Vowed (45 page)

‘You were gone for two days.’

It was both an accusation and a statement of fact, in case he wasn’t aware of the fact that he had slipped her taloned clutches for a small period of time. Thorn sprawled in his chair and
watched his tutor pace.

The frosty facade she’d displayed during all their previous arguments was gone. She was practically pulsing with anger and, yes, possibly even concern. It surprised Thorn, but he watched
her struggle to contain her temper.

‘Two days!’ She spun and scowled at him. ‘Where did you go?’

‘I went riding.’

‘And?’

‘And nothing.’ He frowned at her. ‘I thought you were able to watch me wherever I went. That nothing was hidden from you.’

‘You try my patience, Thorn.’

The smile he gave her was a mere twist of his lips. ‘What do you want me to say, Odalis? For the first time in months I had complete freedom. I rode, sat out beneath the stars and breathed
fresh air.’

She moved things on the table in front of her. The pens and paper. Shuffling them and then spacing them neatly out once more. Small touches, calming herself, bringing order to her universe.

‘You must understand,
my prince
, that if anything happened to you it would be on my head.’

‘What would happen to me, Odalis? Really? I’d like to know.’

‘You could have been taken.’

He rolled his eyes. ‘That has failed before.’

‘This time they might be more successful. You don’t have your little human friend to help you. Who knows if she’d ever find out if something did happen to you.’

He looked coldly at her. ‘She would know.’

‘Really? And pray tell me, how would she know?’

Thorn rose and stood to his full height and scowled down at the older woman.

‘This is a poor way of fishing, Odalis. If you want to know if I am in touch with her, ask me.’

‘Are you?’

‘Yes. And neither you nor my father can prevent it.’

‘You toy with your future and hers. You know your attention puts her in danger, do you not? Your father has plans, Thorn.’

‘You have assured me of this. I have seen them too.’ He adds as an afterthought: ‘Among other things.’

‘You saw it?’ She looked shocked. ‘You never said anything.’

‘Why should I? I may still be in training, my lady, but my gifts of foreknowledge and true sight have come some way since I was forced to move here.’ He looked bitter. ‘I
suppose I have to thank you for your tutoring skills.’

She brushed his words aside impatiently. ‘What else have you seen or heard?’

Thorn smiled a smile he was sure the wolf boy Aiden would approve. It was one full of self-confidence and no little arrogance.

‘You are merely my tutor, Lady Firesky. My visions are mine and mine alone. And of course my father’s, if he deigns to remember I’m more than just a pawn in his power play with
the other rulers of the Otherwhere.’

Odalis’s expression was thoughtful as she watched him. ‘You’ve become a dangerous young man.’

‘If I am to be judged by the rulers of the Otherwhere, Lady Firesky, I need to be sure to keep their secrets safe, surely?’

Thorn left without a further word, quietly shutting the study door behind him and leaving her to her thoughts. He had taken a few paces before the sound of something heavy crashing to the floor
in the room behind him halted him briefly and he caught the startled gaze of a young page standing nearby, waiting to be called. He shook his head.

‘Give her some time,’ he advised the girl. ‘She’s not feeling too well right now.’

A quick satisfied expression flitted across her face before she inclined her head. ‘As you say, guardian.’

The formal use of his title startled Thorn and he looked at her more closely.

‘You are Lord Belton’s . . . ?’

‘His youngest granddaughter, guardian. My name is Lonia.’ She was well spoken and young, maybe nine or ten. She was wary of him; heaven knew she had cause. Over these past months the
increasing pressure of his foreseeing had led to temperamental outbursts, called massive storms which centred on the tower, and led to furious arguments with Odalis. Yet the page was brave enough
to show her dislike for Odalis in front of him. He liked that she had that spark of rebellion, and suddenly felt he might have an ally.

‘How do we get there?’

I look up at Dante’s question and shift uncomfortably in my chair. We’re in a small coffee shop near Piccadilly Circus, tucked away in a side street. The brownie behind the counter
is doing her utmost not to stare at us and I admit that even if I wasn’t a Blackhart, accompanied by a changeling and werewolf boy, we would have made quite a group. The boys alone draw a lot
of interested looks. They are attractive specimens and where Aiden resembles the bad boy rocker that would love you, break your heart and then leave you, Dante is more the sensitive tortured poet
type with his melancholy eyes and strong features. Perhaps likely to compose poems about your heart, before breaking it too and leaving. And me? Me, I look like an extra from Megan’s
favourite movie,
The Lost Boys
, wearing too much leather, black clothes and eyeliner.

