Out of the Mountain (46 page)

“Don’t you dare die. You’re the only blood family I’ve got, and I’m only getting to know you. I don’t want to lose you.”

“That’s not true. You have another blood relative who is actively trying to kill you and steal your powers.”

“You’re the only one I claim, then.”

“Ditto, kid,” he rasped, and I frowned at Master Liung.

“I must take him now, it will only get worse with the pull of the full moon so near. I will do all I am allowed to ensure his survival, and you will do the same for yourself.”

“Promise?” I eyed him.

“Promise,” he agreed, and he walked over to Farran and scooped him up in his arms. I was a bit awed at the sight of Master Liung’s small frame easily supporting Farran’s much longer and larger one. He winked at me, and I smiled.

“Until we meet again. Tell Mauve I had an emergency to attend to. She will be happy enough at my absence not to ask questions.” He smiled and nodded gravely at Rowan before disappearing from the room. I slumped into the chair that Farran had vacated and let out a frustrated huff of air. Things just kept getting more and more complicated. Rowan crossed the room and knelt down in front of me.

“We will make it through this fight,” he said as he placed his hands over mine in my lap.

“Yeah, unless we don’t . . . which seems more likely.”

“Do not say that; do not even entertain the thought of failure. It is not an option.” His eyes flashed, and I felt his emotions wash over me. They were as fierce as my own when thoughts of him coming to harm entered my mind.

“I’ll watch your back, if you’ll watch mine.”

“You mustn’t worry about me during battle. I can protect both of our backs,” he grumbled and I laughed.

“Watch that ego. You wouldn’t want Master Liung to have to set you straight again,” I joked, and he narrowed his eyes at me.

“Any man who was measured in such a way would be found wanting.”

“I highly doubt you would ever be found wanting,” I protested truthfully. It was a flattering thought, but the man was gorgeous, skilled, smart, strong, caring. A smile split his face, and I groaned.

“Don’t listen in on my thoughts!”

“I could hardly help it. You were practically gushing them at me.” He laughed, and I blushed, but I felt his gratitude, his happiness and pride flowing steadily toward me, and that softened the blow.

“You are all those things and more. Beautiful, clever, capable, magnanimous, extraordinary, resilient . . . If I were to list all the things you were to me, I would run out of words.”

“You’re getting better at this,” I complimented, and he chuckled, bringing his hand to my cheek and tracing my jawline with his thumb.

“You make me better.” He sighed, and I breathed it in, heart swelling. I leaned in and planted a soft kiss to his lips before pulling him into me. Being with him like this, calming and comforting each other’s minds, was just as fulfilling and enjoyable as the physical side of our relationship. I felt a tingle in my mind before I heard him.

“I have waited my entire life to feel this whole, this loved and safe. Her beauty, her strength, her trusting nature . . .all of it must be protected. Nothing will come between us, I will not allow it.”
His thoughts were possessive and raw. I pulled back to look him in the eye and saw confusion. He hadn’t told me that; I had overheard his thoughts!

“Well then,” I said, grinning.

“What is it?”

“Your inner thoughts are quite possessive of me.” I chuckled, and he blanched.

“You heard my thoughts?”

“Only a snippet.”

“Hmm . . .” was all he managed before there was a loud knock at the door.

I stood and he followed suit as I walked to answer it. I was surprised as a flood of people filtered in. All of the guards and novices entered my room at once: Briony, Luca, Finley, Genevieve, Jonah, Peyton, Griffin, Malachi, Tamora, Tasmin, Adelaide, Willa, Marlowe, and Felix.

“What’s going on?” I yelped, room full of people and feeling quite exposed to their prying eyes.

“Guard HQ is filled with people. We received a note from Farran telling us to gather here. He said he had placed a seal on your room to keep prying eyes and ears out,” Malachi said, flopping down onto my bed.

“Everyone find a place and be seated then,” Rowan growled, unhappily eyeing Malachi. I pulled Briony along with me and smacked Malachi’s leg.

