Broken Promise (The Broken Ones Book 3) (31 page)

She froze. "What are you talking
about?"

"I can assure you he went through
the gates of Rivenward. However, I've had no confirmation he reached Norlea.
It's been over two weeks. Quite simply, all my sources know nothing at all.
He's disappeared."

Pushing off from the desk, she stepped back.
She'd seen Baelan fight and knew defeating him would be difficult, especially
in her current state. If he struck suddenly, she'd have no chance. "How
could you let this happen?"

His lips pressed together angrily as he
rose. "I assure you, I am not pleased either."

"You're not the one he wants to
kill!"

"Arowyn, calm down."

"Do not tell me to calm down,"
she yelled. Spinning around, she raised a hand to her forehead as she paced to
the sitting area. The fury rolled and twisted within her, trying to break free.

"It will not be an issue. I will
take care of you. You will remain with me. I will post more guards. You will
remain here at all times until we leave."

She spun to face him. "No!"

"Yes."

"You can't do this!"

He crossed his arms. "I will do what
I must. I promised you safety, and you will have it. I promised you freedom
from the riath, and you will have it. We will do this my way."

She could not stay with him. How could she
leave her boys? Kei would return soon. She needed to be here. They needed her,
and she needed them just as much.

The fury erupted within her. Red and
black swirling anger and the promise of violence and death. Racing across the
floor, she launched herself up and over the desk.

He caught her as she crashed into him,
propelling them backward until he hit the wall. Grabbing her wrists, he held
her as she struggled to tear him apart with her bare hands.

His gaze met hers and held it.
"That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Snarling, she fought to free a hand so she
could claw his cold, hard face off. Strength flowed through her. Distantly, she
knew her eyes glowed red, and that she'd fallen into a full fury.

Swinging them around, he slammed her
against the wall and moved closer, impeding her movements. "How long can
you hold it?"

"I'm going to kill you," she
ground out, her voice so rough and angry she hardly recognized it.

"I don't think so, sweetheart. Now
gain some control."

His words fired the anger within her and
she struggled harder.

He shook his head, dark hair falling
across his forehead. "You would kill me now if you could, wouldn't you?
Even after everything I've done for you. "

She barred her teeth at him. "Liar!
You care nothing for me!"

His blue eyes lightened, growing colder.
"True," he said softly. "I don't do this for you."

The words struck her like a slap to the
face.

"I do this for the Fey, and the Were,
and the Elves," he said, his voice soft yet harsh. "I do this so you
can free the Fey to fight the Vor once again. For this, you must live. You must
be strong. I will not be gentle with you." He shook her, as if trying to
knock the words into her brain. "Do you understand?"

Thinking of Kei, the fierceness of the
fury receded slightly. Closing her eyes for a moment, she fought for control of
herself. She stopped fighting him. "I do," she finally answered
quietly.

He nodded once and released her, taking
a small step back.

She punched him in the face.

Clenching his jaw, he gave his head a
small shake. "Arowyn," he said warningly, drawing out her name.

She raised her fists and shifted her
stance, prepared if he retaliated.

His lips pressed together in irritation.
"How did you not kill all of your companions," he muttered.

"I let it go, or I had a target for
the violence," she answered. Sometimes the target was Kei, but she didn't
say that.

"Don't let it go," he said
quickly. "But let it lose within you."

She shook her head violently. "I
shouldn't. It's hard enough to control as it is. I don't know…"

"Let it out," he commanded.
"Let it fill you, be a part of you."

"I don't know what will happen. He
said I shouldn't."

"Who?"

"Prince," she said quietly,
looking away. "It's changed me, Roan. I don't know what it might do to
me."

"It might free you from the
riath."

She looked back at him angrily.
"How would you know?"

"The idea was suggested to me this
morning by an Elf I met with."

That he spoke of her to others, and
continued to try to help her, set her aback for a moment. Even if he didn't do
it for her. "I might kill you," she warned him quietly.

