“
No mother to teach us the
tricks of the trade,” she sighed as she leaned in.
I jerked away from her, I wanted to be angry
about the comment but couldn't think of a response while her own
story was so tragic.
She mistook my reaction, “Oh, don’t be silly,
sister. I wouldn’t play the same design twice.”
I relaxed a little.
“
Besides, I will let you in
on a little secret… the fairy’s breath isn’t really
breath
. Can you imagine if
it were, why, everywhere we go we’d be causing a terrible ruckus.
It’s a blend is all. We keep it in a tiny capsule in our cheek and
when we need it…” She chomped her teeth together with a click. She
held a finger to her lips to protect the secret. “Old family recipe
you see. My mother left a diary.” She smiled as she was thoughtful.
“Ah, what a thing, a mother’s diary.”
I wondered if she was returning to her
conversation any time soon.
Her eyes flicked back to me from her reverie.
“It was very fortunate for me she’d kept a journal, you see, for I
would have no fairy knowledge without it.”
I felt my brows draw together and tried to
smooth my face.
“
No, don’t feel bad for me.
With you in such a position.” I didn’t know what she meant but she
continued, “And my dear brother has been there for me all along,
helping me with the elf parts.”
She kept talking as she leaned forward,
seemingly unaware I'd not spoken a word in response. Not that she’d
given me the opportunity. I contemplated whether this was her usual
behavior toward strangers or if she felt we had a special
“motherless” bond. She ran her finger through the substance in the
canister and it came out coated in a deep, dark green that had the
consistency of grease, which she smeared across the base of my
eyelid. She continued rambling as she coated various parts of my
body with lotions and powders, smoothed my hair with a sweet
scented cream, painted my lips with a soft balm that smelled of
spice.
After she ran out of areas
to work with, she opened a tall glass container with black liquid
inside and dipped a cut braid of hair into the bottle. She drew it
out and used the tip to brush an intricate design on the inside of
my wrist. When she was finished, she leaned over and blew gently on
the paint.
Or ink?
I was anxious to see the finished work, I waited impatiently
for her to raise her head again and hoped whatever it was wasn’t
permanent.
She finally glanced up at me, smiling an easy
smile. I nervously looked down at my wrist. It was magnificent. A
simple outline of a bird with outstretched wings marked the
delicate skin at the inside of my wrist, just above the base of my
palm. Unbelievably tiny runes surrounded the bottom of its wings,
making a pattern appear at first glance.
I smiled as I praised her. “It’s
beautiful.”
One eyebrow shot up and she jumped from the
bed, grabbing my wrist and pulling me with her. I hoped she hadn’t
smudged the design, I checked it as soon as she stopped in the
center of the room and let my arm go. “And this.” It wasn’t a
question, she was proud of her work and had brought me to stand in
front of her mirror.
The eyes that stared back at me in the
reflection grew large as they took in her mastery. Gone was the
girl I'd been in the village. This woman was striking, her dark
eyes might have even been fierce if they weren't round with
astonishment. Ruby was thrilled at my response, she bounced twice
and clapped her hands at her success.
And then she was over it. “Let’s eat, I’m
famished.” She fired a look back at me, her hair flipping in the
process. “Hmm… I’m not supposed to take you outside… Not supposed
to leave you…”
I stood, waiting.
“
Food,” she decided. She
yanked two cloaks from the corner and tied them on, covering our
heads, and then led me to the wardrobe by her bed. I couldn’t
imagine how we could get any more clothes on as she opened the door
and threw a few things out and onto her bed. Then she leaned out of
the wardrobe door, whispered, “Come on,” and stepped into the
cabinet, dragging me with her. We were standing outside the rear of
her house. She slid the false wall back in place and grabbed my arm
again, running from the village.
We didn’t go far before she stopped and
jerked me into a squat beside her. I noticed movement a short
distance ahead. It was a thin rabbit. As I watched, a small stick
shot from the ground and torpedoed the animal through the chest,
killing it instantly. I gasped. Ruby giggled at me. She grabbed her
quarry and we rushed back to the house.
