Torn: Bound Trilogy Book Two (18 page)

I leaned against a dirty wall for a minute, catching my breath and gauging my surroundings, then walked on. The buildings that surrounded me were built from soot-stained stone. Large windows lined the walls at street level, and shops displayed their goods behind them. Hats, candies, fruits, even a store devoted entirely to toys. The scent of fresh-baked bread and something sweet reached me as I wandered down the street, and my mouth watered.

I moved past the bakery and crouched in an alley around the corner of the building where the smell wasn’t so strong. I rested my head in my hands for a minute.
Calm. Focus.
I expected my magic to feel greatly diminished, but when I reached for it, I felt little change. But then, my entire body was abuzz with fear and the rush of physical exertion. I’d have to take stock again later, after I found a way out of the city.

But how to escape? I couldn’t get back to look for Florizel. I had no money to send a letter, and even if I did, no one from Belleisle would get to me before the hunters tracked me down.

I knew where Felicia's parents lived, but they wouldn’t help.

Felicia would. She’d been my best friend once, and if we’d grown apart a little as our interests changed, that had never affected our love for each other. I hated to drag her into my troubles, especially if she were grieving her husband and expecting a baby, but where else could I turn?

Of course, Callum would think to look there. But if I could find her, beg for clean clothes, maybe a little gold and a good way out of the city…

A door opened beside me, and the bakery smells came wafting out stronger than before. “My dear?” asked a female voice, filled with concern. “Are you all right?” The large woman had a kind, deeply lined face, and had styled her silver-gray hair in a pile atop her head. Her pink dress and white apron were spotted with flour, but her hands were clean.

“I don’t know,” I said, deciding to be as honest as I could afford to be. “I’m a little bit lost.”

She dumped a bowl of food waste into a small bin and held out a hand to help me stand.

“I’m looking for...” I hesitated, trying to remember.
Come on…
“Pine Hill.” I couldn’t help smiling in relief. “I came to visit my cousin, but the traders who brought me only came this far, and they’re gone now. I don’t even know whether I’m going in the right direction.”

“Oh, poor dear,” she said, shaking her head. “Who gave you to traders? Not the most trustworthy traveling companions.”

“No one, I’m afraid. I don’t have any family left back home. My cousin’s not expecting me, but I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Oh, my.” She looked over my dirty clothes. “You poor thing. Are you hungry?”

“I am.” I’d been too nervous to eat that morning, and it wasn’t helping me think any more clearly.

She held the door open and I entered the kitchen, where she poured me a cup of tea and cut a thick slice of white cake. Not the most sustaining meal, but I wasn’t going to complain.

“I don’t have any money left,” I said, and she shook her head.

“I could tell you stories, my dear, about how strangers have helped me, but I don’t think it matters right now. We’re all human, we all care for one another, eh? We’re not heathens.”

“No, ma’am.” I seated myself at her worktable, and she passed me the food.

“Will you take off your cloak, dear? I must say, it’s...most unusual.” She didn’t recognize the Tyrean style, thank goodness. It was the one Aren had given me the day he took me off the Tyrean ship, charcoal gray wool lined with dark pink. I reached under the deep hood to make sure my hair was still tucked away beneath my black scarf and inside of my dress, and lowered it.

“Is that—” She raised her eyebrows toward my scarf.

“Mourning, ma’am,” I said, and lowered my eyes. “I don’t suppose it’s the fashion here in the city?”

“No,” she said, and leaned on the counter, “but it suits you well. Don’t leave your hometown’s traditions behind on our account. No one will think you rude for it.”

“Thank you for all of this. I suppose I should get out of your way, though, and let you get back to work. You said you know where Pine Hill is?” I tried to maintain my table manners, but found it hard not to shovel the cake into my mouth. I’d never tasted one with such a balance of heavy texture and light sweetness. I let the icing melt against the roof of my mouth.

“Oh, that,” she said. “You’re not too far. I could—” A bell rang in the front of the shop, and my heart skipped. My hostess excused herself, and my leg muscles tensed as I prepared to dart out the back door.

She returned a minute later. “Trouble,” she said, and frowned. “Escaped prisoner. Magic, even. Can you believe that?” I shook my head as I finished the strong tea. “I don’t say that sort of person will go unnoticed for long. Anyway, I’ll be locking my doors more carefully until I know they’ve caught him.” She shuddered. “The very notion. Magic. What was I saying?”

“Pine Hill?” I made myself sound calm and pleasant. Inside, I was screaming.

