Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

T hey spent the next week at Lethe Monastery while Terena recovered.

Sonah had been right. The monks welcomed them as soon as they had seen her. Abbot Malis had embraced Sonah so tightly, Croak had cast a look at Orry, both of their eyebrows in their hairlines.

When they’d gotten Terena settled and one of their healers to tend to her many injuries, the abbot had requested their presence in his private room. It was bare, as Croak had expected, but had a wonderful view of the pretty courtyard below.

“Do you have any news from Metilai, Abbot?” Rydon had asked, getting right to the meat of it as Croak closed the door behind him. Rydon and Gabriol had declined a seat so Croak had as well, standing as they did with arms across their chests. Sonah had taken a seat on the tiny couch across the room, looking as if she’d done so hundreds of times. In fact, she looked so at home in this place, Croak wondered again how she knew the monks.

“We heard what happened, if that’s what you mean,” Abbot Malis said as he took a seat at Sonah’s side. Orry took a seat in an arm chair by the desk. The abbot looked out at each of them. He had kind eyes, set deep in a thin face lined with fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth. Croak imagined he was older than Rydon, although he wasn’t great at guessing someone’s age.

“And what’s happened?” Rydon pushed.

Sonah took hold of the abbot’s hand. Rydon shot a look at Gabriol that clearly showed they were wondering at the relationship, same as Croak.

“First, the sad news of the prince’s murder,” Abbot Malis said, casting a sympathetic look at Sonah. She dropped her gaze to her lap. “Then of course the escape of the two thought to have carried out such a heinous crime, although,” here, the abbot had squeezed Sonah’s hand, “we did not believe a word of it. And we thanked Gaia for sparing Sonah.” The abbot then looked up at each of the men standing before him and, with his heart in his brown eyes, bowed his head. “We thank you, as well.”

Croak had shifted uncomfortably. The conversation then turned to Terena and her injuries, sleeping arrangements, and how long they could stay before Terena was well enough to travel.

The abbot had said no one from Metilai had come to their doors, and if anyone from the empire bothered to seek them out at the monastery, the abbot assured them he had a place for them to hide.

The question Croak had been asking himself was, why?

He’d just left Terena’s sick room, happy her color had returned when he caught sight of Sonah sitting with a monk in the courtyard. As he moved a few steps closer, he saw her wave brightly at two monks walking across from her.

He frowned and leaned against a pillar, watching her.

“You thinking the same thing I’m thinking?”

Croak glanced to his right to see Rydon sauntering over, his thumbs tucked into his sword belt. He was wearing clean breeches and a white tunic and, for the first time since he’d met him, didn’t look as menacing. His red beard was trimmed neatly and even his hair was tamed and tied at the back of his head.

“Are you thinking it’s been a couple of weeks since you’ve had sex and maybe taking a chance and going into town is not a bad idea?”

Rydon snorted. “Are you ever serious? ”

“I’ve got plenty of time to be serious when I’m old like you.”

Rydon arched an eyebrow at him then turned to look out at the courtyard. “Don’t be any more ridiculous than you already are. I was talking about Sonah.”

“What about her?”

“She’s familiar with the monks here. I know she claimed she was here when she was younger, but I’m curious how the daughter of a duke would’ve become so attached to the monks of a monastery in Ravos.”

Croak shrugged. “I’ve known her since she was ten and this is the first I’ve even heard she had any knowledge of a random monastery in Ravos.”

“How’s your sister?”

Croak shifted. “Much better. Asking when we can head north, of course.”

“Well, we can’t do that yet. We need?—”

“Master Croak! Master Rydon! Quickly!”

A monk by the name of Daniel was huffing his way toward them and Croak looked back out at the courtyard to see Sonah running to them, her face a mask of terror.

“What’s happened?” Rydon demanded. Gabriol and Orry came around the corner with another monk escorting them, the monk’s face pale and pinched.

“Heylisian soldiers are here,” the monk said breathlessly as he caught up to them. When the others came close, he looked up anxiously at Sonah. “Abbot Malis is with them now, but he wanted me to find you.”

Gabriol cursed, and Rydon shoved past Croak toward Terena’s room. Croak had a second to look at him before he turned back to the monk. “Where do we go?”

“We anticipated something like this since your arrival, so if you’ll follow me, I can hide you until they’ve gone. If you need to leave, the packs we’ve gathered for you will be with you and you can go from there.”

