The Toll (63 page)

“
Missus?” Shock, as stunned
as the voice uttering those words, had me gasping out loud. The
strangled voice had my head swiveling to the dark brown mop of
hair, tufts sticking up everywhere, this way and that, poking up
from the opposite side of the bed.

“
Brevin.” Blinking down at
him stupidly, it took a moment to process what I was seeing.
“Brevin?”

A small smile, shy but wary, tipped
his small, thin lips, shaggy brown hair falling into his large
brown eyes, high cheek bones, smudged with dirt across his dingy
complexion, pinkened clear across the bridge of his nose. “Is me
missus. You alright?”

“
Oh. Brevin!” Hopping on
and across the bed, I nabbed him up into a bear hug, his little
legs dangling off the floor as I cuddled him tight. “Brev, I
thought you’d left us.” The joy in my voice couldn’t be contained,
nor could the tears.

Brevin’s little head leaned against me
and he went limp as a noodle, arms wrapping around me tight to
return my enthusiastic embrace.

“
When you left, oh, I was
so worried. I mean, where were you? Where did you go? Are you
alright? Did anyone hurt you?” Setting him none too gently on his
feet, ready for answers right this minute, I took his little hands
in mine, throwing questions at him left and right. “Have you been
warm enough? Are you eating enough? Are you hungry now?
I-”

“
Missus,” Brevin mumbled
embarrassedly, tugging his hands away to rub at his scrawny little
arm with dirty fingernails as his face flushed a deep pink, “I’m
fine, as I said.”

Frowning, hands on my hips at his put
out tone, I arched a brow. “Fine, huh? And since when, did you
say?”

At my tone his chin jerked
up.

Thinking it over for a moment, eyes
wide, he cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly. “I would have,
if missus would’ve let me.”

“
Pfft. Cheeky,” I huffed,
chucking him under the chin.

Tilting his head to the side, a small
smile played at his lips, brown eyes alight, brimming with
happiness. “I just came to see how my missus and the babe were
doing,” he shrugged and tugged at the hem of his filthy shirt,
“then, I’m off.”

“
Off? But you just came
back.” I had trouble accepting that, but felt a soft touch was
necessary. If I demanded he stay, he might balk and run off
anyhow.

He’s a boy! He can’t just
gallivant around the countryside by himself.
And besides, I’d missed the little bugger.

A noise echoed off the cave walls and
Brevin walked to the entry way, leaning forward enough to peer into
the empty hall beyond. Once he was satisfied, he ducked back in,
hugging along the wall.

“
Is missus alright
here?”

Earnest and clearly concerned, I found
myself smiling a little as I stared down at him.

“
We’re fine. Are you... did
you... Have you found a safe place to stay?” I chose my words
carefully.

Were we?
Fine, that is. Calder was.

In fact, Calder has been doing
wonderfully. He’s growing like a weed, much faster than a human
child, and I was already mourning the loss of a few more baby years
with my little boy. Ornthren, apparently, develop faster, much
faster. Already holding his head up, trying to pull himself up and
roll over. I wanted to both cry and rejoice each mile
stone.

“
Does missus need to
leave?” Voice dropping so low it went beyond a whisper, leaning in
close, he shook my wrist. “I can take missus away, to a safe
place,” glancing over at Calder, he nodded, “the babe
too.”

“
Oh, Brevin, you
don’t-”

“
But I do.” Skinny chest
puffing up, chin lifting stubbornly, he insisted, “It’s not safe
here anymore, and I’ve seen fit to protect you.”

“
Aw, that’s sweet of you,
but I can’t-”

“
It’s too late for him,”
Brevin’s voice deepened, stern, and he scowled. “You need to think
of the baby, Phedaenya.”

Hand tightening on my wrist almost
painfully, I went to shake him off.

Eyes going wide, I sputtered,
“Brevin?” Grimacing, I rubbed at the red marks on my forearm, my
senses on high alert.

Blinking back to his usual self, eyes
huge and guileless once more, he called softly, “Yes,
missus?”

“
What’s the meanin’ ‘o’
this?”

We both jumped at the sound of Quaz’s
voice.

