“I can’t,” I replied. “I need to be somewhere quiet. I’ll see you later.” I started walking off when Ruby grabbed my arm.
“Ash, wait. What’s wrong? I mean aside from Queen Trina escaping. Something else is bugging you. What is it?”
“I’m just in a bad mood, that’s all,” I replied, removing my arm from her grasp.
“Don’t be like this,” she said. “Just tell me what’s wrong—I can’t help otherwise.”
“You can’t help me anyway!” I exclaimed. “I feel completely useless—I have no idea what to do, everything feels like it’s totally and utterly out of my control, the guards have absolutely no faith in me, and right now it feels like you don’t either!”
She looked stung, her eyes widening with shock at my revelation.
“That’s totally not true!”
“Shortie, come on—what about Queen Trina? Apparently, you knew she would escape, and I thought we had her secured till we could get some answers!”
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” she replied sullenly. “I believe you can do this. You know I do—I always have.”
I stayed silent, not knowing what else to say. I was handling this all wrong, and I knew it. Yet again, Ruby and I were arguing when I didn’t want us to be, creating more distance between us, which, considering we couldn’t get intimate, was an idiotic thing to do.
“Come on,” Ruby announced, dragging me along the corridor by my robe.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere quiet. That’s what you wanted, right?”
I followed her in silence, wondering where in Nevertide she was taking me. At the end of the corridor she pushed open one of the doors, revealing a small box-shaped room that was completely empty apart from a small window, a dilapidated-looking chair and a wood burner.
“Wait here,” she instructed, storming back out again.
I leaned against the wall, not really seeing any other option.
She came back a moment later, carrying a blanket and two pillows, all strongly smelling of damp.
“This is all I could find. It will have to do.”
I nodded, watching as she laid the blanket on the floor and arranged the pillows at one end. Then she turned toward the wood burner, tapping her foot in agitation as she looked around for some wood.
I walked toward the chair and started to break it up best I could.
“I feel bad,” Ruby said, watching me destroy the furniture.
“Don’t,” I replied. “Another year and it would have rotted away to nothing anyway.” I shoved the wood into the stove and lit it by scraping a piece of flint up the side of the stove. Soon the wood caught light, and I sat back on the blanket, feeling mildly satisfied for the first time that day.
Ruby came and sat down next to me, just out of reach.
“I’m sorry,” she stated, looking down at her fingers. “I didn’t mean to doubt you. I’m just frightened, and I’m not handling it very well. Forgive me?”
“Already have.” I smiled. “And you don’t need to say sorry. I’m being an idiot. I’m just frustrated, about a million things, and one of those things is us…you—all the things we can’t do because…well, you know.”
Ruby’s cheeks turned bright pink, and I scratched the back of my head, feeling the same heat rising over my own face.
“This is awkward,” I muttered. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
Ruby took a deep breath and exhaled. Her fingers reached across the blanket, entwining with mine.
“I actually had a thought about that,” she breathed, “I thought we could try something…”
I looked at her quizzically, not understanding what she meant.
“I want you to mind-meld with me, syphon off me,” she replied.
I grinned at her, understanding that she wanted intimacy, and if a mind-meld was all that was available to us, then I was more than happy to do as she asked. I reached out for her, delving into her mind and finding her energy bright and pure, waiting for me. I sighed, instantly drinking in its power and hazy comfort.
Just as I was enjoying the tingling, rushing sensations that were flooding my body, an image started to flicker into my mind. At first it was gray and fuzzy, like looking through an unfocused telescope, but then it started to clear, and I could see Ruby, softly smiling at me.
This is different.
When I’d shared images with Ruby during a mind-meld before, they’d been accidental, our subconscious flittering along the bond we shared, but this time it felt like she was purposefully projecting the image toward me.
The image of Ruby laughed, and the picture shifted, showing me more; Ruby standing in the room that we were physically in, with the same fire and damp blanket. The only difference was that her vision was far cozier and inviting than the reality was.
Hey. Her voice drifted through my head.
Hi, I replied mentally. Can you hear me?
Yeah, I can hear you. Impressive, huh?
That’s one thing to call it…
Are you weirded out? she asked, her smile faltering.
No, absolutely not—I’m just a bit blown away.
Her smile returned, and she knelt down in front of me.
It’s an experiment, she whispered.
I like it.
Gently, half afraid of breaking our bond, I leaned forward and kissed her. I knew that it was only our shared imagination, but I could feel the answering pressure of her lips, their warm moisture, the taste of her mouth, the smell of her hair that brushed against my face.
I can feel it, she exhaled, looking up at me in fragile surprise.
Me too.
I grabbed her more insistently this time, knowing that she was solid, whole. It was all real, amazingly real. Our kiss deepened, and a shudder ran through Ruby’s body. Her hands curved up around my neck, and we fell backward onto the blanket, our bodies entwined.
Ash, she whispered, I want tonight to be ours.
I groaned, digging my hand in her hair, twisting its thick length in my hand, tugging her head backward, placing kisses down her neck and chest till I reached the top of her shirt. Her breaths shuddered, pulling me toward her as I undressed her, her fingers working just as urgently as mine to remove the clothing that separated us.
