Chapter 26: Vicious Bonds: Chapter 26

For breakfast, we’re given fruit and water. Everyone eats in groups—Caz, Killian, and Rowan on the balcony, Juniper and Maeve seated at a table with me. While we eat, Alora announces that she still hasn’t heard from Beatrix, and seeing as she doesn’t want to waste any more time, she figures we better head her way so she can deal with her in person.

I can’t help noticing Alora is much more stressed today than she was yesterday, and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the Blackwater group. They’re heavy people who drag the residue of their problems with them, and here she is cleaning it up.

Before we leave, we watch Alora stand in her palace, giving a speech about the violence from last night as the people of Vanora stand in the courtyard below. She has a powerful voice, one that touches the soul. She’s a good queen who gives hope and carries herself with grace—not that I would know what it’s like being a queen. But if I were to imagine myself as one, I’d want to be like her.

The Vanorians leave with smiles on their faces and go back to their lives, so I suppose all is well for now. She promised them that the guards would be patrolling both Gold and Iron Class to better protect and serve them, and apparently that gives the people some peace of mind. Violence in Vanora isn’t as common as it is in Blackwater, but according to Maeve, it does still happen, especially when one of their gilded becomes out of control. After witnessing the fight last night with Hannie and Tomán, I can sense just how out of control they become.

Veno drives along a tall bridge that stretches for miles, and I cling to my seatbelt when I realize how high in the air we are. The bridge is built over the blue waters. One wrong turn or jerk of the wheel, and we’re all going down, but no one seems to be worried about it but me.

I clear my throat, and Maeve looks back at me. “Afraid of heights, love?” she asks.

“Not usually,” I say, then peer out the window again. “But this is really high up.” It’s taller than the bridge that led us to Alora’s castle, not to mention the waves are rowdier, crashing against whatever surface they can reach below.

“Beatrix had it built by the people of Vanora. She made it so that if you want to reach her, you have to be willing to cross this bridge to get to her,” says Maeve. “She’s a very powerful Mythic. Been around for centuries, even before Alora was born. Some say she was one of the first Mythics around.”

“When exactly was Alora born?” I ask.

“If you’re asking her age, I believe she’s two hundred and seven this year.”

What? “And how old is Caz?”

“One hundred and twelve.”

“I’m one hundred and ten,” Juniper says proudly. “Rowan is one hundred fourteen and Kill, here, is one hundred sixteen.” I glance at Killian and he’s frowning at me, like he didn’t want me to know that bit of personal information.

“I don’t understand how you all look so young even though you’re so…old. No offense.”

Maeve laughs. “The youth water was created by the Regals but could only be found in Vanorian territory, hence the reason Alora has full rights to it. It does wonders. Has healing properties, rejuvenates you from inside and out. It even gets rid of plagues—the kind that can kill you within a day or two. But not everyone can afford it, you see. So, while some of us have the luxury of obtaining youth water and living a very long time, many don’t. The Rippies are just now getting access to it, courtesy of the treaty Alora recently made with them, but us Blackwaters have had it for a very long time. It’d be worth more than rubies if there were people out there who actually enjoyed life.”

“I see. And what happens if you stop drinking it?”

Maeve considers my question, pressing her lips. “I suppose your body just adapts to its age, which probably would cause someone like me to become frail and more prone to sicknesses. Weaker bones and teeth, all that. Hmm…not many people think about not taking it. It’s become a staple for us, really.”

I nod, then look out the window, at the vast waters beyond the bridge. “This Beatrix…she really doesn’t like to be bothered, does she?”

“She doesn’t,” Maeve says, “which is why only you, Caz, and Alora will be allowed inside. She most likely won’t let us in.” Maeve switches her gaze to Juniper. “So don’t even think about getting out of the vehicle.”

Juniper sucks her teeth and rolls her eyes. I start to smile, but I feel eyes on me and look over. Killian is glaring a hole into my face. He’s been like this since this morning—staring at me, watching me carefully, as if I’ll attack someone at any given moment.

“Do you have a problem?” I ask, frowning.

“Yeah. You,” he growls.

“Look, the sooner I get out of here, the better for us all, right? But having you stare at me isn’t gonna get things moving any faster.”

