Tang, the young guard who’d defected, was a good fifty feet ahead of us as we walked in the direction of where Burn, Ruck, and Sneak were waiting. We’d continue through the night to put some distance between us and Bedlam.
We were already a couple of miles out, and I was still waiting for King Harvos to send someone after us. I wasn’t sure if I was afraid for us, or to see what would happen to them.
Ryker noticed me looking back every few minutes. “He won’t come for me head-on again, not now. I walked through his trap too easily. It’ll take him a while to come at me again,” Ryker said as I turned back around.
“King Harvos told me some interesting things,” I said, looking for something other than a mound of dead bodies to think on.
“Did he now?” There was no surprise in his voice, as if he’d expected this.
“Yes. Nearly unbelievable things.”
“Everything is possible.” He shrugged.
“I did think maybe what he was telling me was true. But then I figured that someone who’d lived that long would be wise and patient, so it couldn’t possibly be true. Someone like that wouldn’t have tossed a person into a lake.”
“I think there might be limits to the most patient person, like getting punched in the mouth.” It sounded like he’d said the word while smiling.
“You could’ve told me who you were.”
“Before or after you suggested we keep on hating each other?”
“I hope you don’t expect me to call you king.”
“Definitely don’t call me the Cursed King, unless you want the Valley to empty out in a day. I don’t have the best reputation. I was hoping for a clean start.” His teasing wasn’t going to stop my questions.
“How many know?” As I waited, a fear that I really wasn’t going to like his answer kept growing.
“If King Harvos is telling you, probably too many.” His sigh said it all.
“Did you get what you needed?”
“Yes.” The word didn’t hold any happiness, though. It was more as if he were resigned to his actions, for better or worse.
“Are you going to tell me what it is?”
“No. I’m going to show it to you.” He pulled a piece of rock out of his pocket and held it up.
“What is that? Please tell me I didn’t risk my life for a small piece of stone.” Along with a pile of other people.
“It’s a very special piece of stone.”
Even in the moonlight, a glint of rainbow sparked from it, as if it were lit from within. This wasn’t a stone.
“What is that?” I lifted my fingers, itching to touch it but scared. You never knew what magic would do to you, and this thing was definitely strong magic, but I hadn’t felt it.
He smiled. “It’s part of something much larger.”
“Do I want to know what it’s a part of?”
He put the stone back in his pocket, looking forward as he said, “That’s up to you. Once you know, it’s going to be hard to walk away.”
“I didn’t think leaving was an option.”
He turned to me, eyes intent on mine. “I don’t know how to release you, but after we go to the Debt Collector, if you want to leave, I’ll find some way.”
I didn’t say yes or no, only stared at him until I chickened out and looked forward. I didn’t know what I wanted.
We walked back into camp, Sneak sitting beside where Burn was leaning against a boulder, all bandaged. Ruck turned and ran over, giving me the best bear hug I’d ever gotten in my life.
“Who’s the newbie?” Sneak asked.
“Tang,” the kid said.
Sneak walked over, quizzing him as I moved over to Burn.
“How you feeling?”
“Well enough to make a blow torch if needed,” Burn replied.
I smiled and patted the shoulder furthest from his bandaging.
His smile faded and he turned deadly serious. “Thanks for drawing them away.”
“I didn’t see a reason for both of us to get caught.”
“I owe you one,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll pay you back at some point though,” he added, winking.
He thought I was stuck with Ryker, and I might be. Or I might not.
I nodded, keeping that to myself.
Chapter 36
It took us another five days to get back to the Valley, since we avoided the Ruined Forest. Walking back into town and seeing Marra was the hardest thing I’d ever done.
She came running out as soon as she heard we were approaching. Her eyes searched our group and then landed on me. She froze in place as she waited for me.
I shook my head.
She fisted her hands over her chest. Then she moved them a few inches away. As if there was a stick in each palm, she made a breaking motion.
I understood. My heart was breaking too.
My eyes must’ve said it all, because she crumpled right there on the spot. Ruck and I both moved forward, but Burn beat us to her. She wrapped her arms around him as he rocked her silent form. I didn’t care where she got comfort, as long as she did.
Ryker stopped beside me. “I’ve already got people out locating the Debt Collector. I’m going to send some more out to see if they can dig up some information on the other issue.”
He waited for me to say something, but I only nodded. He nodded too and headed off toward his place.
It was hours later, everyone asleep, as I made my way to the edge of the forest and dug my hole.
“What are you asking it now?”
I turned to see Burn walking over. I leaned forward until my forearm rested on my knees.
“I’m not sure.” I let a worm slip past without picking it up. “How’s Marra?”
“Could be worse, I guess. She’s sleeping, at least.” He looked almost as sad as she had.
I nodded, moving dirt around with my fingers. It was enough for now. The loss of her sister was going to take her a while to recover from, maybe forever.
Burn knelt a few feet away from me. “Ryker said he’s going to try and undo the oath if he can.” It sounded as if Burn wanted confirmation whether it was something I wanted.
“He said that to me too.” I didn’t say anything else because I didn’t know myself anymore.
Burn cleared his throat, then did it again, until it was very obvious he was trying to say something that was getting stuck on his tongue.
He finally spat it out. “You belong here. You know you do.” He pointed at my hole. “That’s why you’re here, right? You shouldn’t have to ask the worm. You should know.”
“But I don’t.”
“Then do it.”
Burn wasn’t a bad guy, and I knew, in his way, he was torn in his loyalties. I dug a fresh hole. This time, after I was done, I hesitated. Did I draw two Xs? If I drew a Y and an N, he might guess that I hadn’t known what they were before. Not that I was going to win any reading awards, but the books had helped.
I drew the Y and the N anyway. Screw what anyone thought. I didn’t look up to see if he noticed, but I knew he probably had.
I lifted the wriggling worm, cupped my hands, and then put it down without asking. “You’re right. I should know.”
I hadn’t asked my question, but the worm crawled toward Y anyway.
“What was the question you didn’t ask?”
“I didn’t even phrase it in my head yet,” I lied.
He nodded, and some of the tension in his shoulders seemed to fade as he slumped forward a bit, probably fearing I’d asked the worm if I should leave.
“Really think about this, okay?” Burn asked.
“I will. Thanks for the books, by the way,” I said before he walked away.
“What books?” The way he wrinkled his forehead let me know he had no clue what I was talking about.
“Nothing. I thought something was from you. Not a big deal.”
He nodded, leaving me there.
I smiled thinking of the new books I’d found when I’d gotten back. I should’ve known when the top one had all sorts of clock drawings on it.
Chapter 37