“Oh, yes. Would you like me to have someone escort you? You need to be careful with criminals about.”

“Not if it’s close, thank you. I don’t want anyone to go to any trouble.”

She opened the door to the front of the shop and watched the people passing by outside the windows. She seemed to forget about me as her attention turned to the threat she assumed was outside.

“Miss?” I prompted.

She turned back. “Well, you turn left here, go eight blocks and turn left again, then the first right, and that street’s called Pine Hill. It’s only the one street. You have an address?”

I nodded. I had “blue house.” It would have to do.

I thanked my hostess again, and she took a rag, dampened it, and used it to wipe a smudge of dirt off of my face. “That was bothering me,” she said with another kind smile. I hated to think how that smile would disappear if she knew what I was.

She made me promise to bring my cousin back for tea, then wished me well and waved goodbye. I walked quickly and with purpose, ignoring the people I passed. When I looked back over my shoulder, the baker was leaning out the door, looking up and down the street, motioning for a younger woman to come over to speak to her. I pulled my hood back up and kept walking, counting the blocks and repeating her instructions in my head. Eight blocks, left, first right. Blue house. I listened, but I didn’t hear any indication that anyone was following me.

I didn’t know whether I had any real chance of escaping, but I was going to try.

P
ine hill was much
as I’d pictured it, a cobblestone road bordered with evergreen trees, curving slightly as it climbed a low hill and lined with fine-looking houses. Not all were large, but each of their owners clearly took pride in them, as evidenced by fresh paint and neatly trimmed hedges. People who lived in houses like these could afford to hire others to do the maintenance for them. Felicia had done well. It was everything she’d wanted.

Or it would have been, if not for Robert’s death.

Most of the homeowners on the street had elected to paint their houses in sombre shades of brown or gray, a fact that would make my search easier. I walked up the hill and stopped on the road beside a slate-blue cottage with ornate white trim under the eaves. An elderly man came out with a little girl holding his hand, and the girl waved at me. I waved back and kept walking.

I listened for the sound of hoofbeats charging after me, and heard nothing. Perhaps Callum thought I wouldn’t be so foolish as to come here.

I nearly missed a house tucked behind tall shrubbery, but I caught a glimpse of the upper level from across the street. Its light and cheerful blue paint seemed outlandish on this pretty yet dull street. I crossed and stood at the gate, but saw nothing to identify the house’s owner. Just a neat garden and white curtains shut tight. When I looked back, the old man and the girl were standing at the end of their path, watching me. I reached in to unlatch the gate as though I belonged there and hoped they’d forget about me.

The bell at the door made a pleasant tinkling sound that reminded me of the cave fairies I’d once met. Felicia herself opened the door, dressed in a loose, lavender-striped dress with lace at the collar, and wearing thick wool socks on her feet. Her hair, once the envy of all who met her, hung in limp, golden ringlets over her shoulders. Other than looking a little tired, there was no sign she was pregnant. Not in that dress.

She clapped her hands over her mouth and stared at me, wide-eyed with disbelief. “Rowan?”

“Hi, Lecia,” I said. “Mind if I come in?”

She looked past me to the street, then stepped aside. Her brows knit together, emphasizing lines in her forehead and around her eyes that hadn't been there a few months before.

“Rowan, I…I didn’t expect to see you here. What’s going on? Wait, let me have Sally put on water for tea. Sit in the parlor, you look exhausted.” She hesitated, hand laid over her heart, then reached out to squeeze my hand. “My God,” she whispered, and hurried off.

“I really can’t stay for tea,” I called after her. She didn’t seem to hear.

I made my way into the room she’d indicated, an open and airy space decorated in light gray and cream. A scallop-edged patch of dark paint over the mantel indicated that something had once hung there and kept the paint from fading. A mirror, perhaps, or a painting. There were few other decorations in the room, and nothing that showed off the vibrant personality of the house’s owner. This was a grown-up house.

I passed by the pale couch, not wanting to stain it with dirt from the road, and sat instead on a stiff, pewter-colored chair. I kept an eye on the door and an ear open for boots on the porch, but all was silent and still.

Don’t relax,
I reminded myself, even as I sank back into the chair and stretched my legs out to take the pressure off my aching feet.

Felicia returned with a teapot and cups on a silver tray. “I told Sally to take the evening off. I thought you might appreciate some privacy.” She sat on the sofa, as close to my chair as she could get, and leaned in. “Rowan, I thought you were dead until I got your letter, and then I just...I didn’t know what to say. Thank God you’re here. Is it all true?”

