CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Shadow
AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE DONE FOR him—the risks I’ve taken—and he acts like he’s the one coming to my rescue. He’d still be sitting in that cell—or dead—if it wasn’t for me.
What an arrogant lout Caledon Holt, Great Master Assassin of Renovia, has turned out to be. I’m almost tempted to go back to my aunts’ farm and then on to the palace, where at least I can live out my days in comfort and warmth. But I can’t even pretend to want that. If I’m being honest, that’s still less appealing than sticking out the journey ahead with my knight in shining armor, Sir Full of Himself.
So what if he saved my life a few dozen times this evening?
The man is a terror with a sword. It’s clear he could have escaped Deersia anytime he wanted, so why didn’t he? Was he truly waiting for the queen to send for him?
We don’t speak the entire way down the mountain path. Besides, we have to focus on managing the horses’ steps. I’m just glad we’re taking the road down and not the reverse. Going up to Deersia under these conditions would be even more daunting. And exhausting.
We’re both relieved when we make it to the foot of the mountain, and so are the horses. I can feel the tension leaving my horse for now—as I rub his head. “Good boy. Good job.”
“I have to apologize,” Caledon says finally. “I was skeptical at first but now I see why Queen Lilianna sent you for this.”
“I appreciate that,” I say stiffly.
He stares off down the road. I can tell he’s mulling something over. Then he looks back at me and says, “So do your orders include accompanying me to Montrice?”
“Yes,” I say, because I want nothing more than to share his mission.
“Huh.” He hesitates again. I know he still isn’t sure he can trust me.
“I am to aid you in any way I can, which includes traveling to Montrice,” I insist, as I cannot be left behind.
He nods and he must decide that he can finally trust me or that he won’t get rid of me so easily. I try not to look relieved. “Montrice may be funding the Aphrasians and helping them regain power. They may be plotting to invade Renovia.”
I nod, letting him continue.
“The queen believes a Montrician conspirator is aiding the Aphrasian monks, and we need to find out who it is and ensure that person isn’t a threat to Renovia ever again,” he says grimly.
“Understood.”
Caledon nods. “Good. In that case, let’s get moving.”
WE RIDE ON AT a steady pace for a while, each absorbed in our own thoughts. Even though I just traveled this way not too long ago, it all looks different. More menacing. Every large stone or tree looks like the ideal hiding place for an ambush of guards or thieves; I don’t like being out on this wide-open road either. We can be seen from miles away.
“Once day breaks, we should head into the Black Woods,” I say, motioning toward the forest ahead. “There’s a road cut through there that should lead all the way into Montrice.” I know this only because I read it in one of my aunts’ books. I don’t tell him that, of course. “It’s tricky but will be less traveled. And easier to find cover.”
“I don’t like it,” Cal says. “That’s the first place they’ll look,” he adds. “Anyone would take the first opportunity to get off the road. It’s the obvious move.”
Not sure if he meant that as an insult, but it felt like one. “Even if they do, we’d still have a better chance of getting away. Where are we going to hide out here?”
“We won’t have to hide. If we don’t stop, they can’t catch up. Crossing the woods will take longer.”
Ridiculous. How has he even survived this long? It’s common sense—it’s almost like he wants us to be an easy target. “Queen Lilianna sent me in the name of the crown, and I say we go into the woods,” I say, hoping I sound more confident than I feel.
“Unbelievable,” Cal mutters.
We go on quietly for a few more minutes. Cal rides up right next to me. I stare ahead intently, ignoring his presence.
“It’s vital we work together,” he says. “Arguments will only slow us down.”
“We wouldn’t argue if you didn’t contradict everything I say. Hold on, I mean if you don’t want to hear anything I have to say. You think you have all the answers already!”
He shakes his head. “You should follow my lead!”
“But you interfered with my spell-casting!”
“Was I supposed to let him hurt you? You said it yourself, I was helping you.”
“What if I didn’t need help? I got us out of there, didn’t I?”
“But . . .” His voice trails off and I feel somewhat triumphant.
After some silence he says, “Fine, we’ll do it your way. We’ll take to the woods.”
It’s not quite the triumph I was hoping for, but at least it’s a start.
THOUGH IT’S DAWN AND the sky is clear, as soon as we enter the forest it’s as pitch-black as the middle of the night again. The treetops obscure the bit of sun that was just beginning to peek above the horizon. I instantly regret insisting we go this way, but I’m not about to admit it. There’s nothing to be afraid of, anyway, and I maintain it makes more sense to stay off the main road. If a missing-prisoners bulletin goes out, a farmer could see us and either report it or attempt to detain us for the reward. That’s a headache we don’t need.