Sonah grabbed hold of Orry’s hand and they all followed after Daniel, Croak lagging behind long enough for Rydon to come through the door. Terena was secure at his side, her face a kaleidoscope of colors from the bruises, but standing for the first time since they’d rescued her.

He came up on her right and helped Rydon carry her along.

Croak’s heart raced as they moved into the corridor leading to the dormitories. They turned left down some steps and then into a much darker hallway.

“How are we?—”

“This passage leads to a spring behind the olive grove,” Daniel said, holding up a torch. “Stay low once you’re outside. They should not venture through the grove, but if they do, go left and you’ll see the forest. You can lose them in there.”

At last, they reached the door leading to the outside and the spring Daniel mentioned. Just beside the door was a pile of what looked like potato sacks.

Daniel turned back. “I will be back as soon as they’re gone. If I’m not back within the hour, take those and leave,” he said and pointed to the sacks. Sonah embraced him. When she let go, Daniel went back inside and shut the door.

Croak helped Rydon ease Terena onto the ground and Sonah dropped to her side, hugging her gently.

“It’s so good to see you up,” Sonah said, her smile bright but tinged with worry.

“Thank you for taking good care of me,” Terena said and laid a hand on Sonah’s cheek.

It was true. Once the healer had tended to her injuries, Sonah had stayed at Terena’s side, feeding her, bathing her and brushing out her hair. Croak had walked in once to find her plaiting Terena’s hair, the two speaking in low voices and giggling.

He was thankful to have Sonah with them, even if it was under shitty circumstances. Maybe because of them.

An hour later, Daniel still hadn’t returned and Rydon was pressing them to leave. They had gathered their supplies when the door opened below them .

Daniel reared back in fright when he saw Gabriol and Rydon with their swords drawn.

“It’s me! It’s me!” He squeaked as he stopped at the top of the stairs, dropping the torch. Sonah swooped down to grab it.

“What news?” Rydon demanded, sheathing his sword.

Daniel took a moment. “You’re fine for now. They weren’t the emperor’s men, though. Well, not entirely. They were Duke Ovenno’s soldiers. They were looking for Sonah, aye, but they were looking for Mistress Luca as well.”

Sonah swung her head to Rydon, wide-eyed. “I didn’t think the duke would come for me!”

“Ovenno’s your father?” Rydon scowled at her, and Gabriol cursed. “Why are you running from him?”

Croak moved between them. “Can you please focus?” He turned back to Daniel with an arm out. “What else? Did they bring news from Metilai?”

“Aye, that they did! They told Abbot Malis that, during your escape, the firstborns escaped as well. The soldier speaking with the abbot said it would be safe for Sonah and Mistress Luca to return with them to Ovenno. But the abbot made it clear he hadn’t seen Sonah and did not know who Mistress Luca was, other than the rumors of her treason, that is.”

“Did they believe him, Daniel?” Sonah asked, grabbing the monk’s hands.

“Aye, they did. After they searched the monastery, of course. We had to pretend one of the monks was ill to account for the medicines in Mistress Luca’s room.”

“I love Abbot Malis,” Croak muttered and raked a shaky hand through his hair.

“But the abbot said to tell you he doesn’t believe the duke will be satisfied, and fears he’ll return himself. Abbot Malis suggests you take the packs and leave forthwith. You endanger yourselves if you stay.”

“We endanger you all as well,” Rydon admitted, then gave Daniel a curt nod and clapped his hand on the man’s shoulder. “We thank you, Daniel. And please thank the abbot for us as well. We hope to repay you all someday for your kindness.”

Daniel looked fondly at Sonah, pride shining in his eyes. “There’s no need, Master Rydon. It was enough to see this young lady again. You’ve grown into a fine lady, Sonah. As we knew you would.”

Croak and the others looked on with obvious curiosity as Sonah blushed and hugged the monk once more.

“I’ve had Temple and Simeon bring your horses to the woods. You won’t miss them.”

“ Our horses?” Croak asked. He’d been relieved when he’d found the boy with Cerberus and Nyx waiting for him and Orry after their harrowing escape from Metilai. He vowed to go back with Daniel if they weren’t the ones the monks had fetched.

