Page 49

Rook

Birdsong floated from the borders of the Hollow. The first rays of dawn broke over the knoll. Beside me, Evette had fallen asleep against Lysander.

Liliwen and Lottie had not come.

As the sun climbed above the hill, I glanced at Lysander.

His gaze remained on the top of the hill.

My chest ached. The voice inside me, beaten by years of hopelessness, said, ‘They aren’t coming.

’ Looking at Lysander and Evette, I wondered how I could possibly ease the passing of their family members, while I was suffering a broken heart?

Could Lili really be gone?

Heaviness clung to me, dragged me toward the dirt. I couldn’t… I couldn’t picture this world without her. Loneliness had been my companion for such a long time, but this was so different, so consuming. I’d tasted love. To have it ripped away… I couldn’t bear it. In desperation, my mind spun.

Had they killed her?

Watching the sun rise, my agonizing thoughts turned from despair. A clawing rage screamed at the pain, frightening it off. Later, I would visit the hurt. This day, I only wanted to punish. I eased from Evette and began walking over the knoll.

“Where are you going?” Lysander called, jostling Evette awake.

I turned and continued walking backward. “I’m going to slaughter every one of them.” A shadow crossed Lysander’s face as someone breached the knoll behind me.

I couldn’t look.

If I didn’t look, there was always a chance it was Lili.

What if it was Lottie? Liliwen would have given her life for her younger sister—every part of me knew it.

Against my will, I scanned Lysander’s face.

I searched for a hint, or a warning, anything that might prepare me for who was behind me.

A tear breached Lysander’s lashes; it cast a reflective sheen down his cheek.

Anticipation and terror spun me. Up on the hill, a tangle of blonde hair carried in the breeze. It was—

“Liliwen!” Evette cried.

Lili, beautiful and…alive. It was such a strange contrast, as if when I’d met her, she’d simply existed, but now she was alive .

Her face, still smattered with soot, glistened with sweat, a trophy she’d earned fighting to survive—clawing tooth and nail to live .

On that hill, chin held high, Liliwen smiled down upon me.

It was such a proud gesture that wrinkled her eyes—eyes that shone with an unusual wildness that sent my blood rushing.

It ruined me.

Her smile was an axe, and my legs were but small trees. It took everything I had not to crumble and weep at her feet. Then and there, I understood.

I’d do it again.

An eternity of suffering—of unending loneliness and exile. I would bear twice the burden if it meant I could share this with her. Seeing Liliwen, standing alone, I could bear it no longer. I tore up the grassy incline, tripping and sliding.

Distantly, Evette whimpered, “Is she alone?”

Lili ran, reaching for my outstretched arms. Our bodies rocked together; we might have fallen apart had we not clutched one another so tight.

Never again. Never again would we part.

I brushed messy hair from her face, and she kissed me.

How could someone impart such hope, such vitality onto another?

Lili’s sweet smile pressed my lips, and her fingers curled around my neck, pulling me closer.

If she never spoke of it, those actions would suffice.

From them, I knew everything I needed of Lili’s feelings. She was with me, and she was happy .

It was magic.

Through gasps, Lili managed to say, “I ran ahead to make sure you were still here.”

Shaking my head, I kissed her again. “I would have waited a lifetime.” Holding my hand, Lili descended the knoll to her family.

Evette asked the question Lysander could not. “Your sister?”

Lili slipped from my arms and went to her mother. “I have something to show you.” She pulled Evette up the hill.

“What of Lottie?” Evette snapped. “If my child is dead, tell me quickly.” Evette’s breath caught as two people crested the knoll.

Lottie…and a ghost.

Evette stopped walking—could walk no farther. She reached out before covering her mouth and turning to Lili. Though no sound came out, Evette’s lips formed the name, ‘Jean?’

No. It couldn’t be…

The man I’d killed so long ago, Lili’s father, stumbled forward. Bits of a bloodied cloak wrapped his side, and he looked as if he might faint. Evette remained frozen, choking her emotions. She scrutinized the man. If this was some trickery, she would not let herself be harmed so easily.