‘We go through a gateway.’

‘You make it sound so simple,’ Dante points out. ‘I suspect it isn’t, though.’

‘Nothing is ever simple when dealing with the Fae,’ Aiden replies. ‘Cannot believe I lost my diamond to that cow.’

‘About that,’ Dante says, turning to him. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t stop to think. About the cost.’

‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll make you pay it back when we get out of this.’ His grin is cheeky and a light flush creeps across Dante’s cheeks. I have to bite back a
smirk, because trust Aiden to find the most awkward moment to flirt with the hottest person in the room. Then he sobers and turns those blue-green eyes of his to me. ‘And we are getting out
of this alive, aren’t we, Kit?’

My smile is bleak. ‘Of course. Just don’t get into trouble while we’re there.’

‘What forest was she talking about?’

Even as Aiden asks me the question I can hear the dread in his voice. Like me he knows exactly what forest Suola meant.

‘The Dark Forest.’

A visible shiver shakes him and he closes his eyes and turns away. At Dante’s blank look I lean forward and explain. ‘The battle against Eadric took place in the Dark Forest. Aiden
and his pack fought there with Aelfric’s army. They came up against Eadric’s beserkers and other chimera-type monsters. These were hybrid monsters, created with dark magic and science
to support Eadric’s cause.’

‘It was not pleasant.’ Aiden’s features take on a haunted look and I instantly feel bad for not considering what his pack went through in the Otherwhere. But then I was
fighting to save Thorn on the island and getting the snot smacked out of me.

I jump when the brownie appears at the table looking nervous. She’s carrying a tray of fresh croissants.

‘My aunt sends these,’ she says, her voice soft, her liquid eyes on Dante. ‘She said they will sustain you on your quest.’

‘How does she know we’re on a quest?’ Aiden asks her, flashing one of his knock-out smiles at her. She reluctantly looks away from Dante to him and dimples the cutest smile
back at him.

‘Oh, everyone knows. The phone rang about ten minutes before you guys came in. My cousin works at a bakery in Mayfair. She heard it from one of the knockers in that big old house the queen
likes to hold meetings in.’ She drew a breath, slanting another shy look at Dante. ‘I’ve got some fresh coffee brewing so I’ll bring that out in a few seconds, along with
some tea for you.’ With another smile at Dante she’s gone in a whirl of strawberry and cupcakes smells.

‘She quite seems to fancy you, mate.’ Aiden jostles Dante’s shoulder. ‘Really pretty. Those eyes and dimples. Also, she’s a brownie. I’ve heard that you . .
.’ He breaks off when I kick him under the table and scowl at him. ‘What? I’m just going to say that if you date a brownie you’ll never go hungry. Geez, Kit. Get your mind
out of the gutter.’

‘You were going to be rude about that nice girl, Aiden. You watch your mouth. I predict that one of these days you’re going to meet someone and she’s going to turn you to pulp.
And I want front-row tickets to see that show.’

Dante tears his gaze from the pretty girl, who’s blushing wildly under his attention, and frowns at us. ‘Can we return to getting to the forest? How do we do that?’

‘I talk to Crow,’ I say. ‘I need to get to a park. It’s easier to summon him there.’

‘Crow is one of Aelfric’s foresters,’ Aiden explains. ‘He’s got a soft spot for our little girl, here.’

‘Shut up before I make you shut up,’ I tell Aiden but without much anger. I am just so tired, I crave my bed and a stretch of undisturbed sleep with no dramas. ‘I need to do
this myself, so stay here and I’ll call you when I’ve spoken to Crow.’

‘Don’t you dare try and do this by yourself, Kit. You need us.’ Aiden’s voice is low and insistent. ‘You know I will come and find you, so don’t even think
about doing the same thing as last year and leaving us behind.’

I nod guiltily because I know he’s right. ‘I won’t go anywhere without you guys, I promise.’

I stand up and grab one of the croissants from the platter. The brownie looks up as I head towards the doorway. She heads me off with a takeaway cup of coffee in her hand.

