Page 88 of The Wolf and Her Shadows

A cool breeze blows by, causing us both to shiver and goosebumps to rise on our skin. Regretfully lifting my head off her delightfully soft chest, I say, “As much as I love lying naked amongst the trees with you, it’s getting a bit cold.”

Vannaria laughs, her hips shifting beneath me. “I’m fairly certain I have a splinter in my ass as well.”

Breaking into a fit of giggles myself, I roll off of her and stand, holding my hands out to her. “How about we get dressed and continue cuddling someplace with a nice warm bed?”

She smiles brightly, her legs still trembling as I help her climb to her feet. “That sounds like a marvelous idea, Your Majesty.”

“I’m also starving.”

“Of course you are.”

My mother lets out a startled yelp as Vannaria and I materialize in our…her kitchen. The elf apologizes, because of course she does. Yet, I find myself narrowing my eyes, an intense feeling of anger surging through me. It worsens when my mother smiles, brushing off the apology and asking us if we’ve eaten dinner yet.

As if nothing is wrong. As if she didn’t…

“Why didn’t you come for me?” I snap, crossing my arms defensively over my now-aching chest.

Her smile falters, replaced by a look of confusion. “What do you mean, Mariane? I assumed you two were–”

“No, Mother. Not today.” Through gritted teeth, I snarl, “Seven fucking years ago.”

Vannaria darts a brief glance towards my mother before wrapping an arm around my shoulder and whispering, “Mariane, perhaps you should wait to have this conversation until–”

“Let her speak,” my mother says, her tone soft and filled with obvious guilt. “I assure you, I deserve every ounce of her anger.”

My muscles tense even further, dread pooling in my gut. “You knew, didn’t you? Where I was. What was happening to me. Old Greyva told you, didn’t she?”

When my mother lowers her gaze to the floor and slowly nods, I feel as if I’ve been stabbed through the heart. All this time… All this time I’ve been too distracted by making plans to escape. Too focused on surviving until the next day. Desperately wracking my brain for ways I could get back home to her, to my village, without risking their safety. And yet… I never stopped to consider why no one had rescued me.

They’d considered it though. Or at least Aren had.

“I see.” I grit my teeth harder, fighting the urge to truly lash out at her. “Well, I certainly hope that whatever Old Greyva saw was worth it. Because I’m not sure if I’ll be able to forgive either of you for leaving me with him. With them.” I suck in a shaky breath, leaning against Vannaria for support as the anger twists into grief, betrayal. “You both knew my father's plans. You both knew he’d let the prince rape me after I tried to say no. And you left me there.”

“You’re right.” My mother sucks in a trembling breath, then her tear-filled gaze slowly rises to meet mine again. “We did leave you. And I’m so sorry, Mariane. It killed me to let you go through all of that.” She shakes her head, not bothering to wipe away the tears trailing down her cheeks. “But, Old Greyva also warned me what would happen if I didn’t.”

“And what was that?” Vannaria asks, her tone filled with venom. “What could have possibly been worth–”

“You tell me, Shadow Prince,” my mother snaps, a familiar fire now dancing in her eyes. “What do you think the king would’ve done if we’d interfered with their plans? We may have magic, but if the great Kingdom of Amzarath didn’t stand a chance against his mages, what hope could a small village in the middle of a forest have?”

And just like that, the remaining anger in me instantly fades away, leaving behind a gaping hole in my chest. Vannaria and I exchange a brief glance and from the pain etched across her face and the way her brows are wrinkled in sympathy, I know she’s realized it too. My father and the king would stop at nothing to get what they wanted…

And this time, for some reason, that just so happens to be me.

“They would’ve burned the entire forest to the ground, just like they did Amzarath,” I whisper, knowing it in my soul to be true. “That’s the possible future she saw, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” My mother lets out a pained sigh. “And that’s what will still happen, if they somehow find out you’re here now.”

Vannaria sucks in a breath, her arm around my shoulders tensing. “Then we leave. Now. Before they have a chance to–”

“Three days,” I mutter, suddenly remembering Old Greyva’s warning. “That’s when the four of us need to be in Zaris. We’re supposed to find…”

At the same time, Vannaria and I say, “The pirate without a ship.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

Vannaria

Cursing under my breath, I pull away from Mariane, crossing my own arms while taking a step away from the small family. “It would take three days to travel to Zaris on horseback. But, if what Old Greyva said is true, then I could potentially shadow us all there instantly.”