Page 31 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)
Knocking once, then twice, and finally knocking once more, the gate slowly groaned open.
Standing there, in the middle of the path, a brute of a man blocked my way, his arms crossed over his chest. Daggers adorned his belt, ready to be used, and the hilt of a sword rose behind him.
His hair was black as night, but those crimson eyes glowed bright in the moonlight.
“You’re early. Our meeting isn’t until two days from now,” he grunted. My shoulders tensed at the deep rumbling of his voice.
“Yes, but there have been some developments that couldn’t wait that long,” I said, keeping my tone calm. Casual.
The silence stretched between us, neither of us making a move as I unblinkingly held his stare. A moment passed, followed by another, when suddenly he barked a laugh, crossing the gate and pulling me into a hug, his large hand clapping against my back. I grinned, returning the action.
“It’s been a while, Kieran,” I teased before I frowned at him.
“You shouldn’t have been in the city. He could have caught you.
” My frown turned into a scowl when he waved me off, his face tight.
Worry tugged on my heart for him. Last I heard, he was visiting the outer villages, giving out food and medicine while finding more faeries to join our cause.
“I hope your mission went well,” I asked softly.
“As well as it could have gone, I suppose,” he said, sniffing, avoiding any eye contact. “Made it back in one piece, that’s all that counts.”
I stayed quiet, nodding thoughtfully, and followed Kieran into the camp toward the abandoned manor the rebels camped in, waving to those that knew me as we passed by.
Studying the tightness in Kieran’s back, my jaw clenched.
I knew better than to ask what had happened in the villages that made him act so reserved.
Kieran and I had been close friends since our teenage years.
As a boy, I had accompanied the queen during her visits to the villages.
I was young and restless in those days, which drove her crazy.
Exasperated, the queen would eventually throw me out of her meetings, telling me to make myself useful elsewhere.
During one of those trips, a farmer found me eating from one of his apple trees.
After a good scolding, he made me help his son, Kieran, pick the rest of the ripened fruit.
Ever since then, Kieran and I had been thick as thieves.
I even convinced Queen Cassia to allow him to attend the school with me at the palace, against the advice of her former advisor and Ambrose’s father, Alister.
Finally reaching a dimly lit room inside the manor, we came to a table covered in maps of the outer villages. “So,” Kieran said, straightening the papers thrown about the table, “what important news do you have for us that couldn’t wait two more days?”
Sighing, I took a seat across from him. The room was empty except for Kieran and me. Looking to the door, I huffed a laugh when a shadow crouching low to the ground moved.
Kieran’s eyes followed mine and frowned. “Amara,” Kieran grumbled, rolling his eyes, though his tone was soft.
Giggling, a short, willowy girl burst through the door, followed by two others, Vivi and Orin. “Sit and be quiet,” Kieran gently ordered Amara.
As they took their seats, I cut to Kieran’s, my expression darkening as I swallowed. “He’s sending a group to Lowbrook in three days. From what my informant has said, he will be sending Arianna and Ezra, along with a few of their soldiers.”
Kieran cursed, and the others paled. Packing and moving the rebels away from Lowbrook would be difficult to do in just three days.
“That’s not all,” I said hesitantly. “Sybil will be joining them.” My jaw clenched tight. The rage I had pushed down surged through me and the table splintered down the middle. Kieran’s mouth tightened, giving me a look of warning.
“Is that bad?” Amara asked quietly, her eyes nervously shifting between me and Kieran.
Shoving that rage back down, I gave her a small apologetic smile.
“I don’t know,” I offered truthfully. “He is going out of his way to get close to her and she’s not listening to my warnings.
He has something planned for her, though what that is, I’m not sure.
Neither does my informant. All I know is that she’s having trouble controlling her magic.
Her emotions are all over the place, which makes her dangerous.
I have a feeling that he will use that against her.
He has already offered her a bargain once, which she refused.
I doubt he will let that slide. I believe he wants her to feel unstable, to be afraid of her magic and what she can do. ”
Kieran nodded, his features stiff while quickly thinking of a plan.
“Viv, tell the camp to start packing up. Have them leave by tomorrow night and move them to the other side of the mountain until the soldiers leave. Don’t let them dawdle.
Orin, get to Lowbrook as quickly as you can.
Remain unseen and warn Silas of the soldier's visit, along with them bringing a newcomer. Tell him that she is potentially dangerous and to tread lightly around her. Tell any rebels in the village to hide or lay low.”
Standing quickly, Vivi and Orin bowed and left the room.
“What can I do?” Amara’s voice was soft, uncertain.
Sighing, Kieran tapped a finger on the table, his face softening.
Amara was the youngest of the rebels, having joined their group a few years ago as an orphan after an uprising in one of the villages.
She became fast friends with Orin and Vivi and promptly wormed her way into Kieran’s heart.
He didn’t stand a chance against her bubbly personality, reminding him too much of better days.
She was quick and stealthy and often got into trouble in the camp, but Kieran didn’t like her running around with the other rebels.
“I want you to help Bryony prepare food for the villagers after the soldiers leave. There’s never a visit where something doesn’t happen.”
Smiling, Amara jumped up from her seat and rushed to the door.
Pausing at the doorway, she quickly turned around, giving Kieran a half-hearted bow before running out of the room.
Kieran shook his head, a soft laugh escaping him.
He didn’t say it, but I knew Amara reminded him of his younger sister, Elaine.
Sadness wormed its way through me as I watched the door, remembering the last time we saw Elaine standing by a gnarled tree, her long black hair fluttering from a light breeze.
Clearing my throat, I pushed away the memories, focusing on the maps in front of me.
As Amara left the room, Kieran straightened, shifting back into the mask of a leader.
“After our talk yesterday, I sent a few of my group out to search for answers regarding Sybil’s abnormal blood cells.
We should hear back from them soon, though I don’t know if it will be before her visit to Lowbrook.
” Kieran looked down, reluctant to say what we both knew.
“I believe we should prepare for a worst-case scenario with her getting closer to that bastard.”
Nodding, I looked back to the door, my shoulders dipping as I exhaled.
“She wasn’t supposed to be here, Kieran,” I said softly, finally letting the regret I felt show.
“She was supposed to live her life with the rest of the humans. Supposed to have kids, grow old. She wasn’t supposed to be put in this type of danger. ”
“I mean, she can still do the kids thing and potentially grow old, though it will take a little longer now,” Kieran teased, his tone light.
Giving him a sharp glare, I watched as Kieran laughed softly and apologized. “Look, I may not know her like you do, but she will be okay. We’ll make sure of it.”
The softness of his tone clashed with the severity of his features. His crimson eyes gleamed with a promise that death would come to anyone that got in our way. I let out a weak laugh before running my hand through my hair, composing myself.
“I’ll hold you to that,” I murmured.
Kieran answered with an arrogant smirk before we spent the rest of our night planning out our next move.