Page 20 of Beasts of Briar
Leoni stopped. “Well now I do. We’re not being smart. We should get off this main road.” She gestured toward the structures on either side of us. “Keep to the shadows.”
“Ah yes, the shadows.” Driscoll stroked his clean-shaven chin. “Because those tend to keep us safe.”
Leoni began walking off the dirt road and through the palm trees toward the houses. “The sun keeps the shadows from this area, so we’ll be safe as long as a storm doesn’t roll in or something. Besides, I don’t know about you, but I fear Spirit Shadow much more than his shadows.”
Driscoll gulped and followed Leoni off the road. I adjusted the satchel strap that was cutting into my neck and trailed behind them.
Leoni led us behind the cluster of houses, all pushed close together with small alleys of dirt roads between them. She was right. This was a much better cover as we made our way toward the mountain. Random pieces of stone and wood lay scattered on the ground. I stepped on something hard that crunched under my boot and realized it was a bone. A hand from the looksof it. I shuddered as my gaze swept the area, other random bones dusting the ground.
Driscoll gingerly stepped over one. “I could’ve married a king. I could’ve stayed in Fyriad and been a pampered queen. And instead, I chose this.” He pointed at a femur laying on the ground.
I assumed he was talking about Aron, being his consort. If things had gotten that deep between them, then Aron was far more smitten than I’d even realized.
Leoni pointed at him. “First of all, Aron’s not king yet. That has to be ratified by the other leaders since the frost queen’s death. Second of all, you didn’t want to be his queen. You basically ran in the other direction when he said he wanted to court you.”
I raised a brow. Now that was interesting.
Driscol scoffed. “I didn’t run. I’m being noble. I’m trying to help you save the world, in case you forgot. You know, you’re very ungrateful.”
“Uh-huh. Sure, Driscoll. Whatever you say.”
I smirked, but then he turned to me and I quickly glowered at him. I didn’t need him thinking I was entertained by any of this. Then he’d just talk to me more. “Don’t listen to her. I’m not afraid of being in a relationship with Aron.”
Leoni turned as well. “Yes, he is.”
“I don’t care,”I signed.“Whatever is between you and Aron is none of my business. I just want to focus on getting into that castle and getting the nettle weed so I can save my brothers.”
Leoni translated my message, and Driscoll wrinkled his nose. “You know, you might be the least fun person I’ve ever met, and that’s saying something given that I’m friends with Leoni.”
“Hey!” Leoni shoved him.
He turned back around and slung an arm over Leoni’s shoulder, saying something about how he was just kidding. Myheart lurched watching them. My brothers and I had had that same kind of teasing, fun relationship. Klaus loved to tease me the most. He was the goofiest of my brothers, always with a smile on his face, green eyes twinkling, blond hair disheveled and spilling over his forehead. He’d tickle my dirty feet and laugh about how I hated wearing shoes. How I fit perfectly in the Wilds with my long black hair that was never combed, my clothes that were always mismatched.My wild girl, he’d called me affectionately.
I wanted that back. With him. With all my brothers. But time and age had worn away so much of the joy and curiosity in my life. I should’ve run up to Driscoll, tapped him on the shoulder, apologized for being rude. I should’ve been honest that I actually did enjoy his company, his stories that I couldn’t help but listen in on as he prattled them off to Leoni. But I didn’t. This would all be easier if I didn’t form attachments. I’d learned that lesson too many times over the years in the Wilds. Nothing lasted.
Everyone I loved had been taken from me. Except Aron, and in the end, I betrayed him and left him. He probably hated me now. He might as well be as good as dead. But if I could get my brothers back, I could change everything. I could find some joy in my life again. And in order to do that, I needed to focus.
So the rest of the walk to the mountain, I kept my distance behind Driscoll and Leoni, letting them talk while I listened but stayed silent.
Chapter Twelve
BELLAMY
We finally emerged from the end of the village and came to a stop at the bottom of the mountain. Steep stairs were cut into it that wound up and around the side toward the castle.
Driscoll shaded his eyes and looked up. “Are we really sure we want to go up there?”
“You don’t have to do anything,”I signed.“I’m not forcing you to come.”
I’d wanted to do this by myself, and he and Leoni were the ones who barged into my plan, and now when the reality of it was settling in, he wanted to run. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Leoni translated my message, then shoved Driscoll forward. “This is what he does. He whines. A lot. But he’s not going to run.”
I just shrugged, and Leoni let out a soft sigh, then turned, shoving up the sleeves of her blue tunic, then fanning herself. The humid air had curled bits of her red hair, making it spring from its tight bun. We climbed the stairs, having to stop and takebreaks, drink water. The heat of the jungle was suffocating, and the more we climbed, the tighter that heat wrapped around us. Sweat plastered my hair to my face and forehead. My skin was sticky and hot, and I was so thirsty. We were almost out of water. We’d need to find some for the journey back... back to where? We hadn’t figured that out yet. Hadn’t even talked about it.
We stayed silent, not sure what might be awaiting us when we got to the plateau where the castle was perched. The only sound was the rustle of the wind, the gentle rush of the ocean waves in the distance. The higher we got, the more of the island I could see. From up here, it was breathtaking. The canopies were a stark green, the black-sand beaches were glittering and sprawling, and the ocean was turquoise, the sun glinting off it. It was a perfect day on the island—except for the damned heat. My dress stuck to the small of my back. At least the long sleeves shaded my skin from the sun.
We got to the top of the stairs, and a rocky plateau spread out before us, filled with wild jungle life, the castle rising high into the sky. To the side of the castle was a large garden that was gated off. Once upon a time it might have been something grand, but now all the bushes and trees were overgrown, weeds sprouting everywhere and overtaking everything.
