Wilde's Meadow (Darkness Falls #3) (24 page)

“I know he did.” I remember the first time I kissed Perth, the show we put on, and how he desperately wanted more because he didn’t think he’d ever experience something so amazing again. “But there won’t be any more arranged marriages, remember? That was part of the deal. So he should be free to be Bound to anyone.”

Flanna snorts. “Arranged marriages were part of the deal, but you never mentioned anything about who could marry who.
You
may want to remember that.”

“We have the water. Now what?” Rhoswen asks, liquid sloshing out of her bucket as she stops beside us.

I point to Flanna’s prized pot. “Pour some in there, and pour some in the other pot with the jasmine. The water is almost all gone.”

Perth takes Rhoswen’s bucket, sets one down next to Flanna, then pours water into each iron pot. He glances at Rhoswen and then to my Confidant.

“I know you are watching me. Please, I cannot control how I feel. Do you plan to inform the Leaders?” he mutters, squeezing his fingers around the metal handle.

“I just did,” Flanna says, hooking her thumb toward me. “She does not like the rule. I am sure she will try to change it. She does everything else.”

He smiles and shakes his head. “I should have known.”

“The rabbit is ready.” Cadman stands. “I am going to find Arland to ask how he wishes the food to be served.”

“You don’t have to do that, Cadman. Feed everyone else.” I sprinkle some of the ginger powder into the boiling water.

Saidear and Dunn rise from their makeshift cots, turning their noses into the air and smiling.

Flanna jumps to her feet, holding out her arms at her sides as if she can block everyone from approaching. “Get Arland, Cadman. If Kate is to kill a god, she needs food, drink, and rest. And since she refuses to think clearly, it will obviously take an intervention by my cousin.”

Cadman nods.

Looking over her shoulder, she makes eye contact with him. “And hurry, the soldiers are waking.”

Chapter Seventeen

Eating with a crowd around me, waiting to get my leftovers, is not my idea of fun. I’m not sure why Arland sided with Flanna, and as good as the food tastes, I’m not pleased with him. I’d like to sit here and protest by eating as slowly as possible, but I don’t.

Everyone is starving, and apparently, Flanna’s surprise has hit its limits. People would rather not eat than eat the same thing every day for a couple months straight.

The rabbit is warm and flavorful and tastes just like chicken. Doesn’t everything? Shoving the last bits of meat into my mouth, I wipe my hands on my pants then cross my arms over my chest and scowl at Arland.

He laughs, but it’s reserved, not as carefree as normal. Abandoning the small bones on a rock near the fire, I stand to join him, Flanna, and Cadman in their little circle near the cave exit, but Perth grabs my wrist.

“
What
?” I ask, shaking myself free.

“Are you finished?” He points toward the uneaten rabbit.

I nod. “Remember, small portions.”

Perth’s face pales, making him appear as white as snowcapped mountains. “I know.”

Turning, I jog to Arland before anyone else can get their hands on me. He stands in his usual Leader position, jaw set, whispering with Cadman and Flanna.

“I’ve eaten. Are you guys happy now?”

Flanna glances at me but doesn’t stop talking. “What do you mean the Bheagans refuse to fight anymore, Arland?”

Arland clears his throat. “After seeing Kate’s power last night when she was upset with Humu, they feel your offering was not good enough and want to return to Draodín.”

“Offering?” I raise my eyebrow, air escaping my lungs. “
What
offering?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “They are self-serving, Kate. Convincing Bheagans to help required an offering.”

“More so than saving our world and potentially theirs from a dark god?” My anger echoes throughout the cave, quieting the group of people fighting over pieces of roasted rabbit behind us. “What did you offer them?”

Arland reaches through our small group and wraps his hand around my upper arm, directing me outside. Flanna and Cadman follow us.

“She offered them herself, Kate,” Arland says once we’re outside.