“Shoes off my bed! Scooch over and make some room.” I barked and he huffed sitting up and scooting to allow us to sit. Rowan sat in his chair and the others made themselves spots on the floor. Luca sat on the floor, back against the bed rail in between Briony and me. Peyton and Genevieve sat next to him, and the others made a kind of circle around the room facing one another, leaning on walls and furniture. Adelaide sat herself at Rowan’s feet and I bristled.

His eyes met mine with a flash before he glanced at Malachi beside me. He was jealous as well. The difference was that Malachi and I had never had a relationship of any kind. I had seen Adelaide pressed against him on more than one occasion. I glared at him, and he looked away guiltily.

“Is it true that one of the monks visited you?” Briony blurted out next to me, and I jumped looking at her.

“What? Yes,” I said, startled by her outburst.

“Sorry, I was dying to know, and we were all just sitting here not saying anything,” she apologized and I laughed.

“Yes, he came with a sort of warning.” I looked at Rowan for help.

“Against the wishes of his brothers, he came to see Vivienne. The monks are bound by their duty to safeguard the prophecies and not interfere, but they have a unique relationship with our princess and Master Liung could not leave without offering advice and lending a margin of help.” Pride shone through him as he spoke of me, and I sat up straighter.

“It seems that Farran has taken the true sacrifice of the rituals that we have been performing in an attempt to protect me. I had noticed his health was declining a bit, but he assured me it was just exhaustion. Master Liung said that the marks I bear are only a side effect of use of the blades to complete the ritual and not actually the sacrifice that had to be made. He said that Farran will face a battle of his own to survive when the full moon rises. He promised he would help him as much as was allowed,” I assured them, but their faces fell.

“So we are down another person,” Tasmin grumbled, glaring at me.

“His sacrifice, as well as Vivienne’s, will ensure that we are able to hold our own in the battle that is to come. You would do well to show respect,” Rowan said to her, and she nodded.

“She’s right, though; we are now down Silas and Farran. We need to adjust our strategy.” Adelaide pressed, and Rowan nodded.

“I think it would be best if we worked in pairs,” Luca suggested, and I nodded.

“I agree. It would be easier to watch one another’s backs and try to keep from killing as many as possible. The creatures are terrible and horribly frightening . . . but underneath there is an innocent victim who has no control. I have noticed that there are tethers that connect them all to the darkness. The dark magic recoils from the light of my healing powers. All it will take is a small prick, enough to put blood on your blade and the light will enter and expel the shadow.”

“Yes, but then we will have a potentially incoherent person, confused and vulnerable, caught in the fray,” Adelaide said, and I frowned. She was right about that.

“It cannot be avoided. It is better to save some than to allow chaos to reign and for all to perish,” Rowan said.

“I will find Narissa as soon as possible and stop it from the source,” I said, and they all looked at me appraisingly. I felt the weight of that as well as the looks of disbelief on more than a few faces. They didn’t believe me capable, and though I wasn’t sure I was either, it stung all the same.

“How will you find her? None of us even know what she looks like,” Tamora asked, and I smiled.

“Oh, I am positive she will make herself known, and besides—with that much darkness surrounding her, I am sure she will be seen easily enough.”

“How should we split into partners?” Marlowe asked, orange hair bright in the corner of the room.

“Maybe as dates?”

“We already have dates,” Adelaide said, motioning between herself and Tasmin.

“You invited potential suitors to what you knew would put them in the direct line of danger?” Rowan scoffed, and Adelaide glared at him.

“There isn’t any potential to it, and they are more than capable of defending themselves against any threat.”

“And if they are the threat?” Tamora asked, glaring at her sister.

“Rest assured, we have checked every inch, and there is no mark to be found on either of them.” She grinned at Adelaide, who laughed in return.

“And did you do that at the same time, like together in one room or . . .” Malachi asked, and I punched his arm in reproach.

“Ouch, Vivi, I just wanted to be sure they were thorough, an extra set of . . . eyes can go a long way!” He winked.

“You are incorrigible.” I snorted, and he wrapped an arm around me.

“You’ll always be my favorite wet dream,” he quipped, and I pushed him away, laugh cutting off when I heard a low rumble from across the room. Rowan’s eyes were blazing. Everyone in the room tensed.

“He’s only joking,” I said softly.

“I do not find it amusing,” he intoned, and I stiffened.

