Rule (Roam Series, Book Five) (22 page)

“Mayhap it wise to avoid Asher,” he suggested, and he and his wife proceeded to send each other such animated, sideways glances that I almost laughed. “Talk of heresy.”

“Thank you,” Will nodded. “I was told he was a healer; perhaps my source was mistaken.”

“His son is a healer,” the wife added, again trading exaggerated looks with her husband.
Do they think they’re being subtle?
“The child ails you?”

“Oh… I…,” I staggered, trying to decide how to answer her. “I ache… of the head.”

Will curled his lips inward and looked down in his struggle to keep from chuckling. I sent him a frown.

“A root, to chew,” the wife suggested. Mary nodded, as if I’d just confirmed her brain damage theory.

We walked to the town, and finally spoke once we’d assured a clear distance from the farm. “You ache of the head?”

“Shut up. I’m trying my best to sound medieval, and it’s coming out like Yoda.”

He grinned as I lifted my skirt and retrieved my cardigan, tucking his arm over my shoulder. “What you said this morning, about a child…,”

“Will, I would have said anything to have my way with you.” I stopped in my tracks, grabbing my white shoe and dumping whatever was poking me in the toe. “Do you want to have kids someday?”

He caught my hand as I began walking again. “Not in a burning world, Eva. But under different circumstances… yes. With you. Someday.”

His short, staccato sentences had the ability to drive me wild. I turned in his arms, standing on my toes to reach for his kiss. He obliged, once on my lips, and then my nose. “When we find Asher, let me speak. Do as I say; it is imperative that your father hears the right information.”

“Okay,” I acknowledged, wondering if it was wrong to actually be enjoying myself on our accidental, time-traveling honeymoon. “I am so glad you’re here with me. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You would do just fine.” He promised, continuing toward the town.

Farthington, the town that crept into my view, absolutely reeked. The smell pervaded my nostrils and almost left me gagging. “It smells like pee, everywhere,” I whispered, and held the sleeve of my gown over my nose.

“Hush. You’ll adjust. Do not cover your nose; you will only draw attention.”

“Oh- God- Will,” I slammed against him, finally realizing what I was seeing in rows of tall spikes at the town’s edge. Heads with no bodies, with flesh pecked away by vultures and macabre locks of thinning hair, were perched on the barbs as if on display.

“This is very real, Eva. Hold your tongue,” he grabbed my cardigan and pulled us behind a massive tree. Turning me so my back faced him, he wrapped the dirty sweater around my head, tucking my hair beneath. “Eyes down. They are emeralds today, and your beauty will turn every man’s head.”

I softened at his compliments, however efficiently they were dealt. I did as he said, keeping my eyes down and focusing on my footsteps. Deep ditches lined the road in a stream of… well, shit. I gagged silently, longing to press my face to Will’s shoulder. When the scent of fish was added to the mix, my stomach refused the meager breakfast from that morning. I turned to the trench, heaving.

“Better?” Will asked gently. I nodded, brushing my sleeve over my mouth. I needed a toothbrush.

“I’m sorry.” I wiped at the dirty, wet streaks in the corners of my eyes, and he shook his head.

“No need to be sorry,” he tucked a misbehaving curl under my makeshift scarf. “We are very far from game night at the Perry’s.”

I guessed immediately at his intended objective as his reference to my family calmed my nerves. “Look… an apothecary. That’s a pharmacist, right?”

The irritating bellows and laughter on the streets forced me to raise my voice. A horse pulling a cart rounded the corner behind us, and we darted to the side of the small building. “I will inquire; be silent, love.”

“Okay,” I agreed, following him toward the door. Before we could pass through the entrance, I grabbed Will’s arm, holding my breath.

My grandfather, looking exactly
as I knew him, hobbled out of the store. Will took a step toward him, but blocked me and jumped back as a man followed behind him.

My father!
Slightly younger, hair longer, and dressed as the other people in this time, he carried a bottle in his hand, speaking to my grandfather. Asher nodded, listening to his son as they waited for a horse to clod by.

Seeing my father sent an unexpected wave of sadness over me. I longed to run to him, hug him, and beg his forgiveness for my terrible words in the living room.
Why don’t I think? I have absolutely no filter between my brain and my mouth.

“We must speak to Asher first, alone,” Will took my hand, leading us a safe distance to follow behind them. In minutes we watched as they arrived at a cottage near the very edge of town. The small, windowless hut appeared to be fashioned by a giant swarm of bees. I couldn’t tell what the papier-mâché-like siding was, and was surprised to see there was no chimney.
How do they stay warm?

“Now what?” I held my stomach as it growled impatiently.
Really? How am I hungry? It smells like a Porta-Potty-
everywhere
.

“Now, we wait.” He glanced around, taking in the environment.
Food, shelter.
I knew the drill.

“Wait… he’s leaving,” I watched as my father walked out of the hut and into the sunshine, heading back into town.

“Now. Eva, listen to me. Do not assume anything. Allow me to speak first.” I nodded, following him to the door of the cottage.

“I know, Will.”

He cleared his throat. “Henry Asher?”

My grandfather turned away from a stone oven to the open doorway. I hid slightly behind Will, my heart clamoring in my chest. He slid a step forward, his mouth falling open so that his white beard touched his chest. “Yes…,” he focused on my face, and then turned to Will. “You are the king.”

I tugged the cardigan from my hair, letting my curls fall from the wrapping. He moved toward me, and I knew Will’s hand rested on the gun at his side. Asher held up his palm, still focused on my face. “You’ve no need for that hand cannon here, King.”

“Do you know who I am?” I asked softly, stepping around
my husband. Will reached for my hand, but I shook my head at him. “He won’t hurt me.”