“You have a smart mouth on you,” he spits back.

“I’ve been told.”

Killian’s frown deepens and his nostrils flare.

“Killian, you will be nice to Willow from here on out, do you understand?” Maeve twists in her seat to get a look at him. “If not, I’ll toss you overboard. Do you hear me?”

Killian’s eyes don’t move from mine as he says, “Yeah, mum. I hear ya.”

I pull my eyes away, glad when Veno drives onto flat land again. A winding trail leads up a green hill, and at the top of the hill is a house. It’s not very large, like the homes in Vanora, but it stands out with its copper roof and tan walls. The door is wide, rectangular, with copper trimmings.

Looking through the back window, I spot Caz’s car trailing behind us, and a bright white car behind his that has Alora. Veno pulls over next to a large tree and parks, and I draw in a breath as Caz parks beside us and immediately climbs out of the car. He marches to my door and snatches it open.

“Out,” he demands.

I’m tempted to tell him to ask nicely, but I feel we’re closer to getting me home and I don’t want to delay it any more than necessary, so I climb out. Plus, after his rude words last night, I see now that I really shouldn’t be here.

He slams the door behind me and gestures toward the house, and as he does, Alora walks past us in a bronze dress and sandals, focused on the front door.

There are two windows on either side of the door, both covered from the inside by dark curtains. One of the curtains shifts to the side, and I see a dark figure, but just as quickly as I see it, the curtain moves back and settles in place.

“Beatrix!” Alora calls from the bottom of the stoop. “I know you’re here!” She pauses, waiting for a reaction, but nothing happens. “There’s something that must be discussed and it’s quite urgent, so if you could open the door, that would do us all a world of good!”

Caz stands beside me, shoulders squared and chin up as he faces forward. Proll walks ahead, standing next to Alora. He grunts, and Alora shakes her head and lifts a hand to him, as if telling him, “No.”

What would he do? Break the door down?

There’s a moment of silence, as if we’re all holding our breath, and then I hear a deadbolt clink, another lock, a chain rattling, and the door slowly opens.

A woman appears on the other side—petite and old. Her skin is a very dark brown with a gray undertone. She appears to be in her sixties or even seventies, but in this world, there’s no telling how old she really is.

The woman walks onto her porch, and a smile spreads across her lips as she says, “My queen! What an unexpected surprise.”

“Oh, cut the crap, Beatrix. I gave your transmitter several contacts. You may not have answered, but I’m sure you saw them.”

“Did you try to contact me?” Beatrix gives a sheepish smile. “I don’t think I’ve checked my transmitter in days. The damn thing is hard to keep up with, and you know I’m not good with devices.”

Alora rolls her eyes. “As my message stated, there is a couple in crises.”

I frown at Alora. “We’re not a couple.”

“Right. Well, there is a…friend of the Blackwater Monarch who needs your assistance. Apparently, she is from another world, and I believe you will know how to get her back.”

“Another world?” Beatrix takes another step forward, narrowing her eyes as she scans me. “She smells like the other world.”

What? How can she smell me?

“Will you perform a reading on her?” Alora asks.

Beatrix pulls her eyes from me to take a sweep of Caz. “She may come in, but he may not.”

“What?” Caz snaps.

“There is a darkness in you. I don’t want it in my home. You’ll taint the whole place with it.”

“Alora, what is the point of me coming all this way just to be dismissed?”

Alora raises a graceful hand at Caz, giving him a stern look, before passing her gaze to Beatrix and softening a bit. “Beatrix, you will allow him into your home just this once, tainted darkness or not. It will only take a few minutes.”

“You know, my queen, when you gave me this land a great distance away, you promised I would be left alone, so long as I did what you asked.”

“And you have been left alone for the most part, but unfortunately, I need your help again. There is no one else we can turn to for this that I trust, Beatrix, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Alora steps forward, her face turning serious. “I believe they’re Tethered. And not just a simple Tether. A Cold Tether.”

Beatrix’s smirk falls right off her face and her eyes shoot over to me and Caz again. This time she looks at us—really looks at us—before blinking rapidly, stepping back, and saying, “Come in. Now.”