Shades of Truth (The Summerlynn Secrets) (21 page)

“Why are we here?”

“It
seems your inquiry at Lisbon did not go unnoticed.”

“Then why are they meeting with you and not me?”

“I have more to negotiate with than you do. Or at least than they think you do.” His gaze dropped to where the pendant rested beneath my shirt.

“You told them about the pendant?” I looked at him, aghast he would betray my trust so easily.

“I didn't have to.” He paused, drawing out the tension. “Your friend from Lisbon has told them everything, especially your refusal to hand it over against your father's wishes.” I swallowed hard, drawing his attention. “Have you told anyone about it?”

“Only Sabean.”

"Of course you told Sabean." Colton banged his head against the wall. “I have spent the entire day categorically denying you have any involvement with your father only to find you’ve confided God knows what to Sabean!”

“I don't see what she has to do with anything.”

“Only everything.”

“Do stop being so melodramatic. You said yourself everything would be fine.”

"That's before you turned up with the pendant." He closed his eyes. “They will take me for a besotted fool not to have noticed something so obvious.”

“It’s not obvious.” I looked down, not seeing anything different in the fold of the fabric over my chest.

“It should be to a man who’s spent the last few days in close proximity to you. Though this does give credence to my denial we are lovers.”

A strange rushing filled my ears and images of tangled sheets and candlelight sprang to mind. “They think we're lovers?”

“What else were they to think having captured us sleeping on the same blanket, arms wrapped around each other?” The corner of his mouth curled upward. “At least I can take comfort that no hint of this will reach my father.”

I forced myself to look past my indignation at being dismissed so easily as a romantic partner to focus on what he’d just revealed. Colton was confident nothing that happened here would reach his father, meaning they were not working with these people and did not have regular conversations. And, since my father was opposed to Colton and his book was here, that must mean these people were Tallons.

Right?

But why would they want to kill me? Had my father betrayed them? Colton had said he wasn’t necessarily working against my father so much as he didn’t share the same viewpoint. So if these were the Tallons, why was I so afraid of them? Surely they wouldn’t harm the daughter of one of their colleagues?

Perhaps I should stick close to Colton. For all his faults, he hadn’t tried to murder me. Yet.

“Any more questions?”

“Will you answer more?”

“No.”

“Then why bother?”

“I enjoy hearing your fevered imaginings.”

Deciding throwing myself across the room and choking him probably wouldn’t help matters, I consoled myself with sticking my tongue out at him. He wasn’t looking anyway. “How much longer will you be in meetings?”

“Not much longer.” He looked up, meeting my eyes in the semi darkness. “Bored?”

“There are only so many things one can do in an empty room by one’s self.”

“Yes.” He agreed. “Empty
rooms are much better with company.” He looked around the room, noticing the empty tray by the door.

“Have you eaten?” I was suddenly concerned. I shouldn’t be, given his bad attitude, but a tiny twinge of sympathy curved the shape of my heart.

“Why? Were you going to offer your leftovers?”

“If you can find any, they’re yours.” When he didn’t move toward the tray, I asked, “Do you really mean to stay?”

“This isn’t my first choice of accommodations, but yes, I am staying. As I mentioned before, you are free to go.”

I looked at the solid wood door holding me here. “Right. Because the door is unlocked.”

“Details,” he murmured, his gaze falling to examine his hands. He looked tired. Well, he’d been exhausted nearly the entire time I’d known him, so I didn’t have anything to compare him to, but even I recognized fatigue in the dark bruises beneath his eyes and the little nods his head made when he wasn’t learning it against the wall.

Abruptly I tired of questioning him. Knowing he would be loath to sleep when I was awake, if only to ensure I didn’t murder him, I lay down, pulling the blankets over me. A moment later, I heard the slow slide and rustle of blankets across the room. We didn’t exchange further words that night.

Morning came along with a summons to yet another meeting. The knock awakened me, but I remained on my side facing the wall, so I didn’t know who Colton left with. Hopefully, sleep had sweetened Colton’s mood.

The hours passed. I alternated between attempting to sleep and examining the map, which was giving me a headache. There are only so many ways a map can be seen. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get breakfast when the door opened again. I was momentarily distracted from attempting to kick a blanket as hard as I could. Seeing it was the man from before, I resumed my actions. Obviously I wasn’t happy to see him.

My opinion fell further when I saw what he had in his hands. A black cloth folded over on itself, the two ends dangling from his hand. A length of rope filled his other palm. I backed toward the wall as he advanced on me. Suddenly I was very conscious of how big he was and how small I was.

“The only way out of this room involves a blindfold and rope.” His voice was very deep and had an accent from southern Goran.

I considered. I could stay in this room and be bored to death, or I could take a chance at getting as far away as possible, albeit with ropes and a blindfold.

“And here I thought we were friends,” I quipped.

“Perhaps sometime in the future.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He held up the items in his hand.

I walked toward him, hands held in front of me to be bound. “Do not think this means I have given up.”

The rope was abrasive against my skin. “Of course not.” The last sight I had before the blindfold raised was of a man completely absorbed in his task.

Without much choice, I slowly walked behind my captor. I was unsteady as a newborn calf with the blindfold around my eyes. The man kept a tight grip on my bound hands, and helpfully called out, “Step” when descending the staircase.

The feel of fresh air on my face was a relief. Perhaps I would be released. But where was here? And why the need for the blindfold? I would have happily promised to stay far away from this place in the future if asked.