"That is very unlikely."

She snorted at his confident tone.

"If the power is to change you, then
it will in time, even if you don't attempt this. You will have the power and
fury of thousands of Fey move through you, Arowyn. Do not deny the inevitable.
Embrace it. Use it. Now…let it free."

"You don't understand. The rage,
the urge to do violence, to kill." She looked up into his eyes, trying to
force him to understand. "You are the only one here. And I don't trust
you."

"It is worth the risk, and is one I
am willing to take."

"But am I? What if I can't escape
it? What will you do then? Put me back in chains? Kill me?"

"No," he said firmly. "I
will give you riath, and you will sleep until the power fades. However, I don't
believe it will come to that. Your will is strong."

It surprised her how he'd apparently
thought every possibility through and had plans in place. She nodded once,
pushing down the sudden urge to vomit. Whether the urge came from nerves or
need for riath she wasn't sure. "Don't let anyone else in the room."

He regarded her calmly for a long
moment, and she wondered what went through his head. More strategies on how to
deal with her? He turned and moved around the desk and walked to the door.
After locking it, he crossed his arms and turned his cold gaze on her once
more, waiting.

When she didn't move, he gestured for
her to come forward, out from behind his desk.

After hesitating for a moment, she moved
into the open space before the door. The fury still whipped throughout her,
wild and blazing. Gritting her teeth, she fought to keep it leashed and within
her control.

"No, you have to let it go."

"I don't want to," she grated
out. Except she did. Part of her wanted to release the fury, to take out her
frustrations and anger and confusion on the man who'd caused so much of it. She
didn't understand him, what he wanted, or why he acted the way he did with her.
She didn't even understand her feelings toward him. One moment she thought of
him as a friend, the next she didn’t trust him at all. Sometimes she even hated
him.

Roan's lips faintly curved into an
unkind smile. "Then you will remain with me."

The fury flared within her, burning her
from the inside out. "No."

"Make a choice, Arowyn, and make it
now. I've wasted enough of my time on you."

"You unfeeling bastard," she
whispered.

"This is not a game. This is your
life. Many lives. You have the ability to become someone worthy and to fight
for the most honorable of causes." He spread his hands as his voice
softened, "Without you becoming what you must, many will die, and you will
very likely be among them. Free yourself. From the fear that binds you…and from
me."

Closing her eyes, she forced back the
fear. The cost of what he asked could be very high indeed. Yet, losing her
boys…being taken from them…no.

"No," she whispered, and let
the fury fully loose for the first time.

It roared through her, consuming her,
filling her completely with its wild madness and violence. Her body thrummed
with the power it contained. Behind her closed eyes, she saw only the chaotic
swirls of red and black.

Snapping them open, she launched herself
at the man before her.

The fury may have been wild, yet her
attack was not. Within her, she remembered how to fight, how to attack. But she
wasn't that young woman anymore. She had become something more.

She moved with unnatural speed, her
hands and feet hit with strength she'd never known before. Roan stood against
her assault, moving easily with her, his own powerful arms blocking most of her
attacks. They moved around the open space, a blur of motion. The sound of her
racing heart filled her ears, almost drowning out the sound of flesh striking
flesh, the snap of bone. Red blood streaked across her hands. It ran from his
face, glorious, slow moving red rivers. She pushed forward once more, intent on
destruction and death. He found an opening, yet instead of striking back, he
caught a hold of her and launched her through the air.

She hit a chair in the sitting area, the
loud crash of it falling over echoing in the room as she hit the floor.
Scrambling to her feet, hands pushed her back down before she could get up.
Struggling, more weight bore down on her back.

Screeching in rage, she bucked and
kicked, trying to dislodge the Elf from her back.

He slammed her head to the floor with
one hand and held it there. "Be still now."

For a few moments she continued to
struggle, now their ragged breathing all she could hear. He shifted his weight
and caught both of her wrists, pinning them to either side of her head.

