Chapter 12
They spent more time in Alik's castle than Josette wanted. She appreciated the effort, was glad that Paige was safe and warm for the first time in weeks, but she was desperate to move on.
Finally, the day came when she could use her arm without fear of passing out, Paige was more than well, and Eros was kicking at her stable doors.
"We will resume our search tomorrow," Josette said to Paige one evening.
She expected a fight or even a sour look but Paige only nodded and began to eat in earnest.
"No fight? No sharp words?" Josette asked.
"We set out with the intention of looking for Evander. This is not a state visit or holiday," Paige said.
She sounded so much older than her years. Josette hated that. She wished that Paige could have had a chance at being just a child, even for a moment.
"If you wanted to stay here, I could send for you," Josette said. She didn't know what possessed her to say that and the look Paige gave her said it sounded as crazy as it felt to say.
"No thank you. I would much rather go with you. Someone has to drag your dying and unconscious body to safety."
Josette winced, though Paige didn't mean it to sound as sharp as it came out. Josette had to accept the fact that were it not for Paige, she would have died in those woods, or more likely, in that village.
"And it's cold here," Paige muttered.
Josette knew what she meant. It was more than the oppressive gray skies and the snow on the ground. The fires that burned in nearly every room would have kept them warm but it was more than that. The people, the customs, everything about this place was cold. It didn't matter how high the fires burned or how many blankets they piled on, the chill went deeper than that.
Even Alik's family, what Josette saw of them, were more likely to snap at each other than they were to be kind to one another. It seemed like the only person that these people showed affection or any kind of softness towards was Lambin.
Another curious thing that Josette couldn't help but note; Paige and Lambin were the only children in the entire castle.
"I will tell Alik. I will pack Eros tonight."
Paige nodded.
The sooner they got away from this place, the better.
∞∞∞
Josette and Paige left their rooms before dawn the next morning. The sky was barely beginning to lighten as they approached the stables, only to see Alik leading Eros out, already saddled and packed.
They both stopped abruptly and stared up at the prince. He was dressed much like they were; thick, lined britches, high boots, a tunic with a long sleeves, no doubt over a lighter shirt and a dark cloak. His gloves looked well worn and the bow and arrows over his shoulder looked like they could belong to any commoner. The only thing that hinted at his position was his horse.
But even Eros was the better horse than Alik's.
"Your Highness-" Josette began.
"Can we cut the silly back and forth? You will say that this mission is not my responsibility, that it is far too dangerous, that you apologize that you thought I had anything to do with Evander's disappearance, so on and so forth. Then it will come down to threats. You will threaten to call Issat or tie me up and leave me here. I will threaten to send you to my dungeons and do this on my own. In the end, we will glare at each other but begrudgingly accept one another's company on this journey," Alik said.
Josette had no words.
"Come, we have no time to waste," Alik said.
Josette looked over at Paige and Paige seemed to also be at a loss.
After another moment's hesitation, Josette sighed, got on Eros and then helped Paige up.
"I'm surprised that you got away from Issat and Margrave," Josette said.
"Lady Sexton slipped something in their dinner last night," Alik said.
Josette laughed and turned Eros northeast.
∞∞∞
Evander watched the moon pass over his tower. There were bars across the top, though who was mad enough to climb these walls to try and get out that way, was beyond Evander.
Gael was with him today.
"Make sure that he is happy, Gael. I know that it is hard for him to be happy so Eamon has to try. He has to make an effort to show him that there are good things out there in the world. I want you to do the same. Try to make yourself happy for Kielan and Cordelia," Evander whispered.
It had been a very long time since he was given water.
"I think he hated us from the very beginning. I don't think there was a thing we could have done to make him love us," Evander told Gael.
Gael stared down at him serenely.
"I'm going to die here," he told his brother.
Gael did not reply, but they never did. Evander had to figure it was because he was forgetting the sounds of their voices and that made him immeasurably sadder than almost anything else about his situation.
There was a clatter of noise outside and a strange howl that Evander was not familiar with. It tugged at his memories, like he used to know that sound, but it was different and wrong somehow.
It didn't matter.
"I left my last instructions. I believe in him. I do believe that he can rule but should he not, Gael, you promised to take care of him."
Someone was shouting outside.
The howl was much closer now and it was accompanied by snarls and growls that Evander would find very worrying if he was not about to die anyway.
Someone screamed. Evander hoped it was Vail or his father but it didn't sound like either one. He wanted very much to outlive them, just to see this world for a moment without their presence sullying it.
The door clanged open and Paige stood there, panting. Her dark cloak flared wide around her and there was an artful splatter of blood across her face. Her cheeks were red and her eyes sparkled and in her hand was a curved knife that looked like it belonged to Alyx.