“
You know there has never been, nor will there ever be anything but friendship between Malachi and me
,” I chastised him through his mind.

“
He should not be so comfortable speaking to you, touching you, or thinking of you in such a manner. You are mine. He needs to acknowledge that
,” he growled back, and I stood, aware that the others were watching the silent exchange in confusion.

“
I will decide how I am comfortable being touched, talked to, and thought of. His friendship is valuable to me. I will not lose it because of your insecurities
,” I hissed, and his eyes returned to their honey color, frown deepening.

“
You are right. I am sorry. It is difficult for me. We will speak of it later.”

“Yes, we will,”
I agreed, and sat back down.

There was a collective release of air, and Briony patted me on the leg.

“What was that?” Adelaide yelped.

“That is none of your concern—any of yours,” Rowan barked, but I could see her putting two and two together. Weren’t we supposed to be hiding the bond?

“I can speak into people’s minds and hear their thoughts in return when allowed. Want to let me in?” I jeered, and pushed my magic toward her. She recoiled.

“No!”

“Didn’t think so.”

“With that little spat settled,” Felix droned in his monotone voice, “I agree with the date idea. There is an even number. The girls can endanger whomever they want, they will be one another’s partners, and that leaves the rest of us paired off evenly,” he finished, and I tried not to gape. His pale hair, eyes, and complexion were an oddity, but that was the most I had ever heard him speak at once.

“I call Tamora!” Malachi chirped and she grinned.

“The rest of you, pair off as you see fit,” Rowan grumbled, and the rest got up and moved around the room, taking their places beside the person they were going to trust with their lives. I didn’t move at first, still ruffled by the exchange, and was surprised when I met Rowan’s eyes. They were soft, apologetic. I sighed, hopping up and sitting on the arm of his chair. He wrapped an arm around my waist in relief.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Men and their egos,”
I complained but smiled. I looked around the room that was now paired off. Briony and Luca, Griffin and Peyton, Genevieve and Jonah, Finley and Willa, Malachi and Tamora, Adelaide was with Marlowe, and Tasmin was with Felix. I raised my eyebrows in question.

“So we didn’t really think through the date thing . . . and this guy is really cute. I’m not finished with him yet,” Tasmin grumbled, and I nodded letting it slide.

“That leaves at least one in each group with a dagger. Jonah, Felix, and Willa have been working on ways to manipulate fire as a distraction. As we saw the first time they attacked, they fear the fire, recoil from it in much the same way as light.” Rowan seemed happy enough with each pair. I just hoped it would be enough.

“I snuck a few weapons into the ballroom décor earlier,” Willa said proudly, and Rowan smiled at her in approval. Her mouth almost fell open at the sight.

“
It’s that damn dimple. Stop it before you render her unconscious,”
I joked, and he eyed me.

“
I am only trying to be friendlier.”

“Well, ease into it. You’re scaring the children.”

“Good thinking,” he said, clearing his throat, and she blinked before nodding. Maybe Rowan could just smile at every adversary during battle and freeze them in place. He chuckled.

“I am never going to get used to this.” Briony sighed, eyeing Rowan warily. I laughed.

Rowan gathered paper and drew a rather impressive blueprint of the ballroom, labeling all the exits as he went. He assigned everyone to places in the room, evenly distributing our force for when the chaos started. I would have to move freely, but he would shadow me. The more our plan solidified, the better I felt. I could tell the others were feeling the same, and by dinnertime we were all in better spirits. Hope was dawning behind our eyes.

***

When I told Mauve of Master Liung’s unfortunate emergency departure, she didn’t even try to hide her smile.

“Ah, so things will go back to the original plan then. This makes things much easier for the lot of us.” She smiled at the others around the table. I could see the tendrils of darkness more clearly now, Connecting them all in an oppressive web of shadows. They were completely in Narissa’s thrall. She would easily take them out when she got the chance. It was disheartening. I would have to try to free them as soon as I could. Surely they would be Narissa’s first stop.

“I am glad things are back on track,” I lied. I forced myself to eat dinner as I listened to Mauve drone on about what was expected of me tomorrow. Nerves ignited in my belly, and when I finally couldn’t take any more of the anxiety, I stood, stopping her midsentence.