“Daughter of the sun.” He gestured to my hair, his long, bony fingers barely touching a curl near my neck. “You’ve brought me the answer that I seek? The elixir of life? Eternal existence?”

“What?” I glanced nervously at Will. “Immortality?”

“Yes, yes,” he grinned, and I cringed at his yellowed teeth.
Mine probably are just as gross right now.
“And to give my son back his memory. Of Icepond.”

Until he said the name of the kingdom, I almost didn’t believe any of this was real. Nodding, I stole another reassuring glance at Will. “Aren’t we just wasting time? Why don’t
you just…
tell
him… about the spell?”
What am I missing?

Asher shook his head, pinching at his long beard. “Your father is... mulish. Disobedient and unruly. He must
see
… to believe. Ah, child… you look so like Mina.”

“
And evidently behaves like her father,
” Will murmured, under his breath. I shot him a glare.

Asher took a shaking step forward. “I had prepared to tell him of the prophecy on the anniversary of his birth. He has already stopped aging.” Clearing his throat, he gave an impatient wave of his hand. “And the elixir?” He prodded.

“I don’t… have an elixir, Grandfather. I don’t know what that means,” I squeezed Will’s fingers in mine, and he tugged me back.

“Eva possesses magic, but she does not have the elixir of life. She cannot give you immortality.”

Will’s defensive words sent me back to a sunny, summer day in Ohio. Morgan and Jason were about to get married, and I found my mother and Logan in her childhood bedroom. I held each of their arms, asking permission as my grandfather had taught me in my dreams, before trading their mortality.

The realization of this fate, this future that brought us here, struck me and stunned the words from my throat.
I am not here just to tell my father about the prophecy…

I am here to make Asher immortal.

“An alter consequence,” I whispered, lifting my eyes to Will. He stiffened, sliding his palm against my cheek.

“Your eyes, Eva-…,”

“I’m here to make him immortal. So he will save my mother… in the last life.” I turned to my grandfather, taking a shaking breath. He listened patiently. “You taught me that there is an alter consequence for all magic, Grandfather. I offer you immortality, and in turn I sacrifice my own. Do you accept this?”

Will hardened, his muscled arms tightening. “Eva, absolutely not-…,”

“Yes,” he answered, holding his frail hand out to me. I gripped his forearm, closing my eyes.

“
Eva!
”

“
It is done.”

The warmth emanating from the stove wafted toward me, and I opened my eyes, turning to Will. He stared at me, trying and failing to speak.

“Mina.” Asher’s solemn tone drew both of our attention. “We will help my son find her again. Together.”

“We will… we will, Grandfather. When? When is his birthday?”

“Tomorrow,” he moved to the only window in the cottage, near the back of the hut.

“I’m supposed to tell him on his birthday… why not now?” I turned to Will, and he shook his head.

“We must not alter the course of history, Eva. We wait.”

Asher nodded. “I will find you safe accommodations. I have a friend who will be of assistance. He is Romani.”

“Will Romani keep our secret?”

“Romani are a people.” Will’s grave expression told me I’d be getting an earful of a lecture as soon as we were alone.

“Gypsies?”

“The term ‘gypsy’ is derogatory.
Romani
,” Will corrected, obviously on edge.

“Oh.” I flushed, nodding. “He’ll help us?”

“Indeed.” Asher pressed his hand over his heart, reaching inside his robes. He extracted a long, silver chain, pulling the necklace over his head. “You will take this with you. Go to the edge of the wood, at the northern border of town.”

“We came from that way. There’s no one in those woods. We walked for miles,” I argued, looking to Will to back me up.

“They will find you. Show them this amulet. Ask for Sinti.” He jerked to the window, and then back to us. “Go now! My son returns,” he called, rushing us to the door. “Godspeed, young Eva.”

I nearly tripped as Will pulled me from the cottage, rushing us to the wide pasture behind the road. “Will… slow down…,”

“Hurry,” he growled, and I narrowed my eyes, rounding my free arm in the air before delivering a firm chop to his wrist.

He released my forearm,
his blue eyes wide as he rubbed his wrist, stunned.

“Don’t pull me around! I don’t like it- and I
won’t
put up with it.” I smoothed the dress and brushed my hair back from my eyes. Looping the blood-red pendant around my neck, I pointed at the forest. “Now, just walk. We have a whole
day
to wait. What in the
hell
is the point of running? I’m still waiting for my lecture about giving up my immortality, by the way.”

Will stepped toward me, gripping my shoulders. “You were destined to give your immortality to him today, Eva, in another one of your rash, thoughtless decisions. Had you not, he would never survive the fire.”

I stared at him blankly. “Fire?”

“Asher and West will burn. My father is coming.”

“
Troy
is coming?”

“Eva,” Will gestured to the forest across the pasture. “
We are not going to see him.
We will stay with the Romani until your father’s birthday tomorrow.”

“I can’t let my father burn! I can’t let him go
through
that!” I turned back toward the cottage, but he caught me around my waist, slinging me over his shoulder. I screamed, my face pressed against his back, and grabbed his sides with all of my strength. “Put me down!
Oh my God you’re going to drop me!
” My hair almost reached the ground. He delivered a firm slap to my behind as it bobbed in the air. “
Ow!
”

“
West will heal. I am not putting you down until you agree to do as I say.”

“I guess you’re going to carry me around for the rest of
your life, then.”

“I will do as I must.”

I tried to cross my arms defiantly, but as soon as I released his sides, I scrambled again for a hold. The blood rushed to my head, and my nostrils flared. “You’re going to pay for this, William Reed.”

“I look forward to it, Eva Reed.”