Pieces of Eight (The Frey Saga, #2)(35)

That much I did know. I swallowed hard and asked a question I thought he would answer. "So Junnie was fighting council to protect me?" I thought of the battle before I'd regained part of my memories, before I'd learned I'd been intended to rule. She'd fought against her own, but she'd pursued Asher with vengeance.

"She was protecting you, yes, but she has also had issues with the current leaders of council." I watched him, my face pleading for more information. "I realize that Rhys and Rider have filled you in on Fannie and the events that led to the..." His words trailed off as my face paled at the mention of my mother, death, and destruction.

I collected myself and nodded for him to continue.

"Junnie feels that the event was used as an excuse to rout the leadership and cut the defenses of the northern rule. While she disagreed severely with the events that had taken place, she kept with you and Fannie in the village to ensure your safety until those that intended harm were located."

I was astonished, even though I knew I'd merely gotten the briefest of explanations, to protect my fragile brain.

"So, she left the village because we were safe."

It was meant as a statement but Chevelle answered, "No." My brows raised so he explained further. "She left when I had taken her place." My mind filled in the words he didn't say, protecting you.

I struggled to keep breathing normally, my head was spinning, my stomach twisted. "Why?"

I was baffled and it came out as a general question, but he thought I'd meant Junnie's leaving. "She contacted me when the first council elder was killed."

Now I was lost. "What?" came out just as the why had before.

"Quinn of Loelle was slain." I stared at him, completely mystified, until he cleared it up with three words. "By an animal."

I gasped.

I was trying to force the disturbing information to settle in the disorder of my mind when a flash of something distracted me. I glanced to the doorway to see who it was but there was no one there. I looked back at Chevelle but he was gone. At a loss, I scanned the room for him, only to find that he was coming back in through the door. It took me a second to catch up, he must have seen something too, went to check quicker than I could notice in my fog. He was furious.

"What is it?" I asked.

He shook his head as he advanced toward me, taking my arm and leading me from the room. "I shouldn't have expected to be alone with you."

I was confused, until we found the others.





Chapter Nine


Follower





Chevelle led me to a room I'd never seen and, before I could register that Rhys and Rider were there with Grey, he started spitting out orders. "Grey, take Frey to Ruby and stay with them." He turned to the others. "Storm must be located, she is likely already outside the walls." They only nodded in understanding as I struggled to grasp what had happened. And then my stomach twisted. She was watching us.

Suddenly, the men spun and left the room. Grey had moved at the same time, grabbing my arm to escort me as I tried to watch the others. He didn't speak as we hurried through the corridor and his posture brought me with him to the gravity of the situation. I focused, watching and listening as we moved through a part of the castle that was new to me. We turned a dark corner and he glanced quickly behind us once more before he opened a heavy door and pushed me through before closing it behind us.

My breathing was steady as I scanned the room, but as soon as I saw Ruby I loosened enough that worry sprang to the surface. She was calm as she looked to Grey, waiting for his explanation.

"Storm," was all he replied, his jaw tight, but Ruby's eyes flashed and she almost seemed to blaze with anger. I stared at her open-mouthed until she composed herself, a moment later.

"What is going on?" I asked, my voice strained.

Ruby, abruptly wearing bright eyes and a gentle smile, assured me, "Don't worry, Frey. It's fine."

I might have snorted.

She conceded my point. "How much did Chevelle explain to you?" she asked. I felt my brows raise and she sighed. "He was supposed to be conveying some important information to you?"

I thought back to our conversation. "Um, Junnie and council." My words were short but my mind was roiling. Junnie was my family and wanted to protect me so she was warning my guard, but she didn't agree with council, though she was previously a leader, council used my mother as an excuse to destroy the North and its rule, Junnie stayed with me in the village but she left when a council member was killed by an animal. "... and Fannie," I finished.

She shook her head and mumbled knew I should have done it myself before asking, "Exactly what did he say of Fannie?"

Chevelle hadn't actually pointed her out as the attacker but I answered anyway. "Quinn of Loelle." She nodded in understanding. "And then we were interrupted."

"Okay," she said, "sit down."

I swallowed hard as I complied.

"I am aware that you have been through much, Frey. We have tried to shield you as long as possible," she peered into my eyes, "but it is time."

I clenched my jaw against the panic.

"So you know about Asher-" My puzzled expression stopped her, "He didn't tell you about Asher?"