Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136009 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 680(@200wpm)___ 544(@250wpm)___ 453(@300wpm)
The dragon landed, and Clover fell over as she dismounted, her legs unable to hold her up any longer. She certainly was not trained in combat. Kerrigan’s words about using magic against a stronger force felt certain now, considering Gerrond acted as if the flight had been a leisurely adventure. Hadrian too seemed out of sorts.
“I’m a scholar, not a dragon rider,” he mumbled under his breath as they followed Gerrond toward the encampment.
There were over a hundred people just at a quick glance—cooking, cleaning, laughing around a fire, and children running around playing games with rocks and sticks. Everyone was dressed similarly to Gerrond, in bright colors and patchworked fabric. It was a festive atmosphere, unlike what Clover would expect from anyone this close to the capital, considering the turmoil she had lived in there. Had this been just on the other side of the valley all along? Would she have preferred it?
“This is as close as I can take you to the city,” Gerrond explained. “The drifters set up here in the summer. They’ll move farther south once winter sets in. We caught them at a good time. If all is well, they’ll have a runner set up.”
“A runner?”
“That’d be me,” a female voice said.
Gerrond broke into a smile. “Islay! I didn’t expect you to be this far south already.”
Islay was a brown-skinned Fae with gold eyes and a warm smile. Her dark hair had intricate braids that she held back with a ribbon. She was curvy and sturdy with a bow strapped across her back and wicked-looking knives at her waist. Her boots were thick leather with straps up her calves.
“What have you brought me?” Islay looked them up and down. She sniffed. “City folk?”
Clover held her hand out. “Clover. And this is Hadrian.”
Islay shook and then took Hadrian’s as well. “Soft hands. What’s this about, Gerrond?”
“I have a lot of explaining to do, but I found the half-Fae Kerrigan, and she’s agreed to help the drifters. I’ve allied with her. These are her friends.”
Islay’s smile broadened. “That’s excellent news.”
“They need a way into the city. They need a way to speak to their other allies. I was hoping you’d have a runner.”
“Aye, that’d be me. But Ruen is with me. We might both go to meet these allies if we’re all on the same side now.”
Gerrond gestured to the pair. “How about that? Will that do?”
A man strode up then. He was human with tanned white skin as if he’d spent long days out in the sun. He had thick, dark hair all over his body and tied up much like Gerrond’s bun. He wrapped his arms around Islay and kissed her shoulder. “What’s going on, love?”
Clover brightened at the sight of a human and a Fae together. It must have been commonplace here because no one blinked at the sight. The encampment was still mostly Fae, but there were plenty of humans too. Half-Fae as well.
“Ruen, darling, we have some resistance fighters to take into the city. You up for it?” Islay asked.
“Always,” he said with a laugh. “Anything to take down those bastards! When do we start?”
***
They didn’t start right away. Clover and Hadrian were brought into the drifter camp. They broke bread with them and heard their stories, laughing and enjoying the company of a people who had lost so much and still found so much joy. The last thing Clover wanted to do was bring them more danger, but at the same time, this was what she wanted for everyone.
Gerrond yawned. “I guess I should go to the mountain. I wanted to camp here, but Henrley is too visible this close to the Society.”
“Be safe,” Clover told him.
She had been uncertain about him, on edge that he might turn them in or kill them. But just a few hours with him at a campfire with the drifters proved every one of his stories true. If he was going to betray them, he was going to have to betray himself. She didn’t think he’d do that.
“I’ll check in as soon as I can. I’d very much like to get the drifters in on this war as well,” Gerrond said. “It could turn the tides.”
“We could use that,” Clover agreed.
Gerrond offered her his hand. “To a better future.”
Clover shook his hand and then Hadrian did. As the last embers were dying and the sun disappeared fully behind the horizon, Islay and Ruen hugged Gerrond goodbye and then nodded at the pair of them.
“Ready?”
“As we’ll ever be,” Clover said.
Clover and Hadrian fell into step behind the pair of drifters. They spoke about everyday matters for the hour trek into the valley, but Clover could sense the moment that the oppression of the city hit them. They fell back and put their fingers to their lips.
“Curfew,” Islay whispered.