We went to the main room and she started a
fire as she easily skinned and gutted the animal. The entrails went
in an urn beside the fire. I wondered what she’d be using them for
and then remembered all of her containers from the bedroom shelf,
shuddering minutely at the thought. She stretched the pelt to dry
while the meat cooked. She poured us wine and handed me half of her
plunder. “It’s not much but game close to the village is sparse.
Over-hunted. When we get to the peak, we can trade. It is the
strangest thing; they herd the animals to town and then corral them
to eat at their leisure.” She shook her head at the absurdity. “But
you haven’t eaten until you’ve tasted a fattened beast.”
“
The peak?”
Concerned, she asked, “You don’t know where
we’re going?”
Oh
.
I didn’t know what to say, I would have been sure not to trust her,
but she was traveling with us. I immediately decided
against
telling her I had
no clue where I was or where I was going. I had to stay on this
path, now more than ever. Chevelle’s words rolled through my
mind.
I wouldn’t give up because I’d seen
the map
.
She waited while I searched for an answer but
when Chevelle opened the door I knew I was saved. When he saw me,
he was struck still. I had forgotten Ruby’s “treatments” until she
squealed in delight at his response. He composed his face again but
she'd already marked him. “Oh, you like it. She’s fabulous, isn’t
she?” She was so proud of herself but I could tell Chevelle was
embarrassed he’d been caught off guard. She offered him a drink and
he sat in a chair beside mine.
Ruby prattled on as we enjoyed the wine. I
noticed him glance at me repeatedly but I tried to focus on her
stories instead of him. And then he grabbed my arm. I was startled,
afraid at the quickness and strength of the move, but he took his
other hand and gently trailed his index finger down my arm, over
the design, to stop in the center of my palm. I realized what he
was doing and relaxed my arm into his grip. “You like it? Ruby did
it. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
His finger stayed on my palm as he looked up
at me. His eyes lingered on my face for a moment and then met mine,
piercing. “A hawk?” It seemed like an accusation but I had no idea
why. I sat, blank-faced, staring back at him and he turned to Ruby
and gave her the strangest look. He repeated his question to her.
“A hawk?”
She appeared abashed for a moment and then
simply shrugged, smiling. “Seemed to fit.” That answered his
accusation and he released my hand, relaxing into his seat.
“
Well, now that you’re
back…” She hopped off her chair and bounded toward the door. “I
can’t wait to visit with our new guests.” She frowned a little.
“Too bad they can’t stay inside with us. Frey can have my room,
I’ll be out all night, and you can take the spare.” She took one
last look at me before she rushed out, completely pleased with her
project.
And I was alone with Chevelle again. My pulse
quickened and I had to remind myself he hated me, he was my
watcher, he was fulfilling a duty. He looked uncomfortable.
Then it hit me then what I’d heard and I
wondered if my brain would ever be quick enough to keep up.
“Guests?” I asked.
He hesitated before
answering.
Yes, he was
uncomfortable.
“We will be traveling… with
some friends.”
Friends
. He was so vague.
Traveling to the
peak
. What lie at the peak? My hand
tightened to a fist as I remembered the map. I could only hope it
was something of my mother, my family. But, even if it wasn't, it
was further away from the village and council.
The second piece of Ruby’s parting comment
sank in, so I excused myself to her room with a yawn after a short
good night. I closed the door behind me and though tired, knew I
wouldn’t sleep with him in the next room. I walked to the back
window and stared out, into the night.
Moonlight glinted off something in the
distance and I caught sight of Ruby heading away from the village.
I didn’t have time to think. In a second I had pulled a cloak from
the things on her bed and was out the secret door through the
wardrobe. I crouched as I ran, trying not to be spotted as I gained
on her, and then glanced back at the house, afraid I wouldn’t be
able to find my way back. I finally closed on her and was able to
follow a good distance behind without being noticed. She climbed
over a large rock and disappeared so I hurried forward, hoping not
to lose her. When I topped the rock, I froze for a half second
before dropping to my stomach. Just over that ridge were a group of
elves, though I didn’t think they'd seen me before I fell back.
