Page 107 of Tarnished Crown

“Aye. We ken. We’ve been keeping an eye on her, but we didna think anything of it. We left her alone, both for yer Aunt Isla’s sake and that of peace.”

“Your father wanted to go after her,” Oli interjected. “But in the end, the Council deemed it too much of an unnecessary risk, knowing how the Socairans feel about Clan Wives.”

So in the end, Evander had suffered because of my family’s mercy? Their commitment to keeping the people of Lochlann safe?

Something about that felt so unbelievably wrong.

I was grateful when we spurred the horses onward, if only to have a break from the thoughts threatening to pull me under.

Uncle Oli checked us into an inn since he was the closest to looking Socairan. With our cloaks up, Da’ and I made our way up to the room while Oli had food sent up.

We ate quickly and in silence. Perhaps it was because our Lochlannian accents would have given us away, but it seemed more likely that both men knew how little I had left to give tonight.

There was one huge bed, so I was sandwiched in the middle while each of them slept with their sword within arm’s reach.

It struck me that all this time I had told myself I couldn’t bear to sleep away from Evander because I wouldn’t feel safe, but there were few places in the world safer than I was right now.

Still, panic set in.

More than that, a bone deep emptiness, the kind that felt like it had no beginning and no end.

So as it turned out, that was just one of the many, many things I had lied to myself about.

CHAPTER70

After days of hard riding, we made it back to the familiar craggy landscape where this all started. My chest tightened with each mile we drew nearer the tunnels, panic seeping into my every pore.

I wasn’t sure if it was the thought of going back in to face the cold, dark, and seemingly endless tunnels all over again, or if, more likely, it was that a part of me broke the further away we went from Bear.

From Evander.

Fortunately, there were no more attacks from the Unclanned or surprises from any patrolling soldiers at the narrow border between Bear, Bison, and Elk.

There was also nothing that offered a single distraction.

At least, not until I saw Davin’s face in the distance, his form outlined by the setting of the sun. A small cry of relief clambered out of me, and tears pricked at the back of my eyes.

I hadn’t realized how much I had needed to see him until now, how much I needed to assure myself that he was still alive and well. As we neared, he jogged over to meet me at my horse, holding his arms out. I practically flung myself into them, squeezing my eyes shut.

“How do we keep bumping into each other like this?” He was striving for a neutral tone, but a little emotion slipped in at the end, and he cleared his throat.

I laughed, wrapping my arms more tightly around him. When I opened my eyes, it was to a wholly unexpected sight.

There, at the entrance to the tunnel, was a tall, broad form with tan skin and white-blond hair that I would recognize anywhere. His face was downcast as he studied me through those earnest green-and-gold eyes of his.

Theo didn’t make any sudden moves; he didn’t try to approach me. He only stood there, waiting.

Davin sighed, nudging me with his arm. “I suppose he wasn’t so bad, in the end. Though, I’ll be just as happy to never see anyone from Clan Elk as long as I live.”

Shaking my head, I took a few steps forward and Theo did the same, meeting me in the middle.

An awkward silence lingered between us. Da’ reluctantly gave me a little privacy while he and a couple of Elk soldiers loaded a small supply wagon hitched to a donkey, leading into the tunnel entrance.

At least this time, we would be more prepared.

Following my gaze, he cleared his throat. “Your sword is in the trunks, along with a bottle of vodka. For your sister, of course.”

Something that might have been a smile tugged at his lips, though it was weaker than his used to be. I tried to match it, but mine felt even frailer than his.