Page 111 of Shadows and Flames
“With what healing expertise? What use will you be?”
“I can pull my own fucking weight,” he murmured tensely. “They helped me, so I’m helping them.”
Cera was unrelenting, sensing a weakness and continuing to pick until Fenix was a wound she could revel in. “I’m sure Mamba and her Shadow could use another hand in their crusade to the Shadow Well.”
Tana appeared mortified, gaze flicking between the Vyrkos who volunteered to remain close to her and the High Priestess who she begrudgingly respected.
“I—I’ll be more help here,” Fenix argued weakly.
Cera chuckled, glancing at Tana while she blinked confusedly at Fenix. “I’m sure you will be.”
“So. We’ve all decided. El and I will leave in the morning, and the rest of you will stay here to manage Tomás’s recovery. Once one of those is achieved, we will reconvene.”
I clasped my hands behind my lower back, drawing calming inhales and using every bit of control to keep smoke from tinging my exhales. Pushing back on my queen now would result in nothing but arguing. Shadow traditions—our training, our sovereignty, our magic, ourhome—they were sacred. My love for Meline could not change this.
“Be that as it may, we will not be stayinghere.” Cera glanced around the room and pointedly lifted her nose. She sniffed. “Roalld has been gracious enough to secure a home for me during my stay in Nethras. We will relocate ourselves and the sick Shadow there, and I will call upon more priestesses.”
As the logistics of yet another journey began to take form, I fell into the planning. Our packs were largely unopened, horsesfairly easy to acquire in a city of this size. There was no time to waste, and I gritted my teeth as my queen and I decided to leave in the morning.
I’d no insight into the state of The Shadows aside from what Cera informed us of. All could be running as it should, our ranks slipping quietly under Cal’s thumb. Or, much more likely, the acquisition had resulted in chaos. At least, enough unrest to leave Noruh and Marco too preoccupied to respond to my correspondence.
The Well had not been breeched in two millennia. Not by an army, nor by a determined queen with no care for our way when those she cared for were in danger.
Meline and I went back out onto the streets of Nethras to prepare what we could before morning. Food for the days on the main road between cities and townships, feeding so that our energy would sustain for the length of the journey.
At a livery yard in the business district, I shelled out coin for two horses whose owners had designated them for sale.
“What did you do with Noxe?” Meline asked as we left our two mares for our return tomorrow. I’d been quiet for our errands, and my queen had not been more talkative. We became preoccupied by our thoughts, each in our own way.
Meline’s tended to show on her features, or in the twist of her fingers and the restlessness of her limbs. The additional awareness given to me by Zoko detected the unrest within her power as well.
“She is back at the Well,” I said. After parting ways with my queen, I’d ridden the black horse all the way to the Well, only stopping occasionally for fear of pushing her past her limits. In the years since, I had taken her with me to some of the places where I searched for Meline.
On our way back to the lodging house, we stopped at a cart smelling of meat. One Nethran, a Vyrkos from what I could tell,was working diligently over a grill, hair tied back and cooking tools flying in a blur. A human, their companion judging by the faded fang marks at the base of their throat, engaged the long line of customers with smiles and efficiency.
My queen asked me if I was hungry, and I grunted in agreement. After feeding, my empty stomach had made itself known, and we took our place in the back of the quickly diminishing queue.
“We should get some for the others,” Meline mused, and I gave another sound of agreement. I scanned the large parchment at the front of the stall, listing the menu items. Some of which would hopefully be fine for Tomás to consume. His appetite would come and go, but I suspected it would come roaring back after expelling whatever that was inside of him.
We took a few steps forward, closer to the front, and Meline huffed, facing straight ahead. “Why are you upset with me?”
My spine straightened. Reflexively, I responded quietly, “I am not upset.”
“You’ve barely spoken to me since we decided I would go with you to the Well.”
Heat crept up my neck, and I tightened my hands behind my back. “Youdecided that, my queen.” I felt her flinch, rather than seeing it myself.
We took another step, now fifth from the front. We were still not looking at each other. “You were going to leave without me,” Meline gritted.
“I had not yet determined that part of things, Meline. But you must understand there arewaysto go about approaching the Well. None of them include outsiders barreling onto the grounds without severe ramifications. Namely, an arrow between the eyes.” I swallowed down bile at the thought.
“You brought Marco with you before he took his vows or whatever it is you do. Surely I can arrive in the same manner.”
I chuckled dryly, shaking my head. “The boy was a child, and he had already entered into the informal acolyte agreement. You make many assumptions, my queen.”
“Oh, and you’re the most pragmatic person in the realm,” she spat.
We were second in the queue, now, so I did not respond with words. Instead, I looked at her, raising a brow.
