Candescent (The Opalescent Collection Book 1) (25 page)

“Let’s get you home,” he said.

From that moment on, he didn’t say another word. His full attention was on taking me home. He guided me through the woods and led me through small towns where I had never been before. I wanted to ask him where we were going, but I gave into my tired eyes and I fell asleep on my horse’s back. It felt as though I only had about five minutes of sleep when I was woken. Baloo gently shook me awake as he still walked with Versailles. I opened my eyes and did my best to find my bearings when all I saw was darkness.

“Are you awake my Queen?”

“Yes Baloo. Where are we?”

“We’re almost at our first destination.”

“And where would that be?” I found it impossible to imagine a destination, seeing only darkness was around me.

“Trust me. We’re almost there. Just stay as quiet as you can.”

I listened to the hoof-falls and felt the soft rocking motion push me back into sleep. When I managed to wake myself up, I was disappointed to find we were still traveling.

“Do you want to rest Baloo?”

“No. I can’t rest now. We’re almost there.”

“You said that a while ago. It’s nearly morning now.”

“We have some time before the sun rises but we must make the most of what time we have now.”

“How much time do we have left?”

“If you want to sleep some more I’ll wake you up when we get there.”

I tried to fall asleep again, but I found discomfort in the way I was sitting that strained my muscles and hurt my neck. I wanted to switch places with Baloo to stretch my legs, but I didn’t bother him.

“What town are we in?”

“We’re not in a town. We’re in a city – in fact a major city called Vontil. This is a great trading city,” he said softly.

I could see a rough outline of shops and closed stands through the dim streetlights that lined our path. In this light, I felt exposed and I cast my head down even when Baloo assured me that no one could see me. Perhaps the better answer would be that there was no one here.

In time, I grew anxious, only wanting to run off to where we needed to go and refrain from experiencing another minute of this painstaking walk. A chill came over me and I held my cape tight against my body. Mist came into view and then surrounded us and clung to our exposed skin. I couldn’t see the shapes of the buildings beside us anymore or what lie ahead of us. Though Baloo remained calm, confident in his sense of direction as though he knew this place like the back of his hand. Even when I saw nothing except white-gray mist that turned into a thick fog, he continued to lead us. He wasn’t even hesitant in any direction he took us and if he was the least unsure, I couldn’t tell.

As the fog grew even thicker I wanted to ask him where we were and if we were heading in the right direction. But I felt better not knowing and only trusted that he would bring us to where we needed to be. When the fog started to clear I saw the stars were barely visible. The sky became lighter, a light gray instead of pitch black. I knew it was dawn. I was sure we’d lost time because of the fog and Baloo didn’t tell me so.

Now more anxious than ever, I questioned if Baloo would get me wherever we needed to be before Sebastian woke up. And since he was an early bird we only had a few hours to get there. To make matters worse a storm was coming. Storm clouds stretched as far as the eye could see. Baloo quickened his pace as though he’d just realized how much time we lost.

In no time at all I could smell the salty air, the greetings of the vast sea that separated us from Inesious. This time Baloo didn’t have to tell me that we were getting closer. This time I knew we were closer. We heard the crash of the waves and the rumble of the storm behind us. The salty air struck my face and I looked down at Baloo. He seemed content, but at the same time he was still hasty, focused and unmoved. I knew he couldn’t stop. He
couldn’t
stop now.

The storm behind us continued to rumble and drifted above like a dangerous dragon. It continued to rumble until it lashed out - sending lightning across the sky and a soft drizzle formed. We knew the worst was sure to come.

“Hang on Chenille.” His pace broke into a run and he pulled Versailles with him. I held on, struggled to keep my balance with my tired legs. Baloo walked again noticing how tired I was and how hard it was for me to stay on, but by then it didn’t matter.

A great ship came into view. The storm clouds around us only made it look eerie and the dark waves that crashed against it attempted to taunt us. I looked up in awe at the vessel that would take me home and I felt relief. Baloo brought us closer to the ship and he yelled over the crashing waves to the men on the boat. To my surprise, I saw them load cargo, realizing it must be food and previsions for the trip. The men called back to Baloo and he looked at me.

