Promising Hope (25 page)

Suddenly, an apparition appeared in front of her. A
squat man with a large nose said, “Sierra, I’m here with your
sister. She won’t tell me her name.”

Sierra’s eyes widened.“She… how do I know it’s her,
then?”

“She said when the two of you first met after the
battle, it was at the fountain in the market square.”

Sierra grinned, letting out a breath of relief. She
could picture Sashe sitting with the squat man somewhere, studying
him as he was in his trance.

“She said the man responsible for the curse is at the
palace right now.”

“What?” Sierra’s stomach sunk. She felt a hand on her
arm, nearly making her jump, then vaguely saw Angela past the
apparition of the Zinna. Maybe connecting with her mind as a Zinna
and seeing what she saw?

“Your blonde friend is no longer under the love
potion, either,” the Zinna with Sashe continued. “Her suitor found
out and he nearly killed your brother, but your sister’s master
saved his life. Neither your friend nor brother can leave the
castle for fear of the other getting killed.”

It took Sierra a moment to untangle the meaning, but
then she understood what he was saying. Her hands tightened on her
reins. “What else? How is her pregnancy?”

The Zinna paused. “The baby is fine. The man who
killed the last one looked at it himself.”

She made a face. Gregorio had looked at Sashe? He’d
touched
Sashe? Her lip curled in disgust.

“She didn’t know who he was,” the Zinna added. “She
wants to know where you and your husband are.”

“We’re back in Haltar, though not together.” Sierra
paused, thinking through her words to be careful not to reveal
anything. “My husband is searching for the man at the castle, and
I’m with… the male elder and the redheaded one searching for
allies.”

“She wants to know if you have a Zinna with you.”

“Yes, I do.” Sierra glanced at Angela, her face hazy
through the apparition.

“She said your Zinna may contact her when he needs
information, but he must use caution. Both your sister and your
friend have much to lose. They will help, but the Protectors musn’t
find out.”

Sierra bit her lip. “I don’t think—”

“And she said no matter what you say, they’re still
going to help,” the Zinna said. “They can’t sit at the castle and
do nothing.”

Sierra felt touched, but she also wished they’d both
stay out of it. They could both be killed. “They shouldn’t do
this.”

The Zinna paused. “They’re going to, anyways.”

She let out a huff. “How is D—our brother?”

“He’s had a few beatings because of how he assisted
with the escape, but he’s otherwise fine. Your sister’s master
listened to her requests to keep him alive and intervened before he
could be killed. His fate is precarious, but as long as your friend
doesn’t step out of the boundaries, he will stay alive.”

Sierra rubbed her forehead, frowning as she thought
of Dar being beat or whipped. Didn’t they see how dangerous this
was?

“Your sister said she must go, and you need to
contact her. If she does not hear from you within a week, she will
seek you out. She said they are your most valuable resources now
and you must take advantage of it.”

Sierra gave him a curt nod. “Thank you, sir.”

“She said she and your friend both love you.”

Unexpected tears smarted her eyes, and she smiled. “I
love them, too.”

The Zinna faded from her sight, and Angela’s hand
lifted from her arm. Matilda and Jeshro watched them. “Well? Who
was it?” Jeshro asked.

“No one,” Sierra said.

“It was Sashe,” Angela answered, “and she and Grace
want to act as spies for us.”

Sierra glared at her. “I don’t think we should put
them in danger.”

“They were more than willing to put themselves in
danger,” Angela said. “She’s right, we need their help.”

Sierra pursed her lips. Of course they needed their
help, but she hated to think of putting either of them in danger.
If anything happened to them or to Evan… she took a deep breath.
She had to take the risk, just as they had. “She said Gregorio’s at
the castle.”

“What?” Jeshro said, raising his voice.

“I’ll contact Adrian,” Angela said. She closed her
eyes.

It made Sierra sick to think of that slime at the
castle near both Sashe and Grace. She shuddered.

Angela stayed in her trance for five or ten minutes.
Sierra dismounted her horse to stretch her legs. She let her horse
graze and fed him some water. Matilda flopped down in the grass
next to Sierra. “How were they? Love potion, health, all that?”

Sierra told her what Sashe had said.