“It’s him,” Lili said. “They took his tongue; he can’t speak.

” She encouraged her mother forward. Lottie did the same to her father.

Evette advanced on her own. A cry left her throat, and she collapsed.

Seeing his wife fall, a guttural sound echoed from Jean.

Leaving Lottie’s supporting arms, Jean shuffled forward and knelt before Evette.

She let out a wail, filled with the anguish only a broken heart could muster.

Evette’s cry was silenced when Jean grabbed her face and kissed her.

Not an insect dared to chirp, dared to threaten the embrace we bore witness to.

In Jean’s arms, Evette’s chest heaved. Jean pulled away, his cheeks glistening from Evette’s tears, and what looked like a great deal of his own.

“It—it—” Evette chugged. “It cannot be!” Jean lifted Evette’s hand, bringing it to rest against his cheek.

Relaxing into Evette’s palm, there was a lifetime of adoration in Jean’s eyes.

Such devotion was not hindered by things as trivial as death.

Evette kissed Jean again, and when she pulled back, she remained with her forehead touching his, as if she could bear to be no farther away. “I died that night,” Evette whispered. Jean shook his head. He patted his chest, his heart, and then Evette’s.

‘We’re alive. We’re together.’

On their knees, two lovers reunited.

A sniffle broke the silence. Beside me, Lysander hid his face. I looked past him, to Lottie, and to Lili. To a family, reunited.

Evette stood, bringing her husband with her. Pride tinged her cheeks pink as she introduced him to me. “This is Jean.”

“The Hound—” I gulped, staring at Jean. “ I killed you.” Jean shook his head, and held his fingers up, nearly touching.

‘Almost.’

Lili took my arm and said, “I told him everything.” Holding me, she introduced me to her father. “This is Rook.”

Breathless from shock, I corrected, “Everard.”

Jean made an apologetic face and mimed punching, as if to say, ‘Sorry about the beating, eh?’

If he could forgive me, I could certainly forgive him.

“I told him of Marek,” Lili said, glancing at her mother.

“I broke his leg and let the wolves eat him,” Evette said. “He was alive when they tore his throat out.”

Jean stroked Evette’s chin, his eyes twinkling with pride.

‘That’s my girl.’ He made to kiss her, and Evette seemed to catch herself leaning away, as if that were her very nature.

A furious set of tears glistened along her lashes, and she bent to Jean, obliging his request. Clutching his arm like a bride might hold a groom, Evette led Jean to Lysander.

Jean patted his own head, remarking at Lysander’s height.

“Yes.” Evette beamed. “He’ll make a fine companion.”

Jean released his wife and clung to his son.

He sobbed and beckoned his family over. They joined Jean, and every few seconds, his arms switched shoulders, as if he wanted to embrace them all at once, but his arms simply weren’t long enough.

Jean looked skyward, thanking the stars above.

His mouth formed a shocked ‘O’, and he pointed to Evette’s scarf, high in the tree.

“Yes,” Evette remarked. “I was tempted to climb up, but”—she laughed and then whispered to Jean—“my knees are not what they once were.” Enjoying all the perks of becoming a hound, in particular the hearing buff, Lottie looked at her mother with terrified disgust.

Jean examined the lower branches. Fearing what he might do, I walked steadfastly toward the tree.

Lili grabbed for my shirt, and said, “Not this again!” But I was hasty and utterly determined.

Despite my aching body, I climbed. Carefully and deliberately, I didn’t stop until I grasped the delicate silk.

Retrieving the scarf was emboldening, though it was nothing compared to the way my chest ached when I looked at Jean.

Elbowing Lili, he pointed to me.

‘Eh? Look at him!’

In that moment, I couldn’t decide which was more satisfying. Lili rolling her eyes because I’d proved her wrong and could, in fact, climb a tree to save my life…or Jean, clapping and nodding his approval.

Leaping down, I handed the scarf to Jean.

Wearing a grin that squeezed my heart, he patted my arm.

Then, he turned to Evette and tied the scarf around her neck.