“We can go on.” When he saw my relieved smile he proceeded to lead me on. There was confusion on the deck as the men flocked around us. My eyes wandered with the commotion around me.

“Come down Chenille.”  Weakly I slid from Versailles’s back and Baloo caught me. One of the men took her away.

“Where are they taking her?”

“Don’t worry. She’s going in a nice stall below deck.”

The men talked to Baloo and asked me if I needed or wanted anything, when I knew they could all see that I struggled to stay awake. A sailor came up to me and smiled.

“Would you mind coming with me Queen Chenille? I have informed the Captain of your arrival and he wants to see you right away.”

“Ok.” I managed to break free from the crowd of men that were around Baloo and followed the sailor. He took me through various rooms, taking shortcuts whenever he could to get me to the Captain as quick as he could. At last we reached a door. The sailor informed me that this was the Captain’s room and then he left. I rested my head against the door and knocked several times.

“Come in,” came the voice behind the door.

I walked into the dim-lit room to find that it was rather large, warm, and inviting, especially to me since I was so overwhelmed with fatigue.

“I’m glad you made it Chenille.”

My eyes flicked to the dark outline of the figure before me. He sat in a chair with his back to me. His dark blue coat was the only resemblance to a captain as far as I could tell. As I tried to find the words to say to him, he shifted in his chair as though the silence caused discomfort.

“Thank you for taking me on board.” I said and then shook my head and questioned why I even said it. The Captain chuckled in response.

“Anything for you, my Queen.” He said and at last turned in his chair to face me. I couldn’t help but stare at him, my mouth wide open, and suddenly felt wide-awake. Remembering my manners, my glance flew to the floor and I heard him get up out of his seat.

I caught a glance of his black and white hair and  shook my head wondering why I hadn’t recognized his voice. I looked back up and saw the Captain standing before me. His face was still at first and then he caught my glance. He cracked a smile. It was Raven.

R
aven looked over me. His eyes traced my body, at least what he could see of it. He reached out to touch my hand and took a step closer.

“I thought you were exiled by the Allies.”

“I was but once they found out that Pete used me they took me back.”

“You’re going to take me home?”

“Of course.” He paused and looked me over again. “They told me about Sebastian and how you were his captive.” His eyes softened and his hand warmly touched my face. “Look at you…you’re skin and bones.”

I froze, feeling the weight of his hand on my face. His thumb gently moved against my cheekbone and he suppressed a gasp as I flinched. There was a knock at the door and when it opened Raven didn’t bother to remove his hand from my face.

“Captain everything is ready. We finished loading the supplies.”

“Good, get ready to sail.” Raven replied softly. The door closed and Raven’s caring glance moved back to me.

“You should go. Is your wife on board? If you want I could go-,”

“No,” he interrupted, “Maravelle and Lanna aren’t here.” He dropped his hand. “They died in an accident.”

“I’m sorry Raven.”

“If you want you can stay and rest here, in my quarters.”

“And you will sail alone?”

“I always sail alone. Don’t let my solitude deprive you of your rest. You need rest.”

With that he left, brushing against me as he stepped out of the door. I listened to him, went straight to his bunk and rested. With accepting his generous offer to sleep here I was not the least self-conscious as I would have expected. I found my tired mind got the better of me. I gave in to my need for rest and my deep sleep was undisturbed.

The morning was peaceful and the expected haughty roar from the sailors was silenced. Suspiciously, I left Raven’s room and went to the deck where it was silent and desolate. None of the sailors were around and then I found that we’d docked. I looked around for anyone and Baloo called out to me.

“You aren’t allowed off the ship,” he warned, “or you’ll get us all in trouble.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You needed your sleep.”

“Where is everyone?”

“Some of the sailors are below deck. Others went to stretch their legs.”

   “Do you know where Raven is?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “He might be below deck but I don’t know. I never know where he is until the boat is moving. Then I know he’s at the wheel again!” When he saw my disappointed face he gave me a smile.

“He’ll be back soon.”

He offered me food that I gratefully accepted and devoured before the sailors piled onto the boat. I found Raven later on while the sailors prepared to leave.

“We’re not staying?”

Raven looked up and shook his head. “You want to go home don’t you?”

“Yes. I can’t wait.”

“Good.”

