Torn: Bound Trilogy Book Two (32 page)

“Hmm. That might teach him a much-needed lesson about obeying me.” She turned back to me, as though nothing had happened. “What happened then?”

I kept an eye on the dragonling and his sibling as I spoke, but neither chanced another attack. Ruby had never seen Belleisle, so she ordered me to describe it and the people there in great detail. I couldn’t tell her anything about Rowan after I left the island. Though she listened, Ruby didn’t ask for many details about what I’d done since then.

“Now, the people who took Rowan—what do you know of them?” Ruby asked.

“Magic hunters,” I told her, and she growled. The room became warmer.

“I could have guessed,” she said. “They killed my littlest one. Why shouldn’t they take the only human who ever interested me? I was looking forward to her visiting again. Not that I care about her, mind you.” Ruby stretched and arched her back, spread her ragged wings, and flexed her claws. She sighed a great, hot breath and laid her head across her wrists.

“It’s a terrible thing, isn’t it? Look at me. I’m a dragon, I shouldn’t mourn so. The loss of a dragonling is to be expected. I’ve lost entire clutches of eggs in the past. I’ve lost young ones. I don’t even know where any of the previous ones are now. And yet this one...It shouldn’t matter, but it gives me pain. I dislike it.” She looked back at the other two young dragons, then laid her head down again. They tilted their heads to the side in unison, and the less aggressive one peeped softly.

“I’ve lived too long,” Ruby said. “It’s not right for a dragon to be this way. It’s shameful, and I shouldn’t even know what shame is. Once these two complete their training and are ready to leave me, I think that’s the end. I can’t allow this to continue.”

I glanced back at Nox, and was shocked to see compassion written on her face.

Ruby noticed it, too.

“Don’t pity me, human.” She growled, and the dragonling who hadn’t tasted Nox’s defense pawed at her leg in excitement. “I won’t tolerate it.”

“No,” Nox said. “I admire your strength. It’s easy to bear a loss when it doesn’t matter to you. To carry on after one that wounds us so deeply takes courage.”

“Courage. Another human concept,” Ruby said, but the anger faded from her eyes. “I suppose it took that for you to come here, eh?” she asked me.

“Pleasant as this has been, I can’t say I didn’t think about avoiding you.”

One corner of her mouth twitched upward. “I imagine you did. So what to do with you now? Our previous agreement is concluded. You have delivered what your friend promised, though I can’t say it was as enjoyable as I’d hoped. My half of the agreement was completed when I let you go the first time. What’s to stop me from eating you now?”

“I don’t know. You’ve already said you don’t care what happens to Rowan, so I know you won’t release me to help her. It’s too bad, though.” I smiled as I realized she’d given me an out, perhaps intentionally. “You know, Rowan could have told that story better. She still might, some day, but only if I get her away from those magic hunters.”

“Do you really think you have any chance of helping her?” Ruby asked. “They’re strong, they’re smart as humans go. They’re mean, and they hate what she is. You think she lives still?”

“I hope.”

“Ah.” Ruby raised her head and waved a clawed hand at me. “Hope. I’m not that far gone yet. Still, I suppose there’s a chance. A small one.”

“You could help,” I said. “Help us get her back, take your revenge on the magic hunters.”

She bared her teeth as she chuckled. “Oh, human. No. As much as I might enjoy attacking a city, that would be the end of me. That time will come soon, but what would become of my dear little ones? They’ve not finished learning to hunt, and they’re quite helpless. Perhaps if you’d come to me in a few weeks. Unfortunate timing, you see.”

I nodded. “If you won’t rescue your storyteller, perhaps you’d at least let us try.”

Ruby drummed her claws on the cave floor. “You’ll report back to me?”

“If I’m alive to do it, and if we’re able. When the story is over, of course, which might take some time, and providing you’ll let us go after that.”

The dragon’s eyes flicked from me to Nox, and back again. She appeared amused, if only slightly.

“Very well,” she said. “Go. You’d hardly be a meal for me, and the young ones have eaten recently. I can’t say what sort of mood I’ll be in next time, but I’ll consider your request. And I—” Her lips scrunched up, as though she’d tasted something far worse than what her young one had eaten. “I wish you good fortune, if you believe in such a thing.”

“Thank you.”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly. “Will you take a prize this time? I’m afraid I have no scales loose to offer.”

“Thank you, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline,” I replied, and returned her smile. “You’ve already been too generous.”