“It is,” I said, and took the scarf from my head. The room was too warm for it, and I didn’t see the point in hiding anything from her. She tensed when she saw the unusual color of my hair, but didn’t comment on it.

“I won’t stay long,” I said. “I don’t want to bring trouble. I just need—”

She placed a hand on my knee, though only for a moment. The easy familiarity we’d once shared was gone, but her smile was as kind and welcoming as it had ever been. “Don’t even think of rushing off. We’ll get you set up with whatever you need, but please. Just tell me what happened. I’ve missed you.”

I smiled. “I’ve missed you too, Lecia, and I have so much to tell you.” I explained briefly what had happened since I received Callum’s letter, leaving out the part about me flying to the border on a winged horse, not mentioning the small bit of magic I’d used in escaping. She knew what I was, but I didn’t think she’d want to be reminded of my association with magic more than necessary. She listened quietly, shaking her head and murmuring her shock at the appropriate places, refilling my teacup when I emptied it.

“I heard about Robert,” I said. “I’m so sorry.”

Felicia twisted the amethyst ring on her left hand and took a shaky breath. “Thank you. He died doing what he felt called to do. I suppose that’s more than most people can say. And there’s the baby coming.”

“I heard that, too. I’m so happy for you. You’ll be the best mother.”

She smiled and wiped her eyes with a white handkerchief that she pulled from the sleeve of her dress. “I hope so. It won’t be easy, but if all goes well I won’t be unmarried for long.” She didn’t have to say that
if all goes well
meant the baby being born normal. If she proved she could bear healthy children who were unaffected by magic, she’d be back to having her pick of the best suitors in town, if perhaps more mature ones than she was accustomed to flirting with at parties.

“As to your problem,” she continued, “I don’t know what to tell you. You can spend the night here if you want, but you won’t stay hidden for long. Callum comes to visit sometimes.”

“Does he?” He’d seemed familiar with her situation. I hadn’t realized they were that close. She didn’t seem to notice how my gaze moved again to the door. I wanted to run, but still needed her help.

“I think Callum feels like he owes it to Robert to look after me, especially since he has no—” She stopped herself. “He has time for that, when he’s in town. He’s been good to me since Robert died. It was difficult for him, too, but he’s been nothing but kind and helpful. Rowan, are you certain you didn’t mistake his intentions in bringing you to town?”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Had she been listening at all? “I’m sure.”

“Oh.” She sipped at her tea and frowned again. I had never seen her so subdued. But then, I had never known Felicia to have a care in the world outside of keeping up with fashions and choosing which fantastic future she wanted. She was bearing up well, all things considered, but it broke my heart to see how she’d lost her joy.

“Would you like to see the house?” she asked. “I’ve been waiting so long to show you everything.”

“I really can’t, Lecia.” I spoke slowly. “I need to borrow some clothes that will help me not look so out of place. Maybe a few coins, if you can spare them. Do you have a horse? If anyone asks, you can say I stole it.”

She gave her head a little shake. “Of course. I don’t know where my head is today. You have no idea what this does to your brain.” She made a vague circling gesture toward her stomach. “Tell you what. I’ll show you around, and we’ll grab some things from my room.”

Her mood improved as she pointed out all of the modern conveniences and pretty additions she’d made to the decor. The house wasn’t one of the larger ones on the street, but it had a good-sized kitchen and four bedrooms, an indoor toilet, and a small library. No signs of preparations for a baby. There wouldn’t be any for a few months at least, perhaps not until after the birth. Our people were superstitious about babies, with good reason. She helped me pack some bread, cheese, and fruit into a bag in the kitchen, and led me upstairs to find some clean clothes. She chattered the whole time.

“I’m sorry,” Felicia said. “Listen to me going on when you must be exhausted. I’ve been rather short on visitors lately. Let’s go sit again, and we’ll get something cold for supper before you sneak off. I’m afraid I’m still not much of a cook.” I sat in the chair again, and she went to the window and looked out toward the street. She cleared her throat and let the curtains fall back into place.

“Probably best if you don’t let anyone see you in here,” she said.

“I don’t think anyone followed me.” I leaned back and rested my head against the chair. “I’m sorry for coming here, Lecia. I didn’t know what else to do. I should go.”

“No, you did the right thing,” she said. “Absolutely. Rest for a few minutes. Eat. We’ll get you back on the road after dark. It will be safer.”

“Thank you, Lecia.”