His head rested against the side of her
face, his breath tickling her ear as he spoke. "Stop fighting me. Now,
fight yourself. Make it yours again. Heal yourself. Save yourself from the
riath."

His words barely made sense. Trying to
push herself up again, she failed.

"Think of your boys," he said
quietly. "Think of Kei and Bo and Shael. Come back now."

Grinding her teeth, she fought him. She
fought herself. She fought the fury. It raged inside her, wild and angry and
demanding she free herself and fight.

Fight me,
she screamed at
it.

It wasn't alive.

Choking in frustration, she dove within
herself. The fury whirled around her, thick ribbons of black and red. Forcing
herself through it, she searched for her only hope.

Kei.

Finally finding their bond, she latched
onto it against the storm of fury trying to tear her apart.

Kei! What do I do?

She knew he couldn't hear her, yet
wasn't surprised when his strength and support wrapped around her. His love and
devotion filled her, making her strong. She wasn't alone. She never would be.

With a scream of rage and defiance she
dove into the wild surrounding her, set on taming the chaos within. She
couldn't do it alone…and she didn't.

Kei was always by her side.

Chapter 27

The Happiness of Home

"Are you awake?"

Aro debated ignoring Roan's whispered
question. Lying on her side with her back to him, she could probably get away
with pretending to be asleep.

"Yes," she finally whispered
back.

The bed shifted and she tensed. She had
no idea what happened the night before, or had it been longer? Vague memories
of fighting the fury floated in her mind, but not much else. Since she still
wore the same clothes, except for her boots, apparently she hadn't gone crazy
and attacked Roan again. The few memories she had didn't include rainbows, so
he hadn't given her more riath.

When he still didn't speak, she asked
one of the many questions twirling in her head while she'd been staring into
the dark. "Did it work?"

"We shall see. Do you feel the need
for it?"

"No." What she felt was tired,
worn out, and strangely empty. The fury rested quietly within her, tucked away
and once again controlled. Part of her missed it and the wild, unstoppable
feeling it gave her. "Can I go home now?"

"It would be best to wait a few
days," he said, his words sharp and clipped.

"That's fine," she agreed,
confused over his obvious irritation. Didn't he want to be rid of her after all
the trouble she'd caused him?

After another long silence, she asked
another question. "Do you even see me as a person? Or just some tool to be
used."

She barely heard his muttered curse.
"You are a human, thrust into the world of powerful immortals." The
anger in his quiet, husky voice startled her. "You don't seem to
understand the danger you are in. Anyone could turn on you at any moment. You
are too young, too innocent and naive, to survive."

"And you're a cold, heartless
bastard!"

His fist hit the bed. "You aren't
listening! You need to listen and learn, not fight with me."

"You don't tell me anything," she
retorted angrily.

He let out an irritated huff. "I
have been trying these past months, but you are too stubborn and headstrong to
pay attention."

His words put everything he'd said,
everything he'd done in a different light. She refused to admit he was right.
"You didn't answer my question."

The bed shifted again as he moved. When
his hand gently slid over her hair, she squeezed her eyes closed and jerked
away.

"Yes," he said finally,
withdrawing his hand. "I see you."

∞ ∞ ∞

Aro paced the room, restlessly.

Three torturous days had passed. She'd had
no further symptoms of withdrawal, but the waiting, wondering if any moment
they might start again, had driven her almost crazy. Much of her time the last
few days she spent with Aya or the Were twins. Fighting, with swords or fists,
helped to keep her nervous energy under control.

Roan insisted she stay inside as they
waited for any word on the whereabouts of Baelan. She hadn't seen much of the
pirate, if that's even what he really was. The first morning had been so
awkward his absence left her more relieved than anything else.

However, his words struck a chord within
her. It galled her to have to admit that, to at least some extent, he'd been
right. She hadn't listened, but fought almost every word coming out of his
mouth. She couldn't even identify the reasons why.

