Stray (30 page)

“They weren't looking for us,” Thackery said. “They were looking for Aislynn. They came right at her.”

“What?” Aislynn scrambled to her feet. “That's absurd. My likeness isn't included.”

“They did attack you first.” Rhys scratched at his chin.

“No.” Aislynn gestured to Elanor. “They shot at her first.”

“It doesn't matter,” Elanor declared. “They're widening their search, that's all we need to know. I've never seen Josetta's huntsmen this far north before.”

“Do you think something has happened?” Rhys adjusted the bandage wrapped around his head.

“Or is about to,” said Elanor. Her expression was grim. “I can't go any farther with you, Aislynn.”

“Elanor . . .”

“Josetta has a plan, Rhys,” she snapped. “She would never risk so many huntsmen so far beyond her borders unless she's planning something. We need to find out what it is, and we need to find out now.” Turning to the others, her glare softened, but only a bit. “You'll have to go on without me.”

Rhys sighed. “And me.”

Brigid and Thackery nodded, but Aislynn was concerned by how much blood was soaking through the dressing on Elanor's shoulder.

“Let me . . . maybe I could heal you—” Aislynn offered, to her own surprise. She reached out, but Elanor pushed her hand away with a painful grunt.

“I'll be fine,” she said.

“We've seen far worse,” Rhys said. With a hand to his own head, he managed a faint smile.

“You'll return to the mountains when you're done with this . . . mission,” Elanor said to Brigid and Thackery. It was more of a statement than a question. They nodded. “You're welcome to join, as well,” she added gruffly, looking at Aislynn.

Aislynn hadn't thought about what she was going to do once she had retrieved the mirror. If she retrieved it. But before she could respond, Elanor had already grabbed her pack and stomped off into the woods.

“She likes you,” said Rhys, and the bewildered look on Aislynn's face made him laugh. “No, it's true. You impressed her.” His smile faded. “Not a lot of people do that.” He pulled his pack onto his shoulders and gave a graceful bow before disappearing into the trees, headed west.

W
anting to put the attack and the clearing full of bodies as far behind them as possible, Aislynn, Thackery, and Brigid headed north immediately. They kept to the safety of the trees, doing their best to avoid roads and other travelers. A trio of dusty servants looking for work might not draw suspicion, but Aislynn's unmarked wrists and the wolf traveling at her heels would.

The ambush had changed the mood and pace of their journey. They no longer stopped to eat, and they moved as silently and quickly as possible. They slept in brief shifts, their bedrolls in a triangle, and every night Aislynn dreamed of her home, asleep under dust and vines.

Each day brought them closer to Nepeta, and with each day Aislynn's fear grew. She wanted to believe that her parents would still open their door to her, but she couldn't shake the horrible doubt that clung to her like wood sap. There was no knowing what they had been told.

After a few days, the landscape began to look familiar. From the safety of the woods, Aislynn began to recognize buildings and landmarks from when she was a child, places she had seen when her parents had taken her on carriage rides.

And suddenly there it was. Castle Nepeta, its elaborate wrought-iron gates and cobblestone drive, with its tallest tower reaching up into the clouds.

They waited until dusk, Aislynn's nervousness vibrating in her fingertips. The last time she had been here, she had been drowning in her own tears.

“Please, Mama,” she had begged. “Papa, please don't make me go. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to do it. I promise I'll never do it again.” Even though she had no idea how she had been able to turn the books into ash, she knew that it had been horrible and wrong. “Please.” The tears that slid down her mother's cheeks had only made Aislynn cry harder.

“It's time to go.” Adviser Hull had gestured to Tahlia, who smoothed back Aislynn's hair and hugged her. Her embrace was warm, and Aislynn had stopped crying, but only for a moment. As soon as she realized that Tahlia was not getting into the carriage with her, she began weeping anew, her fingers scrambling for the carriage door. When she had realized that it was locked, her crying became a wail, the sound filling the courtyard. Adviser Hull had led her parents back into the castle as the carriage pulled away.

The setting sun painted the sky with orange and red. Aislynn waited until the color was gone, the world now gray and still, before she emerged from the forest, Thackery and Brigid following behind her. She was home again.

It was quiet, and it wasn't until they had passed through the open gates that Aislynn realized how strange that was. Where were all the servants?

A trickle of fear slid down her back, and unable to help herself, she broke into a run, Cinnamon at her heels.

There were no vines covering the windows, but the castle seemed as hushed and deserted as it had been in her dream. She lifted the heavy iron door knocker and held her breath. The sound it made when it fell resonated through her.

She was just about to try another entrance when she heard the soft patter of feet. Cinnamon's tail swished against the stone step.

The door swung open, but instead of a footman, it was her mother standing there. The queen gasped and pulled Aislynn into a fast, fierce hug.

“My dearest, my darling girl.” Aislynn let herself be held as if she were still a child. When the queen finally pulled back, her eyes searched Aislynn's face, looking for answers to questions she had not yet asked. “Are you all right?” she finally said.

“Yes, Mama,” Aislynn said. “I'm all right.”

“Darling?” her father's voice came from inside the darkened receiving room. “I heard someone knocking. Who is it?”

