Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Precisely.”
“If he saw her again, though…”
“Yeah. He wouldn’t hesitate to drain her. He strung up and tortured her mother for weeks. He wouldn’t even think twice about using Celestine to get whatever he wanted from her.”
“Why are Cece’s powers so strong?”
“Her mother was strong as well. Mix that with what little power my father had at the time, and Cece was almost guaranteed to be something special.”
“Wait. Do you have powers?”
“Not one I am proud of,” I said. “And not one I want my father to know about, or he will turn me into a weapon.”
And make no mistake, he would.
If I said no, he would torture some innocent just to force my hand. Then use me against one of the prisoners.
I shook those thoughts away.
It wasn’t going to happen.
Because I’d worked hard to make sure no one but Vishen knew.
“How far away is the caravan?” I asked, pretending to ignore the hurt look on Serin’s face at not telling her my power.
“A while off. If we go now—and fast—we can cut her off before she hits any military checkpoints.”
“Alright. We can leave in five.”
“Hey, wait, no,” Nira said, making us all look over.
“What?”
“I don’t think you should go alone.”
“I’ll have Vishen.”
“I get that, but I don’t think either of you have really been out that way since this war talk started up. Trust me, you don’t want to screw around.”
“What are you suggesting? You come?”
“I’m all you have, aside from Vishen.”
“I need you here for Serin.”
“I can come. I mean, I wouldn’t be any help in an attack—yet—but I can come so you have extra protection.”
I glanced over at Vishen, who shrugged. “She’s right. Neither of us know what is out there right now.”
“Well, it’s early. Hopefully we can get there and back before The Green really wakes up.”
“Alright. Nira, get Serin changed into something appropriate. We leave in five. If you’re not ready, Vishen and I are going without you.”
With that, the women rushed out.
“What are you thinking?”
“Honestly, bringing Serin feels like a risk. But leaving her here if Tove has suspicions about her just isn’t an option.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Do you have an extra weapon for her?” I asked as I grabbed several knives, a scabbard, and a sword.
“I’ll grab it. You get her enough water, just in case.”
I filled four flasks—one for each of us to carry—then met everyone in the hallway. Vishen was slipping a small sword into a sheath and attaching it to Serin’s hip as Nira pulled Serin’s hair into a high ponytail.
“Ready,” Serin said, giving me a wobbly smile.
“You take this,” I told her, handing her a flask. “We are all carrying one for you because this is going to be a marathon. We are going to need to run most of the way to stay ahead of the day.”
With that, we followed Nira, who led us out a side exit to avoid the redcaps. We all crept silently through the courtyard, then the woods immediately surrounding the palace—never knowing what regiment might be placed where.
Once we were clear, though, Vishen broke into a run ahead of us. Serin and I did the same. And Nira followed behind.
It’d been a long time since I went for a run. Muscles tensed, then loosened. My lungs burned, then remembered how to breathe properly.
Beside me, Serin kept a pretty good pace with her long legs and lungs, likely strengthened from swimming all day, every day of her life.
By the time the sun was creeping through the woods, its golden beams threading between the trees, we stopped beside a stream, three of us drinking as Serin sipped her water before reaching into the stream to press the water to her face.
“What is it?” I asked when she gasped.
“I can hear it.”
“Hear what?”
“My lake. I can hear it.”
She lowered down onto her belly on the bank, holding her ear just above the flowing water.
“We must be close.” She turned her head, gulping in some of the water and letting out a little moan.
“We are,” Nira confirmed.
I could read the desire on her face, felt the tug of need. It wasn’t just her home. It was a part of her. And she, a part of it. If it faded, so did she. If she faded, so did it.
“We’re in a safer area,” Nira said, choosing her words carefully so she didn’t get Serin’s hopes up if I said no.
“How much further do you think?” I asked Vishen.
“Assuming she has been traveling toward us, we should be coming across her within twenty minutes or so.”
“Alright,” I said to Nira. “But be sharp. And stay put. Vishen can lead me there.”
“Lead you where?” Serin asked, getting to her feet.
“Your lake.”
“You’re letting me visit my lake?”
Letting her.
That particular phrasing made me feel like she was my prisoner. I guess, in a sick way, she was.