Chapter 19
Chapter 19
I didn’t move.
I stayed hidden behind the thick brush, the cold biting my ankles, my breath so shallow I thought I might pass out.
Kael stood close to him.
They weren’t fighting. They weren’t arguing.
It was clear they knew each other and are probably acquaintances. Who knows? He might have even been working with them from the start.
I leaned forward, just slightly.
“…she’s not ready yet,” Kael was saying.
The stranger’s voice was low. “That’s not your call.”
“She’s stronger now. But she’s not theirs. You promised-”
“We promised she’d be delivered. Not protected.”
Kael’s jaw tightened. Even from this distance, I could see it. “She doesn’t belong to anyone.” The stranger stepped closer. “Keep pretending you have a say in this. You know the cost.”
Kael didn’t answer.
The stranger turned and vanished into the trees without another word.
Kael stood still for a long moment before finally turning back.
I was already gone.
I returned quickly before he returned, my heart still slamming against my ribs. My face calm, my breathing even.
I heard his footsteps. He hesitated by the fire, then lay down beside me like nothing had happened.
The next morning, I didn’t mention anything.
Kael trained me as usual-pushed me hard, corrected my form, wiped blood from my lip when a hit landed too hard.
I barely heard his instructions. My thoughts were stuck on the night before.
What did he mean by “delivered”?
What had he promised them?
Why hadn’t he told her?
By the third drill, I misstepped and fell.
Kael reached to help me up.
I slapped his hand away and stood on my own.
He frowned. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” I muttered, brushing myself off.
4:17pm & D
“Alice.
“I said nothing,” I repeated, walking past him.
Later that evening, I sat alone near the edge of the ridge, my eyes scanning the tree line.
Kael joined me, sitting down without a word.
“You’re quiet,” he finally said.
“You’re used to me screaming?”
He smiled faintly. “No. But I’m not used to you being silent.”
I turned my head, staring at him. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Perhaps, because I lost my mate and trying hard not to let such happen to you.”
I studied his face. The way he looked at her like she was still the same girl from the cave. The one who trusted him. The one who thought he chose me over everything else.
“Did you ever lie to me?” I asked.
Kael stiffened, just slightly.
“About what?”
“Anything.”
He didn’t answer right away, then, “No.”
I watched him closely. “Not once?”
He turned to her. “Why are you asking?”
I stood. “Because I don’t think you’re who I thought you were.”
Kael stood too. “Alice-”
“Tell me right now,” I said, my voice cold. “Have you ever spoken to anyone from the Shadowborr since we left Red Fang?”
He was quiet, then he finally spoke. “I don’t work for them.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He hesitated.
“I spoke to someone,” he said finally. “Once. But it wasn’t what you think-”
“Once?” I cut in. “Last night doesn’t count as once.”
His face shifted.
I saw it now, he had no Idea that I saw him.
“You followed me.” he said.
“You lied to me,” I snapped. “They’re after me. You knew. You’ve always known.”
“I was protecting you.”
“You were delivering me.”
Kael stepped forward. “It wasn’t like that.”
My voice dropped to a whisper. “Then tell me exactly what it was.”
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4:17 pm
Kael exhaled hard. “I had no choice. I had to survive. When they heard about you, they came to collect. I didn’t give you to them. I tried to buy time.”
“You had to survive. You would do anything to survive won’t you? Even if it meant selling of someone close to you. Your mate, you must’ve sold her too.”
“Alice-” he tried to touch me.
I stepped back.
“Every word,” I said bitterly. “Every promise. It was all just stalling, wasn’t it? You’ve been lying t me from the beginning.” I sniffed then glared at him. “I should have known when you sold me t Silverclaw. Damien was right.”
“Damien?”
I stared at him, my hands curled into fists.
Then turned and walked away.
“Alice.” He called after me.
But I walked faster ignoring him.
I didn’t sleep that night, I packed my bag.
I didn’t know where I was going-only that it had to be far, far from Kael.
I will deal with Shadowborn myself.
I slung my pack over my shoulder, and left.
I didn’t hear the twig snap behind me until it was too late.
A hand clamped over my mouth and a voice hissed in my ear.
“You shouldn’t have run.”
And everything went black.
4:17 pm & D
