Page 143 of Veinblood
“We left as soon as we heard the news.”
“The roads are clearer than they’ve been in years,” Telren says. “Authority patrols have all but disappeared between here and Greenvale.”
“How many made the journey to Ashenvale?”
“Only twelve of us. The rest remained in Greenvale for now. The village has settled and is managing with the extra people, but we thought you might have need of us here.”
“Rest first. The journey can’t have been easy. We’ll speak more once you’ve eaten and slept.”
Nyassa turns to me. “Ellie.”
I step forward to embrace her. Her hand pats gently against my shoulder, then she steps back, and reaches into the pocket of her cloak. “I kept this safe for you.” When she opens her palm, my eyes land on the bracelet lying there.
My breath catches. “I thought I’d lost it during the ritual.” I reach out, fingers hovering over it without touching.
“It was on the ground beside me when I woke. I hoped we would eventually see each other again.” She carefully opens the clasp and places it around my wrist.
A jolt of electricity jumps through me, making me gasp, but I don’t react the same way I did in Chicago.
“Thank you!”
She touches my cheek. “I should be the one thanking you. You brought me home. Now if someone could direct me to where I can find Vorith and the others … I was told they survived also?”
“Mira will take you to them.” Sacha steps up beside me, his palm coming to rest against the small of my back. I lean against him, watching as they file out, led by Mira. His hand squeezes my hip gently then drops, and he returns his attention to the maps.
“We’ll take a small group to Greyhold.”
“How small?” Varam moves to stand beside him.
I prepare to argue against being left behind.
“Eight. Myself, Ellie, and six others. Two Veinbloods, four Veinwardens.”
Surprise runs through me at being included so matter-of-factly in his planning, followed by determination.
“I’ll take a Flamevein, and an Earthvein. The rest should be Veinwardens with experience in fighting and stealth.”
“And me for what?”
“For everything else.” The words are simple. The meaning behind them is everything.
His eyes meet mine. In them I see recognition of what I’ve become—his chosen consort, his lover, and someone who will support him in doing whatever it takes to reclaim his kingdom. A slow smile lifts his lips, and for a heartbeat the room and everyone in it disappears. There’s only me and him, and the bond pulsing between us with warmth and love. Then Varam moves, breaking the spell.
“When do you plan to leave?”
“Tonight. We need to strike before they can establish a proper defense. Once we’ve taken the keep, spread the word. Every remaining commander will have to choose between abandoning their posts or waiting for us to come for them. We will strip away every ally, every resource, every supporter Sereven has left until he’s alone.”
For the first time since the coronation, the reality of what I accomplished by taking Ashenvale hits me fully. It gave people proof that the Authority’s controlcanbe broken.
This isn't just about Sacha reclaiming his birthright or me finding my place in this world. We've become symbols of something larger. Hope made manifest in two people who survived everything Sereven threw at them and came back stronger.
The rest of the afternoon is used to prepare for the night ahead. Varam selects which Veinwardens will accompany us. Weapons are sharpened, supplies gathered, and horses readied.
The sun is lowering over the horizon when we finally ridefrom Ashenvale, and the first hour passes without incident. We follow paths that wind through hills and woodland, avoiding the main roads where Authority forces might still be operating. The landscape rolls past us in shades of gray and black, trees creating pools of deeper shadow that could hide friend or enemy alike.
Sacha rides at the front, his attention split between our immediate surroundings and whatever his raven shows him from above.
“There’s movement ahead.” Sacha breaks the silence, his eyes black as he watches something through his raven's vision. “Soldiers coming along the path. Twenty at least. There’s no way we can avoid them, so be ready.”
