Page 23 of The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two

I had another nightmare…if that’s what you could call it. While my body had once tensed and panicked when Kayin’s voice filtered through, it now relaxed—even though my body still couldn’t move.

“Open your eyes, Lena.”

I obeyed and was shocked that I could actually blink—actually see.

“See? We are making progress,” she said happily.

I still don’t understand any of this.

“All in due time.”

She always came in, said a few words, and left. It had been happening more frequently as of late.

“You can trust him, you know.”

All I could do was blink.

Who?

“Torrin Brighthell.”

My mouth would have fallen open if I could have moved it—but instead, my eyes bulged.

You know Torrin? How?

Another chuckle. “You will have a note from him waiting on your nightstand. Meet with him.”

I paused for a moment. How can I trust him when I don’t even know if I can trust you ?

She sighed. “Hear him out.”

Her voice faded, and despite my frustrations, I drifted to sleep.

The second I began to gain consciousness again, my eyes shot open, and I flung myself up. Sure enough, when I awoke just past 5:00 a.m., a note was sitting on my nightstand. I rubbed my eyes as I picked up the small piece of parchment and blinked rapidly—my vision still blurry.

Western Forest. 6:00 a.m.

Do not be late.

-T

I jumped out of bed and quickly got ready, mindful not to wake Mother. While we typically got up early on market days, we tried to sleep in the rest of the week. Torrin must know that.

How long has he been watching me?

Mother would probably not agree with the idea of me meeting a grown man in the forest, let alone a member of the Royal Guard, but I needed to do this .

My mind drifted to the idea of him seeing Silas and me in the woods, and I tensed. That was probably reckless of me to do, but I didn’t regret it.

After brushing my teeth, I dressed in a long-sleeved tunic, pants, and knee-high boots. I threw my hair in a braid, slung my sword across my back, and tucked my dagger into my side. There was no way in hell I’d meet him without weapons.

I strolled past the bridge, the sun having just risen, and I waved up at the usual guard stationed there before making my way through the forest. When I worked my way through the first set of trees, I paused.

This forest was enormous. Where could he be in it? I quickly fished out his note that I had stuffed in my pocket, looking at it again.

“You’re here.”

I shrieked and whirled towards the voice, dagger in hand, and met eyes with Torrin as he put his hands up.

“Whoa! My apologies.”

“You scared the hell out of me!” I panted, one hand to my chest, my dagger in the other.

He just stared at me.

“Well?” I pressed, clearly annoyed.

Torrin wasn’t wearing his guard uniform today. Instead, he wore a deep maroon tunic, black arm guards, a matching protective girdle, dark pants and boots, and an ebony cloak with the hood pulled down. A sword was strapped around his back, and I could only guess the other weapons concealed at his sides.

He crossed his arms, then smirked. “You seemed to have had fun here a few days ago.”

My whole face went red; I knew it did. “You, you did not—”

He raised his hands. “Once I got the hint of what would go down, I left. I had no wish to traumatize myself,” he said calmly as his smirk faded.

I groaned in frustration and sheathed my dagger. “Why are you stalking me?”

He frowned. “I ‘stalk’ to ensure the protection of the Crown Prince. Orders by the Queen.”

“Really?” I folded my arms across my chest. “Where were you when those men from Serpent’s Cove attacked us? When Q—” I winced. “ When Silas was attacked and had no choice but to end them?”

A bewildered frown overtook his features, and his arms slacked to his sides. “When the hell did that happen?” he demanded.

My eyes widened, and I smacked my palm against my forehead.

If he’s trying to get information from me, I’m doing a good job just giving it to him.

“What do you want?” I muttered, annoyed with myself for being so foolish.

“The Queen only requested my service in keeping an eye on Silas after your little altercation at the castle.” He paused momentarily. “I haven’t seen another Mage in quite some time.”

I stilled, only my head tilting up to glare at him.

The wind blew his platinum hair, and his umber-colored eyes gazed at me with unsettling intensity. He turned his hand ever so slightly, and the glamour concealing his ears vanished, showing natural, pointed cartilage—the ears of a Mage.

My hand shot over my mouth, and my breathing hitched.

He was telling the truth !

“What are you doing?” I hissed as my eyes darted around us. “Hide them!”

He motioned his hand again as he glamoured himself once more, his ears becoming rounded again.