“Go, then,” she said, and the expression erased itself from her face. “This has been somewhat amusing, but I’m tired. I’ll keep the little ones back for a short while, but I’d leave the area quickly if I were you. They want out for some air, and they do love a pursuit.”

Nox backed slowly out of the cave, and I followed. Both dragonlings shrieked as we disappeared, and I covered my ears to block out the echoing noise.

“Thank you,” I gasped as we emerged into the sunlight. “That potion...contraption...whatever it was—”

“Later,” she said. “Just run.”

We did, pausing to collect our horses and our friends, and raced off down a dragon path and a road that were all too familiar to me. Memories flashed in my mind—bodies hidden, questions answered, the horrible way that Rowan had irritated me when we first rode this path.

I’d have gone back in time if I could, taken the journey again if it meant more time with her.
We’ll have that again
, I told myself. There were adventures ahead, once we got her out of Ardare.

I just hoped we weren’t already too late.

E
verything felt
wrong on the journey from Ruby’s den toward Rowan’s hometown. Trees that had once been clothed in autumn’s riotous colors now burst with green buds. Landmarks I recognized—the port town where I’d made the most fateful decision of my life, the place on the road where Rowan had fled from my attack—felt wrong, more dull than I remembered them. I’d felt urgency and excitement then, as I did now, but everything had lost its edge.

That, or I had.

We stopped at a crossroads. A wooden sign pointed to Lowdell in small letters and Ardare in larger ones, both in the same direction. I’d forgotten that if we came this way, we’d have to pass through the town where Rowan’s parents lived.

Nox took the lead, with Florizel and me behind. Florizel had suggested a disguise for herself. It worked reasonably well, though the piled blankets and assorted bags weighed her down, and she became nervous and startled easily after a few hours of not being able to move her wings. She wasn’t happy about being tied to my horse, either, but we had to maintain appearances. She was a small packhorse, nothing more.

“Is there a way we could go around the town?” I asked Kel.

“Cass and I could swim the ocean,” he said, “but not you. This was the only road I saw leaving the area when we were here before. We could brave the forest on the landward side of town, but it’ll slow us down significantly.”

“No more delays,” I said.

“Then we go through town and keep our heads down.”

We didn’t speak further until the town came into sight an hour later. Lowdell sat on grassy land that sloped toward the ocean and featured tidy wharfs where fishing boats rocked on low waves. A pleasant enough spot. Not wealthy-looking, but the buildings were well-constructed, and if I recalled correctly, Rowan had mentioned a fine library and a busy downtown. Taller buildings clustered around the wharfs, while wood-paneled homes dotted the land outside of the town center, with the spaces between them growing wider and less consistent the farther out they were. The ones closest to us had large yards and gardens, and were separated from each other by a sea of waving grass. All were within walking distance of downtown, but those on the outskirts had an air of solitude about them.

Nox and Kel fell behind, riding close and speaking quietly to each other.

“I hope we don’t meet Rowan’s father again,” Cassia said as we approached the first of the houses. “That’s their place, there.”

I slowed my horse and brought her to a halt. The house didn’t look like anything special, white-washed clapboard with a neat little fence around the property and a small carriage house or stable in the back. No sign of anything growing in the rock-bordered garden. One of the front windows was cracked in a radiating pattern. I had trouble picturing Rowan in such an unremarkable setting. But then, she hadn’t grown up there. Her parents had sent her away to a place where no one could see what she was.

“Maybe we should stop. I want to speak to her mother.”

“Aren,” Cassia said cautiously, “what exactly do you think that’s going to accomplish? I told you, they’re not interested in talking. If they didn’t want us there, they definitely won’t want you.”

“I want to know whether they’re aware of what’s going on. Florizel said Rowan’s mother had sent her a letter, that Rowan was bringing medicine for her brother. I want to know whether they truly know what’s happening.”

“Even if the letter was genuine, she had nothing to do with this,” Cassia said. “That woman didn’t want any harm to come to her daughter. She’s heartbroken. Let’s leave her alone. Please.”

“I suppose we could ask Nox about that sick brother.”

Cassia shook her head. “I know Rowan would probably want us to, but we can’t risk it. What if someone in that house betrayed us?”

“Do you think that’s likely?”

“No,” she said as Kel rode up beside us. Nox remained behind, looking for something in the grass. “Not at all. Rowan’s father was quite angry about everything, but at worst, I think he wanted to forget about Rowan and move on with their lives.”

“You say that like it’s not a bad thing.”