‘You’re brave,’ she says, her voice pitched low so that only I can hear. ‘But be careful.’

I take the cup from her and smile my thanks before pushing out of the shop. I flag down a taxi and ask him to drop me off at Hyde Park Corner. I could have walked the distance but I am in a
hurry and it’s cold out; with the skies that incredible blue that hurts your eyes if you stare at it too long.

The driver doesn’t bother making conversation and I send Kyle a text to let him know what’s happened with Suola, and that our priority now is to get to the Dark Forest. I pay the
driver and head into Hyde Park. Even though it’s a work day, the park is busy. Mums and nannies with strollers and little dogs in tow crowd the pathways, along with rollerbladers and ambling
tourists.

I head towards the Serpentine but on my way there I collect a leaf, possibly a red oak leaf, I can’t be sure, and hold on to it gingerly. One of the benches is empty and I sit, removing a
piece of chalk from my pocket. I write Crow’s name and then my own on the leaf and roll it tightly. It would have to do for now.

At the edge of the man-made lake I hunker next to a little toddler who’s tossing bread towards a group of fat ducks. I drop the leaf into the water and watch it bob for a few seconds,
before it sinks.

I can’t tell how long it will take for my message to reach Crow, so I walk along the side of the Serpentine, enjoying my coffee and relishing the sunshine on my upturned face. I
consciously let my magic rise just above my skin. I’m not too worried that anyone will see the weird glow around me. Humans with any kind of second sight or magical ability possibly number
about half a percentage of the entire population. Admittedly, that’s still a lot if you think about it, but sometimes you have to live on the edge just a bit.

I become aware of someone keeping pace with me but off the main path. I look up and spot a flash of Crow’s dark hair as he walks behind one of the trees. I grin and hike over to him.

‘That was quick.’

I look up at him and smile. I can’t explain how I feel so comfortable with this wild Fae. His features are striking and he makes no attempt to use glamour to tone down his otherworldly
looks. A few people actually stop and stare at him but he takes no notice.

He holds onto my shoulders for the longest time, just looking at me, before folding me against his lean chest.

‘Kit, what have you been doing to yourself? You look terrible.’

At my annoyed wriggle he chuckles. ‘Still pretty, but far too tired for someone as young as you. Come, tell me what’s been going on.’

He guides me further into the park, away from curious eyes and settles me on a bench before dropping onto the grass at my feet.

‘Tell your Uncle Crow everything.’

I roll my eyes at the phrase ‘Uncle Crow’ but I do tell him everything, including the part where we have to get to the Dark Forest. I also tell him about the building where I think
the children are hidden – the abandoned palace I dream about, where I run into Thorn.

‘Let me get this straight: Suola told you where to find the children?’

‘Not in so many words. She said we need to get to the forest and then said,
the place you’ve been visiting
.’ I sigh. ‘And that’s the only place I’ve
been visiting. In my dreams.’

‘Do you remember anything about it? About the palace?’

‘It’s huge, ancient. Beautifully built, long passages. It looks and feels very romantic. It’s definitely in the forest because I remember seeing the forest beyond the town at
the palace’s base.’

‘Does the town look inhabited?’

I close my eyes and think back. ‘No. Deserted, for sure. No movement and the houses look dilapidated.’ I watch his face and wonder how old he is. To my human eye he looks no older
than say thirty, Uncle Jamie’s age, but I know he is far older than that. His sister implied as much. ‘Do you know it?’

‘Yes.’ His eyes are troubled as he looks at me. ‘I do, but it’s not a place we visit very often.’

I wait for him to continue talking and after a short while he does. ‘There is an abandoned town in the far north of the Dark Forest. It is an old place. Some say it dates from the Time
Before Time.’

I blink. ‘Do you mean from the time of the Elder Gods?’

He inclines his head. ‘Yes, it is where Istvan’s many-times-great-grandfather reigned.’

I swear softly. ‘And why has no one destroyed it?’

‘There was no need. Once the Elder Gods were destroyed and Aelfric’s family took the throne for themselves, the village and palace fell into disrepair and no one really bothered with
it much.’

‘Until now.’

He shrugs and leans forward, running his hands about an inch over the grass. The blades move and I watch in amazement as they grow right before my eyes until they reach his palm.