Page 8 of Their War

“I know. But that was my assigned Chosen, and she still needs to eat, so I've brought her some food,” Juniper said in response.

“I can't allow you in there with her. Security reasons, but Fergus can deliver the food to her once we've deemed it safe.”

“Of course,” Juniper said, a fake smile on her face as she turned to leave, her eyes darting to me for the briefest second. I couldn't be sure, but she seemed to know I was there watching and waiting.

Once Juniper had left, the head guard started jabbing a finger in each item and swirled it around until it was all an unrecognizable mush, blended together. “No keys or weapons. Fergus, you can take this food to the prisoner.”

Taking the tray, Fergus opened the cell door, and Rhowyn's voice reached me for the first time in days, a balm to my soul even if she was singing off-key. Some song about fighting for your right to party. Whatever that meant.

I tried to follow, but as I neared the door, I felt the drain immediately starting on my magic. If I had been at full strength, I could probably force my way in to see her briefly, but I wasn’t, and I couldn't. Frustrated, I decided to follow Juniper. I suspected that she knew more than she was letting on.

I caught up with her quickly, following her at a distance as she passed other servants, stopping briefly to chat with them from time to time. Finally, she turned down the servant’s hall, walking until she reached the door to her room. I followed her into her home, no regard for the invasion of privacy. It had never bothered me before and wouldn't now either.

As I trailed behind her, she turned, her eyes meeting mine. “You can stop the ruse, Raven. I know you're there,” she challenged me, her eyes hard and guarded, her back straight with confidence.

Forming back into my main form, I stood before her as a man again. “How'd you know I was there?” For the second time in a week, someone had been able to spot me, an occurrence that had never taken place before. Either something was off with my magic, or these two were more powerful than they let on.

“Why were you in the dungeons?” she returned, ignoring my question completely.

“I was doing what Ravens do. And you?”

She shrugged nonchalantly. “My job. While she may be imprisoned, she's still my Chosen and my charge. I do my job well, which means that I still need to ensure that she's being cared for properly.”

If I wasn't as keen as I was, I would have missed the tick on her face, the slight shifting of her weight that belied her words as only a half-truth. “That's not the only reason, though, is it?”

“Why are you so interested in my Chosen?” she asked, pushing me for answers in our dance to determine the nature of each other.

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“Don't bullshit me, Raven. All of your kind have reasons for being wherever you are. Were you hired to assassinate Rhowyn? Are you working for the Queen?”

“I was not hired by the Queen, and I've currently not accepted any contracts. I was simply curious about the Chosen that had turned Avalon on its head,” I said as dispassionately as I could, keeping my face void of any other emotion except curiosity.

“You fool no one.” Before I could disagree, she held up a hand to keep me silent. “I believe you about the contract, but you're not simply here on a whim. You're working with her Consorts, aren't you?” I remained silent, and she laughed softly at me. “I can put two and two together. Rhowyn's Consorts disappeared into thin air from the throne room. Yes, we servants talk and gossip. There's none in this castle who knows more than we. The only way that would be possible is if a Raven transported them. And now here you are, back in the castle. It isn't simply boredom and curiosity which motivate you.”

“And you are not what you say either. A simple, powerless servant? We both know that as not being true. So, who are you really, Juniper?” I questioned her.

“That is none of your concern. I am a servant whose only job is to ensure the Chosen remains safe,” she said with conviction.

“Ah, but a servant to whom is the question.” A brief widening of her eyes was the only sign that I was correct in my assumption. She was a servant, all right, but not to the Queen. “Which master do you serve?” I pushed her. While I believed we sought the same goals, I needed to be certain. Anything less, and I'd be placing Rhowyn further into harm's way.

She paused, searching my gaze as I tilted my head and studied her just as fastidiously. Every movement and micro-expression was being processed as we took the measure of each other. With a sigh, she spoke, “My master is not important. Not anymore. However, my mission always has been and will be to protect Rhowyn. Not as a Chosen but for what she represents. The fate of Avalon and Rhowyn's are intertwined in ways we cannot understand. In order to ensure Avalon's future, we must keep Rhowyn safe. Should she fail, all of Avalon will fall with her.”

Chapter Five: Baer

The last five days had been a literal hell for me. Waiting around, feeling helpless while we waited on others to deliver information and supplies. The only thing we’d been able to do was strategize, but even that had been limited since we could only do so much without all of the information.

Granted, Brannoc returned two days ago with information that could be just what we needed if all went to plan. Apparently, Juniper was an ally within Cashel Rí and willing to help us free Rhowyn. She’d been trying to look in on her for the last several days but had so far been denied access to the cells. She had assured him that Rhowyn was unhurt.

In a twist I hadn’t expected, Rhowyn had managed to strike a deal with the Queen to keep us all from physical harm in exchange for her help with removing her enchanted blade from the Winter Consort’s chest. I couldn’t keep my smile of pride from my face every time I pictured the confrontation. She never failed to amaze me. This woman who came out of nowhere, turned my world upside down, and changed me in so many ways, both mentally and physically.

Sure, before meeting her, I was a nomad who sought adventure and didn’t bother myself in the affairs of others. I had lived a sheltered life with parents who protected me from the political scene growing up and allowed me to forsake my title in search of my own dreams. In comparison to the others, Avalonia had surely blessed me.

Now, though, I couldn’t ignore what was right before me. After being dragged through the mire at Rhowyn’s side, I could no longer deny the ill effects that the Queen’s reign had produced. A part of me was ashamed that while people like Arryn had stepped up to do something, I had sat back and buried my head in the sand.

I rubbed my sternum as I leaned my head back against the dirt wall. After being cooped up for so long, we were all starting to go stir crazy. The smell was also starting to become quite rank. We needed to get out of here soon. The sense of urgency pressed down on me more and more every day. It was everything I could do to maintain my military bearing and ignore the pain I felt with not being near Rhowyn. While it wasn’t as intense or as painful as it had been before, it was still a dull ache, growing stronger the longer I was away from her. Since meeting, we hadn’t gone this long without being together. The ache in my chest was the connection she’d formed with me outside of the Consort’s Bond, pushing me to get her back.

It had taken everything I’d had to let her go, to walk away and leave her alone in the castle while we escaped and hid. Logically, I knew they were right, but that didn’t change the fact that it felt wrong in every single way. We were supposed to protect her, not the other way around.

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