Fires of War (War and Deceit #4) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,88

the Arhaven that has nothing to do with the stone it’s built from.

A heavy silence fell over the carriage during the last hour or so of the journey. Light conversation had kept us entertained until we started reaching the outer towns and we saw the slaves working in the fields and lining the roads. Thankfully, there weren’t many. Arhaven can’t spare many slaves for the small towns of Stormdale, Stonecrest, and Ravensgate, but as we approached the sprawling farmlands, that all changed. As far as the eye could see were fields with slaves completing their backbreaking labour, and never far away were the slave masters with their whips, ready to be used at a moment’s notice.

As we passed the farms, my chest felt like it was in a vice, and I had to look the other way as memories threatened to overwhelm me. While my time working as a slave in the castle had been hard, it had been worse in the farms. Slaves never survived there for long. It was a miracle from the Mother that I was transferred to the castle. My discomfort hadn’t gone unnoticed by the others, and I knew they wanted to ask if I was okay, but at a cough from Eldrin, they settled back into their seats, keeping a careful watch on me ever since.

Now we’ve passed the farms and we’re beginning to ascend into the city, but we have to pass through the slums first. The population in Arhaven has grown so much that many have to live outside the safety of the city walls, as they can’t afford the exorbitant rents. I’ve never visited the slums. Before I escaped, I’d never even left the castle grounds other than when I was first brought here, so I’d only ever overheard tales of them from the servants in the castle. Horror stories of young girls being stolen in the night and of conditions that make the slave quarters sound practically safe and luxurious.

The clipped hoofbeats of an approaching horse brings me back to the present, and glancing out the window, I see Grayson approaching. My stomach tightens at his serious expression, and I know he’s feeling the effects of being back in Arhaven, our bond becoming more strained with every mile we travelled. Opening the window as his horse moves up alongside the carriage, I try to keep my nerves under control. I’m not too proud to admit I’m fearful to be returning to the city that made me a slave. I know the others can sense it, from the deep rumbles that surround me, their fae and mate instincts driving them to protect me.

“We’re about to enter the city,” Grayson informs us as he looks around the carriage, his eyes narrowing slightly as they linger on Eldrin, and I know he must have felt some of the earlier turmoil from our bond. However, that’s a conversation that will have to wait until later, as we have far more dangerous matters to attend to. “We will be creating a shield that protects the whole procession so you’re all safe.” Although he’s still speaking to everyone, his eyes are locked on me. A small weight lifts from my chest, and I can breathe easier. Magic would be protecting us as we entered the city. Only the foolish would dare to attack a magician, but hunger makes people do desperate things, and I don’t trust the king not to attempt an ambush before we even reach the castle.

“Even so,” the mage continues, a note of warning in his voice, “don’t leave the carriage until we get to the castle. Remember what we said before, appearances are everything. I will escort you from the carriage when the time is right.” He waits for me to nod my agreement before his serious expression softens. “Are you okay?”

I want to laugh and tell him no, that I’m not okay, that the closer we get, the more it feels like I’m reopening a wound in my chest. Instead, I take a deep breath and stare at the dark, looming castle in the distance. “I hate being back here.”

“I know,” he replies. He wishes he could take me away, wants to bear this burden for me. He’ll do the next best thing and protect me from any threat. “I’ll see you soon,” he promises, and rides off to the front of the procession.

Closing the window, I lean back into my seat and pull my knees up against my chest, not