I wasn’t close enough to hear them clearly
but couldn’t see a better vantage point without being caught. I
examined the figures and found Ruby. She had tossed back the hood
of her cloak and was laughing with a large elf. Steed, I was almost
sure because of his stance. I scanned the darkness and found two
other figures, one was about the size of Steed, the other was
thinner and appeared a little flighty, even in the dark. They were
approaching Ruby and Steed now and out of the shadows I could see
them slightly better. Both had dark hair and features. The smaller
one had longer hair; it flopped around when he spoke.
I tried to examine their hands, figure out
the gestures. I occasionally caught words or phrases. It seemed
they were planning but I couldn’t be sure. There was movement again
in the shadows, more figures were approaching. I leaned forward,
anticipating when they would come into view. One of the figures was
a mass, low to the ground, I squinted to see better and –
I almost screamed as someone grabbed my arm
and pulled me from the rock. A large hand wrapped around my bicep
with fierce strength. I tried to steady my head as I was jerked
upright, tried to see my attacker, tried to think the magic to
protect myself.
“
What are you doing?”
It would have been a yell it if wasn’t a whisper,
his tone was harsh and I recognized it at once.
“
Oh.”
I wanted to calm down but couldn’t be certain I wasn’t still
in danger. “Chevelle… I…” I didn’t have an answer.
What
was
I doing?
He released his grip just a
fraction as he calmed. “I went to your room and you were
gone
.” He shook his head,
“I thought I had to come out here to get a search
party.”
“
I… uh… you were in my
room?” His head had been tilted toward me in his fury and it
straightened, his expression making it clear he hadn’t expected
that response. I pressed, taking the chance, “Why?” I heard
movement behind me and in a second I was afraid again.
Chevelle didn’t tense; he
just let out an exasperated breath. “It’s fine,” he said, clearly
frustrated. He released me and I turned to see who he was talking
to. Four figures stood in a line, almost a formation, and they
relaxed at his words. My arm tingled as the blood returned to the
limb, freed of his harsh grip.
Yes, he
hated me
. I flexed my fist.
“
Ah, she escaped,” Ruby
purred. “And you didn’t trust
me
with her.”
The formation broke as Steed
came to stand beside me, smiling. I stared at the group. I had no
idea who they were, but from the way they spoke it was apparently
no secret I was Chevelle's prisoner.
Or his
property
. I shook off the odd
thought.
“
Frey,” Chevelle said, “this
is Anvil.” He nodded toward the larger man who bowed his head to me
respectfully. “And Grey.” The wiry man bent and quickly
straightened, his movements somewhat jerky.
I gasped as two more figures came into view.
A pair of tall elves stepped in sync and then stopped before they
reached us. They were thin but muscular, dressed in long light gray
robes, and atop their heads was shocking silvery white hair. I was
convinced the moonlight must have been exaggerating it. And then I
jumped again as, on either side of them, two beasts walked forward
and stood, stopping in tandem just in front and at each side of the
twinned elves. Steed spoke under his breath from beside me. “Yeah,
they’re not from around here.”
I felt myself leaning backward toward
Chevelle a bit for support. “Rhys and Rider Strong,” he said. I
tried to appear calm. They nodded toward me and I was surprised the
small gesture also seemed synchronized. The dogs sat on their
haunches but still at attention. They were so large I wasn’t sure
they weren’t wolves but I’d never known a wolf to be tamed. Their
fur matched the robes of their masters, even down to the black
trim. I couldn’t be certain, but I thought there was even some
silver showing. I hoped they were less frightening in the light of
day.
Ruby broke the tense atmosphere with a
curtsey. “And Ruby Summit.” I attempted a smile for her.