“I wanted you to know I meant what I said.” He glanced around and leaned in close. “I am a spy,” Torrin whispered, and my stomach dropped. “Before you panic,” he continued, “I wasn’t being dishonest when I said Silas was my friend and a good man.”

Silas had said the same of Torrin, but what would he say if he knew he was a traitor? A spy?

“For whom?” I barely got out.

His voice was low and smooth. “Our people in Ames.”

I frowned, looking into his brown eyes. Specks of orange were present in his irises, nearly glowing in the sunlight. “I haven’t heard of such a place,” I breathed.

He gave a soft smile. “It’s a quaint village, nowhere near the size of Otacia. But everyone there is like you and me.”

A place with just Mages? That couldn’t be. Mother and I had traveled a great distance around our continent—Tovagoth—and had never encountered anything like it. Then again, there is much to the mainland we haven’t seen, I suppose.

I crossed my arms to try and still the trembling I felt running through them. “If such a place exists,” I persisted, “why the hell would you stay here? Silas said he’s known you for years .”

Those brown eyes studied me closely. “A great seer lives in Ames. He is named Igon Natarion. He told me the future of our people depended on me being here.” His eyes skimmed the area again, and then he lowered his voice to a whisper. “Something bad is going to happen, Lena. I don’t know what specifically, as seers cannot directly tell the future without altering it. But the fate of our people relies on Otacia. On me being here,” he repeated.

“So, what, you will be the one saving our people? You alone?” I asked incredulously. I was finding it a challenge to keep my nerves at bay.

He scoffed. “I am just part of the puzzle, as are you.” He took my hands in his, and I stilled at the gesture. I angled my head upwards to meet his stare. He had to have been a foot taller than me. “When things change…when things go wrong—and you’ll know when that moment comes—you find me. Do you understand?”

“You’re scaring me.” My whole body vibrated with dread, and then my biggest fear crept in. “You…you aren’t going to hurt Silas, are you?”

Torrin drew back. “Never,” he promised, and the look on his face almost appeared pained. “Silas is my friend. I would never hurt him. When things change, it will not be our doing. It won’t be in our control.”

“What of Silas, then?” I pressed. “What will happen to him?”

Torrin gently squeezed my hands that were still in his. “It will be Silas who determines the fate of Magekind. It has been seen.”

I let out a shaky breath. None of this made sense. I had never known a seer, never known any other Mage, for that matter, but it was known that certain Mages were gifted with unique abilities. I didn’t appear to have one, nor did my mother.

“How exactly is that?” I ignored the lump in my throat at the thought of such a weight on Silas’s shoulders. “As…as King? ”

Torrin’s shoulders dropped. “That I am not sure of. I wasn’t told any specific timelines.”

“So, what, you could still be here as an old man if nothing changed?”

His eyes looked to the ground in contemplation, then rose to mine. “If it is what I must do.”

I frowned. Torrin was clearly loyal to his people and to this source, this…seer. “Should I tell him about me?”

“No,” he said quickly. “I know Silas loves you. But there are too many forces at play. I don’t think it wise, not now. Not yet.”

My shoulders sagged. I felt sick keeping all this from him. The voice said I can trust Torrin. But he was committing treason against Otacia, against Silas. If I told them of Torrin, he would be killed. And what would stop Torrin from telling them about me, about Mother?

I had no options. I was damned if I did, damned if I didn’t.

“If you so much as think of hurting Silas,” I said with deathly calm, my eyes shooting daggers at Torrin’s. I squeezed his hands back, but the gesture showed no kindness. “I will kill you.”

Torrin’s jaw flexed, and then he smiled at me softly. “We’re on the same page then.”

I gave him a scowl, and then he began to stride away.

“Wait!” I called, and he halted. “So…what do I do now?”

“Live,” he answered, speaking to me over his shoulder. “Be careful, be smart. I just needed you to know to find me when things change.”

“Just as I was told to find you.”

My body jerked as Torrin’s voice filled my head. He let out a laugh .

“If I need to speak to you, you’ll hear me like this…in your head.” He turned to me, expression blank as he spoke with me telepathically. “All you need to do is think back your response.”

“You're a telepath?” I asked out loud nervously.

I was blinking rapidly while Torrin smirked and walked away.

Bastard.

“I heard that.”

My eyes followed him as he vanished into the trees.

Good!