“You’ve got to be kidding me?” The rotting smell fills my nose and lungs with each rapid breath I take, but I am
not
going to throw up. I refuse. My friend gave herself away! “Why on earth would you do that, Flanna?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it fit a part of my prophecy. Before you ask ‘a small choice will be made in haste’ … .” She shrugs, flashing me a lopsided smile.

“So small equals the Bheagans, because they’re short?” A part of me wants to rip her to shreds for promising herself as payment, but her nonchalance for the situation makes me laugh. She’s lost so much—we all have—but she was willing to sacrifice everything for Encardia, as if her life is nothing.

I’m not going to allow her to go through with it though.

“Have you
not
seen them? They quantify the ‘small’ portion of my prophecy.” Flanna pats my shoulder. “Anyway, while most seemed happy with my cookware, it was not enough for their leaders to get involved.”

“Tarik is not their leader?”

“Tarik is as much a leader as Tristan.” She presses her mouth into a thin line. “And their actual leaders said they wanted power. We have the ability to manipulate fire. I showed that ability to them, and they were impressed, but not enough to join in the fight. They sent only Tarik and a rather dismal portion of their army.”

Cadman turns to me. “Until they saw you, ma’am. While the rest of us slept or hunted for food, Tarik took a small group of his men through the portal, shared your abilities with their leaders, then returned with demands.”

My insides shake, and I have to hold back a growl. “What demands?”

“They want you instead of Flanna—after the war ends, of course.” Cadman clasps one hand around the hilt of his sword.

“So send them home. I’m sick of everyone’s dark desires. They want more in order to help us, then send them packing. I’m done. Absolutely done.” I wave my hand in the direction of the fire where the greedy Bheagns have been sleeping—at least
some
of them. “Well, what are you waiting for?
Go
. Tell them to leave.”

Arland pulls me closer, erasing the distance between us with just a tug of my hand, calming my rage but not dissolving it. “It is not that easy, Kate. The Morans said if the Bheagans leave, they will, too. They already fear we are outnumbered … and weak.”

My muscles tense, and I narrow my eyes. “Weak?”

“They watch you—everyone watches you. You emanate power, confidence, and you have also been—”

“Throwing up. Yeah, I’m a pretty crappy Leader, huh?” Makes me wonder why the Bheagans want me … . I look up into Arland’s eyes, the anger fading right out of me, leaving me woozy. “Have I embarrassed you?”

Cupping my cheek in his palm, he laughs. “Far from it. Most of us have heaved the contents of our stomachs on this trip at least once. But our help expects more of you, because of your power, because of your prophecy. Seeing you show any kind of weakness causes fear to grow in their hearts. Seeing the rest of us follow suit has not helped much either.”

I wrap my arms around him and press my nose into his chest to block out the foul smells. “I’m not going to throw up again. I made the decision a while ago. I don’t care how sick I get. I’ll have the magic help me or something, but I won’t show weakness. Not anymore.”

“It may already be too late, ma’am,” Cadman says.

“Here comes the midget leader and his oversized counterpart now,” Flanna says, sarcasm dripping from her every word.

Dropping my arms from Arland, I step away. I clasp my hands behind my back, as he has so many times before, hold still, take long, even breaths, and keep my head high and wait.

Tarik Rocktracker speeds toward us with Huffie lumbering next to him. Side by side, the two are an odd pair. Tarik being four feet tall compared to the ten-foot tall Moran. Fairytales and movies have legends all wrong. There’s no such thing as dwarves, giants, or elves; there are only Draíochtans, Morans, and Bheagans. But from all the worlds aside from Mhara and Gaoth, people are just people.

Tarik may be short, but he has a face like any regular man, although he appears older than any normal human I know. Deep wrinkles surround his eyes, and age spots cover his exposed skin. “How good to see the four of you here. Might we have a word?”

“Would be a shame to send you away after you walked all the way up here,” Arland says, eyes focused and unmoving, voice firm, unafraid. “What would you like to speak with us about?”

