Promising Hope (10 page)

“We need to have more banquets like that,” Matilda
said.

Sierra hadn’t had that much fun since she’d first
joined the circus, when revelry-filled nights were a routine way to
forget the past. “Maybe when we get Grace back. Or when we get the
Protectors out of the palace.”

“Aleisa willing,” Angela said quietly.

Aleisa was one of the gods of Kleisade, where many
Zinnas were from. “She’s the goddess of war, right?” Sierra
asked.

Angela nodded.

“You think war will be necessary?”

“I don’t see Tisha and Kilar surrendering soon. Not
unless the magical families start working for them.”

“And that won’t happen,” Sierra said. “At least not
with the Avialies.”

“More than one Avialie has worked with Tisha,” Angela
sad in a prickly tone.

“Yes, I know,” Sierra responded slowly, “but they
won’t get the entire family.”

Angela brushed some of her shiny black hair away from
her face. “Fortunately.”

“When did you join the Avialies?” Sierra asked. “You
weren’t with Lisbeth two years ago.”

Angela looked at Matilda questioningly, and Matilda
shrugged, motioning to Sierra. After a pause, Angela said, “I grew
up with my mother, a Zinna, in Kleisade. But when I was fifteen,
she died… you knew my father, Jared.”

Sierra’s eyes widened. Jared was one of the
Protectors’ most powerful magical allies. He had been. Evan had
killed him in Rahuda. Sierra had watched him strangle him, had
nightmares about it later. That was why Lisbeth had looked at Evan
before bringing Angela in. Why Angela had been so cool with her
since she’d arrived. “Yes, I do,” she whispered. “I did.”

“Well, I went to live with him,” Angela said. “He
tried to get me to help Tisha and the others with their cause.” She
frowned, glancing towards the window next to them. “I did a little
bit, but I had enough a year ago. I left home, and Myra was one of
the first people I met. She and Lisbeth took me in.”

The story was obviously only the bare bones, but
Sierra wasn’t one to dig for answers. She’d hated it when circus
workers would push her about her past. She nodded. “Well, I’m glad
you’re here.”

Matilda grinned. “There you go again.”

Sierra narrowed her eyes. “Aren’t you glad she’s
here?”

“Of course I am. If she wasn’t, I’d be stuck with
some grumpy Avialie like Caleb.” Matilda made a face. “As if anyone
couldn’t trust me.”

Sierra laughed mirthlessly. “Oh, Matilda, I don’t
even know what to say.”

Matilda held up a hand. “Don’t say anything.” She
glanced at Angela. “She hates me.”

“Well, I had some reason to, didn’t I?” Sierra said,
putting a hand on her hip.

“Reason to hate me? Of course not.”

“Reason to mistrust you? Yes.”

“And yet you vouched for my trustworthiness in the
meeting,” Matilda said.

Sierra smiled. “True.” She’d done so much since
helping Sierra escape the Protectors, that she couldn’t fathom
Matilda handing her and Sashe and the rest of her old friends over
to the Protectors. It didn’t change the tension between them,
though, after how Matilda treated Dar when they were younger.

“And what did I do to get back on your good
side?”

“I think you know.” She’d willingly helped them over
and over again, putting her life in danger, and even Chad’s, even
though she knew it could cost him his life.

And it had.

Matilda crossed her arms. Caleb came out of the
meeting room and walked past them. She called out to him, and he
stopped, studying her suspiciously. “Yes?” he asked.

“Will you teach us some tricks?” Matilda asked,
motioning to the Caleb’s sword.

“Tricks?”

“We may need to defend ourselves on the road.”
Matilda shrugged, a coy smile coming onto her face. “Or do you
still not trust me?”

“I’ll teach you something,” Caleb said. “Follow me.”
He marched off.

Matilda grabbed Angela and Sierra’s arms before
dragging them along with her.

“I really don’t—” Sierra began.

“Come on, you need to learn how to use a sword just
as much as us,” Matilda said. “Maybe more.”

“I’ll have you know that I’m very accomplished with a
sword,” Sierra said. Dar and Seth had given them all lessons
shortly after their friend Allison was killed by Protectors. She
thought of telling Matilda this, but it felt like a precious time
in the past. A time that belonged to her, Sashe, Dar, Evan, and
Seth.