“
Quaz, don’t bellow like
that, you’ll scare the baby. Besides,” I gripped the boy’s
shoulder, “Brevin’s back.”

Storming across the room, Quaz hauled
Brevin up by the neck, slamming him into the wall. “Bleedin’ little
arseholes! When will ye learn, eh?! We dinna welcome that wench
bearer, an’ we dinna need the meddlin’ likes of ye! What did I say
last time, eh? Ye think ta trick me, slippin’ in like that? Think I
wouldna notice?”

“
Quaz! NO!!” Shrieking and
panicked, I gripped his shirt tight, dragging across the floor,
heels dug in, as he shouted the roof down. “It’s Brevin, remember?
Have you lost your mind?! Now let him go this instant, before you
hurt him!”

“
This aint no boy! It’s
trickery!”

“
He’s a boy, and he’s under
my protection and care, and if you don’t let him go right now, so
help me!”

“
Not a boy, see?” Drawing
his fist back, he slammed it into the poor boy’s jaw, sending his
little body reeling.

“
Quaz! Brevin!” I was just
about to zap him good, rage building red hot, burning inside me
that he would do such a thing, and that’s when I heard
it.

A deep, amused chuckle came from
Brevin, brown eyes lighting deep grey as he cradled his jaw.
Smirking as he swiped blood from his lips, my jaw dropped as he
grunted, stood up from his slump, and grew, stretching, the visage
of a little boy covered in dirt and timid smiles gone, melting. Bo,
the Wind Elemental, soon stood in his place.

Words wouldn’t come out as I moved my
lips, half shielded by Quaz as he made to stand in front of
me.

Calder, throughout this whole ordeal,
was still sleeping, grunting and rolling over as he shoved a blunt
shaped thumb into his little mouth.

Bo caught the action and grinned,
tenderness filling his gaze. “Gersthart used to do that too.” Eyes
flashing, his face softened in remembrance. “This one over here,”
he hooked a thumb at Quaz, who was glaring at him, pissed, runes
lit up a black blue as a deep snarl rumbled from his chest, “used
to suck on his big toe.” Shaking his head, he chuckled, “Slept in a
little ball, foot shoved in his big maw, like a little pudgy pill
bug. Niniane said-”

“
I’m sure that’s lovely an’
all, but memory lane burned down a long time ago, an’ in case ye’ve
forgotten, I woke up. I dinna give a shite anymore. So get yer
meddlin’ ass outta here, now.”

Side stepping Quaz to confront the
great impersonator, I had to know. “Why?”

“
Why?” With a wink, wind
swirled around the spry Elemental and Bavol stood in his place,
pulling his hat off for a deep bow, twirling the wide brim with a
flourish as the pouch at his side slid forward. “Why, to protect
you, milady Nugget, why else?”

“
Protection?” Quaz snorted,
arms folded over his beefy chest, while I tried not to faint on the
spot.
“Riiiggghht.
An’ since when does the four corners ever ‘help’
anyone?”

Never taking his eyes off of me, face
sobering, Bo murmured, “Since now.” Grey eyes flashing with specks
of cerulean and gold, he nodded at Calder. “It’s not safe for you,
either of you.” Holding a hand out, fingers curling towards me, he
purred, “Come with me and we’ll look after you.”

“
We?” I was already backing
up, shaking my head slowly. I had no intention of going anywhere
with him. Ever.

Lips tugging down, he frowned, worry
lines creasing his brows in consternation. “Then let me take the
babe. Surely you can see that he’ll be much safer in our
care.”

“
Never!”

“
No!”

My voice came out louder than Quaz’s
deep felt snarl, bringing Bo’s back up.

“
You won’t let me help you
and you won’t leave.” Sputtering in frustration, Wind blurted,
“Have you gone mad, woman? You’re surrounded by Ornthren, your
bonded has forsaken the bond, and is, as we speak, going mad. What
do you think will come of this that will somehow benefit you?!” He
was bellowing now, shouting out at me, arms spread out wide, thrown
up in the air. Wind was starting to swirl around the room, picking
up the corners of blankets to flap them on the bed.