She'd wasted an opportunity to learn,
even if she found the teacher less than pleasant. Still, over the last few days
she had managed to recall many of their conversations. Now she found herself
awaiting his return on her last night, pacing the room in the dress he'd bought
for her.

She hated wearing it, but perhaps it,
like many things, had its uses. Aya helped with the dress, put up her hair, and
even applied some cosmetics to her face. She didn't like the feel of either,
but even she had to admit the woman who looked back at her in the mirror wasn't
hard on the eyes. Aya's grin unnerved her more. The woman thought she was doing
this for Roan. What would they all think when she suddenly left?

The door opened and she stood perfectly
straight, chin up and hands clasped before her.

The shocked look on Roan's face when he
noticed her almost made all her efforts worthwhile.

"Welcome home," she said
quietly. "May I get you something to drink?"

He stared at her for a long moment, the
shock changing to confusion and then suspicion. She found it very hard not to
laugh.

"Yes. That would be…nice," he
finally answered.

She went to get him one as he came
forward, setting his satchel by his desk and moving behind it, though he didn't
sit. When she returned, he took the glass from her, but then quickly caught her
hand.

"What are you up to?"

She smiled sweetly. "It is our last
night together. Dinner should be up shortly."

"That's not an answer," he
snapped. When she pulled her arm away, he did let go.

"I've been thinking about what you
said," she replied, walking around the desk. "Please, sit." She
took a seat in the chair she'd already placed in front of the desk. "I
have been… stubborn. So I will try harder, to listen to what people say and to
learn."

His eyes narrowed as he sat.

"How was your day today?"

"Fine."

She hesitated, unsure if she should
continue playing the lady. Forcing a small smile, she decided it to be too
early to give up yet. "Is there any word on Baelan?"

"No," he answered, shaking his
head. He relaxed back in his chair. "I have men posted at the gates and
others watching for him."

"Perhaps the Elves dealt with him
secretly."

"That is a possibility."

"Has there been any word on
repercussions from the death of the other Elves?"

His brows rose. "You are thinking. Well
done. Nothing formal has been said. However, I would avoid entering Rivenward
if I were you."

"Noted." She didn't have any
plans to ever go there anyway. Smiling, she kicked herself for never directly
asking him what she wanted to know before. "So I may still leave
tomorrow."

Though she hadn't really asked a
question, he took so long to answer she started to get worried. "Yes. I was
by your house today. You've decent enough defenses. Even so, they would not
keep an Elf out." He paused. "I would like to send Raythe and Silas
with you."

She'd expected as much and had even
discussed the possibility with the boys. Yet to keep appearances, she frowned.
"For how long?"

"Until you leave."

Since only a few more weeks, a month at
most, of winter remained, she nodded. "When you say 'with me', what do you
mean? I want some privacy, Roan. I don't want them in my house."

His eyes narrowed, but after a long
moment he nodded. "That is acceptable, unless we know a threat is
near."

With a clipped nod she agreed to that.
"They will take shifts?"

"Yes."

"They could sleep at the inn.
Should both be needed, it is not far at all." This too, she discussed with
the boys. Though they didn't like Roan's hold on her, they did agree with him
when it came to her safety.

"You are full of surprises
today," he said quietly. "Your idea is sound. We will do that."

"Good, I'm glad that's settled. Do
you know when you're leaving?"

His head tipped to the side at her
change in topic. "A few weeks."

"Please let me know. I would like
to say goodbye."

A short, rough laugh came from his lips.
"You are so anxious to get away, and yet you want to see me off?" He
shook his head in amusement.

Many different responses floated through
her head, but she couldn't pick one that either wouldn't offend him, or give
him the idea she cared too much for him. "That is the polite and
respectable thing to do, yes?"

His lips twisted in a small, wry smile.
"So it is."

Dinner arrived, and they made it through
a mostly pleasant, if slightly awkward, conversation.

