24. Twenty-Four

Twenty-Four

A storm poured down in sheets as if the heavens had opened and unleashed their fury upon us.

It felt like a bad omen for the day ahead.

I pushed the thought from my mind. I couldn’t afford to think like that, not today. If everything went according to plan, by this time tomorrow we would be packing up our camp in Ammord and preparing to hike to the house on the realm’s edge. I buried my face in my hands, pressing hard against my eyelids and rubbing them vigorously. I could feel the adrenaline already pulsing through my veins.

Stretching my arms overhead, I let out a loud yawn as I peeled off my sleep shirt. With a quick motion, I slipped into my leathers and pulled on a tight, black thermal shirt, feeling the fabric cling to my skin.

As my fingers grazed the worn canvas of my satchel, I was transported back to the morning that started this. The mist flowing through the window, dampening the piles of clothes and books scattered around my dorm room.

Ata and Pri were already up, talking quietly on the couch over coffee. Spotting their bags in the corner of the room, I shuffled over to them, tossing mine beside theirs before collapsing into the couch cushions. Ata nodded toward the kettle with steam still rising from its spout.

“You guys look exhausted, did you sleep?” I asked

Ata groaned, pushing her fingers to her temples. “No, my mind would not turn off. I’ve been down here for hours, staring at nothing.”

“I got back a few hours ago,” Pri said, her voice thin and tired

I flicked my fingers toward the fireplace and slipped to the floor at their feet as flames burst to life. “Where were you?” I asked, filling a mug and taking a sip. The warmth seeped through my bones, momentarily warding off the chill brought on by the storm outside.

“Meeting with my contacts in Ammord, making sure we wouldn’t run into any trouble when we cross the realm line,” Pri said as her jaw flexed. I could see it in her eyes—she was scared.

The front door creaked open and our heads snapped to the rush of cold air chilling the room. The wind screamed against the trees as Wren and Andrues walked in. They were soaked; rainwater dripping from their clothes onto the wooden floor.

Pri gestured her hand toward the fireplace at the sight of them, and the flames grew hotter. Ata raised one perfectly arched eyebrow at Andrues as Pri grinned slyly.

“What the hell happened to you?” I chuckled into my mug.

“Rough out there,” Wren remarked, shaking his head at Pri. She shrieked, throwing a blanket up between them.

“You look like a drowned rat,” Pri teased.

“I probably smell like one too, wanna find out?” Wren wrapped his arms around Pri, giggling as she tried to fight him off her.

I gushed at the two of them, appreciating the lightheartedness despite the gravity of the day ahead of us. A brief respite, a moment to breathe, before we delved into what was certainly going to be a cold hike.

“Is everything set in Ammord?” Andrues asked Pri as he set his wet jacket by the fire.

“Yes. The realm passage is clear on both sides, and my contacts are going to make sure to keep Ammord’s border clear until they see us pass through.”

Andrues nodded as Wren kissed the top of her head before they both exited the room, heading up the stairs. Silence fell over us as we huddled closer, our gazes fixated on the flames in the fireplace.

“Good morning, ladies,” Landers’s voice cut through the quiet, sending coffee sloshing over the rim of my mug. He laughed at our pale faces as he made his way to the kitchen. “It is not usually this quiet with the three of you together.”

I rolled my eyes and pushed myself from the ground.

“Some of us are comfortable in silence,” Pri crooned with a mocking smile before turning her attention back to the mug in her hand. I followed Landers into the kitchen, hoping to get a moment alone with him before we left.

“Good thing we trained with water, huh? You are used to being drenched.” He turned to face me with a playful smirk strewn across his face. I rolled my eyes again and pushed past him to refill my cup. “You know, if you keep doing that, your eyes may eventually get stuck.” He chuckled to himself.

“I see you’re in a good mood this morning.”

“I am,” he said, sipping from his cup and tracing his tongue over his full lips before setting it down on the counter.

Landers was dressed in the same leathers as the night we met. They were similar to his others, but the intricate detailing on them almost looked regal. His tattoo peeked out from underneath his collar and I let my eyes linger there for a moment.

“Doesn’t this storm worry you?” I asked, gesturing my hand toward the window.

“No, it will make it harder for us to see and navigate through, yes. But it will do the same for anyone or anything out there that could be a threat to us.” He shrugged. “We can use it to our advantage, especially having Wren with us. He can navigate the realms better than anyone I have met in my four centuries.”

