Fear of Fire and Shadow (The Fade #1) - Samantha Young Page 0,96
what a scare you gave us, taking off to tour Alvernia alone.”
I grimaced at our lie. I grimaced at the way the vojvoda looked down on me condescendingly, in his gated home and isolated city. Where was he for the people of the mountains?
All my anger and frustration over everything that had happened seethed to the surface. If I’d known this was going to be my reaction at seeing him again, I would never have come down for dinner.
“Well.” He shrugged, seeming nonplussed by my silence. “I’m very glad the good captain caught up with you to keep you safe. How did you find my rough lands?”
I thought of L and her forthright honesty. Of the Mosses’ kindness and sincerity. Of Brint Lokam and the people of Hill o’ Hope’s generosity.
“Like everywhere else in Phaedra, Your Grace. Populated with good people and bad people … and poorly governed.” I straightened my shoulders, jutting my chin defiantly. “If you’ll excuse me.”
And leaving all three of the men with their mouths hanging open, I spun on my heel and left them to it.
Chapter 29
The days ahead were filled with a mixture of anticipation and a sickening coldness.
I barely ate a thing as we galloped through Daeronia. We stopped to collect the two soldiers in the mining village. The villagers now greeted us with hospitality, offering us bread and shelter. But we didn’t stay long. If our pace had been grueling before, now it was frantic.
I knew the Guard were curious, that they all suspected something more was afoot, especially since my escape into the mountains. They wondered what on earth had possessed me to go up there. But I didn’t want to panic anyone, especially when we were so close to saving Haydyn. I’d rather they think I’d gone light in the mind than know the truth.
The times I did sleep, I twisted and turned with nightmares. I dreamed of arriving in Silvera only to find we were too late and Haydyn was gone. I dreamed the mountain man was still alive and chased me into the empty palace and as much as I fought and fought, I could not seem to save myself from his deranged lust.
And I dreamed of Wolfe.
Always he stood on the edge of the Silver Cliffs, his eyes pleading with me. I’d make a move toward him and feel a tug on my hand. I’d turn to find Haydyn, shaking her head at me, my parents and little brother behind her, disapproval on their faces. When I looked back at Wolfe, he’d glare at me, hatred filling his eyes. And then he’d fall right over the cliffs into the crashing water.
I didn’t need to be a scholar to interpret the dream.
We reached Caera in record time, not stopping long enough for incidents to occur.
I was exhausted by the time Vojvodkyna Winter welcomed us into her home. Taking in my bedraggled state, she was even kind to me. As she ushered me to the guest suite herself, ordering a bath and food tray, I forgot to be jealous of her. I even came to the conclusion that, as before, I may have judged her too harshly.
The next morning as the maids giggled in the hallway, all my good feelings toward Winter died.
It was easy in a household as large as Winter’s for the gossip to reach my ears. Wolfe had been seen leaving Winter’s bedroom early that morning.
I stumbled when I heard the gossip, pain hitting me in the chest with the force of a sledgehammer. I turned, no longer hungry for breakfast, or able to stand the sight of Wolfe and Winter together. I could barely draw breath; my whole body ached with the grief. With the betrayal.
But he wasn’t mine, so it wasn’t a betrayal.
Sniffling back silly tears that were best not wasted on him, I drew on my traveling cloak and clutched the pack with the Somna plant inside.
It was time to leave.
Chaeron and the others were visibly confused.
Before Caera, Wolfe had been the one not talking to me. Now every time he came near me, I was so cold in attitude, it was a wonder ice didn’t crystalize in the surrounding air. Wolfe seemed just as perturbed by this and grew even more indignant. I imagined the lieutenant and the Guard were just as exhausted with us as they were of the journey.
We crossed into Raphizya, stopping in Ryl to stay with Matai’s cousins again.