already speaking.

  “Simon followed Margery to where she put the horses. He retrieved them last night.”

  Ravyn climbed onto her mare and glanced around. “You trust your men?”

  “I used to.” He mounted and turned his stallion toward her. “Then I met Sybbyl. Now, I trust only Simon, you, and Margery.”

  Ravyn didn’t get a chance to reply as he nudged his horse into a gallop. With a press of her knees, her mare quickly leapt after them.

  The sky was turning gray as the darkness gave way to the ball of light slowly rising on the horizon. She inwardly grimaced each time one of the shadows hiding them pulled away as if burned by the sun.

  She spotted the castle in time to see the last part of the sun reveal itself. Carac reined his mount to a stop before they reached the fortress.

  She drew up alongside him as his head turned to her. Then he asked, “Do you think you can get us in without being seen?”

  “Aye. What about Simon and Margery?”

  “They will go in another way.”

  It was smart to split up. Maybe she would’ve heard that if she hadn’t been thinking about the murdered family. She followed Carac as he turned his horse to a copse of trees. Once there, he dismounted.

  Ravyn looked at the castle. Now, Carac would be the one to follow her. She quickly ran over the terrain, keeping as low as possible and trusting that he could keep up. She wasn’t disappointed. The only time she paused was when they got close enough to see the sentries along the battlements. Then it was a matter of waiting for the guards to turn before they sprinted the rest of the way to the stronghold.

  Ravyn glanced up at the wall, her hands flat against the stones.

  “Surely, you do not think to climb it,” Carac stated.

  She looked at him and grinned. “How do you think I got in the first time? But there is another way.”

  “I was hoping you would say that.”

  Ravyn hurried to the postern door and pulled it open before slipping inside. Carac quickly followed and pressed close behind her.

  “How the hell did you do that?”

  “I broke the lock when Margery and I used it last eve to escape.”

  He grunted, which caused her to smile. Then they were on the move again, working their way inside the castle through the servant’s entrance. Sybbyl�
�s massacre of so many within the castle meant that there were few to avoid. The few servants that remained were busy with the morning meal.

  That made it relatively easy for her and Carac to get past them and use the back stairs to make their way to the dungeons and Randall. They were turning a corner when she spotted one of John’s knights.

  Carac grabbed her and pulled her into a small, narrow chamber before they were seen. Another knight joined the first, and it soon became apparent that she and Carac weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  Ravyn blew out a breath and leaned her head against the wall. No windows or other exits made it impossible to leave another way. “I suppose we will be here awhile.”

  “It looks that way,” Carac agreed with a frown. “And nowhere to hide if anyone looks in here.”

  She slid down the wall until she sat on the floor and set her weapon beside her. The ride over, she had thought of little else but Carac’s parting words to her in his tent. He’d known she was hiding something, but he hadn’t pressed her about it.

  “I am an orphan,” she said into the silence.

  From his spot by the door, he swung his head to her. After a long stare, he moved to the wall opposite her and sat. “I suspected that when you told me how Edra took in children.”

  “She is the one who found me. I was being beaten for stealing a loaf of bread.” Ravyn hadn’t thought about that day in years. “I begged for food for days, but everyone ignored me. Pretended I was not there. The hunger became so bad that I had no other choice.”

  His green eyes filled with anger. “You were a child. How could anyone not share food with you?”

  “It would mean taking me in, and I was not their responsibility.”

  “And your family?”

  She lowered her gaze to the floor and swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I remember very little of my early life. I know I was loved and cared for.”

  He frowned but didn’t speak.

  Ravyn looked at him and shrugged. “It is almost as if my life started the night my world was ripped apart. I do not recall how it began. What I do remember is being yanked from my bed. The fear was palpable, like a living, breathing entity.

  “My father went outside along with my two eldest brothers. When the door opened, I caught a glimpse of long, golden blond hair. The night was as silent as death. Then I heard her laughter. It sent chills down my spine, and even at such a young age, I realized evil was upon us.” She put her hand over the Nordic rune tattoo on her left wrist. “I have no recollection of why we left our home, only that the next thing I remember, we were standing outside. I was barefoot, and the frigid ground hurt my feet, but I said nothing. My mother hid me behind her. I gripped her skirts tightly and buried my face in the material.