Lucian bristled, not wanting them or their weapons anywhere near Effie, but there was no real reason to fight against it either. Sighing, Lucian finally allowed his eyes to lift up to the chained woman.
He’d felt her eyes boring into him the entire time he’d spoken with the Councilman. The monster that had taken residence inside of her was sly. Lucian knew that she’d been intrigued by his conversation, curious as to what he had planned for her. It was the only reason she was behaving.
He didn’t trust that behavior to last. As soon as he went near her, she would lash out. It would not bode well for him if it appeared that he could not control her. Heaviness settled in his chest. Lucian couldn’t give the Councilman’s guards any reason to attack. Without giving himself a chance to second guess himself, Lucian stepped into the wagon.
Effie began to squirm.
Not wanting to give himself away with his words, Lucian stared into the eyes that marked her as a Shadow-touched. He searched for any sign of the woman trapped within the monster, but came up empty.
Forgive me, fledgling.
Lunging forward, Lucian brought the hilt of his sword down on her temple. He tried to temper his strength, but he still grimaced when her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped over.
It was as if he felt the pain of the blow himself. Every time he had to strike her it was the same. She might be the one on the receiving end, but he was the one suffering. Lucian minimized the use of violence with her as much as possible, but it was a necessary evil. He knew it, but it didn’t make it any easier. His soul was procuring quite the collection of scars. By the time this was over, it might be more tattered than the scrap Effie was currently clinging to.
Bending down, he lifted her up over his shoulder, trying to ignore the changes to her once lush figure. The corruption was spreading, of that there was no doubt. The physical transformation was the slowest, the process subtle but no less terrifying because of it. Each morning when he’d check on her, he’d find some new sign of her deterioration. Lucian was dreading the morning it was complete.
Sucking in a breath, Lucian turned and dropped from the wagon as if nothing happened. He might be trapped in the midst of his own private hell, but no one else needed to know about it. That turmoil was for him alone. It was his penance for failing her in the first place.
“Let’s go,” he said, voice flat.
Quin and Trinity wore matching blank expressions. If they knew what the creature in his arms was, they gave no indication. Lucian was mildly surprised that the Councilman didn’t see fit to fill them in. Perhaps that would come later, once he was well away from the angered Guardian.
“Where shall we find you once we’re done, Vance?”
The casual use of the Councilman’s name struck Lucian. So far, the people of the Vale had not officially introduced themselves. It could have been intentional or merely an oversight. When it came to members of the Valen Council, anything was possible. Even so, Lucian strongly believed it was the former, if only because it was something he would do.
“I’ll be updating the rest of the Council. Meet us in the solarium.”
Lucian was intrigued despite himself. “A solarium? Underground?”
The female soldier, Trinity, smirked. “Not familiar with the history of Val’don, Guardian?”
“Should I be?”
She rose to the bait, her smile fading, replaced with something far closer to a sneer. “Your ignorance is disappointing. I thought the Keepers and their immortal guards were supposed to be people of learning.”
Lucian shrugged. “And I was told the people of the Vale’s hospitality was surpassed only by their innovation. With the bar you’ve set thus far, I’m not holding my breath for much in the way of the latter. Guess we’ll both have to learn how to live with the disappointment.”
Trinity’s eyes narrowed.
Quin chuckled, causing Trinity to level her scowl on him. “He insults us, and you laugh?”
“Trin, he’s goading you.”
Her eyes bounced between them before her expression cleared. “Oh.”
Quin offered Lucian a friendly grin. “Our ancestors learned how to harvest the power of the sun with mirrors early on. As a desert people, life away from the sun was a blessing and a misery. Since then, we’ve fine-tuned many of their early tinkerings and made our own advancements, but that one has remained untouched.”
Lucian nodded. “I look forward to discovering some of them during our stay. Perhaps it will help me find an answer to my own riddle.”
Quin glanced at Effie. “Would that riddle have anything to do with what happened to her?”
He had to credit the man. There was no discernable fear or disgust in his voice. “Aye.”
The soldier nodded. “Well then, let us hope you find the answers you seek.”
“I find it hard to believe a Keeper would struggle to find answers to any question.”
Lucian glanced at Trinity. “Alas, I’m not a Keeper with their access to prophecy and visions.”
She let out a soft, “Hmph.”
“Forgive my sister. She can hold a grudge longer than anyone I know.”
“I have my share of experience dealing with wounded pride. I think I’ll survive hers.”
Quin laughed, but Trinity threw him an ugly look.
“I don’t like you, Guardian,” she stated.
“Stand in line. Not many do.”
“I can see why,” she hissed.
Lucian had to admit he was enjoying ruffling the woman’s feathers. It reminded him of bickering with Effie and had the added benefit of blunting the edge of his temper. Trinity may not realize it yet, but she’d just found herself a new verbal sparring partner. Lucian bared his teeth at her in the barest semblance of a smile.
Trinity’s eyes went wide, and she stumbled slightly. His smile must have shown more of his true nature than he’d intended, Lucian thought with a silent chuckle. Good. At least now the woman realizes who she’s dealing with.
“Trin, enough,” her brother said softly. “He and his people have requested sanctuary. They’ve suffered plenty without having to add your insults to the list.”
Cheeks flushing at the reprimand, her eyes dropped to her feet as they reached the opening to the city below.
Peering inside, Lucian’s eyes landed on an illuminated set of stairs that curved down, following the wall until it disappeared from view.
“Can you manage with her in your arms?” Quin asked with a raised brow.
Lucian nodded once. While the steps were steep, they would hardly present a challenge. He’d navigated worse while holding something far less valuable in his arms.
Trinity hadn’t waited for Lucian to reply. She was taking the stairs two at a time, the top of her head already disappearing into the ground.
“After you,” Quin murmured, waving Lucian forward.
His instincts raged against allowing an armed stranger at his back, but Lucian forced himself forward. For Effie, there wasn’t much he wouldn’t subject himself to. Especially when it was something that bought him another day with her. Or, if not with her exactly, at least it provided him with more time to find a way to save her. To find a way to bring her back. For that, Lucian would give anything.
The grief that was never far from the surface roared at the reminder of what was at stake. Not that Lucian had forgotten, that would be impossible, but with enough effort he managed to push it to the furthest recesses of his mind for a while. He had to. It was the only way he could continue to function.