Calder started to cry softly, letting
out a little whimper and a hard chuff. Walking over, sure to keep
an eye on Bo, I picked him up, angling his little body so his head
rested on my shoulder. Fists gripping my shirt tight, my baby
burrowed against my neck, little nose snuffling, letting out a
grumbling sigh.

“
My son is an Ornthren,” my
eyes shot to Bo’s, lips pursed, orange brows winging upward, face
set, “we’re here and we’re staying here.” Head held high, chin
raised, I murmured haughtily, a superior tilt to my lips,
“Where
we
belong.” It felt good, as the words slipped past my lips,
felt right.

Realizing his mistake too late, Bo
held his hands up in surrender. “I meant no offense, milady, you
misunderstand.” He would have made his way across the room to me if
Quaz’s warning growl hadn’t put him off. Giving Quaz a quick, dark
look, he murmured softly, voice placating, almost pleading,
“Phedaenya, you must see reason.” Deep gusts swirling again,
whipping around him in a maelstrom of air and dust, he was back to
his own self, Bavol gone, melted into the shadows, grey eyes dark
and troubled. Long, silky looking onyx hair pulled back away from a
handsome, angular face, high cheek bones flushed with frustration,
warm air whipping around him angrily, he was a wind god
personified.

“
I see reason,” Quaz
hissed, “no reason at all not ta take ye outside an’ kick ye on yer
trouble causin’ arse.”

Teeth gritting, Wind gave Quaz a
warning look. “This doesn’t concern you, Leith.”

Leith? Was that his real
name?
My head bobbed back and forth,
bouncing between the two. They spat at each other so fast, it was
hard to keep up.

Why does Bo wish me to go
with him? What does he want from me, from us?

“
What is it you’re after,
Elemental? Because I’ll tell you now, you’ll get nothing from
me.”

“
I wish to protect you.
You’re already in too deep. We only wish to help.”

Eyes narrowing, chips of
glowering blue glass, I asked outright, “Did the Lady put you up to
this?” The idea already had my blood boiling.
Did she never listen? Did Troll not tell her to quit
interfering?
She’s caused enough damage,
hurt enough, and as far as I’m concerned, isn’t welcome. If he was
helping her in any way...

“
I do not help Niniane,” he
swore, shaking his head as his grey eyes flashed.

Quaz was about to open his mouth to
protest, but Wind silenced him with a look. “I do not help her
anymore,” he corrected.

My eyes met with dubious red ones set
in a grim, grey face mirroring my own doubts.

Noting this, Wind’s arms flapped to
his sides. Clearing his throat, he ran a slender yet masculine
hand, tipped with long fingers and short, blunt fingernails,
through his hair in frustration. “I speak truth.” Tortured eyes,
free of any veils or falsities—no games—slowly met each of ours,
one by one, evenly. “She has caused enough damage. I’ve no desire
to contribute to it.” At another look from Quaz, he grumbled,
“Anymore.”

“
But you were following
me.” Skeptical of him and this whole farce, I couldn’t let it go.
“You were Bavol, you led me to Magda’s camp. Magda said she was
expecting me.” Shaking a finger at him, I spoke aloud while working
it all out in my head.

“
I led you to the camp,” Bo
agreed.

“
She was expecting me, said
she was told I was coming. She waited for me.”

“
She was. She
did.”

“
You told her, didn’t
you?”

“
No. That was Niniane’s
doing.”

“
Then you’re helping
her!”

“
I didn’t help her, per
se...”

“
Bah!”
Poppy cock and horse crap!
He led me
there, knew what he was leading me to, then left me.

“
You abandoned me and left
me to fend for myself. What if they’d kicked me out? I didn’t take
the locket. No toll was paid, so Magda’s protection spell is
worthless! Feel thwarted?” Triumph was mine as I smiled
smugly.

Quaz, slightly confused, gave me an
inquisitive glance. “Locket?”

“
I don’t know.” Thinking
about it, I shrugged. “It’s hard to recall now, now that I think on
it.” It felt like a faint memory.

Odd.
I’d been so enthralled by it, under its spell, but there was
no regret now, or even when Vidi had initially taken off with it.
No extreme sense of loss. My supposed attachment to it should have
proven otherwise. Come to think of it, I’d barely thought of the
trinket. It was no more now than a mere afterthought.