I can tell Cal is thinking the same thing—that maybe the forest was a mistake—but for now, he doesn’t say anything. We’re forced to slow down due to the darkness and the condition of the path—the horses have to step carefully over half-buried branches and deep ruts. I can feel the eyes of the hidden wildlife watching as we go by. The horses are on edge. Out of nowhere something large flaps right past my head, spooking the horse and making it rear up. I stop to calm him. “Shh. Shh. It was just a bat.”
Cal snorts.
“The horses are tired. I think we should stop and rest them when we get to Alvilla,” I tell him.
“Of course you do,” Cal says under his breath.
My nostrils flare. “It’s close to the border. And we can’t push the horses that hard. What do you think we should do?”
“I think we should have taken the main road and gone straight into Montrice. And now that we’re here . . . I still think we should go straight through.”
“Do you? Or are you just saying that because you want to disagree with me?”
“Look, I don’t think it’s a good idea to stop in town. People will be looking for two fugitives.”
“But we need to stop in Alvilla. For the horses,” I say, even though that’s not quite the truth. The truth is I’m hungry and tired and I need to rest. Casting that spell took a toll on me, but I don’t want him to know how weak I am. I don’t want him to win.
Cal shrugs in response. We don’t speak again for a while.
A bit farther on I hear something. “Wait.” I put up a hand as I try to make out what it is. It may just be something wild, but I need to be sure. I listen intently, beyond the sounds directly surrounding us, into the distance. “Horses,” I say softly. “And armed men.”
“Looking for us?” Cal asks me.
I focus on the sounds, but it’s too far to hear clearly. Not that we need to. Armed men don’t usually enter the woods at dawn. This is my fault. We’re being followed just like Cal said we would be.
Worse, they have tracking dogs. I can hear their barking more distinctly as they draw near. We can’t outrun them once they pick up our scent. They’ll just keep coming and coming until eventually . . . I close my eyes and try to think, and then I hear something else. A great rumble coming from the other direction.
“We need to outpace them,” Cal says.
“I have an idea,” I say, opening my eyes. “Follow me.”
If I’m right, there’s a crossroads ahead. If I’m wrong, we’re in real trouble.
“We can’t ride too fast; I don’t want to risk making too much noise. The guards may not pick up on it, but the dogs will,” I tell him. We go at a steady pace but I hear the dogs getting louder, closer. I also hear the thundering noises getting louder from the other side. I begin pleading: Please let this work. Please. Please. Please. It has to.
Finally we come to the crossroad in the woods. “Which way?” Cal asks.
“Straight ahead,” I answer. “But not yet. Wait.”
“Why?”
“Trust me,” I say, as much to myself as to Cal. I close my eyes again. From one direction, I still hear the guards approaching; from the other, the commotion I’d heard barreling toward us. “On my word, we bolt down the path.”
He assents.
We get ready as if for a race, bent low, prepared to bolt. The two forces get closer and closer . . . there’s a clamoring of hooves, boots, and steel behind us; the dogs are coming right around the bend, and a clash of a horde booming from the other direction, just as loud and unstoppable. Cal doesn’t need my extrasensory strength to hear either one anymore.
Nearer still. Cal looks at me, his eyebrows knit together. I shake my head. He doesn’t look convinced but he doesn’t move either. The dogs are so close. They can definitely see us at this point. Cal looks like he’s about to go with or without me.
“Wait!” I shout over the noise. The clamoring gets louder. “Now!”
We take off down the road just before the dogs lead their masters right to us—just as a stampede of deer charges across the trail directly in front of them, blocking their path.
I hear men yelling and dogs barking furiously. The deer stampede continues, giving us the distraction we need to get away. The confusion should mask our scent and throw the dogs off our trail.
Once we’ve put enough distance between us and the hunting party, we slow the horses down to a trot. I don’t hear our pursuers anymore. “That was close.” I start laughing and can’t stop. I’m so relieved that it worked.
But if I’m looking for praise or thanks, there will be none from him. “Best to get where we’re going without any more excitement,” Cal says. “I’d like to survive the rest of the way, if you don’t mind. We’ll ride until we get into town.”
“You’re welcome,” I say, unafraid to hide the annoyance in my tone.
Cal says nothing. Just clops on ahead of me.