Matilda let out a breath of relief after she heard
Grace was no longer on the love potion. “I bet the symptoms were
wreaking havoc on her. She’ll be much smarter when she’s not on it,
too.”

Sierra nodded, remembering Grace from the meeting.
Ready to leave the Avialies behind. But now, William knew where her
true loyalties laid. She couldn’t be safer now that he knew she’d
tricked him.

Angela finally came back to them. “They were in
Renaul already, having followed his trail there. I told them all I
could about the castle. I tried to convince him not to move until
we could get closer and help, but they’re going to go ahead without
us.”

Sierra sighed, putting her head in her hands.

“Oh, and Evan says he loves you, Sierra.”

She looked up in time to see Angela making a
face.

Sierra chuckled and stood. “Thank you.”

“We aren’t supposed to be helping them, anyway,”
Jeshro said. “We’re finding allies, remember? We all have our own
duties.” He turned his horse toward the forest. “Ours are
persuading the Cosas to join our cause.”

Within half an hour, they approached the edge of the
forest. They dismounted and walked their horses into the thick
trees. The air thickened, and the chill went down into Sierra’s
bones. The fall was coming, and the leaves were turning. Soon, the
forest floor would be full of dead leaves, and soon after that, the
entire forest would be lifeless.

Jeshro led them in silence for ten minutes before
anything happened. Three people jumped out of the trees onto the
path in front of Jeshro. Sierra recognized one of them: Billa, the
woman who had captured Evan when he was trying to reach them. She’d
let him go as soon as she knew he wasn’t a spy. Her white blonde
hair was pulled back in a braid. The two men who flanked her
studied Jeshro and the others with menacing looks.

“Jeshro, you know Avialies will not be welcome in
Haltar for much longer,” Billa said.

“Not unless we can change something,” Jeshro
replied.

Billa’s gaze swept over the others, lingering on
Sierra for a moment. “Where’s your husband?”

“He’s on another mission,” Sierra answered.

“And what is your mission?” Billa asked, looking back
at Jeshro.

“We’re looking for Cosa allies,” Jeshro said with a
small bow. “May we speak with you and the other heads of the clans
of the forest?”

Billa said nothing for a few moments. She turned and
muttered something to the man on her right, then the man on her
left. They disappeared into the trees, and she motioned to Jeshro.
“Follow me. Tie your horses here. They’ll be here when you
return.”

After tying their horses to a large oak tree, they
followed Billa into the trees. Jeshro’s large frame had the most
trouble on the narrow path. He thundered through the branches and
bushes like a clumsy animal. They soon emerged in a small clearing.
The camp where Sierra had found Evan tied up.

“Please sit.” Billa motioned to the fire pit and the
logs surrounding it. She stopped Angela, putting her hand on her
shoulder. “Zinnas are not welcome here.”

“She’s a Cosa, too,” Matilda said.

Billa looked at her sharply. “Do you think I missed
that?” She studied Angela, who pursed her lips and raised her
chin.

“I’ve been with the Avialies for a year now,” Angela
said.

“This isn’t about Avialies. It’s about Zinnas, the
untrustworthy filth that walks this earth.” Billa spat on the
ground.

“Billa, I personally vouch for her,” Jeshro said.
“She’s working with us. She’s had hardly any contact with Zinnas
for months.”

Billa stepped closer to Angela, and Matilda’s hand
went to her dagger hilt. Sierra reached out and squeezed her arm,
shaking her head.

“If I so much as smell another Zinna,” Billa said in
a low voice, “I will make sure you never step foot anywhere
again.”

Angela gave her a curt nod, saying nothing.

Billa released Angela roughly. “Wait here. I’ll
return in a moment.”

Matilda glared after the woman, clenching her fists.
Sierra knew about prejudice between the two clans, but it was her
first time seeing it played out. It reminded her of the
Protectors.

“I’m sorry about that,” Jeshro told Angela.

“It’s not your fault,” Angela said as she sat down on
one of the logs.

They waited in silence. Matilda started a fire. It
seemed colder in the forest and deadly still. Sierra saw no birds
or small animals.

Finally, a group of seven Cosas came into the
clearing. Sierra and the others stood as the Cosas sat around the
pit. Sierra recognized Dalya, the leader of a clan that had sold
them a horse when they needed one for Evan. One other man looked
vaguely familiar, but the other four, three men and one woman, she
didn’t know.

