Collide and Seek: Act 4-5 (Bitter Ashes Book 2) (4 page)

“Please tell me you're joking,” I replied with my mouth full of french toast. I looked to James for confirmation.

He shrugged, like it didn't really matter. “It looks like we'll be taking a trip. Passports and IDs are all taken care of in case Estus tries to track us by more mundane means. Your new name is Nicole, FYI.”

I was so shocked by sudden information overload that I couldn't reply right away.

“But we'll need to find Sophie first,” Alaric chimed in, adding to the deluge of surprising information.

I turned to glare at him. “Why do we need Sophie?”

“Strength in numbers,” James replied plainly. “Plus, I already had a passport made for her. I'd hate for it to go to waste.”

I let out an annoyed breath. “And you two just planned this whole thing out while I was in the shower?”

“You should not be so remiss to visit your homeland,” Diana interrupted.

“I was born in California,” I countered. “I've visited my homeland plenty.”

“The Vaettir originated in Scandinavia,” Alaric explained. “She's not referring to where you were born.”

“Scandinavia?” I asked incredulously. “Why did Estus ever believe that the charm was in the Salr?”

“The Salr is not in any one place,” Alaric explained. “The entrances are stationary, but the actual structure resides on its own plane of reality.”

“That doesn't make any sense,” I replied slowly. I knew that the Salr was a place of magic, but it had to
exist
somewhere real.

Alaric shrugged. “The Salr were created long before my time. I cannot explain anymore than I know.”

“You said were, instead of was, does that mean there are multiple Salr?” I questioned.

“Yes,” Alaric replied. “Originally the Salr were meant as places of sanctuary, but clans began moving into them permanently as our numbers dwindled. Those who did not have a clan were left out in the world alone. Leaders stepped forward to rule over those who resided within each Salr. Those rulers became Doyen, like Estus.”

I shook my head. I understood the theory of what I was being told, but the mechanics didn't make sense at all. “So back to why Estus thought the charm was in the Salr,” I began.

“The Salr were created long before the Vaettir became divided. It could have very easily been there. Estus somehow garnered the information that an executioner could help him find it, so he just assumed that the charm was nearby,” Alaric explained.

“Enough of the history lesson,” James interrupted irritably. “We need to get moving.”

“So say we hop on a plane, and end up in Finland or wherever,” I began, ignoring James. “How will we find the charm once we get there, and how can we be sure that it is even there?”

“Because I know the place that you were shown in your vision,” Diana replied, “and I will be going with you.”

“Couldn't you just draw us a map?” I asked hopefully.

Diana smiled slowly. “Do you not desire my company?” she asked.

“It's not that,” I corrected quickly, though really it was. “I just don't see the need for everyone to drop what they're doing to fly to Scandinavia.”

Diana stared at me until I finally looked down. Strangely, I was much more nervous about the idea of traveling with one little old woman than I was about traveling with my almost sort-of ex boyfriend and a man who might very well be a psychopath.

I averted my gaze and ate the rest of my french toast in silence, even though it felt like cardboard in my stomach.

“I should find Sophie before we all leave this place,” Alaric announced, breaking the silence. “We are well hidden here. It makes no sense to risk Madeline being out in the open until we are ready to depart.”

“So we should just let you run off to Estus while we wait here for the ambush?” James countered, suddenly angry.

Alaric glared back at James. “If my sister sees us together, she'll hide. I have a better chance of talking to her on my own.”

“Sophie won't hide from me,” James said morosely.

I snorted. “Wanna bet?”

“You don't know what you're talking about,” James snapped at me.

I looked back at him, too surprised to be angry. Normally James could take any insult I had to throw at him.

I turned to Alaric. “What exactly am I missing here?”

“James and Sophie were once lovers,” Alaric explained, “and he is somehow deluded enough to believe that she still cares for him.”

“You don't know what you're talking about either,” James said to Alaric. “What happened between Sophie and me is our business. Period.”

I held up my hands before an argument could begin. “I'm still having trouble grasping the fact that Sophie would ever even look at James to begin with. How recent was this?”