Raven smiled and excused himself from the sailor beside him that was asking him questions. He assured me that we’d be at our next port in an hour. To help the time pass, Raven invited me to come with him to keep him company as he sailed.

“Please, have a seat.”

Quietly I sat on one of the large crates on deck. Raven shouted a few orders to his men and I waited until we were moving. He eyed me every so often until curiosity compelled me to ask him why.

“I never thought in a million years that I would be so honored to have you as my company and speak with you.”

I laughed. “You weren’t
honored
when I first met you. You were extremely rude to me to the point when Fitzray had to put you in your place.”  I watched him shake his head, lick his lips and hold his tongue, remembering. “And you must’ve known you would meet me since you are an ally.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant to say that I’m honored to meet a queen
like
you.”

“Now you’re being sarcastic.”

“No, I’m not. Look at what you’ve done. Look at what you’ve endured. You could’ve died for what you did, trying to destroy Sebastian.”

“Raven, after being his captive for that amount of time I wouldn’t have minded if I died. And I nearly did.”

“But you still wanted him destroyed.”

“Let’s put it as it is Raven. I made many mistakes and I am very selfish. I don’t expect my people to forgive me when I return home and I won’t blame them.”

Raven fell silent and then his face became firm. “But your mistakes were influenced and you know it. Your people know it. They know about Pete and now they know about Lucian’s heart too. They know he’s been punished and believe it or not they remember that he changed a long time ago. He was a good King and they all forgot. So they made mistakes too Chenille.” He looked down at me now. “They know Fitzray isn’t coming back and Pete’s life is in jeopardy. They are scared of losing their King – this king they grew to love and then brought up his past and emphasized it. They are scared of Sebastian and what he caused. He used them and they followed him without a thought. Chenille, they know you were his captive. They
need
you Chenille.”

I looked out to sea, away from him. I couldn’t respond to what he said. I knew only time would tell. Instead I changed the subject and commented on his sailing. He cracked a smile.

“I learned some things in my time.”

“Raven you’re
not
old.” Even though he was older than Pete there wasn’t a significant age difference. He was relatively young. His hair had dyed white streaks and was not in any way mistaken for faded gray.

“I may not appear old to you but I have been reincarnated over half a dozen times. Through the years I gravitated to sailing as a boy, so after each reincarnation I never lost any knowledge.”

“In what life did you meet Pete and Fitzray?”

“I met them after your death and I became close friends with the King.”

“When did you meet Fitzray?”

“I met him when I met Pete, but he was always just an acquaintance to me. To be perfectly honest I didn’t even know he could sail until he took over on our trip to Alfur. I was actually…a little intimidated by him.”

I looked away from him, recalling that the last time he saw him was when we were at Alfur with the rest of the Allies. “And I’m very sorry for your loss,” he added. “Fitzray was a good man, especially to you.” He paused. “And even though I really didn’t know him well…when I saw him with you I knew he cherished you.”

I closed my eyes, choked back the tears that closed my throat. I found myself asking about Raven’s wife. I didn’t know how, but it just slipped out.

“How did your wife and daughter die?” I shut my mouth and covered it, hating myself for asking it so bluntly. I apologized quickly.

“No, it’s only fair. You should know.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“It’s ok.” He took a breath before he began. “I was told they died a few months ago. I was at sea, sailing again, while Maravelle and Lanna were home. Maravelle promised Lanna she would get her a new doll, so I suspected that’s what brought them to the City of Lights. It was the day after the burning of your palace when I got the news of their death. The riots had started, frightened people fled from their homes when they saw Sebastian’s army. The army nearly destroyed the whole city and Maravelle and Lanna were caught in the chaos and couldn’t escape in time. When Caspian found them…it was too late.” I could hear a tremor in his voice and he coughed, trying to hide his despair.

“Raven,” I paused and got to my feet. His face twisted into anger. “I’m so sorry Raven. I shouldn’t have brought it up. Please Raven.” I reached out to touch his arm, but he refused my comforting offer and his anger got the best of him.

“Leave me alone!” His head whipped around, his anger only a justification for sadness, fear, and denial.