“Jeshro said he’s here looking for Cosa allies,”
Billa announced. She introduced everyone, Angela last.

“What is she doing here?” Ned said, looking at Angela
with disgust. His beard was the longest, but also, surprisingly,
the cleanest.

“Perhaps it would be better if I waited elsewhere,”
Angela said. Her voice sounded tired.

“No,” Sierra said. “She’s working with us. She’s not
a spy. She’s a person, even if she has Zinna blood. You all sound
like the Protectors.”

They bristled. “You have no idea what the Zinnas have
done to our people,” Dalya said, her voice rising.

“No, I don’t, but I do know that Angela hasn’t done
anything to you,” Sierra said. “She’s half-Cosa.”

Billa scoffed. “So? Plus, she’s Jared daughter. How
do you know she’s not working for the Protectors?”

“She helped two Avialie prisoners escape the castle,”
Sierra said. “She’s put her life in danger for us. Because she
knows what the Protectors are doing to us is wrong.”

“Us?” Ned repeated. “You’re not an Avialie.”

Sierra’s face warmed.

The third woman, Rae, gasped, and her eyes widened.
“Wait, are you the one that broke the curse?”

“Grace and I both did,” Sierra said.

“They call you their protector.” Rae grinned. “I like
it. It’s like you’re shoving it in the Protectors’ faces.”

Sierra half-smiled in response. “I never thought of
it like that.”

“But she’s also wanted for killing guards in Rahuda,”
Harlan added. His beard was more like stubble, and his eyes were
bright green. “And Niculai, who was a noble.”

“In both cases, Evan and I were trying to escape,”
Sierra said.

“But if we side with you, we side against the
Protectors,” Harlan said.

Sierra looked at the other Cosas. She wished Billa
hadn’t brought all of them. They should have just met with one or
two at a time. If someone was already working for the Protectors,
Tisha and the others would soon know exactly where they were. She
glanced at Jeshro. Had he considered that? He was rubbing his chin,
studying Harlan.

“That’s right, you do,” Jeshro said. “But how long do
you think it will be before they start persecuting you, too?
They’ve already expelled most magical families from Wharfedale.
Belisha could be next.”

“It’s my impression that Tisha wants us gone, but
Kilar wants to use our magic,” Harlan said.

Sierra narrowed her eyes. “How did you come upon that
impression?”

His nostrils flared as he looked at her. “What are
you implying?”

“I’m merely wondering how you came into intimate
knowledge about what Tisha and Kilar want.”

“How dare you—” he began.

Dalya cut him off. “Just answer the question,
Harlan.”

He sputtered for a moment. “You actually think I’d
work for them?”

“If it’s such a outrageous proposition, then why do
you resist helping us?” Jeshro asked.

“I don’t want to be on either side,” Harlan snapped.
“I don’t want to put the lives of my clan in danger by helping you,
but I’m not going to sign up with the Protectors to help them kill
magical families!”

“But you won’t sign up to help them stop from killing
magical families,” Matilda muttered.

“Aren’t you the one who killed Dalya’s clansman and
threatened to expose the stronghold to the Zinnas?” Harlan shot at
her. “Maybe you’re working with her.” He motioned to Angela without
looking at her.

Matilda’s face colored. Sierra remembered the frantic
struggle in the Cosa forest as they fought to escape the people
searching for a reward. Before either Sierra or Matilda could
respond, Dalya said, “My clan had an agreement with Jeshro and
Lisbeth, and those men and women were violating the treaty.” She
paused, frowning. “I didn’t want it to happen, but I hold no
bitterness towards Matilda. She did what she had to to help the
Avialies.”

“I’m not willing to do as much,” Harlan said in a low
voice.

Jeshro held up his hands. “Listen, we understand your
reluctance. By allying yourself with us, you will risk much. You
may lose Cosas. But if you wait, if you allow them to expel us from
our homes, it will not be long before they come for you.”

Sierra nodded in agreement. Perhaps she should have
let Jeshro speak from the beginning. He knew what to say, knew how
to convince people.

“What are you asking from us?” Ned asked. “What
exactly do you want?”