Chapter Sixty-Two

ASH

Rowan joined them by the time the sun had begun to set in the sky, bringing a few more blankets that were bundled onto his back as he ran into the camp.

“A few more have decided to join us,” he explained, after he had changed and dressed.

“Evan and his brother Peter, for sure. Samuel and his mate are also considering it. Emily said you would need more blankets for everyone if they all came.”

Ash shook Rowan’s hand and thanked him, pleased with the news he brought. If they could not access the tunnel Keyara had told him about, they would likely need every man to proceed.

They made a quick dinner, going over the map with Rowan as they ate, before settling in for the night.

He and Mateo would leave at dawn the next morning to scout the castle in Levia, while Ash and Keyara remained at the camp to greet the others as they arrived.

They all agreed none of the others would sever the Kodia Pack bond until they reached the final outcome in Levia. Becoming a rogue caused a certain edginess.

Ash and Keyara were already beginning to feel it, their nerves constantly strung tight. He wanted everyone to have their wits about them as much as possible.

Mateo and Rowan left just before the sun came up the next day. Ash gave them their instructions in a low voice as Key slept across the camp. She had been restless during the night, nervousness ebbing from her.

“Try to get a timeline of their patrol schedules,” he told the two men. “See how much farther out they have pushed them since the disappearance of Jonas, and if they have added any to their numbers.

“Keyara said this wing of the castle is empty of residents.” He pointed to the map spread out before them, indicating the east wing.

“If you can get close enough, see if you can find a possible access point in that section of the castle in case the tunnel is unusable. If that is impossible, then do not push it.

“We do not want to engage or make them suspicious yet. The most crucial thing now is to determine if Keyara can approach her mother without being spotted by the patrols. We need to find the tunnel.”

Ash shook each of their hands as they left, promising to return after two days of observation.

He sat back down beside Key after they left, stroking her hair softly as she slept. He studied the maps at the same time, unrolling them one at a time, committing them to memory before carefully rolling each one back up.

He wanted to prepare himself for every method of approach or escape. After about an hour she began to stir, and he put the last map away just as she opened her eyes and sat up.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile, helping her to her feet. “I’m glad you got some extra sleep. I could tell you didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Mmm,” she agreed, stretching her arms over her head sleepily with her eyes tightly shut, not quite awake yet.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times while she lowered her arms, finally returning his smile.

“There’s just too much time to think waiting around like this,” she explained to him apologetically.

“Everything that could go wrong just keeps popping into my head when I close my eyes. And I’m really feeling agitated, like you explained happens when you go rogue.”

He nodded in understanding with both of her explanations, as he was feeling it as well.

He also had prior experience with preparing for things like this, so it didn’t bother him as much, but this was a first for her, and he remembered how idle time made the mind run wild.

“Once everyone starts arriving soon, it will be a good distraction,” he told her soothingly.

She nodded and clasped his hand before turning away to prepare their morning meal.

KEYARA

She distracted herself from her worry by preparing breakfast for her and Ash. He had found some duck eggs by the creek the day before, and she fried them over the fire.

She also put aside a pot of beans to soak to cook for midday when some of the others were set to arrive, knowing they would be tired and hungry from the trip.

Ash had left to make his daily trip down to the creek to care for his horse and fetch water, and she pulled the eggs out of the pan when they were ready, to cool for when he returned.

She handed him his plate as he reached the top of the hill. He thanked her graciously and ate with her. The eggs were good, the yolk bursting in her mouth, a nice change from the rice they had been mainly eating.

She took his plate when they were finished, wiping them off and setting them aside.

“What do you want me to track today?” she asked him when she was finished, anticipating their daily morning lesson.

He reached out to her and took her hand, pulling her against him where he sat on the rock. He circled his hands around her waist, tilting his head up to kiss her lightly.

She smiled against his lips, returning the kiss, desire stirring at his tender touch.

“I was thinking we could just stay back at the camp today,” he told her once they broke the kiss. “Spend some time together before everyone arrives.”

She smiled and lowered herself to his lap, straddling his thighs and wrapping her arms around his neck.

“That sounds good to me,” she agreed, before kissing him again. She pressed against him as he stroked his hands over her back, reveling in his touch.

Their connection erased the tension from her mind, and she knew that even if they ended up failing and living their lives as rogues, all they would need was each other.