Page 41 of Blood Weaver
“Leila,” he said, his voice filled with tension, “you know I would never do anything you didn’t want me to … right?”
I frowned. “Yes,” I answered confidently.
He nodded. “So rest easy. Nothing will happen tonight.”
With those final words, he shot me a small smile before turning onto his side, presenting his back to me and silently telling me goodnight. I leaned over to the bedside table and blew out the candle.
The next morning,Ronan rose early and went fishing. He returned with our breakfast—two fishes from the river—and roasted them over the fire outside the cabin. We had just sat down at the table to eat when we heard a knock on the door. We froze and locked eyes as we held our breaths.
“Ronan?” a male voice called out. “Ronan, it’s me, Silas.”
We both exhaled a sigh of relief and Ronan walked across the cabin to open the door. I followed on his heels and peered around him to see Silas standing there with a handful of Crimson Clan members. Unfortunately, their numbers had dwindled substantially after the skirmish with the Valorian army.
“Thank the gods!” Ronan motioned for his friend to enter. The rest of the clan members stayed outside to guard the perimeter.
Silas grabbed Ronan in a fierce hug and patted him on the back with relief. “I thought you were dead,” he admitted.
Ronan smirked. “As if I’d die that easily.”
Silas glanced over at me and nodded stiffly before returning his attention to his leader. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the best of news.”
I ushered them to the table. Once we sat, Silas sucked in a deep breath before speaking. “Prince Caelan has all but declared victory. He is announcing your death all over Asteria. It won’t be long before the chief hears the news.”
Ronan pressed his lips into a firm line. “I see someone is counting their eggs before they hatch.”
“Did you see Selene on your way here?” I interrupted. When Silas only shook his head, I frowned. It was odd that the Crimson Clan arrived before Selene. Where the hell was she?
“This can’t stand,” Ronan started. “Head back to the Grasslands. You must inform my father that I’m still alive. If he learns of my death, he’ll declare war.”
Silas furrowed his brows. “Shouldn’t we declare war anyway? They attacked on neutral territory—”
Ronan shook his head. “No. We can’t afford a full-scale attack unless we team up with Keldara …” Ronan peered over at me before looking back at Silas. “Which we can’t do.”
I wanted to ask why, but from Ronan’s cagey expression, he didn’t want to divulge any information. Deciding to ask him about it later, I kept quiet.
“However, I want to attack Caelan before he leaves the Central Plains,” Ronan continued. “Once you inform my father of my survival, come back with reinforcements.”
His friend’s eyes widened.
Ronan smirked. “If they can break the rules, so can we.”
Silas smiled back and nodded. “Will do. Would you like me to leave the others here with you?”
The chieftain’s son shook his head, sounding every inch the leader in his own right. “No. Take them back with you to the Grasslands. It’s not safe here anymore.”
“We’ll head back now.”
They stood and gripped each other’s forearms in a firm shake. “Be safe, brother,” Ronan said, to which Silas repeated.
With a whistle, Silas and the remaining Crimson Clan members jogged through the forest, heading back to their Grasslands home.
13
Days turned into nights and back again, but there was still no sign of Selene. Each silent dawn intensified the worry gnawing at my insides. I sent out flares, hoped and waited, but silence was all that greeted me.
Ronan, seemingly attuned to my growing restlessness, walked into the cabin one afternoon carrying a dead rabbit for our supper. “Are you okay? How are your wounds?”
Though touched by his concern, I was consumed by the echoing silence from Selene. I slumped in the chair where I sat at the dining table and sighed. “They’re mostly healed,” I replied distractedly, the weight of Selene’s absence heavy in my voice. “But I’m more worried about Selene. It’s not like her to not show up when I send a flare.”