“Aye, your horses,” Daniel confirmed with a smile. Croak grabbed the man’s shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

With a final wave to them all as the others said their farewells, Daniel turned and went back down the steps to the tunnel.

Terena woke with a start. She shifted and looked down, the soft folds of the cloak she slept on clutched in her fists. It took her a moment to recall where she was. No rats gnawing at her feet as she tried to sleep. No buckets of water being thrown on her to raise her from unconsciousness for more questionings or beatings.

She glanced around, the fire casting a glow around their small camp, and she relaxed enough to settle back into her cloak.

Avoiding any towns or villages, they had been traveling west through Ermanel for a fortnight, mostly sticking to the wooded areas.

“They’ll have expected us to head for Helster Lake, so they’ll have the port towns between Thalos and Vesala watched. Although, who knows what’s happening in Ovenno these days. Or the empire, for that matter.” Rydon said when he caught Terena watching him. He was sitting in the same spot as when she’d fallen asleep, so she doubted he’ d gotten any rest.

Terena stared at the fire, thinking. “We keep heading west, then.”

“Aye,” he said, and poked at the fire with a stick. It crackled and sparked and they both gazed at it for a few seconds.

Terena propped herself on her arm.

“To Tursk,” they said at the same time.

Terena narrowed her eyes.

“And then north to cross the lake at Bossena?” he asked. His smile deepened.

“Is this your plan or mine?” she grumbled. She moved to sit up straighter, taking care not to reawaken any of her aches. Galloping across the countryside had not helped.

Rydon chuckled and looked over at her. “Your brother told us of your emergency escape plan should anything… untoward… happen.”

Terena stared at him mulishly, but did not respond.

“Don’t blame the lad,” he said with a shrug, then gazed back at the fire. “He had no choice, obviously. And you’ll agree this was an emergency.”

“How do you happen to be in my brother’s company?”

Rydon sighed. “He sought us out in Laurica. At your direction, as I understand it. Needed help with the rescue and all. Promised us a fortune.” He shrugged. “You know, the usual.”

Terena snorted. “Of course. And the fortune is why you agreed, is it?”

“Why else?”

“Indeed,” she said.

They were silent for a while. Terena lowered herself back onto her pallet with a sigh.

“We cannot take the Greek roads.”

“Hmm,” Rydon said in assent.

The fire crackled and Terena listened to its music for several minutes. “You were never heading north,” she said at last.

Rydon made another sound. “Yes, and no. We’re heading that way. Eventually. Not before we had you.”

Terena stiffened. “Had me? ”

Rydon shrugged, still gazing into the fire. “That’s no longer necessary, is it?”

“That’s a matter of perspective, I suppose,” she said. “Who are you?”

Rydon stared at her. “I was sent to find you,” he said at last.

“That is no answer.”

“I’m a mercenary. As is Gabriol. That is the truth.”

“And who sent you?”

“I’ll get to that shortly, but I must beg a question before I answer. It will… affect what I share.”

Terena barked out a laugh. “Indeed!”

“Come. One question, and I promise I will tell you anything you wish to know.”

The silence thickened as she thought on his words. Curiosity got the better of her.

“All right, then,” she said with a lift of her chin. “Ask.”

Rydon shifted his weight and turned toward her, leaning his arms against his knees as he regarded her. “Are you a god?”

Terena was stunned by the question, blinking at him for several seconds. “What?”

Rydon gestured at her with his palm up. “You have powers. We’ve seen it. You know this,” he said, his lips pressing tightly together. “But there are stories too of the… gifted, being able to use god powers.” He splayed his hands. “Magic, yes? The powers the gods bestowed on some of their favorites. But the king asked for you specifically and tasked me and Gabriol to find you. So my question is, which are you? God or gifted?”

“I am neither,” she spat.

“Aye, and I am the next emperor of Heylisia. All right,” he said with a huff. “Ask me your questions. Might make more sense why I asked mine.”

Terena cocked her head. “Who sent you to find me?”

“His Majesty, the King of Olympus.”

Terena blinked. “King of Olympus. Tell me another.”

“No word of a lie,” Rydon said with a wry grin .

“Ambitious man. Does this king have a name?”

Rydon ducked his head. “He asked me not to say. He wishes to tell you himself.”

Terena scoffed. “You promised to tell me anything I wished to know.”

