Page 65 of Blood Weaver
“Like I said, Ronan holds the fate of our clan in his hands. He can’t ruin it all for some Central Plains woman,” Silas said, uttering the wordsCentral Plains womanlike a curse.
I chuckled. “Right. Well, thank you for escorting me safely out of camp. You might not believe me, but I appreciate it.”
He nodded curtly. “I hope we don’t see each other again.”
My smile tightened. “Hopefully.”
With those parting words, I climbed up into the carriage and closed the curtain, shutting off my view of the world outside the seating area. After a few moments, the carriage jostled down the road toward Lomewood.
My ride back home was introspective, a journey both physical and emotional. The landscape unfurled before my eyes as I stared out the window, a procession of natural beauty that seemed to mirror the myriad of emotions surging within me. Each tree that whispered secrets with the winds and each brook that babbled stories of times long past drew me into deeper reflections.
Every now and then, the driver cast his glance backward, as if ensuring my safety or perhaps curious of the mysterious passenger he ferried. We exchanged no words and the journey was marked by respectful quietude, each absorbed in our worlds.
The transition of the landscape outside my window told of the passing time. Lush forests adorned with the glistening dew of dawn gradually transitioned into stretches of meadows basking under the golden embrace of the afternoon sun. Shadows lengthened and silhouettes of distant homesteads emerged, whispering the nearing proximity of Lomewood.
As the outlines of the town became distinct, anxiety and relief coursed through me. The familiar terrains beckoned with the comforting allure of home, yet they were also reminders of anidentity and a destiny that was as uncertain as the paths that stretched before me.
I was still a wanted person, and it was no longer safe to walk along the streets of my home, but I had nowhere else to go. With no other option, I told the driver to take me to my clinic. When we arrived, I tipped him with a glint, even though I knew Silas had already paid him. He scrambled off the carriage driver’s seat to help me climb down, then watched quietly as I swiftly stepped inside and shut the door.
My clinic looked the same as always, if a bit dusty from disuse. I unwrapped the cloak from my shoulders and hung it on the peg by the door, then headed upstairs to freshen up and change clothes. As I did, I considered my next steps. I couldn’t leave Selene at the Rose Petal. Sneaking her out was my priority, but I needed a safe place to hide afterwards. If we came back to my clinic, we would be sitting ducks. This was the first place Madam Rose and Marcellus would look.
There was an inn located right outside Lomewood’s borders on the way to the Silent Mountains. That might be the safest place for us to lay low and figure out what to do next. With a new plan in mind, I hurried and dressed in dark colors and wrapped the black cloak around me once again. Lowering the hood over my head, I quietly stepped outside my clinic and headed down the street.
I briskly walked toward the eastern exit of Lomewood, intent on reaching the inn before nightfall to make a reservation. The walk was lengthy, but it was my only option. I couldn’t hire a driver for fear they would turn me in for the bounty.
With my head down, I was hurrying down the street with my attention fixed on my boots when someone slammed into me. “Sorry,” I muttered and sidestepped around them.
“Is that all you’re going to say to me?” a man said.
I recognized his voice instantly. I lifted my head to see Orion, who wore his customary smirk. “I’ve been waiting for you, dear Leila.”
I sighed and fought the eye roll that threatened to escape. “What do you want, Orion? I don’t have time to play games.”
“I want to help you,” he offered. “Are you really heading into the mountains to escape?” he asked, glancing down the road and back again. On this stretch of road, it was clearly my only destination. “Not many know about your cabin, little one, but if they decide to torture Selene for the information, she will eventually divulge your secret hideaway.”
I narrowed my eyes at the overly curious fae. “And how doyouknow about my cabin?”
He chuckled and looked far too smug for his own good. “I know many things, dear. Some might even consider me all-knowing.”
“You’re no god,” I deadpanned.
He snorted. “No, I’m not. But Iama full-blooded fae, which makes me much stronger than many.”
“Why should I trust you to help me?” I asked.
He shrugged and gave me a knowing look. “Because Sir Edric would have wanted me to help you.” With a sigh, he added, “I made a promise to your guardian—”
“What?” I gasped.
Orion glanced around and took my elbow. “Out on the open road isn’t an ideal place to talk about such delicate matters. Follow me.”
As a blood mage, I was more powerful than Orion, whether he was a full-blooded fae or not. Confident I could protect myself from whatever he threw my way, I didn’t protest when he prodded me down the street and into a nearby tavern that was relatively empty.
The establishment was a stark contrast to the normally bustling streets of Lomewood. It was quiet and somber inside with a few patrons scattered about, lost in their ale. Creaky wooden boards flexed under our feet, echoing the weariness and stories of countless travelers and locals who had sought refuge and solace in this hidden gem.
A haphazard assembly of chairs and tables, each bearing the marks of time and heavy use, gave the tavern a rustic charm. The lighting was dim, with the occasional flicker of candles to cast enigmatic shadows that danced in a hypnotic rhythm, concealing as much as they revealed.
Orion’s grip on my elbow was firm yet reassuring as he guided me through the hushed space. A sense of unnerving tranquility loomed, as though the tavern was insulated from the tumultuous upheavals that seemed imminent outside its sheltering walls.