As I shuffled along in the dirt, I strained my ears for any sounds. Ahead, I heard the jingle of bits and the creak of saddles, so obviously we were going somewhere. I felt more than heard Colton. There was something different in the air when he was near.

“Blindfolds are hardly necessary.” His voice reassured me. He sounded relaxed and even a little amused.

“I cannot have either of you carrying tales.” Treeman (I really should learn his name but calling him Treeman was quite amusing) chuckled.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” A pause. “I assume Miss Summerlynn is unharmed?”

Treeman answered before I could. “Of course. We would never harm someone so close to your heart.”

“You already have.” By this time, we reached him. “Cadrian, are you well?” The words were clear and precise, meant to carry. Since I was standing within a few feet, his voice was unnaturally loud.

“I’d be better if I could see.” Since I couldn’t see, I stepped on someone’s foot. Probably Colton’s, if I judged correctly from the sound of his voice.

“As would I, sweetheart.” He raised his voice. “Now that we are all here, I would like to be sent on our way.”

“And you will be. We will escort you part of the way.” Around us, I heard the sounds of men mounting. I couldn’t tell if it was only a few or the entire company.

Someone, I didn’t know whom, put his arms around my waist and lifted me until my foot fit the stirrup. Using my bound hands for balance, I swung my other leg over. I didn’t have time to admire my accomplishment for long as Colton mounted behind me. His bound hands stabbed me awkwardly in the back.

Treeman must have seen our predicament because he said, “Untie him.”

What about me? I waited for my hands to be released as well, but even after Colton’s arms slid around my waist, my hands remained tied. Hmmm. I did not like this.

So began our seemingly interminable ride. It wasn’t long before I fell back into our familiar riding position, resting my head against his collarbone, our legs sliding companionably against each other.

With my eyes covered, I became aware how noisy the forest was. Birds chirped, squirrels barked, and leaves rubbed in the slight breeze. On top of that the hoof beats of the horses, the occasional whinny, and comments from the men made for a very loud procession. How had they managed to sneak up on us in the first place?

Slowly, time passed. We could have been riding for minutes or hours when we stopped. I instantly sat up, unsure of what was happening.

“You may remove your blindfolds.” The voice came from somewhere in front of us. My hands still bound, I was forced to wait for assistance that took its time coming. Colton felt the need to talk before freeing me. “Remember what I’ve said.”

“And you do the same.” He blew out a breath. “Until next time.”

“I look forward to it.” I heard the steady clip clop of hooves and knew the men were leaving, which meant there was absolutely no reason for me to remain blindfolded.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” To remind him, I hit his thigh with my hands.

“I am tempted to leave you like this. You would be much easier to handle.”

“Or more difficult.” I sighed. “Please untie me.”

“Since you said please.” His hands first released the knot of the blindfold, then while I blinked in the afternoon sunshine, he untied the rope around my wrists, fingers lingering on the red marks revealed.

I shook his fingers away in an effort to halt the sensations rapidly spreading upward from my hands. Though I blamed it on increased circulation, I had a sneaking suspicion my hands tingled from his touch.

We were in the middle of a road dividing two sides of the forest. I certainly had no idea where we were. Of the men recently holding us, I saw no sign. Could the entire thing have been a dream?

No, I decided, looking at my wrists.

“What next?”

Colton reined Brutus’s head around, and we set off along the path. “We ride until we get our bearings.”

“And then?”

“We head for Crutten.” He named Goran’s capital.

“Bolien is the opposite direction,” I helpfully pointed out.

“I am astounded at your grasp of geography.” He shifted behind me, nearly upsetting my own balance as our bodies once again pressed together.

“I want to go home.” My voice was plaintive in the silence.

“As do I.” Weariness leaked through his words. “No arguments.”

“You must have mistaken me for someone else.” I snorted. “I always argue.”

His sigh brushed the back of my neck. “Which is why I’m asking you to make an exception.”

“I thought you could not wait to be rid of me.” I referred to his earlier coldness.

“No matter how I feel, I have promised to protect you. In Crutten, I can do that.”

I considered. What’s the harm in traveling with him to Crutten? It wasn’t as though I had anyone waiting for me in Chester. It would also prolong our time together and if he lived there, I could discover more about him. Surprisingly, I craved knowledge about him the same way I craved my next breath.

Which is exactly why I needed to go back to Bolien.

But, his house probably had maps I could compare my father’s map to. An idea had taken shape, but I wasn’t quite ready to put a name to it. I really shouldn’t leave the country until I identified the location on the map.

“Fine. But I am not happy about this,” I lied.

“Are you happy about anything?”

“Not when I am with you.”

“I should have left you blindfolded,” he muttered.

I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow. He grunted.

We continued along the path until we reached a town. A sign proclaimed Loveton. From what I knew of Goran, we were actually farther south than I thought. Crutten was north of us, which, conveniently, also led toward Bolien.

On the verge of pointing that out, from the determined silence behind me, I thought better of it. This past hour was the longest he’d remained silent in my company, well, when he wasn’t sleeping or sulking. Should I be concerned?

As if sensing my curiosity, Colton said, “Tell me about the pendant.”

We were back to that again? “My father gave it to me four years ago. I didn’t like it then and I don’t like it now.”

“What do you know about it?” He continued, “Be honest.”

Had he spoken with Sabean? I sighed. “I know it is connected with the Tallons and that my father is most likely a member.”

“Are you familiar with the Tallons?”