My heart was pounding, my throat tight as I looked down at Ruby’s body in the firelight.
I’ve never done this before, I admitted.
Me neither.
Will you tell me to stop if it…
She nodded, her blue eyes large, meeting mine with openness and willingness.
I trust you, Ash.
They were the words I needed to hear.
I buried myself in her arms, pulling her to me tightly. I made love to her with every bone and muscle in my body on fire.
The night burnt itself on my mind for eternity: the soft moans that escaped her lips, the muted glow of our skin, golden hair entangled in my fingers, and always her blue eyes—endless pools that I drowned in time and time again.
I love you, she whispered, just before the dawn rose.
Stay here, I pleaded as I felt our bond starting to weaken. I tried to hold onto it, sending all the energy I had toward her.
I don’t think I can.
She brushed her finger along my temple, her eyes sad and wistful. It was coming to an end. The bond broke. Ruby lay next to me, both of us fully clothed on the cold floor of the palace, the fire dead in the hearth.
“Ruby?” I croaked.
“That was…amazing.” She sighed, curling up toward me, a small smile on her lips. I laughed, running my palm across my forehead, grateful that my body still ached, that I could still feel the rushing after-effects of what we’d just shared.
“Yeah.” I grinned up at the ceiling. “It really was.”
Tejus
I woke just before dawn. The sky was an inky blue, the tear in it masked momentarily by the darkness. I left Hazel sleeping on the floor of the room for a few
moments longer while I went off in search of Ash. We needed to leave to find the Impartial Ministers as soon as we could; with Queen Trina on the loose, we couldn’t afford any further delays.
Closing the door quietly behind me, I entered the empty hallway. The light was dim—only two torches had been found in working order yesterday, and they flickered ineffectually in the gloom. I located the stairway, hoping that Ash would already be up and ready. Two guards waited by the main door at the bottom of the stairs, nodding in greeting at my approach.
“King Ashbik?” I asked.
“The kitchen,” one replied.
I made my way there, finding Ash standing in front of the collapsed wall, looking out into the shadows of the garden.
“My apologies about Queen Trina,” I said, coming to stand by his side. He glanced over at me, nodding.
“I suppose it was only a matter of time.”
“That was the idea – to speak to her before she was rescued,” I muttered, uncomfortable with the idea of justifying my actions to Ash. It would take some getting used to.
He grunted.
“Just let me know next time.”
“Fine,” I said. “Are you ready to make a visit to the Ministers?”
“As ready as I can be. Do you know where we’ll need to go?” he asked.
“The Impartial Ministers are rumored to live at the foot of Ghouls’ Ridge—there’s a monastery built into the mountain, accessible only from the ravine that runs at the foot of the mountains. I’ve never been there, but it’s what I’ve heard.”
“From a reliable source?”
I smirked; it was Queen Trina who had divulged the information to me long, long ago.
“Not remotely, but do you have any other ideas?” I replied.
“No, I suppose I don’t.”
We stood in silence for a while, both watching the sky rapidly changing color as the sun began its ascent. It seemed strange to me that only a day had passed since the entity’s destruction had ravaged Nevertide. It felt like a lifetime ago; waking up in this palace had felt like a strange dream—it had taken me a few moments to recall why I wasn’t in Hellswan tower.
“We should leave the guards here, for the protection of the villagers and the kids,” Ash said.
“I will not leave Hazel,” I asserted.
Ash nodded. “I won’t leave Ruby either—they can come with us. I’m going to leave Jenney and Abelle in charge.”
What?
“Are you mad?” I asked incredulously. “A child and a half-witted woman?”
Ash glared at me.
“I’m not mad—they’re the only two I can trust. The guards will have their orders, but if there are decisions to be made I want one of those two making them.”
“What about Lieutenant Ragnhild?” I snapped, wondering once again at the wisdom of leaving Ashbik to take my place as king.
“We can’t trust him,” Ash replied quietly. He began telling me about the night of the temple visit, how Ragnhild had lied to Ruby about his presence being dictated by Ash. I wasn’t entirely sure that meant we couldn’t trust him, but after Varga perhaps it was better that we didn’t take the risk.
“Is every Hellswan subject going to be revealed as a traitor?” I grumbled, more bothered by the fact that I seemed to be such a terrible judge of character.
“We have your father to blame for that,” Ash retorted.
I sneered at the kitchen boy. If Ash didn’t rise to the challenges that faced him, my father would be a convenient scapegoat for him throughout his rule—whether that would be years or only a matter of days.
“Let’s depart,” I muttered. I had no desire to argue with Ash. He would learn soon enough the true burden of his crown.
I knelt on the ground in front of the palace entrance with Ash and the rest of the ministers. Our hands were outstretched, and I could feel the collective power running through my veins.
“Higher!” Ash commanded through gritted teeth. I expelled more energy, my muscles contorting with the effort. We were building a barrier for the humans and sentries we’d be leaving behind, and Ash wanted to leave nothing to chance.