“The breakup occurred roughly one year ago,” Alaric answered while looking at James.

I was beginning to understand all of the tension between James, Alaric, and Sophie. Both siblings had told me not to trust him, but wouldn't give me a reason. My guess was that James had betrayed Sophie's trust, and Alaric had gotten protective of his sister. It was all a moot point as far as I was concerned. I'd never trusted James regardless.

“It doesn't matter,” James snapped. “You're still not going alone to find her.”

“And I'm not going to let you two run off and kill each other,” I added. “Plus, Sophie owes me an apology.”

“I'll wait here,” Diana said calmly as she rose from the table and began filling a kettle with water.

“It's settled then,” I stated flatly.

“It's not settled,” Alaric argued. “We don't need to risk your life any more than we have to, and our best chance of recruiting Sophie is if I go alone.”

“First,” I replied as I held up a finger dramatically in the air, “I don't think Sophie will run from me. She may have deserted me, but she's no coward. Second,” I said as I held up another finger, “you've risked my life plenty. There's no need to start getting squeamish about it now.”

“I agree with Madeline,” James added.

“I don't care if you agree with me,” I snapped. “I'm the only one here that can find the charm, so we're going to start doing things on my terms. I'm no longer a prisoner.”

“Maddy-” Alaric began.

“She's right, you know,” James interrupted with an infuriating smile.

“Why is it,” I began as I looked at James, “that even when you're on my side, I still want to slap you?”

“Oooh, please do,” he taunted.

“Enough,” Alaric said as he slapped his palm down lightly on the table. “If we're all going, we may as well get on with it. If I know Sophie, she'll be hiding in the city. She wouldn't go far until she knew whether or not I'd be following her, and she sure as hell wouldn't hide out in the woods.”

“So we go to the city, and what, sniff her out?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied, “but we might run into a problem.”

“Which of our myriad of problems are you referring to?” I asked tiredly.

Alaric looked at me like I was being silly. “You're technically a missing person, Maddy. Walking openly around Spokane is probably not the best idea.”

“Well then we should probably get me something more to wear than this stupid dress,” I said irritably. I didn't feel the need to point out that I probably wasn't a missing person yet, given that there would have been no one around to miss me.

“We'll be sure to stop at
Nordstrom
,” James replied sarcastically.

Alaric took a deep breath to say more, but Diana cut him off with a tsking sound. “Enough bickering, children. We have things to do, and time is short. Estus may not know where the charm is, but he'd be a fool to discount the possibility of Madeline finding it. Do what you must, then meet me at the airport.”

I had to wonder just how old Diana was to be referring to Alaric as a child, but I wasn't about to ask her. Instead, I straightened my dress and got to my feet like a good little girl.

Soon we'd be off to somewhere in Scandinavia. Though it was true that I needed a vacation, I would have been happy with a beach in Mexico. Something told me I wouldn't be getting any margaritas with Diana around.

O
ur only choice was to leave on foot, which was fine, except that Spokane was a good five miles away from Diana's hidden home. Normally I'd be fine with a five mile hike, but a five mile hike in boots that were a size too big, with two very grumpy hiking companions was not my idea of a good time.

Also, it was
cold
. Fall had just begun in Spokane when I was snatched out of my bed and taken to the Salr, but it felt like winter had taken over in the relatively short time I'd been gone. I knew winter would get much colder before the year was through, but normally I would be properly attired for the occasion.

I'd grudgingly accepted Alaric's shirt, and he didn't seem fazed as he walked bare-chested in the chilly air beside me. I'd have to remember to give him his shirt back before we made it to civilization. I was pretty sure a bare-chested, 6'2”, ethereally gorgeous man walking through town would draw more attention than a woman who may or may not have been reported as a missing person.

I did my best to keep my eyes off of his bare skin as we walked, but I might have lagged behind a few times just to get a good view of his back for a while. Of course, every time I lagged behind he would turn and wait for me, dashing my plans to bits.

“You two are pathetic,” James commented from behind us as Alaric stopped to help me over a fallen log.

“It's a good thing that I don't value your opinion at all,” I replied, “or I might have some hurt feelings right now.”