“Hello, Papa,” Aislynn said as he appeared behind her mother in the doorway.

His eyes met hers and didn't falter. “You're here,” he said, sweeping her into his arms. A rumble of laughter rose in his chest as he held her tight. “You're here, and you're safe.”

T
he queen kept a tight grip on Aislynn as they all followed the king into the castle. Everything was covered with a thin layer of dust, though it was nowhere near the disarray Aislynn had seen in her dreams. But it was quiet, so very quiet.

The sound of Cinnamon's nails against the stone floor echoed in the foyer. If either of Aislynn's parents minded a wild animal entering their home, they made no mention of it. Aislynn could only imagine how surreal this experience must be for them, and she squeezed her mother's hand.

“Where is everyone?” she asked, now noticing how gaunt her parents had become.

“They've all gone,” said the queen.

They followed the king into the library, where the furniture was also dusty and neglected. Cinnamon sneezed.

“I suspect we all have questions,” said the king. “Please.” He gestured for them all to sit.

Sharing nervous looks, Thackery and Brigid each took one of the two chairs by the window, while Aislynn's mother produced a small plate of cheese and stale bread. She offered the tray to Thackery, who hesitated.

“There's not much left,” the queen said, clearly embarrassed.

Brigid quickly elbowed Thackery in the side. He took a slice of cheese, his face red.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said.

“Thank
you
,” the king replied. “For bringing Aislynn to us.”

Thackery nodded, his face still red, but some of the tension eased from the room.

Aislynn perched between her parents on the couch. She could feel Cinnamon's breath on her ankles as the wolf curled up at her feet.

“What happened that night?” the king finally asked and when Aislynn turned to him, she could see the dark circles under his eyes.

“We thought we'd never see you again,” said her mother.

So Aislynn told her parents what had happened, careful not to mention the incident in the forest where she had nearly been strangled or the ambush in the clearing. There was no need to upset them more. But when she finished, her mother started crying quietly.

“What happened to Everett?” her father asked, his voice unsteady.

“Everett?” Aislynn repeated, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

“He disappeared during the ball as well,” said the king. “Adviser Hull told us that you had seduced him and convinced him to abandon his family and the Path.”

Aislynn nearly choked on the bread she was chewing. Across the room, Thackery's eyebrows rose in surprise.

The king continued. “Adviser Hull demanded we offer our condolences to Everett's parents in their time of grief.” He laughed harshly. “There was no grief. They were more concerned over the loss of one of their stable hands than they were with the disappearance of their only son.”

“These condolences were in the form of servants and livery,” the queen said quietly. “We were told that if we did not publicly denounce you as a stray, all commerce in our commonwealth would be sent to more deserving followers of the Path.”

“You refused?” Aislynn asked, some pieces falling into place.

Her parents nodded.

“Everett's family has been given a manor in the county just to the west of us. They are gleefully profiting from our pain.” Aislynn had never heard her mother sound so angry before.

“And a few days ago, this arrived.” The king reached into his pocket and pulled out Aislynn's locket. The last time she had seen it was in Westerly's hand. “It was tangled in a briar,” the king said.

Aislynn glanced at Thackery and Brigid. “Someone wanted you to believe that I was with Josetta,” she said slowly, still not fully convinced that the Wicked Queen was not involved. “Mama, I need to look in Tahlia's room. To see if she left anything that could help us.”

The queen nodded. “I'll go with you,” she said, rising from the couch.

As Brigid and Thackery scrambled awkwardly to their feet, Aislynn realized that this whole situation must be as strange for the two of them as it was for her parents. And though the king and queen seemed as unmindful of Brigid and Thackery's status as they were of Cinnamon's presence, Aislynn imagined her friends could not help but feel uncomfortable and out of place.

Thackery stepped forward and bowed stiffly. “Your Majesty, if you'd like, I could chop more wood for the fireplace.”

“And I could make supper,” Brigid chimed in quickly. “Your Majesty,” she added hastily, with a curtsy.

Aislynn's father shook his head. “Nonsense,” he said. “You are guests in our home and will be treated as such.”

“Maybe our guests would like to see the rest of the castle,” Aislynn's mother suggested.

“That would be lovely,” said Brigid, smiling as Aislynn's father offered her his arm.

“Come with me, young lady. Young sir.” He gestured at Thackery, who looked beyond amused to be addressed in such a manner. Winking at Aislynn, he followed the king into the dining room.

“He seems very nice,” said the queen.

Aislynn blushed. “He is,” she said.

They climbed the stairs to Tahlia's room, Cinnamon padding quietly behind them.

Even though there was only one window and, like the rest of the castle, everything was dark and covered with dust, Tahlia's room felt cheery and warm. Instead of curtains, the window was decorated with hanging bundles of dried herbs. The bed was neatly made, with a pair of shoes still peeking out from beneath it. Pulling open the drawers, Aislynn was surprised to find them full. After frowning at herself in the mirror above the dresser, she began yanking the purple robes from the dresser, hoping to find something tucked in their folds. Cinnamon sniffed at the carpet.

“You were only ten when you did this.” Aislynn's mother was staring at the opposite wall, where nearly a dozen stitching samples were carefully pinned. The queen was looking at an awkwardly embroidered square in particular.