I stare at the small man and then glance up at the larger one. Huffie smiles a dimple-filled smile; the boyish look seems ill-fitting for someone like him.

“We have come to offer an apology.” Huffie’s gaze darts off to something beyond the cave.

Arland cocks his head. “And you feel the need to apologize for what?”

Tarik strides toward us like a man on a runway, modeling the latest fashions—something that just does not look right for someone so small—and crosses his fist over his heart. “We planned to leave. All of us. Even the Gaothans—I know you believe them more worthy than the rest of us. Our worlds are safe, and you offered us very little incentive to fight. Coming here was something none of us wished. Yet we came and fought with most of you. Tirelessly—”

Arland sighs. “Your point, Tarik?”

“We are concerned about your wife, Leader Maher. She displayed great power before our small council yesterday, but she is weak. Kate is the most powerful of you all, and she is sick. We held a meeting and made our decision. When Huffie visited you earlier, he was supposed to deliver the details of our departure.” Tarik glances back at the Moran. “But something happened, something unimaginable, something only a god could conjure … .”

Flanna throws her hands up, then smacks them on her thighs. “For the love of the gods, Tarik, spit it out.”

Huffie steps forward and then kneels before us. “We were all spoken to.”

Fighting back a laugh, I place my hand over my mouth. I have a feeling I know where this is going. The gods have spoken to me once or twice before.

“Somehow a man entered all of our thoughts and condemned us for our fear and our greed. He told us dearest Katriona’s story.”

Tarik takes a knee next to Huffie. “He told us of how she was just a girl living a life based on lies and how she was thrust into this world and told she had to save it. Pictures of her dying, healing people, and fighting battles she had only received minimal training for filled our heads and made us understand why she leads you all. This man told us if we abandoned Encardia, our worlds would be plagued for three centuries.”

Huffie cringes and closes his eyes, wrinkling his otherwise perfect, soft skin. “We do not want for plagues—”

“We do not wish to abandon someone who has given up so much. We are once again in your service. Any offerings for our aid will no longer be necessary.”

“Hmm,” Arland says, rubbing his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Why did you share the information about the Bheagans leaving and your people potentially leaving with them then, Huffie?”

The large man opens his brown eyes, big and wide. “I not know what others heard or believed at time. Everyone wanted leave, but I want to stay, so I talked to my people. I told half-truth first so I could talk with my kind, and the others.”

Tarik returns to his feet. “You must trust us, Arland. Time is not an option. Dughbal’s army is near; four Gaothans returned with the news minutes ago. Do you accept our apology?”

Arland extends his hand, but Tarik doesn’t take it. I haven’t seen him touch anyone.

“So sorry.” Huffie gets up and hangs his head. “All our people wait for sign to begin trek into the forest. War is now. We fight beside you whether you forgive or not.”

“You are forgiven,” Arland says.

Cadman leaves our side then stands behind Huffie, staring at my husband with an intensity he rarely shows. “We must move now, sir. You, Kate, Brit, Perth, and Flanna must get to your positions. I will arrange the others, then meet you at the bald spot, where we discussed.” Cadman turns his attention to me, holding me prisoner with his hard gaze, setting my insides to trembling. “Remember what you saw. Remember what you love the most. Do you understand me?”

I rub my knuckles into the palm of my left hand, chest constricting, heart racing, and I shake my head. I don’t understand him. Does Cadman know what I have to do to protect Arland from my visions? Why doesn’t Cadman just tell me, then? Why the secrets and the cryptic message? “What do you—?”

“There is no time. Just remember what you saw. Huffie, Tarik, we must mobilize your armies to move to the edge of the forest. Once the daemons move in, we need capable soldiers to light fires around the wheat fields. Do you have anyone in mind responsible enough?” Cadman pushes the men toward the fire, but turns and nods his head toward me then Arland. “I will make sure we reach the bald spot in time. Be safe.”