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“What?” My chest caved in as if I’d been physically punched. I tried to stand but didn’t make it far before the chains yanked me back down. “No. You can’t. It’s too dangerous. A Donnelly girl with a High Cliff mark alone in Far Shore? You wouldn’t even make it to Vance alive.”
Her eyebrows immediately arched with insult. Then, with a sniff, she said, “Watch me.”
“Nicolette, please,” I pleaded, making it up to my knees at least. “Don’t do this. Don’t leave. You don’t have to put yourself at such risk. If you want to go home, I’ll take you home. I swear it. Just unlock my chains, and I’ll—”
She broke me off with a harsh laugh. “And what about your sister?”
Dammit. I closed my eyes, briefly having forgotten about Sable. With a sigh, I revised my hasty plan. “We’ll find you somewhere safe to stay. Then, I’ll go free her, and Sable and I will come back together to escort you home.”
She looked worn and vanquished as she studied me. Then she shook her head and wearily murmured, “And how can I believe a word you say?”
“Because I—”
“Don’t even bother,” she murmured, shaking her head weakly. “I’m done with your lies.”
With a defeated sigh, she returned to her pack, picked it up, and slung it over her shoulder.
My eyes burned. Unable to watch her actually walk away, I bowed my head and closed my lashes. Just like she had said, I was too afraid to let her see the real me, to see my fear and pain. It was my ultimate downfall.
“Since an innocent princess’s life is in danger—and I know how that feels,” she told me, sounding far kinder than I deserved, “I left the key to your chains around here somewhere. You can find it, free yourself, and still go save Sable. But I’ll be long gone by then.”
With a wince, I squeezed my eyes tighter and nodded my lowered head to let her know I’d heard her.
“Whenever you learn your truth,” she said, “you’ll know where to find me. Goodbye, Farrow.”
I couldn’t answer, too ashamed, too flayed open before her, all my failures and weaknesses still on display.
When I finally risked a glance up, she was gone, disappeared into the trees. And with her, she took the other half of my soul.
A deep sob shredded my chest.
“Goodbye, princess,” I whispered.
26
Nicolette
I had no idea how to get home. I just knew which direction Farrow and I had been going, so I went the exact opposite way.
He had re-applied his skin concealer to my tattoo the night before, and as long as I didn’t fall into another river, I thought it should stay in place for a day or two longer before beginning to rub off. After that, I’d have to hope keeping my cape up over my head would hide it enough, because it’d take three or four more days to reach the Far Shore border. At least.
Glancing back, I almost expected to see Farrow charging after me. But I was alone in the trees.
Trying not to think about him, I turned forward again and kept walking. I wasn’t going to worry about leaving him there, chained to a tree. He’d find the key and be free soon enough.
Except worst-case scenarios kept plaguing me. What if ruffians—like the archers—showed up before he found the key, and they robbed or killed him or both? What if wild animals scented him and attacked? What if—
Argh!
“He’ll be fine,” I growled to myself. He was a talented, resourceful guy. A survivor. He’d been through many an atrocity—I winced just thinking about everything both his parents had ever put him through—and he’d managed just fine, then. He would this time too.
The unease came anyway. Dammit, I was supposed to be mad at him, not so deathly worried. He’d betrayed me, all because he couldn’t trust me with the truth. That deserved some retribution on his part.
But what if—
I was so focused on thoughts of possible dangers that could befall him, I completely neglected my own. And the sound of wagon wheels plus plodding horse hooves told me I was nearly upon others before I could duck out of sight.
“Ho there,” a male voice called out.
