Guarding Arabella so closely meant those loaded looks from Kinga had gone infuriatingly unanswered.
Whatever. At least Arabella had taken to pestering Noc all day. About what, he had no idea, but better Noc than him.
Blowing out a breath, he set his jaw and moved ahead, scouting their trail. The mountain path felt solid beneath his booted feet, its packed pinkish dirt and rocks a firm foundation. Its width would suit even the more equine members of their group. That was lucky, because if he had to hear one more complaint about how difficult the marshy terrain was, he would—
In the distance, a gray mound of stones blocked the path. He squinted, evaluating the extent of the rockfall. Boulders made up much of the mass.
A dead end. A Darkness-damned dead end. How many things had already gone wrong? How many more would follow?
Inhaling lengthily, he squeezed his eyes shut and threw his head back, wanting to roar at the top of his lungs, but instead he heaved an exasperated sigh.
“The sky realm hates you.” Gavri’s voice was pitying.
He opened one eye. “Tell me there’s another way through these mountains.”
With a tight smile, she gave him the slowest of shrugs.
He groaned. It had to be this route. Any other would take them too far out of their way or too close to Lumia, the light-elf queendom. Mati hadn’t wanted them to risk that, and he wouldn’t. Especially not after what Lumia had done to his ata.
Darkness, what else? Were the clouds going to open up and pour a storm down on them?
Noc and Arabella approached, and she craned her long neck to see around him and Gavri.
Is this the wrong way? she spoke into his mind, with the barest hint of a lilt.
He grimaced at her. “This is the right way,” he shot back, taking a step into her space. “This must have happened recently.”
She raised her head, her iridescent horn luminous even in the overcast sky’s dimness. I’m sure you know what to do. She gave an encouraging nod.
Was it really encouraging? Or just another barb, veiled a bit better than the rest?
He looked away, grinding his teeth together. What he needed to do was to send scouts into the wood to assess the threat level, but after the attack by the light-elves, he needed all the kuvari he had in case of another one. And considering the hostility of Lumia, if the light-elf queendom wasn’t officially involved, he could provoke conflict with Nozva Rozkveta just by ordering a dark-elf to even set foot in their wood. That conflict would stoke ancient enmity anew.
The only real option would be to trace the foot of the mountain alongside the lake, trapped like a cave salamander against the stone. To attack them, Lumia would have to assume the risk of provoking hostilities. But who attacked first only mattered if someone lived to tell the tale.
The rockslide could have been calculated, a move by Lumia to force them on the path against the foot of the mountain.
Arabella poked his leather pauldron with her horn, nudging his shoulder. What’s the plan?
He grunted. “Come nightfall, we’re taking the lake route.”
Gavri, twirling her long braid, paused and opened her mouth, but when he jerked his head toward her, she shut it and gulped audibly before looking away.
No, he did not need to hear about all its drawbacks from her, too. At least once night fell, his people’s advantage of seeing in the dark would afford them more warning if Lumia did try to ambush them.
Why are we waiting until night? Arabella asked, wiggling her muzzle in a way that brought to mind wrinkling one’s nose. What are we going to do until then?
“We’re going to camp somewhere safe,” he gritted out, nodding to Gavri to lead them back down the mountain, “and ignore any more questions from you.”
As he passed her by, scanning the periphery for threats, Arabella snorted. Because of course she did.
The queen who’d granted Arabella protection had given him and his team this mission, and it had been shit from the first day. Arabella not only wanted to pester him with complaints but also to question his every move and demand constant explanations. Those answers required secrecy to protect his people. He wasn’t about to prize her curiosity over their safety.
As they made their way down the mountain, Noc trotted up to him and shoved him none too gently toward the stone.
She’s just trying to understand you, Noc said to him pointedly, with a misstep that seemed a lot like a hoof attempting to crush his toes.
I don’t need her understanding, he answered. This journey wasn’t about making friends. He was still bleeding from the ones he already had stabbing him in the back, most of all Dakkar. He didn’t need any more, much less some unicorn he’d never see again after a few more days.
She’s been asking about you and the others, and about dark-elves, Noc continued, his voice gentler. Ever since the light-elf attack, she’s been contemplative.
Good. Maybe she could contemplate not interfering next time and risking his whole team’s lives.
I think she’s been imagining how things could have gone, Noc added.
How things could have gone? What, if they’d all been killed when she’d charmed them?
He scoffed. If she felt bad, then she’d think twice before acting next time.
But she was asking questions about him and his team? He cleared his throat and lowered his gaze to his boots, where the pinkish mountain dust caked the black tips. What’s she been asking?
What you love to do, what your dreams are—
What I love to do? Dhuro blurted.
Each of you.
He raised his eyebrows and swallowed. Of course. Not just him. What did you tell her?
That you don’t think about what you want but what others need.
He paused. The answer had been like a firm palm to his chest. He didn’t think about what he wanted? He’d never quite heard it put that way, but he supposed it was true. He did want to improve the lives of everyone in Nozva Rozkveta as much as he could. Even Vadiha’s.
What else had Noc told her about them? The possibilities were many, and a good many weird. He smirked to himself. Did you tell her Gavri loves that weird tea Alessandra brought from Bellanzole? She takes that stuff with her everywhere.
Noc huffed, and a laugh rolled through his mind. That, and butter.
Who could forget? If no one stopped her, Gavri would eat that stuff by the handful. Literally, with her hand.
His smile slowly faded. If she wanted to know all those things, why not ask everyone?
Ask everyone who could’ve died because of her actions? Noc shook his head.
Breathing deep, he looked away, popping his jaw. He’d laid all that weight on her, and she’d taken it all. All this quiet from her, it hadn’t been the silent treatment but reflection. Space. She’d waited, probably hoping he’d cool off, and then when she’d finally spoken to him again, he’d ripped her head off.
He gnawed on the inside of his cheek. So what did it matter if he’d gotten things wrong, if he’d upset her? Once she was with Gwydion’s herd, she’d never see him again and would forget all about this.
You’re known among the dark-elves for having the emotional range of a cave troll, but I know that you’re just hiding behind that, Noc said. Perhaps we should examine why you’ve been so cold?
Dhuro sighed. No.
Then perhaps we should examine your refusal? If Noc had possessed more expressive eyebrows, at least one of them would’ve quirked up judgmentally.