The Blood Forest (Tree of Ages #3)(29)
A hazy shape appeared from the direction Iseult had gone, soon revealing itself to be the man in question. He wordlessly gestured for all to follow him.
Maarav turned his horse, taking a final look at the suddenly unrecognizable, empty expanses around them. While he was grateful they’d found shelter, he had the odd feeling that once they slept, they might not find their way back again.
Bedelia tossed and turned in her bedroll. The shelter Iseult had scouted was the remains of a castle, long since fallen to disrepair. Fortunately, most chambers had a roof, granting the horses and riders a reprieve from the snow.
The fire still blazed in the center of the expansive room where they had all congregated, their bedrolls circling the warm flames. One bedroll was notably empty. Iseult was prowling around in the snow outside, keeping an eye out for anyone who might attack them in the middle of a blizzard.
Bedelia’s hand flexed around her dagger, concealed within her bedding. Was now the time? Her mission was to eliminate Finn’s protectors, namely Iseult. Would she be able to sneak up on him in the blizzard?
Cold sweat beaded on her brow as she slowly sat up. Everyone in the room was motionless, and judging by the gentle sounds of snoring, fast asleep after the exhausting ride through the snow. If she killed him now, what would she do? Try to run off in the blizzard? Pretend he was murdered by bandits?
No, it was likely best to wait, but she could at least check outside to see if an opportunity presented itself. Her stomach in knots, she slid the rest of the way out of her bedroll, silently sheathing her dagger at her side. She crept around the fire and her sleeping companions toward the place she’d hung her cloak on the wall to dry, above her damp boots.
She tugged on her boots, lacing them haphazardly before wrapping the thick fabric of her cloak around her shoulders. With a final glance back in the direction of her sleeping companions, she ventured onward, stepping lightly down the stone corridor that would lead her outside. Cool moonlight filtered through the missing top portion of the door at the end of the hall, though the rest of the ancient wooden door stood fast against the elements.
Reaching the entrance, Bedelia wrapped her gloved hand around the rusted iron bar holding the door shut. She slid it back, then pulled the door open. The air that streamed in was so cold it hurt to breathe. Beyond the doorway was a dazzling display of white. The snow had continued to fall while they rested, enough to nearly reach Bedelia’s knees. There was no sign of Iseult’s footprints on top of the snowbank, but he’d gone outside sometime ago, so they had likely been covered. Fortunately, the snowfall had ceased, else she might have turned back around to resume her warm spot in her bedroll by the fire.
She took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, fogging the air in front of her face. Steeling herself, she stepped out into the night, not sure what she intended. Perhaps Iseult could be reasoned with, and convinced to leave Finn’s side for a time so she wouldn’t have to kill him . . . and perhaps the sky was really green and horses could fly.
She gently pulled the door shut behind her, then made her way through the snow. Her boots crunched down through the ice, making it near impossible to walk without stumbling. Eventually she reached level ground where the snow had not piled quite so high. Stopping to steady herself, she scanned the glittering darkness. Everything was still.
She started walking in a randomly chosen direction, staying near enough to the castle perimeter to not lose sight of it. Truly, she hoped she would not find Iseult at all, and she could return to her bed like nothing had ever happened.
She wrapped her cloak more tightly around herself. Keiren had the sight, so Bedelia knew it was a possibility she was watching her at that very moment, but she also knew it was difficult for Keiren to see those surrounding Finn, so perhaps not. Would she know if Bedelia simply gave up on her orders, choosing instead to remain by Finn’s side where she could not be seen?
She shook her head at her cowardly thoughts. It was not in her nature to hide, but it was against her better senses to fight a battle she could not win. Keiren would crush her like an insect beneath her boot.
Perhaps if she told Finn the truth, they could figure out a solution together. She wasn’t sure exactly what Keiren wanted with Finn, but she knew it wasn’t good. Perhaps together, she and Finn could both survive.
She continued walking, so absorbed in her thoughts that she forgot to search for Iseult. Instead she watched the glittering snow beneath her boots. The transformed landscape was stunning, really, especially in the cool moonlight, though it was hard to enjoy since it was so cold.
She froze mid-step as a shiver ran up her spine, and not from the cold. She sensed a presence at her back seconds before a low growl met her ears. Thoughts of Faie wolves raced through her mind, and her old leg wound seemed to throb with the memory.
Her breath caught in her throat. She turned slowly and drew her dagger, wishing desperately she hadn’t left her bow inside with her other belongings.
She saw not Faie wolves, but three normal ones. Their eyes glistened in the moonlight as their paws crunched forward through the snow. She drew her blade, knowing the odds were against her. Her hands were nearly numb with the cold, and the wolves looked emaciated, desperate for a meal. If there were only two of them, perhaps she could have fended them off, but with three, they would easily be able to flank her. All it would take was a bite to a leg tendon and she would go down.
She took a hesitant step back, and the wolves darted forward. She held up her blade to fend off the first attack, blinded as a flash of fiery light cut across her vision. Someone stepped between her and the wolves, pushing her back while waving a burning torch toward the feral creatures.