She smiled and settled in her chair, though her back remained stiff and straight. “Have you been in contact with your family?”

“I heard that life has been hard for them since I disappeared. And for Callum. I hope you’ve been spared that.”

The lines reappeared on her forehead as she frowned. “No. It hasn’t been as bad for me, but people found out that you were my cousin, and it did make things unpleasant.” She sat beside me again and looked straight into my eyes. Tears gathered in hers, and she gripped her skirt tight in her fingers. “Robert was so angry when it all came out. I don’t think he believed me at first when I said I hadn’t known. He wanted...” She hiccupped and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “He wanted to break off the engagement quietly, but I found out I was pregnant that day. We should have been so happy.”

The bitterness in her voice shocked me, not because it was inappropriate, but because I had never heard it coming from such a deep place in her before. And it was my fault.

Apprehension prickled at me. The change in her tone was too sudden.

She ran her hands over her belly, which showed roundness when she pressed her dress against it. “Do you know what it does to a man to find out that the woman carrying his child has magic in her family?”

“I didn’t realize anyone acknowledged that it ran in families.” I didn’t want to hurt her, but surely she could see how inconsistent Robert’s reaction was with what we’d been taught about magic.

She scowled. “Don’t be stupid. It’s not about the babies that we lose. It’s a great shame, having a heretic for a friend and a cousin. Makes people look at me sideways. You’re like this red mark in our family’s ledger. There’s no hiding it. There’s this idea that once there’s someone like you in the family, there will be more.”

I stood and paced the room, unable to sit still as my heart fluttered with panic, unwilling to run out into the streets if I might be safe.
No. Run. Trust your instincts for once.

I picked up the food she’d prepared and the clothes I hadn’t yet changed into. “Do you really believe that I’ve sold my soul to become what I am now? Hated and feared?”

“I don’t say you wouldn’t have.” Her eyes flicked to the window again.

Panic stabbed at my heart at the echo of footsteps on the porch, and a knock at the door. My blood froze. “Felicia, what did you do?”

“What I had to. This is for the best.” Her eyes were dry now, and angry. “You are not my cousin. My Rowan died on the road to Ardare, killed by Tyreans.”

“Lecia,” I pleaded, but she wouldn’t look at me. Tears stung my eyes. This hurt far more deeply than Callum’s betrayal had. “I’m still the same person I always was. The only difference is that now I know who I am. The binding was killing me. I had no choice in this. I—”

“I don’t know who you are. I hope you’ve enjoyed your magic.” She darted past me to open the door.

I started toward the back door, but looked back over my shoulder as several men stepped into the house. I froze.

I expected to see Callum, and instead found myself facing a man who was taller, though not as broad, heavier-browed and sharper-eyed. He looked much the same as the last time I’d seen him, right down to the disapproving scowl on his face.

He’d almost been family, once.

“Thank you, Felicia,” he said. His deep voice filled the room, though he spoke softly. “It’s good to know who’s loyal to the throne. The king will hear of it.”

“Thank you,” she said, then looked back to me. “Rowan, I believe you’ve met Sir Dorset Langley.”

I couldn’t move.
Go
, I told myself.
Figure out where later.

I ran toward the back door, knocking over a spindle-legged table and a lamp on the way through. It didn’t slow Langley, and he grabbed my hair before I could get through the kitchen. I yelled as he hauled me back and clapped a hand to my mouth.

“Greerson! Sedative! And restrain her!” he called, and several sets of footsteps pounded toward us.

I kicked and struggled and bit his hand, but he could have been made of stone for all he responded to it. He was a trained fighter and likely weighed twice as much as I did, and he kept me pinned easily. They forced my arms behind my back. My magic roiled within me, and I sent it out again.
Just get me out of here
, I begged it.

One of the hunters near the door flew backward as though he’d been hit by a charging bull, and his head slammed into the doorframe. He fell to the ground in a heap, and blood flowed from his head. Felicia screamed and ran up the stairs.

A hard slap to my face distracted me and sent stars spinning across the room. The hands holding me gripped tighter.

“Sedative, I said!” Anger filled Langley’s voice, and I gathered my magic again. It felt weaker now.

Damn this city.

Something stabbed into my arm and a feeling like ice water flowed over my skin, then deeper into the muscles, up my arm, and into my body. Pain hammered in my head, much as it had every day when my magic was bound.

As the world whited out around me, I heard the magic hunters moving around.

“He’s dead,” someone said. “Add murder to the list of charges.”

And that’s how it gets worse
, I thought.