By the end she wanted nothing more than
to go to bed. Trying to think of unimportant topics to discuss gave her a
headache. You could only say so much about the weather.

Roan shifted in his chair, stretching
out his legs and tipping his head back. Closing his eyes, he let out a soft
sigh. "I'm not quite sure what to do with you, Arowyn."

She struggled to keep a frown off her
face. "I don't understand."

Eyes still closed, he lazily waved a
hand in her general direction. "This… what is this?"

"You wanted me to be a lady. To be
respectable and polite and–"

"This isn't you." Opening his
eyes, he let out another irritated sigh. "You are not some dull-witted,
simpering idiot."

She winced.

"I want you to be
respected
.
Do you understand the difference?"

"Yes," she answered quietly,
cheeks burning. Rising, she turned away so he wouldn't see her embarrassment.
Would she ever get anything right?

"I do appreciate the effort,"
he said in his quiet husky voice. "And you did well, with your
manners."

"Thank you," she managed to
grind out between gritted teeth.

Behind her, the chair creaked and slid
back as he stood. She stiffened as he walked up behind her.

"I think soon enough you will grow
to understand what I've tried to teach you." He turned her around, but she
kept her face tilted away from him. "This, too, you did very well."

Her eyes shot up to his.
"What?"

"You do look quite lovely
tonight."

Snorting, she crossed her arms self-consciously.
"I'm no Elven beauty."

"Elves are beautiful in their own
way, as are you."

Her cheeks burned as she scowled.

"Your beauty shines out from
within, your fire and spirit and hope. Don't ever lose that." His hand
rose and his knuckles softly stroked her cheek.

She flinched away, and he chuckled,
letting his hand drop to his side.

"Beauty is not everything. I rarely
have women turn me away."

"You're a pirate," she snapped
out, flustered.

His brows rose, but he didn't look angry
at her outburst. "And would it matter if I was a prince like your
Shael?"

"No," she said in annoyance.
"It wouldn't matter if you were a king. Rank and appearance don’t mean
anything. I don't even know what you look like without that glamor rune."

One side of his mouth curved up. "I
assure you, without the rune very little about me is different."

"So you say."

"So I say," he agreed firmly.

A short laugh burst out of her.

He spread an arm out toward the sitting
area. "Come, we'll talk, normally, for a time."

She nodded. The rest of the evening went
by quickly as they discussed various topics and their usual arguing became
almost friendly bantering. By the time she climbed into bed, she almost forgot
everything she didn't like about the man. Until he joined her.

∞ ∞ ∞

Home was different…but also the same.
It'd been so long since she'd been there, everything felt wrong, yet familiar
at the same time. She easily spotted things that had changed: a new blanket on
the couch, a bowl of apples on the kitchen counter.

Walking into her room to drop off her
pack, she smiled in relief to find it just as she'd left it.

Garen padded in behind her, nudging her
leg when she stopped.

"Are you sure you'll be fine with
the Were around?"

Of course. With so many in the city,
I've just left the glamor on the last few months.

"It doesn't bother you?"

I've grown used to it. Stop worrying.
You need to remember to just use mind speech with me.

She laughed.
True.

After putting away her things, they went
back downstairs. Bo had taken Silas out to show him around while Raythe took
their things to the inn.

Elaina wants us all to come to the inn
for dinner tonight.

Sounds good. How are they doing
together? Still in love?

Very much.
Garen's tongue
lolled out happily.
They are a finely matched couple.

She nodded her agreement as Bo came into
the kitchen.
I want to talk to you about that later.

Garen cocked his head to the side but
didn't ask why.

Bo gave her another big, bone-crushing hug
and dragged her into the living room. "We've much to catch up on."

They did, and were almost late for
dinner when they lost track of time. The Were came as well, though sat
separately, giving her space to be with her family. She couldn't keep a smile
from her face and didn't mind Garen sitting on her feet or Bo's constant
brotherly attention. She was back where she belonged.