Lili tugged my sleeve, pulling me away. Her family didn’t follow, allowing us privacy.

We walked a little way. Under the canopy of shuffling leaves, we watched the sun rising over the knoll.

Well, Lili watched the sunrise.

When I first met Lili in the meadow, we were so intent upon destroying one another.

We were both ruined by pain. When she spoke, doubt and grief dripped from every syllable.

Standing beside me, she was light, as if the very breeze could carry her away.

Turning, she caught me staring and smiled.

In her eyes, I could almost see her frolicking in the same meadow that was nearly our end.

I could see her outside her own cottage, knelt at the peonies, with dirt beneath her nails, and the warmest smile.

I saw our future. Us, existing together for as long as we wished.

“You’re cursed now,” I said. “You did this all for me?”

“No.” Lili shook her head. “I did this for me .” Closing her eyes, Lili lifted her face to the sky. A silent howl to freedom.

“You’ll have me as I am?” I whispered.

Tracing a sharp canine with her tongue, Lili said, “I’ll do more than that.”

I wrapped an arm around her, drawing her to me, and buried myself in her hair.

Lost in the smokiness, I wondered, do people ever stop and think, ‘I’ll do anything for this person’?

Do people think to themselves, ‘I will give up everything . I will slay, burn, and die if it means this person in my arms might never know suffering’?

I always thought the ones who really meant it, simply did it.

Time passed, and they’d been doing it all along, and there was never an occasion when they acknowledged how far they’d go to keep their person from harm.

But when you’ve grown to loathe the thing you’ve become, and someone stands before you and says, I will love you—and I will love you because of all those things you hate…

I cleared my throat, trying to dispel the lump.

Lili looked up, curious. She traced my scar, and I let myself—and the weight of everything I’d become—relax into her palm. If she wanted somewhere to lay her head, I’d build her a home. If she was sad, I’d make a fool of myself so she might smile. If she were cold, I’d burn for her. Anything.

For her.

At the edge of the Hollow, Jean beckoned us back over. Looking at her father, standing before the trees in which he raised her, Lili bit back a sob. Such emotions threatened to fell her; she gripped my hand so tight.

I held her tighter.

When she looked back at me, her eyes shone.

I couldn’t begin to explain the joy I found there.

Gripping me like a vice, Lili dragged me toward her family.

Standing before the Hollow, the Valets were an intimidating sight.

Reunited, they were as strong as the great yew at their backs.

Momentarily, I resisted Lili’s efforts to pull me forward.

Was I prepared for this?

Parents. A new brother. Lottie. People to trust—to share the burdens of life. I glanced at Lili, at her encouraging smile.

A partner.

After a lifetime of isolation…perhaps it was time.

I relaxed, allowing Lili to bring me to her family.

Jean gave my back a hearty pat. Standing on her toes, Evette leaned to my ear and whispered, “Only the best of men could have captured my daughter’s heart.

” She squeezed my shoulder and pulled away. “We’re fortunate it was you.”

A family.

The tension in my shoulders eased, and I permitted myself a moment to feel cherished—to know that I belonged to something.

I was ready.

Lysander glanced back toward the hill. “What of Queen Aenor?”

Lottie puffed her chest. “She hasn’t come for us yet.”

“I have a feeling she won’t follow us where we’re going,” Lili said.

Jean’s furrowed brow asked, ‘Where?’

“I know a place,” Lili replied. “A castle. A cursed place for cursed people, where we’ll never be bothered again.”

“There are monsters,” I cautioned.

“None more frightening than us,” Lottie said. She bared her new canines, with no small amount of delight. We broke our embrace and Lottie continued, “How will we choose rooms?” Lysander and Lili exchanged a glance and an irritated head shake.

Lili tugged me, pulling me toward the Hollow.

Lottie’s voice chased after us. “I just think I should get the first choice, seeing as how I risked the most tonight.”

And so, we abandoned the town. We walked through the trees, and the Hollow welcomed us. In the end, you get to decide whether you’re cursed or free.

From then on,

Fathers warned their daughters to beware

The Hounds of Scrying Hollow