They seemed to relax a little as Chevelle shook his head and brought his horse back to pace. I thought I knew what they were thinking. Idiot. Ruby answered “Hmm,” with a cocked eyebrow as she turned to follow the group.
They were mostly silent the rest of the day, until we stopped for the night. The group split after dinner as Anvil and Grey positioned themselves on rocks at the perimeter of our camp. Ruby hung out by Grey most of the evening and Steed busied himself as Chevelle paced stiffly around the camp. I was bored again, with everyone entertaining themselves, so I leaned back against a rock and pulled my pack to my lap. I wrapped my cloak loosely around me and positioned my legs so I could place the book there and, hopefully, not be found out. I wondered how many more days of traveling we’d have. I didn’t see a peak, I didn't even know if we were going to the peak of the mountain we were on. But I was too cowardly to ask so I distracted myself in the journal.
My sister hasn’t spoken to me since our mother passed. I wish she was… different. Not merely a different personality, but different altogether. I can remember the stories in my mother’s journal about her own sister, they were so close. That was, of course, until my father. But I suppose my sister might be different as well, if not for him. He’s taking a journey, they tell me. He’ll be gone long. I’ll be here alone, except for Rune. He’s to continue my practice.
Chevelle approached during his pacing and I slid the book back into my pack, pretending to examine the beading on the material of the dress. This seemed to disturb him. He avoided pacing near me the rest of the evening, throwing me odd glances now and again. I shrugged it off and went back to reading.
Father has been gone for weeks. Rumor is he’s searching for a new mate. Someone unique, someone powerful, I’m sure. I can’t stand it anymore, he thinks I’ll sit here and exhaust myself practicing and trying to perform ridiculous stunts while he’s out running around. All the servants gossiping and I know nothing. I have had it. Mother’s room remains sealed but I was able to obtain some of her things from Father’s study. I am only to use it under Rune’s supervision so I took the books out and returned to my room with them in secret last night. I have scoured through them and though I don’t know all the words of the spell exactly, I think I’ve found a way to escape. I’ll have to practice on a servant first.
Practice on a servant. That brought back something Ruby had said, Chevelle would have to practice the unbinding spell on someone else first. Would he use one of our group? And if the spell went wrong?
I tested the spell on Rain last night. I’m not sure what went amiss but she convulsed for hours before she fell into a sleep. She finally rose late this morning but she couldn’t remember who she was and she kept scratching at her face until it bled. At least she’ll not be able to tell anyone I did it. I’ll have to catch another servant tonight.
No, I had a feeling he’d not be using one of our group. I was starting to get sleepy but didn’t want to put the book down.
This one worked. Dree’s nose bled for the first few minutes but after that she slept soundly and woke just before noon knowing she had missed nothing. Tomorrow, I try it on my watcher.
Watcher. I fell asleep with her words in my thoughts. My imagination had filled in all the blanks, let the fear I’d been suppressing creep in, take over. It turned her words into my nightmares. Watchers and trackers, tassels and robes, Chevelle’s furious gaze as he pushed me from the cliff again. Chevelle. My watcher.
“Frey.” I jerked as Ruby woke me at dawn, urging me to stand for a few moments before we were back on the horses.
I was exhausted again, so I hung back from the group as we rode. Steed slowed to ride with me. I watched as Ruby and Grey bantered ahead. “Steed, why aren’t they together?”
He sighed; I didn’t think he enjoyed discussing his sister’s personal life. “Ruby. She doesn’t believe she can get close to anyone… that way.”
I considered the way she was with me, as if she wanted us to be close, the way she touched Steed, sat near him. “Why?”
“Past experiences.”
Yes, she’d killed her mother. And how many others? What had she said, until a pattern became noticeable? I shivered at the thought. “Poison.”
He nodded silently in acknowledgement.
“In the village, some of the elves never paired up.” I thought of Junnie’s family. “But I guess most of those had received the calling.”
Grey scoffed ahead of us.
I hadn’t realized he could hear us, our conversation about him and Ruby. I was embarrassed but couldn’t stop myself. “What?”
He slowed to ride beside us as he spoke. “The calling.”
I didn’t understand, it had been a thing of honor, he regarded it as if it were a joke. My expression plainly called for his explanation.
“Do you really believe such nonsense?”
“What nonsense?”
“The calling?”