Page 63 of Oaths & Vengeance
I let the portal close and waited a minute to collect myself. Though I couldn’t know the condition of the village and didn’t dare walk down there to look, I felt a weight on my chest that made it hard to breathe. No matter what anyone said, I’d done this. Every death, every destroyed structure, and every life ruined was on me. I’d never think of my birthday in the same way because it would always remind me of the terrible thing I’d done this night.
Searching within, I found I had just enough energy to get myself back to my garden ring. It was helpful already being inside Therress. All I wanted to do was climb into bed, burrow into my blankets, and shut out the world.
Chapter 28
Aella
The next morning, all anyone could talk about was the attack on Petosty. I made myself get up at my usual time to avoid suspicion. Uncle Morgunn was furious since the news didn’t reach him until after dawn. That was likely due to the Veronnians setting loose the messenger birds without missives and all the scouts put to sleep for hours.
At breakfast, he said he announced plans to visit the village and bring Briauna with him for her healing powers. Early reports he’d received so far indicated half a dozen soldiers had died, and the rest were moderately wounded. Only a few villagers sustained injuries. Those consisted of people who’d resisted Darrow’s forces herding them to the village school or worship temple. Every home and shop burned to the ground, so only the two structures remained standing. The enemy soldiers surprisingly set all the animals and chickens loose before torching everything. I appreciated that they were spared, though it didn’t reduce my guilt by much.
I barely made it back to my room after eating before breaking down in tears. Sure, they’d minimized deaths as promised, but they’d destroyed cottages, workshops, and almost everything else. It wasn’t something we could rebuild in a week or two. Families had to be relocated, and many would need to start all over again. I’d done that to them.
After opening a portal for Lord Morgunn and his retinue to visit the village, I opened another for Tradain. My uncle insisted that I return to training, as he’d already arranged for a channeler to meet him at Petosty for the return trip.
It was lunchtime when I arrived, so I headed straight for Camden’s officer quarters. A part of me hoped he wasn’t there, but he opened the door on the first knock. We stood staring at each other for a moment, silent.
I cleared my throat. “Can I get my things, please?”
“Of course, I’ve put them together already,” he said, stepping back.
I came in and stared at the bag in the corner of his sitting area. When he shut the door with aclick, I jumped. How awkward was this? My husband had damned Camden and I both for things we didn’t know the other was doing, which made it hard to be mad or forgive.
“So, how did Darrow convince you to marry him in secret?” he asked, curiosity in his gaze. There was also a hint of betrayal.
I grabbed my bag and sat in the chair, figuring we should work this out now, so we didn’t have to speak to each other again later, or be left wondering. “Rynn had faebor fever and wasn’t going to survive. I discovered Darrow’s great aunt could cure her, so I found him in Siggaya to make a deal.”
“For marriage?” he asked, aghast.
I snorted, imagining if that had been my opening line. “Hardly. I offered my portal services—with limits, but he wanted marriage so a future husband couldn’t track me so closely that I couldn’t keep my end of the deal with him.”
Camden ran a hand through his dark-blond hair. “I can’t believe he would even suggest that with as much as he hates your family.”
I explained the gist of what was said that first night and how we managed the wedding. “Until last night, the deal seemed worth it.”
“You portaled his army to Petosty,” he surmised, shock in his gaze. “It’s why you look exhausted and guilty right now. You are the last person I would have thought to betray Therress.”
I flinched, my guilt growing. “It was part of the deal. As long as my uncle didn’t use me to attack civilians on Veronna’s side, I didn’t have to portal Darrow and his army to my side. Then Lord Morgunn ruined it, and I had no choice. Darrow threatened to do much worse if I didn’t help.”
Camden sat in the chair opposite me, taking in my story with incredulity. “You shouldn’t have married him. I admit my allegiance to Therress,but he’s half dark elf and ruthless. I would have advised you against it if you’d come to me first.”
“What was my other choice?” I asked, chest tightening. “Let Rynn die and be married to Baron Elgord instead? A man who swore he’d break me and use my body, whether I liked it or not, to birth a bunch of his children. At least Darrow hasn’t forced himself on me.”
Not exactly, anyway. I fully cooperated with his kisses, and while a small part of me had been embarrassed by him catching me nude, another part had enjoyed his heated gaze and rough hands on my body. It was causing me to lose sleep at night. Of course, that was before he used me to attack a Therressian village on my birthday. Now, I would do everything I could to banish him from my mind and forget his touches.
Camden grunted. “Admittedly, you had no good choices, and it does explain the king’s immediate refusal of the betrothal. I hadn’t thought he’d care enough about a lady he hardly knew to stop it. Of course, this means your next potential suitor won’t work, either. He’s going to get suspicious.”
“I’m trying to buy time before the truth comes out,” I said, fiddling with the handle of my bag. “With luck, I’ll find a way out of it without the king needing to deny Lord Morgunn again.”
“It’s a dangerous game you play,” he said, genuine worry in his gaze. We might have been forced to break up, but it was hard to stop caring about someone in a matter of days—even with betrayal on both sides.
I shook my head. “You’re one to talk. How are you even his spy when you’ve been here for as long as I can remember?”
“My father’s brother lives in Veronna, and we visited once every couple of years. I began to learn the truth about our history, so by the time I was a teenager, Lord Gannon’s spymaster had already recruited me. Later, Darrow and his inner circle took over my handling. Mostly, I pass them information and try to mitigate civilian casualties when we must fight on Veronnian soil.”
That made sense, I supposed. They reached him when he was young and influential.
“Thanks for explaining,” I said, glad we could handle this civilly.
