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I LEAVE THE LOVE BIRDS in the great hall feeling pretty grown up and mature. I do stick two fingers up at them once I’m on the other side of the door, but I make sure Weaver doesn’t catch me.
I think it’s understandable that I’m a bit jealous. As long as I don’t let it eat me up, like maggots feasting on a dead bird.
Weaver raises an eyebrow at me. “Are you coping? With those two?”
“Just about.”
He flings an arm around me and I let him. “You’ll find love one day.”
I snort. “As if that’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for Will.”
“Shall we stick together?”
I shake my head. We’ll get around quicker on our own and I can’t see him being too far away.
“What if you get in trouble”
“What if you do?”
He’s laughing as he walks away from me and I know I’m grinning like a crazy bat. Life is good again with Archer back; the three of us together again. I relive the fight from earlier, the adrenaline pulsing through me again.
I think about Brett and my high drops to a crushing low. How many of those dead men were following orders; just doing as they were bid? Being on the wrong side, showing fealty to the wrong person got them killed. I could get killed just as easily for being on the right side.
It’s a sobering thought and I’m more careful as I move around the outside of the castle. People want me dead for supporting Everleigh.
I hope I’m right about Will and he’s drowning his sorrows. I’m getting more familiar with the castle, both inside and out and make quick work of the kitchen, whipping a cake before Cook sees me, then I head to the stables munching on the still warm cake. I will never have a hungry belly in this place. I go back inside and check Will’s room again. Then back outside I walk through the gardens.
He might be with his father. “Hey,” I flag down a little maid. “Where are the old fool’s rooms? Will’s father?”
She gives me extremely specific directions, which I need, and I knock on the door. I scrape the dirt out from under my nails as I wait for an answer, flicking the mixture of blood and mud and old food on the floor. I could do with a wash. I knock again and try the door. It opens easily and I suppose it’s Will’s father passed out on the bed, fully dressed and reeking of ale.
I shut the door softly behind me and wonder where to go next. If his father likes a good drink, maybe Will is the same. Maybe one of the ale houses in the village... I just don’t see him nipping out for an ale and a chat while Everleigh is missing.
Everleigh is missing! What’s making me so bloody dull I don’t know. He’s gone looking for her. Of course he has. He wanted to help me search earlier but I wouldn’t let him. Damn fool’s gone off on his own.
Find one, lose one, it’s such a ridiculous game.
I run into the castle and start calling out to Weaver, Archer and Everleigh. I don’t know where Everleigh’s rooms are and I’ll only get lost.
I round a corner in a hurry and crash into Everleigh, Archer and Ginata. “Enjoy your sleep?” I ask Ginata who still looks strange to me. Shifty. I don’t let her answer, not that it looks like she’s going to. I turn to Everleigh. “Will’s gone looking for you.”
“How do you know?”
“I told him he couldn’t earlier, because of his head, but I know how guilty he was feeling. And sad about Lanorie. I bet he’s gone off to look for you. I can’t find him anywhere around the castle and I can’t think of another good reason why he’d disappear.”
“But it’s so dark now.”
“Too dark to look for him,” Archer’s voice is gentle. It’s not what Everleigh wants to hear, but it’s true. If we go off in the dark now looking for Will, there’s no doubt something will go wrong. Find one, lose one.
“But my brother. If he finds him.”
“Will won’t go looking for trouble and Millard won’t be looking for anyone. I hit him pretty hard. Twice. And Ginata drugged him. Wherever he is he’ll be looking for sleep not fights.”
“And Will’s not stupid. If he can’t find you he’ll head back here. He won’t want to sleep in the woods.”
“We’ll go to your room and check his rooms every hour or so, see if he’s back.”
This seems to work for Everleigh and I follow them along to collect Addyson, Kenneth, Della and Finn.
Kenneth. Still makes me laugh. Not so mysterious and worldly as what he likes to be called.
Everleigh slows till she’s in step with me. “What if my brother finds Will? Or Wolf? It’s so dark...”
I nod. I know where she’s going with this.
“Could you please go for one ride out on Pitch, just in case he’s hurt or something?”
Damn this Queen-to-be appealing to my well known good nature.
“Archer, I’ll go on one quick ride out, scout around, see if I can find him. An hour tops.”
He shakes his head, but I put my hand up. “Everleigh won’t rest until I do.”
Low I know, but it’ll work. He frowns but nods his agreement.
“I’ll look for Weaver too.”
As if speaking his name magicked him here, Weaver comes around the corner, frowning. “I can’t find him, but I reckon he’s gone to look for you, Everleigh. He doesn’t know we found you. He’s feeling guilty as hell.”
I grin and ruffle his hair. I love Weaver. “What?”
“Just thought the same thing as you, that’s all. I’m going to go out on Pitch, do a quick ride around before it gets even darker. I’ll be an hour tops.”
“That’s not a good idea...” He trails off because he can tell from my face that I’m not having any of it. These boys have been trying to tell me what to do for years. When will they learn?
I kiss Everleigh, Archer and Weaver on their cheeks and wave as I head off to the stables.