Page 45 of Upon Buried Embers
“I—I.” I can’t get the words out, my heart still in my throat at the thought of us going under the ice.
I’m not a great swimmer.
Rohan gets in my face. “You ever put her in danger again, I will give you to Drogonah.” I didn’t do anything, I want to scream, but it’s trapped in my throat. “Do you understand me!” I feel everyone’s eyes on me as I nod, trying to appease him. He grabs my chin roughly, forcing my eyes up to his. “Do. You. Understand. Me?!”
“Yes,” I reply, lips trembling from the menace in his voice.
He stares at me for a moment, then he snatches up the end of the rope, tying it to the saddle. “You will walk.”
“I didn’t…” The fury in his eyes stops any more words from forming, and his nostrils flare.
Ignoring me, he pats Serah, speaking calming words. A knot forms in my gut, and I sniffle as quietly as I can.
They’re angry. Always so… angry.
Rohan eventually mounts Serah as Drogonah roars from somewhere above us. “We will go around the edges, slowly.” He sets off at a slow walk, the rope straining as I try to keep up with him. We step onto the ice along the edge of the lake.
I look down in fear of cracks appearing, but none do.
A horse comes up beside me, and I turn and raise my eyes to Darcia’s hateful ones. She moves her horse a little too close, and it steps on my boot, causing me to trip a little. I catch myself just in time, pain shooting through my foot.
Gods, that hurts.
“Shame the lake didn’t take you.” She spits down at me, before she rides up beside Rohan, faking her concern.
“Don’t anger him, girl,” Calian says, but I don’t reply.
I didn’t do anything… did I?
I don’t know how I spooked Serah, but I didn’t mean to. Why would I want her to go on the lake and possibly have the ice give way beneath her?
She would’ve died.
I didn’t want her to die.
When I continue to say nothing, Cailan sighs. “Just keep up before you get into more trouble.”
So I do.
Even as the pain worsens in my foot, even when it travels up my leg, even as it begins to feel numb.
I don’t say a word, I don’t make a sound.
I just follow.
Like a silent sheep.
Fourteen
Elf
My foot really hurts, and my fingers are turning blue, but I don’t complain. I don’t say a word. Breathing is too hard, and I can’t seem to get enough air in my lungs, but I do not, under any circumstances, lift my gaze to anyone.
We stopped briefly for a break, and no one said a word to me, not like I expected them to after I put their Dragonbond in danger.
Rohan walked past me and threw a waterskin at my feet—no food, and left me tied to Serah.
I watched him go over to Kaldar and some others to talk, Darcia among them. Adora was with Olaf, and she ran a hand through his hair. The hardened woman looked at him like he’s her everything, and I wonder again how that must feel.