Behind her, there was a wolf, black as night and large enough for her to ride.
This was by far the most realistic hallucination he had to date.
"That would be a pleasant picture, to see you ride a wolf," Evander informed her.
She looked at him, confused. "Kane would never let anyone ride him."
Evander jerked at the sound of her voice, loud and sweet and bewildered all at once.
"Paige?" He said.
"Yes. Can you stand?"
∞∞∞
It was on their third night together that Josette thought she saw something.
It was a trail, new, but well used. They were too far into the woods for it to be anything but suspicious. She chewed on an apple and studied it. If she followed its logical direction, it went up to the base of a snow covered mountain.
"I don't like it," she told Kane.
He dipped his head and looked at the trail as well. His muzzle was still red from the rabbit he had found for himself earlier. His large paws dug into the ground beneath him.
"You don't have anything to add?" She asked him.
He turned away from the trail and back to camp. Josette stared at the trail for a moment longer and then slid back into some thick underbrush when she heard men approaching.
"He will die soon," one man said to his companion.
"Will he? He has held out for a very long time."
"What's the point? King Alyx is set to marry before the next full moon. To one of the barbarians, I hear."
"I suppose."
And then they were gone.
Josette fell back on her ass and stared at the trail in front of her. How bad were things back home that Alyx would be marrying one of the Ataton family? What was Eamon thinking?
Alik found her there a while later.
"Does something trouble you?" He asked.
"Alyx is set to marry."
Alik paused. "Who?"
"One of the Ataton family."
"...why?"
"I know not. It makes no sense. He told me many times he would abdicate before he marries again. He is not interested in power or wealth. He only had it because Evander did."
Alik snorted.
When Josette looked up, he was struggling to contain his laughter.
"What?" She asked.
"The Alyx we know would not do this. The Alyx we know would prefer death than to have anyone but Evander touch him. This is a ploy. They wish to use the Ataton family, the big one, I would bet-"
"Eamon."
"As a target. To draw them out and show that Evander is still alive."
"I hope so," Josette said and stood slowly.
"Is that it?" Alik asked and tipped his head towards the trail.
"I believe so."
"Well, that absolves me. We crossed my borders yesterday."
Josette glared at him. "We should go, now. I fear for Evander's life."
"Don't we all?"
Packing up camp was a swift affair. Eros didn't appreciate being saddled so soon after she was allowed to rest but Paige spoke to her and then they were off. They rode for several silent hours, only occasionally seeing Kane next to them before he disappeared back into the shadows.
Over a crest they spotted it.
A single tower, rising into the night.
There were other buildings, most with straw roofs, with the exception of one large manor house. It seemed like the manor house and the tower were the only original buildings of the land. Everything else looked hastily erected.
Josette slid off Eros first, then Paige. Alik hopped off his own horse and came round to stand next to them.
"If each of those houses has two men, there are at least twenty here," he noted.
"That's not counting whoever is in the larger one," Josette said.
"And the ten to twelve that are pacing the area."
"Would you say fifty?"
"Sounds right."
They fell silent, watched the purple cloaks of the small village walk around the area and circle the tower.
"Looks locked," Alik said.
"I can pick it," Paige said.
Josette and Alik looked to her.
"I was an orphan and without means to feed myself for most of my life. If I did not learn how to pick locks, my siblings and I would have starved to death," she muttered.
Behind them, a twig snapped.
The three of them whirled around, weapons at the ready.
Issat and Margrave stood there. Margrave had two pieces of a stick in his hand.
"Could we be of service?" He asked.
Alik glared at them.
"Lady Sexton told us when we woke up. You only had a headstart," Issat said.
Josette sighed and turned back around. She would not begrudge them this. She would have done the same thing.
"What is our plan?" Issat asked and came to stand with the others.
"Kill them all," Paige whispered.
"I like the way the young one thinks," Margrave said.
"Of course you do," Josette muttered.
"Do you have a plan?" Issat asked.
Josette pursed her lips and considered what they could do. It was hampered by the fact that she had someone of royal blood with her, the last heir to his kingdom, but Josette was at a loss. There wasn't much she could say or do to get him to stay, she knew.
"Would you be willing to stay up here? Shoot from on high?" Josette asked Alik.
"And miss all the fun?" Alik snorted.
Josette stared at him, unwilling to give into his humor. When he saw how serious she was, his face fell before he squared his shoulders. "My older brother would have been the best one here, but I'm all you've got. I believe that Margrave should stay up here and shoot. He's second only to Issat with a bow and his limp makes him an easy target. No offense, cousin."
"None taken."
Josette wanted to argue but they simply did not have the time. She honestly didn't know if they were looking for Evander or his grave.
"Okay, so here's what we need to do..."