Page 9 of Feathers and Thorns
“It will take us about a week’s time to reach the border,” Enara estimated.
Baz kissed the top of her head, smiling. “Hey, I’m just glad this route is on flat ground.”
“On that, my friend, we can agree.” Jai clapped him on the back. “Let’s let the ladies catch up. You can help me get the camp set up.”
Baz looked to Enara and Soren then backed away slowly. He had felt the tension bubbling between them since they had first reunited in Thorncrest and knew better than to get involved. “Right behind you, buddy.”
The moment they were out of earshot, Enara stood and rounded on Soren. “How could you get romantically involved with that monster?” She scolded her friend like a mother would, her voice so taut it was at risk of snapping.
“It’s not like I planned any of this, Enara,” Soren shot straight back, fuming.
“He nearly killed me and Baztien!” Her hazel eyes flashed a dangerous shade of viridian.
“You think I don’t know that?” Soren snapped. “It just happened!”
“Is your solution for everything to climb into bed with someone?” The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them.
Soren stepped back as though Enara’s words had struck her. She kept her voice low as she glared at her friend. “I don’t fucking need this, especially from you.” She started to stalk away, needing a minute to calm herself.
Enara made to stop her but thought better of it. She slumped back down on a stone, clenching her fists in frustration. After a few deep breathing exercises, she went in search of the guys. She would check on Soren once she had calmed down.
She found Jai chuckling at Baz as he attempted to light the fire. His fingers were not as deft as the tracker’s with the flint and steel. “Sure you don’t want me to take over?”
“I got it,” Baz replied with a look of intense determination visible between his thick brows. After two more attempts, he managed to spark the thin strands of wood pulp that Jai had scraped up. His face lit up as a tiny flame bloomed from between the pieces of kindling. He waggled his eyebrows at Enara. “See? I am a great provider.”
“My hero.” She smiled at him affectionately and sat beside Jai on the remains of a fallen spruce tree.
Jai’s dark eyes scanned the space behind her, looking for Soren, his left brow lifting when he could not find her.
“She needed some time,” Enara said. “There is no use talking to her when she’s like this.” She wrung her hands together, feeling guilty for picking a fight. She had just gotten Soren back—she should be happy—but every time she pictured her wrapped up in the arms of that vile man, she wanted to wretch.
The memory of Soren being dragged to him in the dimly lit hall below the temple had her blood boiling. Her efforts to fight against the taloned grip of the kestrels had been futile. Watching the stranger take Soren from her had made her feel every bit the helpless child she had been, cowering below her father’s fists.
“You okay?” Baz asked as he sat down, taking her hand in his. He knew she was thinking of her father by the vacant look in her eyes. With his free hand, he gently guided her chin to face him. “Hey.”
The clouds faded from her vision, going into hiding until the next storm hit. She nuzzled into the warmth of his hand, looking into his gold-flecked eyes. “Hey back.”
* * *
How dare she? Soren’s anger was palpable, as though it was a living, breathing monster, threatening to remove every ounce of goodness from her soul. She let out the rage in a half-yell, half-scream that had nearby animals skittering for their burrows. Because I wanted to develop an attraction to my kidnapper. She sat on the ground with her elbows resting on her knees. And my father’s killer.
She dropped her head into her hands as a vice wrapped itself around her trachea. She had managed to put the events at Thorncrest Manor to the back of her mind as they had made their way down the mountain pass. The frigid temperature, combined with the pain shooting through her body from the fight with the kestrels, had offered a welcome distraction from her mental turmoil. Now the dam had come loose, and the tears that fell painted a sad abstract of heartache on the dirt floor of the walking trail.
Images of the past few months flashed through her brain like a distorted puppet show. News of her father’s death, his lifeless body mottled with scars, the letter, the poems, the stars, the temple, the manor, Rook. The necklace holding her mother’s ring felt heavy and cold against her skin, but it was the only piece of her that she had left, apart from the statue, so she cherished it. However, it was a double-edged sword. Every shift of the gleaming metal was a reminder of the love her mother and father had shared, but it was also a reminder of Rook’s betrayal.
Unbidden images of him flashed through her mind. His bare chest glinting in the moonlight the first time he had dream-walked to her, stopping her from plunging off the cliff, his snowy hair sticking up like icicles as he held her to the door. The scent of him—the needles of the winter pines and sweet grass.
She choked back a sob as the bombardment continued. When he’d said he was sorry, the little drawing of a chess piece, the snowball fight, her birthday dinner, the library, his mouth at the apex of her thighs. All the enjoyable moments were now tainted with the undeniable truth that he had killed her father.
She watched as dark, thick blood seeped through the memories, forever staining whatever joy they had originally brought her.
She wiped her face with the sleeve of her white tunic then stood, brushing the dirt from her dark brown trousers before straightening the matching vest. They had been hand-picked by Evelyn.
Another rush of sadness flowed through her. In the short time she had known them, they had touched her heart and shown her kindness. For that, she would be forever grateful.
A rustle from behind had her turning. She was relieved to see it was Enara.
“I’m sor?—”