* * *

Chapter Seven

Matilda fortified the barriers once more before
settling down next to the fire. “It’s nice traveling with another
Cosa,” she told Angela. “When I was with the others, I got so
exhausted.”

Angela added a log to the fire. The flames
momentarily flared, sending orange light dancing over her pale
skin. Her eyes met Matilda’s. “I can imagine. And there were so
many of you… how many again?”

Matilda mentally counted the whole crew she got stuck
with when she decided to follow the four of them after they
searched her magic in Gladin. She wouldn’t have changed her
decision, though. Except for her choice to include Chad—she’d take
that back in an instant. “Six including myself, plus horses.”

Angela gave her an appraising look. “That’s
impressive.”

Matilda grinned. “I know.”

They fell into silence, the fire crackling between
them as they skinned the fish they’d caught with Matilda’s Mahri
net. It caught more than a regular net would by ensnaring living
things when thrown. Handy thing to have when traveling. They were
just past Johnston, two days’ travel from the castle in Jolen.
Matilda had snacked all day, but the thought of a full meal of
grilled fish made her stomach growl.

“Why did you want to help the Avialies?” Angela
asked.

“I’m not going to let the Protectors rule this
country,” Matilda said. “They killed my parents and they’re gaining
more political power. They won’t—”

A loud crack cut her off, and her head snapped up
towards the sound. Angela reached for the Mahri net and slowly
stood. Matilda studied the area of trees where she’d heard the
crack. They looked at each other and seemed to silently
communicate. They crept toward the area, mumbling under their
breath. It’d been ages since Matilda had properly been with a Cosa,
and the feeling was invigorating as their magic blended together
and grew stronger. It made her wonder why she’d spent so much time
over the past few years either by herself or with Avialies. Matilda
lit the area with Cosa light as Angela concealed them.

A man stood in the trees, and he balked at the light,
covering his face. He turned to run, but Angela moved quick. She
flung the net out, and it latched around his head. He yelled out,
and she yanked back. Matilda didn’t even hold back her laugh—she
couldn’t help it, he fell like a log. He couldn’t hear her, anyway.
He started to scramble, but she pinned him down, putting her dagger
to his throat.

He froze, his eyes searching the air in front of him.
Angela crouched behind him and put her hands on his head. He cried
out, and Matilda pushed the tip of her dagger into his skin,
drawing blood. He stilled with a whimper.

Matilda watched Angela as she used her Zinna magic to
look into his mind. Her eyes fluttered shut and her lips twitched.
What could she see in this guy’s head? Memories, emotions? She
didn’t know how Angela’s powers worked, but she knew that she could
get information when she needed it as long as she could touch their
head.

The man was skinny, short, and he looked so young.
There was no way he was older than twenty.

After a moment, Angela opened her eyes. “He works for
the Protectors. He’s part-Mahri, and he has contraptions around
Nyad watching for magic folk from the Jolenian border.”

Matilda gritted her teeth, looking down at the man.
“Did he see us?”

Angela shook her head. “No. He knows we’re two mixed
females, though. He knows there’s Mahri, Cosa, and Zinna, but
doesn’t know how it’s spread.” The words flew from her mouth
quickly; Matilda nearly didn’t pick them up.

“Is there anyone else out here?”

“A couple Cosas are scoping the area. We should get
out of here.”

“What about him?” Matilda stared at the trickle of
blood on his neck. It’d stopped bleeding, but he was still
whimpering. “Can you wipe his memory?”

“Yes, and then we’ll tie him up.”

She put her hands on his head once again. His
expression turned blank, and his body went slack. They grabbed his
arms and dragged him to a nearby tree. They tied him up, then fled
back to their camp. Matilda threw the saddles back on as Angela put
out the fire and gathered up the fish. The horses were reluctant,
but they finally allowed the girls on. Soon, they galloped away,
the only evidence of their stay a part-Mahri tied to a tree. Poor
kid. How did he get pulled into this?

They rode for two hours before the horses became too
tired to continue. They stopped in the middle of the woods again,
dismounted, and collapsed on the ground. “Damn, we should have
known it wouldn’t be so easy,” Matilda said, wiping sweat from her
forehead.