“I apologize,” Rydon said with sincerity. “I am sworn to him and he specifically impressed upon me not to. You’ll see why when you meet him.”

“Because I’ll know him?”

“Aye.”

Terena’s pulse raced. “And what does he want with me?”

“I did not ask, of course,” Rydon said with a shrug. “But I assume it has something to do with the others he’s looking for.”

“Others?”

“Aye. He has more men like me and Gabriol—mercs—searching for people. Specific people.”

“And we have something in common, I assume.”

“You assume correctly,” Rydon said. He leaned closer and pointed a finger at her. “They are all rumored to have powers such as you have exhibited.”

Terena snorted. “I told you, I have none.”

Rydon’s lips thinned. “Terena, you may not recall, but I was standing next to you in Metilai. You used your powers in that square. It was actually timely. You covered our escape with the chaos you created.”

She looked at him with a blank expression, and he waved a hand dismissively. “Look. I know the other marks—the people he’s searching for. We all talk, you know. Us sell swords. So I know who the others are His Majesty wants found. They have powers. And according to the guards back at the White Palace, you used powers on them as well, and on the prince, Isher. They swore it to a man. Ask your cleric.”

He rose and tossed the stick he’d been playing with into the fire. He walked toward her and stopped as he passed. “Deny until your face turns blue, goddess,” he said with a mock tip of his hat, “But I am not buying.”

Croak turned over, mumbling in his sleep. His head was blessedly quiet, and he’d been able to fall asleep as soon as his head hit his folded up coat. Now, as he flung his arm wide, it smacked something that cursed. A second later, a hand clamped hard on his mouth, hot breath on his forehead.

“Fuck, Croak!”

His eyes bulged wide as he tried to see his assailant. He bucked at the weight atop him, which made the figure curse and press down harder.

“Croak, stop! It’s me!” Terena hissed.

Croak stopped and shook his head. Terena lifted her hand away and moved back enough he could see her face.

“What the fuck?” he wheezed.

She got off him and shoved at his chest before looking around the camp. Ormano, Sonah and Croak had stayed close to the fire, bedding down on rolled up coats, one of them having draped a cloak atop Sonah, while Rydon and Gabriol had gone further out, taking turns on watch. Croak glanced across the fire to where Orry and Sonah lay asleep.

“What are you doing?” he hissed at Terena as he sat up.

“What do you know of the mercs?”

Croak made a face. “Honestly? This couldn’t wait until morning?”

“No, it cannot,” she hissed back. “Tell me everything from the moment you met them.”

Croak huffed and leaned up to see over her shoulder. There was no movement beyond the flames. Both were still asleep.

“I went looking for them like you asked,” he whispered. “Found them at Nathaniel’s and tried to get them to let us join them or what not and they kicked me out the table. Hadn’t spied them again until a few days later when Benson brought me news of your arrest.” He gestured with his hand and sighed. “I needed their help with your escape. They agreed, for a price of course. Had to give them half my orichalcum.”

“They wouldn’t have anything to do with you until you offered them money for help with my escape? Someone charged with being a god and the murderer of the Crown Prince? And nothing about that struck you funny.”

“Honestly sis, only you would think any of that crossed my mind in that moment when all I could think about was getting you out of there!” This last he all but yelled at her.

She reached out and grabbed his flailing arms, shushing him. When she was sure Croak had calmed, she let go of his arms and sat back.

“Gods, Croak,” she mumbled. “I get it. Sorry.” They were quiet for a time.

“The shorter one told me he was sent to find me. Not a tracker. Me .” Terena said.

Croak lifted his head and looked back at her. “Aye, Benson said that back in Laurica. What of it?”

“That doesn’t seem strange to.you?”

Croak looked at her, incredulous. “Are you joking?”

Terena ignored him and instead asked, “Did he tell you he’s a god?”

“Who? Rydon?”

Terena smirked. “The northern king. And calls himself the King of Olympus.”

“Oh, that’s rich,” Croak said, then narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t think… it’s not Zeus, is it?”

“I don’t see how it can be. Whoever it is also told the shorter one he doesn’t want me to know his name. Not until he tells me himself.”

“Ominous.”

“Indeed. And is specific about those he seeks.”

“Oh, he has a list, does he?”

“According to the shorter man?—”

“Rydon.”

