Page 24 of Warrior Princess (Blood Weaver Trilogy #3)

23

A fter securing a carriage in Keldara, Ronan, Selene, Henry, and I journeyed back to the Grasslands after Mykal and his soldiers dropped us off at the border. The ride was long, and by the time we reached the outskirts of the village market, the sun was beginning its descent and long shadows stretched across the dusty paths. Silas was waiting for us just as we had arranged. With quick exchanges and brief hugs, we handed over Selene and little Henry to his care, ensuring they would be safe while we attended to more pressing matters.

Ronan and I made a beeline for the ritual hall, the center of all tribal meetings and decisions. The hall, a large structure marked by massive wooden beams and the thick, heavy cloth that served as a door, was immediately recognizable. We didn’t bother to announce our arrival, pushing past the heavy fabric and stepping into the dimly lit interior.

Inside, the air was pungent with the scent of burning incense, and the elders were seated in a semi-circle around a low burning fire. Chief Aryan and Shiro were engrossed in a discussion that halted abruptly as we entered.

Chief Aryan’s eyes narrowed and regarded us with a mixture of irritation and expectation. “Are you done gallivanting across Asteria and finally ready to contribute something worthwhile?” he challenged his son.

“We’ve been dealing with matters that affect the safety of our people,” Ronan retorted, his voice steady though obviously annoyed. “But that is beside the point. I’m assuming you’ve received the news about King Alwyn?”

Chief Aryan’s demeanor shifted slightly, a subtle acknowledgment of the gravity of the news. “Yes, the funeral is in six days in Eldwain, which will give us ample travel time to arrive. We’ve been invited.”

“Are you going?” Ronan asked.

His father rolled his eyes. “Yes, and I expect you to accompany me, Ronan… only you,” he stated firmly, his gaze sliding to me for the first time, his expression less than welcoming.

“Apologies, Chief Aryan, but I’ll have to inconvenience you once again. My family received an invitation, but I’m too far away to go to Valoria to travel with them. Please allow me to accompany you and your party.” I smirked, enjoying his obvious discomfort. “It would be much appreciated.”

Chief Aryan grunted, a sound that conveyed reluctant acceptance. “If you must.” His eyes briefly flickered to Ronan and then back to me.

“She must,” Ronan responded.

Shiro, who had been quietly observing the exchange, spoke up. “I would also like to attend. It would do well to show a united front, and I could use a change of scenery.”

Chief Aryan only nodded, knowing he couldn’t reject the demon fox. While the chief considered himself royalty, Shiro was the true king of the Grasslands. “Prepare yourselves. We leave at dawn tomorrow. Be ready, or be left behind,” Chief Aryan declared before he and the elders exited, leaving us alone with Shiro.

The demon fox approached us, his curiosity piqued. “How was your trip to the border?”

“Not good.” Ronan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “As we suspected, King Malik is being poisoned. He’s not well.”

“Damn it,” Shiro cursed and glanced at me. “What are you going to do?”

I gnawed at my bottom lip. “I gave my brother a prescription that should ease the symptoms for a bit, as well as a vial of my blood. Hopefully my blood will heal him. If not, then I’ll need to learn what he’s been poisoned with to make an antidote.”

“Does your blood not always heal?” Shiro asked with furrowed brows.

I shook my head. “No, not always.” I recalled Tessa’s gruesome death. That poison took her quickly. Even though I forced my blood into her mouth, she died within minutes.

“Interesting,” Shiro hummed. “What else did you learn on your trip to the Central Plains? I expected to talk to you before you left for Keldara, but we didn’t have an opportunity.”

Ronan ran a hand through his long hair again. “Yes, our trip to Keldara was sudden, but our trip to the Central Plains was informative. We met with Caelan’s sister, Princess Avery, who told us King Malik was being poisoned.”

“She also told us something strange that we hoped to learn more about in Keldara, but unfortunately, we didn’t get any information,” I added.

“What was it?” Shiro asked.

“She claimed my mother had another child before me.” I was uncomfortable with the idea that another sibling – one I’d never heard of – was out there. “Supposedly it was stillborn, or at least that was what my mother claimed. But according to Avery, everyone involved in the birth was mysteriously killed… all but one. A midwife.”

Shiro’s brows rose. “That’s fairly… scandalous. Were you searching for the midwife?”

I nodded. “But someone from Eldwain beat us to it. They came to Keldara five years ago and took her away.”

Shiro tapped his chin and considered the fantastical tale. “Are we not going to Eldwain for the king’s funeral? It’s the perfect time to make some inquiries.”

My mouth fell open. “By the goddess, you’re right!”

“We have to be careful,” Ronan cautioned. “In foreign lands, we must abide by their customs.”

