Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(40)

“Perhaps some, but they are frightened. After years of abuse, they've been chased from their homes. Some, like Annabelle, had a warlock who treated them better, yet they still understand how brutal the world is against women. And they all have been brought up to fear Envadi ways. They won't want to become a barbarian like you very easily.”

These people have such twisted views of what barbaric is. “Still, they have accepted Serena and Cynthia.”

“Not as leaders, or at least what they think of as a leader. Those girls are guiding these people, but they’re doing so in their own subtle ways. Slowly teaching and instructing. You're…more straightforward than that. You speak exactly what's on your mind.”

“And an Envadi.”

“There's that as well.”

Why does he have to keep bringing that up like it's a bad thing? “Do you think I'm a barbarian as well?”

“I think…”

“Go on. You've said enough already that more isn't going to hurt my feelings.”

He grins, so soft and slowly, it's hard to watch anything except it. “You are so stubborn.”

“I try,” I say. “And you are trying to avoid my question.”

“Fine, then. You're not at all barbaric. But you are not only stubborn but brash. And beautiful.” What did he just say? “Also, you're strangely quirky. Warm milk? That's only for people on farms that are desperate. Not people who have access to things like an ice box.”

“Have you tried it?” Even though that's what I said, my thoughts are still on the fact he called me beautiful. The room is growing hotter.

“I don't need to.”

“You haven't. I knew it. Tonight we're going to change that.”

“We don't have to.”

“Of course we do.” I stare him down, and he stares right back. I'd keep it going and win because I'm just that stubborn, only I think of something more important and soften my gaze. “Thank you for doing all this. For putting up with me and helping us out. We couldn't do this without you. I couldn’t do it without you.”

He leans a little closer. “You're welcome.”

Warmth floods through me, a nice kind of heat, but somehow it leaves me uncertain. “I'm going to go get that milk heating,” I say before I hurry off.

It's good that he's helping. We really need him too. But that's not where my thoughts really want to go. They want to linger on him, and the warmth I felt from simply being closer to him.





Chapter Twenty-Eight





The biggest cavern in our network of caves is full of people we've found. My hands are shaking as I look at them all.

“Are you certain you are ready to do this?” Jack asks.

Serena to my right, Cynthia to my left, and Jack on the other side of us all as the group gathers. Tawny is waiting at the back of the crowd with Annabelle, supporting us as best they can from there. If I were alone, I'd say no. If it'd been a year ago, I'd say no. If I listened to common sense, I'd say no. But I've passed all those things and am ready to follow what I know is right regardless of how hard it's going to be.

“Let's do this.”

“I suppose it's time, then,” he says.

We're silent as our group of survivors gathers together. We're such a small group. It seems like there's more of us when it's time to eat, but there's really few compared to how many are in the entire country. There’s not even enough here to start a real rebellion. Not really. Yet as they crowd into the main cavern, it seems as if there's many of us gathered together.

My palms grow sweaty. I discreetly pat them on my pants. If Annabelle and Cynthia can wear them, so can I. Of course, with Annabelle everyone thinks it's endearing. With Cynthia, they think it's fitting her station since doing magic at the tournament and winning. With me, well, I'm just the barbaric one. The crazy one. And they're all about to think I'm even crazier.

Jack and I decided if we're going to go through with this, we might as well be honest about the fact I'm involved. Hopefully Serena, Cynthia, and him are enough to dissuade any negative impact I may have. I can't lie to them, though. They've been through too much of that already.

Once they're all here, Jack says, “We've all been together for a while now. Gotten to know each other a little. I'd like to think things are different here than what you're used to.”

Several heads in the crowd nod in agreement.

“To that end, I believe we can be honest with each other.” He pauses, in which all my hopes seem to teeter on a cliff. “You've all gained a little more freedom here, albeit a cautious sort of freedom that comes with hiding from the law. I've discussed some of this new freedom and different attitudes with these ladies, and we think, we believe, there is a better way of living.”

“What are you saying?” someone from the crowd calls out.

“I'm saying, we should make this our way of life without interference from those now leading us,” Jack says. “I'm saying we should try to overthrow the Grand Chancellor.”

As one, those gathered gasp. And my hopes jump off the cliff, soaring somewhere unknown. I can only hope they land in a better place than they began.