“We’ll keep a watch tonight,” Angela said. “You find
water, I’ll start the fire.”

Matilda nodded, pulling her cloak closer. The night’s
chill had descended, the wind whipping past them. She found a
stream nearby and lugged water back for the horses and for
themselves. They’d need to keep a sentry watch for the Cosas. It
was going to be a long night. She was definitely looking forward to
it.

They drew lots, and Matilda groaned when she pulled
for the first watch. It was an uneventful few hours. She tried to
keep herself warm and awake, but aside from that, nothing happened.
Fortunately. After she woke Angela up, she welcomed sleep the
instant she lay down.

* * *

The next day, they forced themselves onto their
horses to continue the trek to Renaul. Getting past the city of
Ridgefield proved difficult: every spot on the road near the city
had checkpoints. They watched as travelers were searched and
questioned before carrying on. Most of them were normal people, but
they saw a Thieran questioned about his magic, alliances,
destination, and more. The men doing the searches also had drawings
of Sierra and Evan. These guys were thorough. They didn’t want
anyone they disapproved of getting into their precious
Wharfedale.

They snuck through a nearby field and narrowly
avoided more men searching for people who were trying to avoid the
checkpoints. Matilda could feel Cosa magic in the air, but she and
Angela kept themselves hidden. By herself, it might not have
worked. Another benefit of traveling with another Cosa. She needed
to do this more often.

They had to go farther than they were planning
because of the checkpoints, and traveled well into the night.
Matilda was starting to wonder if they should have traveled during
night and slept during the day this whole trip. That would have
been much smarter. When they finally stopped, it was well past
midnight. Angela had the first watch.

She shook Matilda awake after what felt like
minutes.

Matilda groaned. “Time already?”

“No, but I’m going to fall asleep,” Angela said.
“Talk to me or something.”

Matilda untangled herself from the blankets. The cold
air hit her, and she gasped. “Oh, just go to bed. I’ll wake you up
in a couple hours.”

Angela didn’t protest. Matilda wouldn’t have,
either.

They switched off every couple hours until mid-day.
When they felt somewhat rested, they set off. They’d reach Renaul
by evening, and they’d need their strength then.

* * *

Dar worked in the stables more than anywhere else.
Picking up horse dung, grooming the king’s horses, servicing the
carriages: it was wonderful work. He and Mex worked for hours
without a break, though he more than Mex, usually. Mex was a
mild-mannered servant, but he knew Dar was a prisoner and watched
him carefully.

One of the stable boys brought in a horse, and Dar
stopped what he was doing. The saddle, the sleek black hair, the
horse’s braids—it was his father’s horse. He glanced at Mex. “I
need to go to the outhouse.”

Mex grunted. “Didn’t you just go?”

“No, that was for water,” Dar lied.

Mex waved his hand. “I’ll come looking for you in a
couple minutes if you haven’t returned.”

Dar nodded, dropping his shovel. He jogged out of the
stables and looked around the courtyard. His father was walking up
the steps to the front doors of the palace, a house servant leading
him. “Father!” he called.

Father turned around, his eyes wide. He ran down the
steps, and Dar closed the distance between them. Father clapped Dar
on the shoulders, staring at him. “So it’s true. I came here to see
you. I couldn’t… come inside with me.”

Dar forced the lump in his throat down before
speaking. “I’m working in the stables. Mex is going to be looking
for me if I don’t return.”

“Then let him look for you,” Father said gruffly,
grabbing Dar’s arm. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Sir Alastor…” the servant trailed off when he saw
Dar.

Father let go of Dar and turned on the servant. “Take
me to see Tisha.”

“I think the prisoner should stay here,” the servant
said in a small voice.

Father came up the steps, leveling himself with the
servant. The man shrunk back from Father’s intimidating stature. “I
want to see Tisha.”

The servant nodded hurriedly and motioned for them to
follow him. They fell into step behind him as he wove through the
corridors of the palace. Dar smelled like horses: hay and manure,
and he hadn’t bathed for a couple days. But he was so grateful his
father was here, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to
negotiate his release. He would try his hardest, but Tisha and
Kilar had no plans to let their prisoners go.