Tales of Darkness and Light (Book 1 Complete)

Chapter 3: Of Revelations and Confrontations

Chapter 3: Of Revelations and Confrontations

Addy Freeland

"Derek, are you coming, or will I have to tie you behind Apple and drag you all the way to Lasara?" Addy hissed. She tied the last knot on her horse's saddle and glanced over at her errant companion.

The dark-haired thief beamed at her, his eyes glazed and tunic reeking of cheap mead. "Oh come on, Freeland. What foolish lass would want to ruin these dashingly good looks?"

His exaggerated attitude did not match his outer appearance, Addy found. The smell of alcohol was not the only evidence of intoxication found on his person. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes and hair unkempt.

"You're an idiot," Madison said, her cheeks flushing the slightest tint of red when Derek looked her way, smiling disarmingly.

Well. That was certainly something she would watch, going forward. Madison was sixteen, at any rate. Far too young to understand the risks of starting a relationship with someone you were working with, however temporarily.

"Tell me how you really feel, red hot." Derek fired back, eyes so glued on Madison that he missed his steadily escaping horse.

Addy watched as Lillian, rolling her eyes, leaped out of her saddle and gracefully got Derek's horse in hand. "Well," Lillian said. "As entertaining as this has been, and it has been so, so, entertaining, I think it is time to get back to the matter at hand. Addy, you were threatening Derek, I believe?"

Addy flashed a smile in Lillian's direction. She really did love having friends again. "Yes. So, as I was saying: Derek, you agreed to come with us to Lasara. We need all the help we're going to get if we want to save the King's life. So, either you get on your horse, or I make Hayden dump a bucket of ice water on your head, and I drag you behind my horse for the three straight days it takes us to get to Lasara."

Hayden took his nose out of the book that he had been reading. It looked to be about drainage, and could easily rival one of Jay's in a contest for boring subject matter. "Wait, why am I being dragged into this? What did I do?"

"Just go along with it," Maddy advised him. "Our Addy's scary when she's angry."

Hayden rolled his eyes. "Well, I know better than to get on the bad side of the shortest and fiercest swordswoman I know."

Despite herself, Addy's heart skipped a beat. She knew that she and Hayden had been growing closer lately, but hearing that he respected her skills made her feel warm inside. They had come so far, and she truly felt as if she was on equal footing with him now, that he viewed her as a peer.

She had achieved that, had gained the respect and admiration of a man whose opinion she had valued so much, and she had done it without her noble title, or the prestige of the Valadon name. It had all been her when she was accepted into and took charge of the group, and wasn't that a comforting thought.

Addy didn't have to be royalty to affect change in the world. She could do that herself.

"Alright. I don't know exactly what's going on between you too." Derek gestured between Addy and Hayden. "But I'll get on my horse without complaint if those two stop staring at each other for one godsforsaken second."

She quickly ripped her eyes away from Hayden, but the damage had been done, and she heard Lillian snort to her right. She flashed a betrayed look at her friend, who shrugged, the ends of her mouth flicking up into a grin.

She shook off her embarrassment as she brought her horse forward, and she saw Hayden do the same in her peripheral. "Alright, everyone. If no one else has any business in Myr, then it's time to go. May Diamara grant us speedy passage to the capital. We'll need it if we intend to save the King's life."