A Dawn of Onyx (The Sacred Stones, #1)(74)

Truth was, he was more furious than I had even been. Even before Kane revealed the truth about Halden or the Fae, I knew I had never felt as much for Halden as I had for Kane in just the past few months. Granted, some of what I felt had been pure, seething hatred, but still. It was wild how just a little time away from Amber had completely changed my almost lifelong feelings for the fair-haired boy. What once felt all-consuming and charged was a blurry memory to me now, the same way one might look back on their first novel or taste of chocolate and think it was the best the continent had to offer. I didn’t know how many other facets of my previous life would suffer from a similar realization.

Kane was gone when I rose with the setting sun, as I knew he would be, and I was grateful. I needed to talk to Mari. She didn’t know I was still here. For all she knew, I had left with Halden and the others. I needed to tell her everything Kane had revealed, and also that we had almost kissed. Knowing Mari, that would interest her even more.

Leigh would have been the most thrilled. Her crush back in Abbington may have been right all along. Minus the wings, there was likely Fae all over this kingdom. At the thought of Leigh my blood ran cold.

My mother, the eclipse. Shit, I had slept too late.

Shit, shit, shit.

The eclipse was tonight. I grabbed my pack and threw my training leathers on frantically. How could I have been so stupid? So sick from wine and caught up in my own ridiculous almost-romance with some dark king that I had nearly missed the chance to save my own mother.

I had to focus.

If I failed tonight, there would be plenty of time to beat myself up over the next year while I waited for the moon to hide itself again.

I needed to find Kane, and quickly. He had been honest with me last night, and now I was going to be honest with him. I would beg him to take me back to the site of the burrowroot. I wasn’t daring enough to face the forest at night alone, and he was the only person I trusted to get me there safely.

When I made it to the throne room, the sentries regarded me with ice in their eyes. I didn’t blame them; three prisoners had escaped last night. I would be on edge too.

“Good evening. I’d like an audience with the king. Can you tell him it’s Arwen Valondale?”

“He’s not here, Lady Arwen.”

“Where can I find him? Or Commander Griffin?”

The taller guard looked at the one with the mustache. Mustache shook his head.

“They’re not in Shadowhold, miss,” said Tall.

My stomach sank to the floor.

“Well, where are they? When will they be back?”

Then I remembered. Kane had said he’d be tracking down Halden.

Shit.

Too much wine was my enemy yet again.

Mustache widened his stance and put his hands on his waist as if trying to intimidate an animal.

“I think you’d best run along.”

I could have fought with them, begged for more information, but time was running out. I turned on my heel and ran toward the apothecary.

The lanterns were all out in the small room.

“Dagan!” I shouted, but the hollow bounce of my own voice against the wooden walls told me I was alone. He would have been a tough sell anyway.

I looked through the marbled windows at the warped moon in the sky. I had an hour at most. Silver moonlight glistened on something out of the corner of my eye, and I spun to see Dagan’s sword and scabbard tossed in the closet. He must have left it here when I missed my lesson this morning. I made a mental note to apologize for that and for what I was about to do. I grabbed the heavy weapon, slung it over my back, and hurtled toward the stables.

Once there, I guided a horse from her stall and hoped the sound of her hooves on the dirt path wasn’t as loud to anyone else as it was to me. I squinted in the clear night air but could only discern a couple of guards. The North Gate was much smaller than the castle entrance as it was backed up against a denser expanse of forest. Past the woods was a smattering of mountains, meaning it was much harder for enemies to gain access this way.

I had to think quickly. The moon was high in the sky, and I had exactly zero idea how to get myself and a horse past the six or so guards at the gate. I could probably find a way alone, but the horse was going to be a no go.

Maybe that was it—the horse was impossible to hide. She could serve as my decoy. I’d have to run to get to the clearing in time, but I had a shot. Without another thought, I whispered an apology to the horse and smacked her hindquarters.

She took off like a creature possessed. The guards followed her, trying to grasp at her reins but the poor thing was spooked and beyond catching. I hoped they would be kind to her once she was returned to the stables.

When there was only one guard still standing by the gate—the others trying to corner the rogue stallion—I bolted. If I could make it through the metal entrance before he caught me, I knew I could outrun the guard. In the time it would take for the Onyx soldiers to get their steeds and catch me, I would have the burrowroot. I could face the consequences after.

I moved swiftly, sticking to the dark corners of the castle’s outer edge. I was almost at the gates when I lost my footing and flew forward. I landed hard on my wrist and felt instant, searing pain.

But that was going to have to be a problem for later.

I could fix my wrist once I had the burrowroot. Looking behind me I saw the spiked metal trap embedded in the grass. It was peppered throughout the entire courtyard that surrounded the North Gate. So less manned, but not less protected. I should have known.