The walls piled up, thick and high, and the tension and power slowly seeped away from my body. It was done.
“Ready?” I asked, turning to Ash.
“Ready.”
We rose, and I turned my attention to Hazel, who was waiting by the bull-horses at the far end of the overgrown lawn. We had chosen to travel by land rather than using the vultures, in order not to attract undue attention. It meant the journey would take longer, but it would be worth it to remain hidden.
“How are you feeling?” Hazel asked, her eyes flashing down to the scars on my chest—the wounds concealed from others by my shirt, but not her.
“Never better,” I muttered. She looked at me doubtfully, but it was the truth. The wound had healed, and even though I’d been drained aggressively by the Acolytes, this morning I hadn’t felt it.
“You?” I asked as I climbed onto the bull-horse.
“Fine, still no hunger, but…” She shrugged.
“Still weak?”
“It’s worth it,” she pointed out. “I’m not half crazy with the need to syphon off everyone in sight.”
It might be worth it within the confines of the palace, when she was around her family and friends, but taking her out into Nevertide suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea.
“Fine,” I replied, not sharing my misgivings yet. She seemed more content this way, relaxed for the first time since she had acquired the powers. But today was the first time I couldn’t feel her energy, and that worried me. Normally it came off her in waves, unbelievably strong when she was a human, and stronger still since she became a sentry. I could recall my brothers occasionally being weakened by potions when they were younger, to prevent them from syphoning mindlessly—but I couldn’t remember them, or myself, losing the constant hum of energy that surrounded sentries. Perhaps it was because Hazel was an adult, and whatever herbs she needed to take were stronger than those given to children. I made a mental note to discuss the elixir with Abelle, to double check what she was feeding Hazel and the dosage…Was Hazel taking more than she should have been to ensure that her friends and family remained safe from her syphoning? I couldn’t believe that she’d do something so foolish, so I dismissed it.
“Let me know if it gets worse,” I added. “You need to be careful.”
“I know, I will,” she reassured me. “Maybe soon I can ask Abelle to lower the dosage or something – start weaning me off.”
I nodded, privately relived that Hazel was willing to accept a future as a fully active sentry – not one that was constantly repressing her powers.
Once Ash was ready, we left the grounds of the palace at a rapid pace. Hazel rode beside me, with Ash and Ruby following. I stuck mainly to the forests, though our trek would have been an easier one had we followed the main roads—but where there were roads, there would be sentries: lost, angry and eager for answers that neither Ash nor I could provide.
Ruby
“It’s so quiet,” I murmured to Ash, more to break the silence than anything. We’d been riding for about an hour, and the complete absence of any noise other than the cracks of twigs and dried leaves beneath the hooves of the bull-horses was starting to drive me crazy. We’d started the journey chatting among ourselves—well, Ash, Hazel and I had. Tejus had mostly remained his taciturn self. But as the journey progressed we’d grown quieter, the oppressive atmosphere sucking the conversation dry.
It was also difficult for me to even remotely try to focus on the task ahead. My mind was filled with images of last night, moments replaying over and over again on loop, warming the pit of my stomach as I replayed every touch and sigh, every feeling that I’d experienced—from complete ecstasy to the bittersweet disappointment of returning to reality, knowing that none of it had been physically real. This morning I had woken to find Ash already gone, and I had felt like I’
d been robbed of something—that we both had. I wanted so badly for it to be real, and the idea scared me. I had some tough decisions ahead of me, decisions I didn’t feel like I was fully equipped to make. I was starting to realize that when it came to Ash I lost all sense of reason. Had the mind-meld broken at any point during the experience, I wouldn’t have stopped. I would have abandoned myself completely to the consequences, just to remain in his arms.
Careful, Ruby.
I felt dizzy, bowled over by the stark reality of the situation, of how close I was to following in the same footsteps as Hazel.
“I don’t get it,” Ash muttered, breaking through my reverie. “It’s weird. The birds at least should have survived.”
“I know, the vultures did…but I can’t hear a sound from anything else,” I replied, trying to bring myself back out of my head and focus on what Ash was saying.
Looking around, I was starting to get the feeling that we were being watched, that this silence was a pause before something happened—something terrible, waiting in the dark depths of the forests, where the morning sun couldn’t get to it. We were also starting to get closer to Ghouls’ Ridge—I could see the huge precipice towering ahead of us. I’d only seen it before from up above, where I could see the thick swirling mists that settled in the ravine. We were riding into the mists—a dense, heavy fog that made the air smell pungent and moldy.
“How far away are we?” Hazel asked Tejus. Our bull-horses had drawn closer together as we’d begun to enter the ravine, partly due to the narrowing of the path, and I thought partly because the animals seemed to be as spooked as we were. Their hooves took each step tentatively, and the great muscles on their bodies quivered, ready to cut and run at a moment’s notice.
“We’re not far. The monastery is built into the stone of the ridge, allegedly,” Tejus replied.
“What do you mean ‘allegedly?’ Haven’t you been here before?” I asked.
“No. No one other than ministers are permitted to enter the Impartial Ministers’ home.”
That news wasn’t comforting.