Page 53 of To No End

I gasped in shock, trying to calm myself at the sight of Trace standing before me. The thin fabric outlined every dip and curve of his body; my eyes were unable to stop scanning the shape of him. I became instantly bashful, realizing that I, too, might as well have been naked given the fabric, and went to shield my chest with folded arms, angling the front of my body away.

I was once comfortable in the complete nude with Trace, and now I shied away from the male looking back at me. As the others exited the pool, I struggled to follow suit without tripping.

Trace and I stared at each other; our gazes filled with unimaginable confusion. My mind was unable to reconcile seeing Trace in anything other than the color black. I noticed his eyes dip to where my new earring rested; his jaw tightened. This time not in lust, but in anger, pure and raw. I had completely forgotten about the feather earring until I felt its damp barbs tickling my cheek.

I might have been embarrassed at his realization, except my attention was drawn to the thin scar splitting the fine dark hair of his eyebrow. An old wound, not new but healed. Below the soaking-wet sleeves of his garment, I saw the dark lines of his tattoo on not one but both arms. Was I hallucinating? Who in Gods’ names was this person standing next to me?

We were directed to a set of rooms where our belongings awaited us and instructed to dry off and change into comfortable attire as we’d be traveling. If I hadn’t been entirely consumed with disbelief over Trace, I might have been more irritated at the thought of more travel after having spent four full days in a carriage.

Digging through my articles of clothing, I tried to grasp what this meant. Was Trace High Fae like me? That was the only logical possibility. Only members of the High Court were called to the Offering, according to my father.

More importantly, why did he look so different from the last time we parted? I dressed as quickly as possible, eager to find a way to be alone with him. I was too angry and confused to find any relief that someone I knew and trusted was here with me. My trust in him was now entirely in question.

With my belongings in hand, we made our way through another door and up a staircase. I walked a few persons behind Trace, angling my head behind their tall stature, trying to catch glimpses of him. Upon reaching the ground level of the castle, we were escorted to a group of large carriages by the male who had been at the king’s side earlier.

The priestess was nowhere to be seen. He handed us each a vial of liquid and instructed us to drink it without question. I eyed Trace nervously, and we watched each other raise the vials to our lips.

“You will each enter a carriage. In a few minutes, you will be asleep thanks to the liquid you just ingested. Do not worry, it is safe. You will be transported to our next destination and likely awaken upon arrival. Where you’re going is not something you’re privy to at this time.”

Trace intentionally waited to see what carriage I boarded and did not join me. I leaned back against the seat, utterly exhausted by everything that had just transpired.

My eyes became heavy, my vision blurry. The last thing I saw were the long blonde curls of the beautiful female sitting across from me.

CHAPTER

16

I awoke to the sound of knocks on the carriage door and the rustling noises of the other individual across from me. My eyes stung from the glare of sunlight casting through the windows. My neck and back had horrible cricks, telling me I had likely been seated in a poor position long enough to leave me feeling sore for a few days. I rubbed my forehead, trying to shake the disorientation and slight throbbing headache. Likely from the strange drink that had knocked us out.

I followed behind the blonde female exiting our carriage, only to be greeted with a gust of cool fresh air that sent stray locks of my hair into a tangle. A crisp chill caused my skin to ripple with goosebumps. When I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I took in the otherworldly sights surrounding me.

We were somewhere nestled in between stunning gray mountains, hidden away from everything. I had never seen mountains this close; I’d never actually been there at all. I had traced many mountain ranges with my fingers along my father’s maps, but I had no way to approximate where I wasor what mountain range these belonged to. I was so distracted by the cresting sun over the cliffs, I forgot Trace and my other companions were standing nearby also taking in our surroundings.

Glancing over my shoulder, I silently counted how many of us comprised the Offering. Six…there were only six of us. I don’t know how many I’d expected. With so few Houses and the criteria for being conscripted, it had been impossible to guess. I tried to ignore Trace’s presence from the corner of my eye but noted that he was back in his all-black attire that suited him better than anything else.

“Ahem, may I please have your attention? I am Idris, and I am your good King Aeon’s spymaster. You have been delivered safely to the Elorn Mountains, and this place is called Basdie.” He paused, folding his hands casually in front of himself, before continuing.

“You may have heard of the Elorn Mountains, but you will not have heard of the Basdie stronghold. This place does not exist. Not to anyone who is not meant to know about it. The only reason you are alive, standing within its boundaries, is because my enchantments permit your presence.”

I glanced around anxiously, trying to see if any of the others showed any indication of the same concerns I was feeling. Again, I could feel that faint hum similar to the one I’d first felt in the Bath of the Four Mothers, but I ignored the sensation and tried to focus on Idris’ words.

A spymaster? No wonder he acted aloof; I knew there was something questionable about him the minute I heard his voice. No one spoke, just listened intently.

“The brand you received at the ceremony is the key that allows you to pass into this sacred place—but that very same key is also a lock. Should you choose to leave the perimeter of the grounds without explicit permission, you will find that it will be your firstand last attempt. Please do not make me explain this further. There are so few of you, and you are precious to the realm. I would hate to lose even one.”

I caught myself grinding my teeth at the harshness of his warning and the realization of being trapped here against our will. What exactly would happen if we crossed the boundary without permission? Were they even clearly marked?

“Grab your belongings and follow me inside. I know you all are very interested in answers to more of your questions. All will be explained in due time.”

I walked over to the carriage and found my pack among the others sitting on the ground. Before I could bend over to retrieve mine, my carriage mate politely handed it to me. “Thank you,” I said, finally taking in the full view of her.

She was nothing, if not beautiful. A stark contrast to myself. She dripped with femininity. Her long blonde curls framed both sides of her voluptuous breasts. I tried not to appear like I was gaping at her curvaceous body; a tight-fitting dress accentuated her feminine shape. Her eyes were warm, like honey glistening in the sunlight. She looked untouched by the disaster of our recent sleeping quarters. Okay, I was officially staring. I pried away my gaze, trying to reset my expression appropriately.

She held out her palm facing up, waiting for me to return the greeting. I had never been so grateful for that small gesture of normalcy. Customs, etiquette—call it what you like; it was the first moment since arriving I felt okay.

I put my hand palm facing down and placed it atop hers, holding it there briefly.

“I’m Cressida, but please call me Cress.”

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