“That's all well and nice for you,” Alaric said with a smile, “but I think I need to go cry in a dark corner for a little while.”

James snorted. “Mock all you like, but
I'm
not the one acting like a teenager with their very first crush.”

“I
saw
you as a teenager,” Alaric replied without looking back, “I'm not sure I could ever match how ferociously you flirted with Sophie.”

“Wait,” I said as I stopped walking, “Sophie was an adult while James was a teenager, and she still dated him?”

Alaric laughed. “Well it was much later that they dated, and he was as much of an adult at the time as he is now . . . which is, of course, debatable.”

“Oh you guys are just barrels of fun to be around,” James mumbled as he picked up his pace to walk past us.

“You started it!” Alaric called after him.

When James was a good distance ahead of us again, I turned to talk to Alaric as we walked. “It almost seems like you guys are friends,” I commented.

Alaric shrugged. “Perhaps once, but things change, and some things are unforgivable.”

“And those unforgivable things have to do with Sophie?” I pressed as my curiosity got the better of me.

“Sophie and James were together for two years, and then Sophie lost interest. Sophie was unfazed, but James had taken their relationship very seriously,” Alaric explained.

“Why was Sophie so unfazed?” I asked. “Two years is a long time to spend with someone.”

Alaric shrugged. “Two years to someone who has only lived a human lifetime can seem like a lot, but when you live long enough, two years seems like a blip on the radar. Sophie tried to explain the concept to James, but he wouldn't accept how casually he'd been brushed aside. My sister admittedly could have had more tact, but she has a short attention span, and moved on almost immediately with another man.”

I glanced at him with an eyebrow raised, then glanced at James in the distance to make sure he wasn't close enough to hear us. “You know, that's exactly what Sophie said about you when she warned me not to develop any feelings.”

“That I moved on immediately with another man?” Alaric joked.

“The short attention span,” I replied without mirth, though I was pretty sure he knew what I meant.

Alaric looked down at the ground as we walked. “My sister needs to learn when to keep her mouth shut.”

“Was she telling the truth?” I prodded, not willing to let the subject drop so easily.

Alaric sighed. “Perhaps, but the past is not always a predictor of the future.”

We walked in tense silence for a moment, then Alaric said, “But back to my story.”

I blushed, because I'd completely forgotten that we'd originally been talking about Sophie and James. I cleared my throat. “Yes, do go on.”

“James couldn't handle seeing Sophie with another man,” he continued, “though he never admitted it. Instead he befriended the man, Sammael was his name.”

“Well that was big of him, I suppose,” I commented.

Alaric shook his head. “James spent a good deal of time befriending Sammael. They became quite close really. Sammael would have trusted James with his life. It was at that point that James tortured and killed Sammael. This happened roughly six months before you came to us. James later admitted that he spent the time to gain Sammael's trust in order to make his vengeance more rewarding. He also wanted to allow Sophie enough time to get attached to Sammael, so that the loss would hurt her more.”

“And he was allowed to remain in the Salr?” I asked, shocked.

“That was the day James became Estus' pet torturer,” Alaric replied distantly. “Estus claimed that James would prove to be the very best man for the job.”

I let out a slow breath. “Well, Estus was right on that count, I suppose.”

“Though he was wrong to ever trust him,” Alaric added.

“Wasn't he wrong in trusting you as well?” I countered. “You didn't exactly hold up well on the loyalty meter either.”

Alaric glanced over and offered me a small smile. “I suppose you're correct.”

I shrugged. “It still seems too simple to me . . . ” I trailed off.

“That Estus would put so much faith in any of us?” he questioned, reading my mind.

“Escaping shouldn't have been as simple as it was,” I elaborated, “and even after James and I escaped, to let you go as well?”

“I've considered that,” Alaric replied.

I rolled my eyes. “I'm going to need a little more feedback than that.”

“I've considered the fact that perhaps we are doing exactly what Estus had hoped. Perhaps he knew all along that the charm was not in the Salr. He couldn't trust us to go free and find it for him out of loyalty, so instead he set us up to do it out of a need to defeat him,” Alaric explained.