“What? ”

“His name’s Rydon,” Croak said. “The shorter man. The other one with the permanent scowl to go with the permanent stick up his ass is his man, Gabriol. Not sure of their relationship otherwise, but I see deference every once in a while.”

“So they have?—”

“Gaia’s blood!”

Croak and Terena whipped their heads across the dying fire to see Ormano dusting off his robes and grabbing at his cloak to stomp over to them. He sat down with a grunt, struggling for a bit as he tried to cross his legs. He gave up after three failed attempts. Sonah hadn’t moved, huddled beneath the cloak.

“You two are jabbering loud enough for the dead to hear, let alone Masters Rydon and Gabriol!”

Terena shushed him. “Oh, so you’re best friends now? Masters, indeed.” Terena said as she scooted over to allow Orry to settle closer.

“Hardly,” he said with a frown. “They may not have said it, but I know noblemen when I see them. Even if they’re not from Heylisia. We had the opportunity to speak while we stayed at the monastery. And it was their plan that saved you, mind, so I’d be more civil in future.”

“Civil?” she laughed. “They came here seeking me out for a man who was no one and nothing a few months past!”

“And yet, if their aim was to kill you, they need not have lifted a finger to help you,” Orry said.

“Fine! Then what’s their play?”

“Well,” a voice said over Terena’s shoulder, making them all jump. “I was thinking we head as you’d planned but further west, to Osta. There, we can use the Greek roads and head north.”

Orry gasped and Croak reached out to grab hold of his sword. Terena simply sat there, staring over Croak’s shoulder at Rydon.

He smiled at having surprised them and loped over, bending slowly to one knee near the group.

“Solon has men there,” Terena snapped. “His soldiers are deserting to go north so he’ll have men there to stop them.”

Rydon shrugged. “A lot has changed. He no longer has deserters top of mind. He’ll be looking for you.”

“So what do you suggest?”

“If it were me,” Rydon said as he shifted, “I’d pull those men back. Further east to Vesala. Men to cover the other ports north. And the places where you could find sanctuary. They will choke those towns first before they look west,” he continued.

They were quiet a moment before Terena spoke. “But we’d have to go through the Pass or go south through Elis which, I’m telling you right now, I will not do. The empress’s family rules in Elis. At best, we lose three days.”

“We’ll be going through the Oryon Pass,” he confirmed. “And you’d better get used to the possibility it might take longer than that, even.” He gazed at Terena, then looked over his shoulder at Sonah’s sleeping form. “You and Sonah are wanted for the murder of the Crown Prince of Heylisia. And you specifically, for being a god. There’s no one in the empire won’t be looking for you. Remember Duke Ovenno’s men at Lethe?”

Croak stiffened, and he saw Terena flinch.

“You are not going north anytime soon,” Rydon finished, his voice rough, but Croak saw the sympathy in his emerald eyes.

Silence thickened around them, broken only by the pop of the fire.

Rydon leaned forward and started drawing in the dirt near their beds.

“If we get to Osta without issue, we head north to Seleste. We can cross safely there. “The river is still frozen over, and Seleste is the furthest west we can still cross on horseback,” Rydon said, casting a look at Orry. “By then they’ll have assumed either they missed us, lost us or were looking in the wrong place.”

“I thought you didn’t know this area,” Croak said suspiciously.

Rydon shrugged. “I lied. Mercenary.”

Croak looked over at Terena, who sat looking at the ground.

“And when we get to the north?” he asked. “I assume there’s a plan for that as well?”

“There is,” Rydon said with a sigh. He glanced at Croak before turning his gaze to Terena. “The king wishes to meet us at Olympia. They have rebuilt the palace there. Once we cross Fell River, there will be no need to worry about pursuit. I doubt the emperor will send men across.”

“You do not know him,” Terena said, lifting her head at last. She narrowed her hazel eyes at Rydon, and Croak could tell by the set of her mouth she was angry, although he wasn’t sure if it was at the mercenary or their predicament or, more likely, herself.

“Aye, that is true,” he said with a shrug. “But in the unlikely event he sends men north, they will not return.”

“And how can you be sure of that?”

“Because the king is like you, lady,” Gabriol said. He had quietly approached as they’d talked and now stood behind Croak, his thumbs hooked at his waist. They all turned when he spoke.

“What do you mean, like me?”

Rydon looked at Gabriol, then back at them all. “He is a god.”