Page 41 of Seized to Sacrifice
Rye looked thoughtful. ‘I had a bird back from Quin not long ago. The Camp is at the base of the Mountains until the thaw. It’s only a few days’ ride. We could go in a day or two, take her with us.’
‘Why wait? We could be ready by mid-morning.’
‘There’s something I need you to do first.’
Rye produced a small, sealed letter, stamped with her emblem.
‘Take this to Evesmere and leave it with the messenger there. The next time the portal opens, he'll take it through and make sure it gets to the right man.’
‘Do you thinkhe’llcome for her?’
Rye shrugged. ‘If he wants her back, he will,’ he said, sounding bitter. ‘Once she's done what we want her to do, he can have her back and good riddance to them both.’
‘And if she can't free us … or she won’t?’
‘Then we keep her here untilhedoes what we want.’
Thorne rose. ‘If I go now, I'll be back later on tonight. We can leave for the Army tomorrow.’
Rye stood up with him. ‘I'll send a bird to Quin and make the arrangements to leave the keep tomorrow, then,’ he said.
‘What of Elle?’ Thorne asked.
‘What of her? We’ll bring her as I said.’ Rye answered him, looking impatient.
‘If we enter the Dark Brothers Camp with her without her being bound to us …’
Rye’s brow furrowed. ‘The binding was never broken, Brother. We are still as tied together as we ever were,’ he said with a sneer. ‘Not even a Commander of the Dark Army can break a conjure forged so long ago by one such as she. I even tried to myself for years before my magick began to wane … but it endures. I’m surprised you don’t recall …’
Thorne just about stopped his mouth from falling open. How could he have forgotten that? He gritted his teeth and forced a pleasant expression on his face.
‘Probably slipped my mind because I wished to forget,’ he called back as he left the library, pretending to be eager to get on the road.
Fucking Beast!
What other memories had been stolen from him? What else did he remember of Elle that Thorne had forgotten? How many memories had he lost from their time together?
He let out a sound of anger. Why did he care?
‘The sooner I get rid of you the better,’ he said to himself, even though the Beast wouldn’t hear his words.
Thorne got his horse from the stable and rode from the keep as fast as he could. He wanted to get back before nightfall so that he could chain himself up to his bed again like the weak fool that he was.
But as he entered the tranquility of the forest, he let his mount slow a bit. Perhaps some time amongst the trees might be just what he needed; clear his head, shore up the Beast’s prison.
He only hoped that he'd be able to get to Evesmere and back without the Beast showing himself. There would be no hiding him if he did.
* * *
Elle
Elle stared despondentlyat the door as she heard Rye and Thorne talking out in the hall. She shouldn't be eavesdropping, she thought. It was her own fault she was upset. They hated her. This wasn’t new information but hearing them speaking of her sent her spirits plummeting even further.
She shifted in the bed and winced. Her body was sore and ached. She’d enjoyed what Rye had done, had been caught up in the smell of him, the way he touched her. She was drawn to him. Something about him had felt so familiar, so yearned for. For a moment she hadn’t felt so isolated. But his expression and his words after had hurt her immensely. What had she expected? She knew his feelings. Why had she thought he’d be different after, that it had been anything more than a cruel jest at her expense?
She closed the book that she’d been trying to read to take her mind off things. It wasn't helping, probably because it was so fucking dull.
Nyx had left the room early in the morning and had not yet returned. She wasn't sure if she was permitted to wander the keep, but he had said before not to.