“It could be worse,” Kel observed. “Why, does that make you angry?”

It did, more than I wanted to admit. “You know how I feel about what her parents did to her.”

Cassia gave me a stern look. “So I’m going to ask again. What do you hope to accomplish there? Do you want to see whether they’re the monsters you’ve made them out to be in your head? Find a way to make them feel worse about what’s happening? Because I don’t think that’s possible. You might make things far worse for them if anyone else finds out you were there, but I don’t think this situation can hurt them any more than it already does.”

“I don’t want to hurt them.”

That was a lie. Perhaps they were punishing themselves for what they’d done, but they couldn’t possibly be hurting as much as they’d hurt Rowan. I wanted them to feel the physical pain she’d endured every day for most of her life. I wanted them to know how it hurt her to be reminded of the fact that her family and friends hated what she was, that her parents were ashamed of having produced a monster.

I could make them feel her pain. I could get into their weak, magic-less minds and manipulate their emotions so that they felt that rejection the way she did. But even if I hadn’t been having doubts about using that skill, Rowan wouldn’t have wanted me to use it on her parents. In spite of their rejection, she loved them.

I once told her that she was too trusting, and that had turned out to be true. She was also too forgiving. That had worked in my favor. I only hoped it wouldn’t end up hurting her more.

“What, then?” Cassia asked. “Why do you want to do this?”

“I want to know whether they knew she was coming back, whether Callum talked to them before he sent his letter. Whether they’ve been notified of where she is, been allowed to visit her in prison or speak on her behalf. Anything that might help.”

“I am sorry I lost the medicines,” Florizel muttered, though we’d agreed that she shouldn’t speak even when we didn’t see humans around. “Rowan said he might die. She was so worried.”

“It’s fine,” I said as Nox rode up. “Rowan’s first concern would have been you getting away, not the medicine. Do you remember what was wrong with him?”

“No.”

“What’s that about medicine?” Nox asked.

“Rowan’s brother is ill,” I said.

“Are you asking me to—“

“No. We need to move on.” I wanted him to live, if only for Rowan’s sake, but Cassia was right. It was better if no one saw us, and we wouldn’t learn likely anything that would help Rowan even if we did stop. My petty curiosity would have to remain unsatisfied.

Nox bit her lip. “I could if we had time,” she muttered, but said no more about it. It seemed that leaving skills unused troubled her as much as it did me.

Florizel returned to her usual silence as we followed a bustling main street that took a curving track past a shipping yard, a market, and a stately court building. We passed several winter-faded wanted posters ordering that Rowan or I be turned in for a reward if seen. I didn’t worry. The likeness in the picture was terrible. People always had trouble remembering me, especially if I knew they’d seen my face.

Several people gave us appraising looks as we passed. Though I’d packed my cloak away, our clothes weren’t quite right for this country. There was little we could do about that now. At least Florizel didn’t seem to be drawing particular attention.

A shop’s bell tinkled behind us as we passed, and sharp footsteps hurried over the cobblestones.

The steps slowed as they reached us, and a short, slim woman with graying hair came into view beside Cassia, who now rode ahead of me. Cassia leaned down slightly as the woman said something. The woman veered off and held the skirts of her black dress high over her ankles as she climbed the wide steps of a stone building with marble statues in front, as though she hadn’t even seen us.

It put me on my guard immediately, but Cassia didn’t seem frightened or upset. She spoke to Nox, and they led us up a side street, avoiding the town square that had just come into view.

“What was that about?” I muttered to Cassia, just loud enough so she could hear.

“Just wait,” she replied. “Don’t talk here.”

The street led us out of the busier part of the city and into a pleasant parkland of low, grassy hills. No one was there but us and an old man preparing garden plots next to a pond. He didn’t look up as we passed, but packed his things and left. As soon as he was gone, Florizel began consuming the tender shoots that poked out of the dark soil.

“Can we speak now?” I asked.

“That was Rowan’s mother,” Cassia said. I looked back over my shoulder, though I knew I wouldn’t see her. “She owns that shop, and saw us pass. She remembered me and Kel. I hope no one else did.”

“And?”

“And she wishes to speak with us.”

“I see.”

“Aren,” Kel said, and gave me a warning look.

“I’ll be civil. And brief.” I couldn’t promise any more than that.

A few minutes later the woman approached. I saw the resemblance between her and Rowan, though this woman’s demeanor was closed off in a way I couldn’t imagine seeing in Rowan.