“Once we get to the house in Ammord, will you train me more? To see if I do have any other magic? I want to learn—I need to learn.” His dark emerald eyes were already fixed on me as I tilted my chin up toward him.

“No. Using your magic at the academy already put a target on your back. Asrai broke the Realm Treaty already with the little she taught you. We can’t risk anyone seeing you use it in The Silliands or Ammord,” Landers said as he pulled me against him, running his hands through my curls. “When we get to Locdragoon, I promise to teach you anything you ask of me.”

I nodded into his chest, breathing him in.

“Hey . . . you two . . .” Ardan hesitated as he rounded the corner. He smirked, winking playfully as he met my eyes and pushed past Landers to get to the coffee pot. “Did you leave any coffee for me? Or did you drink it all yourself?” Ardan said as Landers chuckled, the sound vibrating through me as his arms slid down mine. Landers gestured his head toward the kettle and I watched as it filled back to the brim.

“Much appreciated,” Ardan quipped, lifting a mug to Landers.

“Is everyone up and ready to go?” I asked Ardan, hoisting myself up onto the counter, letting my feet dangle as I leaned back against the cupboards.

“Should be. All our bags are by the door.” I watched as Landers sauntered out of the kitchen, disappearing around the corner and I casually slid my arms around Ardan’s waist and looked up at him. Even while sitting on the counter he still towered over me.

“Tell anyone and I’ll castrate you.” My lips spread into a mock grin as he smiled coyly back down at me and brought his mug to his lips.

“Tell them what?”

“Exactly.” I slapped my hand across his chest and he swatted it away as I leapt off the counter and turned to leave the room. I tossed my hair over my shoulder, as I looked back and blew him a kiss.

The room bustled with the sounds of laces being tied and weapons being fastened into place. I scanned the room as a heavy weight settled into my chest. There was a nagging feeling, something pulling at the hairs on the back of my neck.

“Hyacinth?” Pri’s voice sounded beside me. I shook my head, rattling the thought out of place as I looked over at her.

“Sorry,” I sighed, pushing a clump of curls behind my ear. Pri smiled in understanding as she extended her hand out further to me, her fingers clutched around a flask.

“I put an enchantment on it,” she boasted. “It will stay warm and you’ll never run out. I know how you get without your coffee.” She winked as I pulled it from her hand. The corner of my lips pulled upward as I felt the heat radiating from it.

“Thank you, Pri.”

A sudden lightning strike made me jolt in place. My hand shot to my neck, clutching the necklace that rested between my breasts as I pulled in a deep breath and closed my eyes.

The feel of rough, worn leather and fur slammed against my chest and my eyes snapped open.

“Put that on,” Ata commanded as she strapped her bow and quiver to her back and placed my sheaths of daggers atop the coat in my hand.

“I never understood your need for so many. One dagger should do, maybe two, but ten? I think ten is over kill.”

I smiled, watching as she struggled to keep the pile of daggers from slipping out of my arms and laughed. “I like shiny things; can you blame me?” I shrugged, smirking as I strapped them to my body.

I pulled my hair up to the top of my head and twisted my rope around it as I turned to face Pri and the others.

“So, what now?” I breathed my question in Pri’s direction wearily. Her eyes were sincere as she responded.

“Wren and I will lead.” She glanced over at him, her calm composure slipping, he gave her a confident nod and she continued. “With the storm, it will likely take at least an hour longer than we originally planned, so we need to leave now. Once we make it to the edge of Redelvtum, we will try to cross the passage to Ammord as quickly as possible.” Wren placed his hand on the small of her back as she finished.

“Well, let’s do this.” Ardan’s voice was strong and confident as he grabbed his and Ata’s bag and swung them over his shoulder with that same soft smile.

I looked at him—it seemed like nothing was able to penetrate his carefree spirit. No matter the issue at hand, he always brought a sense of calm with him into every room.

It was the healer in him.

Nodding in agreement, I reached for my bag but Landers picked it up before I could reach it.

“I got this. You need to conserve your strength today.” He swung my bag over his shoulder and I could feel Taft tensing behind us, his energy shifting to annoyance. Ata shot him a warning glance as he pushed past us, to grab his satchel.

“It’s time,” Andrues said and pressed his palm against the door, pushing it open to the typhoon raging on the other side.