His gray eyes flicked to me, foggy, panicked, just like the raging waves that sought vengeance from a passing storm. And as I withdrew my hand, respecting his wishes, his face softened and he opened his mouth trying to take back his words. But I left him alone, retreated to his cabin and sat thinking. When we reached our port I was asleep and when I woke, some sailors had already checked into an inn. I couldn’t find Raven anywhere, but luckily I found Baloo.

“Have you seen Raven anywhere?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Do you know if he checked into the inn?”

“I don’t think he did.”

I thanked Baloo anyway and began to search the ship. I asked a few sailors who didn’t know either. In defeat I returned to Raven’s cabin. I found the door was locked. There were muffled noises coming from behind the door.

“Raven?”

There came a groan from behind the door and took it as a response. When I heard glass shatter I struggled with the door and managed to break it open.

Raven lay on the floor surrounded by empty glass bottles. His body shook, wracked by the horror of complying with the truth. He squinted his eyes from the light that entered the dark room – his room of escape. His breathing was uneasy. His uncontrolled body was unable to suppress the emotion that ran down his face. This emotion filled his lungs and choked him. His dark eyes looked up to me and he parted his lips to speak but they closed and trembled before he could.

His hands clutched an empty bottle that held his thoughts, once filled with juice he must’ve hoped would make him numb. Instead it caused his mind to spin and explore greater depths that made him think, realize and deny. And he must’ve realized he could deny the truth no more when he found himself drinking away for a
purpose.

He struggled to look at me, for I saw shame in his face. His thoughts were unclear but I could see he sought security. At last he tried again, squinting up at me, his voice breaking, only to manage a mumble I couldn’t understand at first.

“They were mortals!” he cried, holding his mourning eyes in my direction. He let his neck bend down to the floorboards and discarded the bottle to hold himself up. But his strength was not enough, for his elbows gave out and his forehead rested painfully against the floor in defeat.

I was shocked to see such a sight. I’d never seen a man cry like this before. Pete’s desperation for me never came to something like this and I couldn’t help but feel his pain. I fell to my knees before him, in that moment forgetting my title and my place. I grabbed his coat in my hands and pulled him from the floor, allowing his limp body to rest against me. He embraced me, wept until my sleeve was soaked through, when my own bare skin beneath was wet and chilled.

Even when his breakdown was over, he refrained from speaking until he could breathe again. I put my hand on his shoulder and he stared blankly at me. He didn’t answer me when I asked him if he was ok, although I knew he wasn’t.

He couldn’t look at me when he rose to his feet. His eyes rested on the broken bottles on the floor. He walked behind me, shut the door and lit a candle. With his back to me, he returned to his desk and rested his hands against it. I was still on my knees behind him.

“I’m sorry you had to see that.” He said softly.

“Raven,” I shook my head in response to show him my sorrow, but he refused to look at me. “Raven look at me.”

He was hesitant only for a moment and then turned to face me. When he saw my sorrow he sighed. “I don’t understand. How could they be mortals if you’ve been reincarnated for all these years?”

“I have an Eternal Mate, one that I must perform a Ceremony with to continue my reincarnation. But now days we don’t feel the same as we had nearly a hundred years ago. We have moved our separate ways and we only see each other if one of us has died. Since it’s not really an issue, we don’t need to be separated by a Trial. My love and loyalty was with Maravelle and Lanna.”

I got to my feet. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No, stay.” He got up and attempted to put his arm around me. I stumbled back.

“I know there’s a void you want to close and that juice is clouding your head. You can’t decipher right from wrong.”

“But
you
can.” He smiled slyly.

“And that’s why I’m leaving.  I know you’d be better off if you just sorted this out on your own. I am focused on getting home to find my own Eternal Mate. I know he’s suffering and
he
needs me, not you.”

“Have you forgotten that I still sail this boat? I choose where we go.”

“Yes, and I know you will make the right decision to take me home once your mind is clear.”

I left him and didn’t see him until our two days at the port were over and we were sailing again. I was asked to meet the Captain once we set sail. When I reached him, he looked well. The heat from the sun helped to set the mood, for he appeared content even though his depression still lingered.

“I see you’ve made up your mind,” I remarked, pleased.

Raven stared at me. “I wanted to thank you for the other day. I don’t know what would’ve happened to me if you hadn’t come.”