“Mrs. Greenwood,” I said, and we all dismounted.

She stopped a short distance away from us, smoothed her skirt, tucked a few graying hairs back behind her ear, and walked closer. “You came back,” she said to Kel and Cassia. “What’s happened? Is something wrong? Where’s Rowan?”

“I think Aren might be the one you want to talk to about that, ma’am,” Cassia said.

I handed my horse’s reins to Nox, who was eyeing the plants sprouting in the gardens. “Don’t get too comfortable,” I told her. “We might need to leave quickly.”

I motioned for them to give us space. Cassia and Kel started toward the pond, but Nox didn’t move. She frowned and rubbed a hand over her face. Kel turned and watched her, hiding a smile behind his own hand.

“Ma’am, is your son still sick?” Nox asked.

Rowan’s mother seemed surprised. “He is. Did Rowan get the letter I sent?”

“It seems so. What’s wrong with him?”

Mrs. Greenwood—Lucilla, if I recalled correctly—described the symptoms, and Nox frowned. “I can prepare something for him while we’re waiting.”

I wondered whether that counted as disobeying my order about not getting comfortable, and realized that it didn’t matter. Nox was along on my mission, but she didn’t see me as any sort of authority figure. She would do as she pleased, and for once, I didn’t mind.

“It won’t be as good as what Rowan was bringing,” Nox continued, “but it will strengthen him and help his body fight off the sickness. Bring the fever down.”

Lucilla started at the sound of her daughter’s name, and hesitated. I didn’t pry, but opened myself. She was afraid, and likely with good cause. Still, she nodded and shook Nox’s hand. “I’d appreciate it more than I can possibly say. You are too generous. Too kind.”

“Some people seem to think I am.” Nox tilted her head. “There will be magical plants involved. Is that a problem?”

Lucilla’s smile faded. “Won’t be the first time I’ve tried to use magic to save one of my children. I only hope it works out better this time.”

“Very good. Give me ten minutes.”

“Too long,” I said.

Lucilla bit the inside of her lip. “If you can’t, it’s fine. I’m sure our doctors will…Well.” She shrugged. She obviously knew they couldn’t help Ashe any more than they had Rowan.

I sighed. “Ten minutes. No more, please.”

Nox led our horses away. The others joined her, leaving me alone with a woman I’d despised ever since I figured out what she’d done to Rowan.

When I looked back at Lucilla, she had retreated a few paces and was staring at me.

“You’re the one who took her away,” she said, her voice soft.

“Yes.”

Vertical lines formed between her eyebrows. “How dare you come here? Where is she?” I left myself open, and a swirl of confusion, anger and fear jumped out at me. “Tell me!”

There was a time when I would have been angry with her for demanding anything of me, and for doing it so disrespectfully. That was when I’d thought myself someone important.

I took a deep breath. “Yes, I took your daughter away. But I didn’t force her to go anywhere. I think Kel and Cassia might have mentioned that the last time you saw them. Rowan sent you a letter explaining the rest?”

She nodded. “Not telling me everything, I suppose.”

Gods, I hope not
.
“Enough that I think you know this isn’t all my fault, though. The binding that you had someone put on her was killing her, but it’s gone now. She’s been trying to use her magic, but it hasn’t been easy. She’s lost many years of learning opportunities, and I think she’s still ashamed of her power.”

“So she’s like you now? But she’s safe?” She smoothed her hair behind her ear again, though it hadn’t moved, and offered me a seat at the opposite end of a bench from where she seated herself.

“As of the last time I saw her, she was. I’ve heard otherwise since.”

Her expression grew tight. Pained. “What?”

I wasn’t going to reveal a bit of our plans until I was sure we could trust her not to alert anyone in Ardare. I glanced back over my shoulder. Nox was hard at work.

“First, please tell me what you want with us,” I said. “Quickly. Time is short.” Then I’d decide what to tell her.

“I want my daughter back.” Lucilla’s voice trembled. “But I can’t have that. So I want to meet the man who took her. I want to know where she is and what’s happening. I want to know that you and your friends aren’t lying to me about everything that’s happened.”

I bit back my irritation and tried to speak calmly. I’d get further that way. “You have no reason to trust me, I know. But you might consider the fact that I’m here right now, trying to help her.”

She rested her forehead in her hands. “If you knew the things I’ve heard about you...You can’t imagine how terrified I was when I heard. It was unbearable when I thought thieves took her on the way to Ardare, but it was somehow worse when I found out that she was with you.”