Reign of Shadows (Reign of Shadows, #1)(66)

With the barest whimper, he scooted forward until he rested his muzzle on the top of my boots. His tail swished with a scratching sound against the rough tree bark.

“Digger,” I breathed, reaching out slowly, touching the downy soft hairs on top of his nose. “Good boy.”

Stretching out my arm, I delved farther and stroked his thick coat, marveling that he permitted me to do this. “We’re friends now, boy.” An invisible band constricted around my chest. “I could use a friend.” My throat thickened and I blinked back the sudden burn in my eyes.

Suddenly, I didn’t feel quite so alone.





TWENTY-NINE


Fowler


IT WAS MIDLIGHT when I woke.

I sat up with a lurch. To wake to any light at all was a wholly unknown experience. Sleeping so deeply and peacefully through the long stretch of dark that I missed the coming of midlight had never occurred before. That only happened to dead men.

Usually I was awaiting it, ready to seize the opportunity to be up and moving without the threat of dwellers. I had planned on being far from this place with Luna by now.

I dragged a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the vestiges of sleep. A quick glance around the room revealed it empty of Luna. I frowned, missing her, wanting to see her and kiss her again. Hold her. I sat up and swung my legs over the side. I doubted that would ever get old.

I moved to the small window, lifting the cover, attempting to estimate how much of midlight had passed. I rubbed at my eyes with the heel of my palm, staring out at the busy town. People moved on foot and carts passed, carrying kindling and other goods.

With a curse, I turned from the window. The day was lost. I couldn’t leave with Luna now. I pressed a palm to my aching forehead. The fog of sleep stuck to me like clinging cobwebs. I wasn’t right. Perhaps an additional day was for the best.

Luna’s indentation could still be seen within the bedding. I smoothed a hand over it. Any warmth from her body had long faded. She knew we were supposed to leave today. Why didn’t she wake me?

Faint sounds drifted from the front room. I pulled my tunic over my head and stepped out.

“Oh, finally decided to join the world, have you?”

I shook my head. Everything seemed blurrier, the edges of my vision shadowy. I pressed a hand against my temple. “Yes,” I replied. “I suppose I needed the rest.” I’d been operating on a paltry amount of sleep over the years. Perhaps my body had finally decided to claim what it needed.

Mirelya smirked, her milky eyes considering me. “Or it might have something to do with the sleeping draft the girl slipped into you.”

My head snapped up, a sick feeling starting in my gut as I narrowed my gaze on her. “What?”

“You recall the drinks she fetched you both in the middle of the night?”

I did. She’d complained of thirst. When I offered to fetch them, she had insisted she could get them, and I let her go. I didn’t want to treat her like an invalid. After everything we had been through together that would have been insulting.

“Yes . . . why?” I pressed fingers to my aching forehead.

Mirelya shrugged. “She asked for my help.”

I lowered my hand. “So . . . you did something to my drink?”

“She has a right to make her own choices.”

“You did something to my drink,” I bit out.

“You weren’t allowing her to make her own choices.”

I stared at the old woman, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. “Where is she?”

“She left last midlight. You were dead to the world. I put a sleeping draft in it.”

I glanced toward the feeble light trickling around the edges of the window coverings. My stomach churned sickly. She had been gone for some time now. She had a good head start on me. A full day.

I strode back into my room, making quick work of dressing and gathering up my things, checking all my weapons and making certain they were in working order.

There was no question in my mind. I was going after her. I was going to find her long before she ever reached the king. I would tell her everything. I would make her understand that turning herself over to him would make no difference. It wouldn’t help. He would not even lift the kill order once he had Luna in his clutches because that’s what kind of twisted man he was. He’d keep the kill order in place just to be certain that the late king’s heir was in fact dead. On the off chance Luna wasn’t who she claimed.

Whatever it took, whatever words I had to say, I would make her understand that she didn’t have to do this. That we could be together in Allu. We would.

“Let her go,” Mirelya murmured as though she could read my thoughts. Maybe the old woman could.

I shook my head. “Never.”

“She’s trying to do the right thing. Let her go.”

Swinging my pack over my shoulder, I passed her and headed for the door, calling back, “She can try all she likes to do the right thing. But so will I.”





THIRTY


Luna


I MOVED WITH all the stealth Sivo had taught me, retracing the route I had taken with Fowler, my ears straining, my nostrils flaring, filtering smells. Digger traveled several paces behind me, his paws padding lightly on the ground with a cheerful rhythm in direct opposition to the sinister sounds of the infinite night. Every once in a while he would run ahead of me and then backtrack, dashing past my side almost as though he was playing with me.