“We’ll be careful,” I said, feeling hopeful once again.

That night, I went to the inn where Selene was staying; Henry was staying with Silas. Carrying a jug of wine, I knocked on Selene’s door. I heard a light rustle inside before she opened it, her eyes brightening when she saw who it was. Even in rough travel clothing, Selene’s beauty shone.

“Leila,” she sighed and ushered me inside. “Thank the gods. Come in.” While modest, the room contained all the basic necessities. Candles flickered on a small bureau and on a skinny table beside the bed.

I went over to the sitting area and sat on a cushioned chair, then uncorked the jug of wine. “Straight from the bottle!” I grinned and took a swig before passing it to her.

“This brings back memories.” She smirked and accepted the jug, then sat beside me. After taking a healthy drink, she handed the wine back to me. “Should I order some meat?”

I quirked a brow. “Have you not had dinner?”

She nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t know if you had.”

“No need.” I waved her off. “How are you feeling? I’m sorry I left you behind in Valoria. I hope Marcellus took care of you.”

She smiled shyly and studiously avoided eye contact. “Yes,” she whispered. “He did.”

I narrowed my gaze on her and smirked. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

She shook her head adamantly.

“Selene?”

“Fine! We…” She let the sentence hang.

“Oh, never mind. I’m not drunk enough for this.” I took another hearty swallow.

She giggled and covered her face. “He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met.”

“Ouch. I thought I was your favorite person,” I teased, then passed the jug of wine.

She received it and lightly pushed me. “You know you are. But your brother is something… different. Whenever your mother tried to get me to do something unpleasant or pull information out of me, he was always there to shut her down. I felt… protected.”

I nodded in understanding. “I’m glad he was there for you when I wasn’t. Am I right to assume you’ll be relying on him more from now on?” I quirked a brow.

She shrugged one delicate shoulder. “He said he wants to marry me… but we have to wait.”

I sighed. “Unfortunately, he’s right. Mother is in charge of planning weddings for her children, but if she’s behind everything going on, she’ll be de-throned. If that happens, Marcel will have a lot more flexibility to choose his marriage partner. Now, I don’t know how my father will take the news of his son marrying a non-royal, but I’ll support you both, no matter what.”

“Thank you, Leila.” Selene placed a hand over mine and sighed. “I’ve missed you, friend.”

I smiled brightly. “I missed you, too. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re here now. Hopefully we’ll all be reunited in Valoria soon.”

“I hope so.” She took a drink. “So… how are things between you and Ronan?”

I felt a blush stain my cheeks. “Things are going… well,” I said plainly.

Selene raised a brow and cautiously pointed to her neck. “I didn’t notice when we were at the border because it was so dark, but on the way here I noticed your neck. I don’t want to ask, but I feel like I must. What happened to you, Leila?”

Self-consciously I touched my neck, feeling the soft ridges of a healed cut. “Well… I died,” I offered calmly, as if I didn’t just drop a bombshell.

“What?” Selene exclaimed, her eyes wide and scared. “How are you… what happened?”

“Did Marcel ever tell you about the Crimson Clan’s prophecy?” I knew I’d never shared it with her. It was almost as if talking about it out loud would make it happen. Little did I know it would happen anyway.

She nodded. “They wanted to resurrect the demon fox, but to do that, they would have to…” She gasped. “Don’t tell me…”

“Yes. I agreed to go through with it because Ronan vowed to use his one wish to resurrect me. According to the prophecy, the blood weaver had to be sacrificed by one from the Crimson Clan whom they loved. In exchange, the Crimson Clan would receive one wish. But then his father, Chief Aryan kidnapped me, sedated Ronan, and performed the ritual himself, vowing to use the wish to further the Crimson Clan, not bring me back.” I rubbed my neck and remembered the terror of that night. It was a night I would never forget.

Selene gasped and covered her mouth with trembling fingers. “But then how… If Chief Aryan sacrificed you, how did you come back to life?”

I smiled grimly. “The instant the demon fox saw Ronan, he knew what had happened. As the rightful owner of the wish, Ronan pleaded for him to resurrect me, and he did,” I explained.

“Thank the gods,” she murmured. “Was the demon fox… scary?”

I laughed. “No, not at all. Actually, he’s helped me out a lot since he arrived. He obviously knows a lot about the Moon Goddess. With his help, I’ve learned blood weaving.”

“Just be careful, Leila.” She took a drink of the wine and handed it back to me.

We spent the rest of the night talking about recent events and laughing and reminiscing about our time in the Central Plains. A simpler time. It was nice to forget about all our struggles and hardships and just shoot the breeze. I needed my best friend to help me forget about my worries, even if it was just for one night.