Unbound (The Captive #7)(60)
The look on the man’s face had Melinda rising from her chair. “What is it?” she demanded.
“Someone fired three arrows over the wall,” the man replied.
Ashby rose beside her, his fingers resting on the table as he leaned forward. “Only three?”
“Yes and that is not the weirdest part.”
“What is?” Melinda asked.
The man approached the table with an arrow in hand. He extended it to her. Melinda took the arrow, turning it over in her hands as she studied the blunted end and the piece of cloth stuck to it with her name written on it. Aria. It had to be.
She tugged the cloth free and read the simple note scrawled on it before passing it to Ashby. She stood for a minute, digesting the words on the note. Aria had confirmed it was Sabine who would be coming after them, which meant there really was a chance Braith could rise again. Hope leapt in her chest, but she shoved it back. There was too much to do now to count on Braith rising again in time, or at all.
“You said there were three. Where are the other two arrows?” she asked the man.
“We believed it was an attack. The other two were trampled before we could get to them.”
“Were there notes attached to them too?”
“I believe so, milady.”
She had no doubt the other two notes had been addressed to someone else in this room, most likely Ashby and Gideon, if they both hadn’t also been addressed to her.
“What does it say?” Calista demanded and rose from her seat as Gideon read the message. Her close-cropped black hair emphasized her beautiful features and mocha skin. Her brown eyes pinned Gideon as he handed the cloth over to her.
Gideon turned toward the king’s man. “Have more guards put on the wall. Tell them an attack is coming soon and to be prepared.”
“Yes, sir,” the king’s man said and left the room.
“A?” Saul, another member of The Council, inquired as he stared at the note.
“Aria,” Melinda replied. “She’s letting us know they’re gathering troops on the other side and to hold the wall until they’re ready to make a move to help us.”
“Then we will do just that,” Calista said firmly.
“Why has Braith not returned here, and why didn’t he send the note?” Saul demanded, his gray eyes surveying her.
“We all know Aria is far better with a bow and arrow than Braith, so of course she sent the notes,” Gideon lied with ease as he strolled around the table. “We have to make sure we are completely ready for this threat. We must go out and be with the residents now, assure them we have this under control and that we will win this fight. If they’re fearful, it will make them weak and in turn make us all weak. We will bolster their confidence!”
Melinda stared after him as he exited the room with those words floating almost cheerfully behind him.
“What about the other two arrows? What if those notes said something more?” Adam, another member of The Council, inquired.
“There is nothing we can do about that, but there is something we can do about this,” Melinda replied. “Gideon is right. We have to get out and assure everyone that this threat will be handled. Let’s go.”
Ashby slipped his arm through hers and led her out of the room. Gideon was at the end of the hall waiting for them. “If Braith was awake, she would have signed it B, or he would have written the note,” Gideon said when they joined him.
“I know,” Melinda replied, “but Aria has warned us, and we will be prepared. I have a feeling Jack will be there for this battle. He is liked enough that everyone will follow him.”
“He hasn’t been here in over a year,” Gideon reminded her.
“He’ll return and prove he’ll fight for them. It will mean something to them,” Ashby said.
“I hope you’re right,” Gideon said and turned away. “None of us will survive if you’re wrong.”
***
Daniel
They had about ten more miles to cover when the sun dipped behind the trees. Daniel stopped to wipe the sweat from his brow, cursing the short days even as his fingers itched to paint the pinks, reds, and oranges spreading across the blue sky and illuminating the mountains.
It would be best to take a break now, drink some water, and hunt for their dinner while there was still enough daylight left to do so. They continued on for a half a mile before coming across a set of caves and slipping inside. Daniel rushed through the twisting tunnels winding deeper into the earth, until he was sure they were far enough away from the outside that it would be safe to build a fire.
Timber worked on gathering the wood while Max went out to hunt for their dinner. Daniel ignored the grumbling of his belly as he set up two sticks beside the firewood to hold the spit and started a small fire. Max returned with a rabbit and sat to skin it. The meat wouldn’t go far between the three of them, but it was something, and he’d definitely done with far less in his lifetime.
When he was done preparing the rabbit, Max stuck another stick through it and set it over the fire. “We should make it to Jack tonight,” Max said as he turned the spit.
“I hope so,” Timber muttered as he eyed the rabbit with a ravenous gleam in his eyes.
The scent of the cooking rabbit caused Daniel’s stomach to rumble again as he hungrily watched its meat brown. Finally, Max deemed the rabbit done and pulled it from the flames. They split the meat between them, giving Timber a slightly larger portion. When he was done eating, Daniel licked the juices from his fingers before rising.