The Way We Fall

Chapter 45 (Tigris)

Roche was quiet. That was never a good thing.

It made sense to be silent after being injured so grievously. But Roche had been talking to Finn normally up until the moment when she'd told Aodh to set course due west. She'd been slung unceremoniously across one of the horses, too injured to ride. Now she was just lying there, eyes closed tightly, laying across the back of the horse.

"Where are we going?" Tigris asked for the umpteenth time.

Roche didn't bother opening her eyes. "To a farming village. I know someone that can help."

"A friend of yours?" Aodh asked, lifting a brow. Roche hummed in affirmation, keeping her eyes shut. Her face was tight with pain.

Aodh brought his horse forward, closer to Tigris. "She could be leading us straight for a trap," he murmured. Tigris swatted him.

"Really? You think Roche is smart enough to muster up a plan to trap us?" she asked dubiously. Aodh's frown deepened.

"Don't underestimate her. She's shifty."

"She's broken in a thousand places because she was willing to take an explosive out of my hands and jump off a cliff!" Tigris snapped, "She's stupid, but loyal. She has my trust."

"Thanks!" Roche called from behind them, waving her uninjured arm, "Love you too, princess."

"Shut up!" Aodh and Tigris intoned together. They glared at each other for a moment before Aodh called back, "So if you were listening this entire time, do you mind telling us where we're going?"

Roche went silent, the mirth draining from her features. "It's a small farming village called Brikui. It's so small you probably don't have it on that map of yours."

"Then how do you know where it is?"

"I recognized the towns nearby." Roche answered curtly. She leaned her head back against the horse's flank with a wince, "It's safe. We can stay there and rest and recover. There should be enough food and water. We can find some very rudimentary weapons. There'll be everything we need." Her voice faltered. Aodh opened his mouth to press, but Tigris shook her head at him curtly. Roche's eyes were heavy lidded with exhaustion. It only took a few moments before the girl's soft snores filled the air.

"I've never heard of Brikui before." Finn admitted from Roche's side. The maid didn't stir. Tigris chewed her lip.

"Nor I."

"So it could be a trap?" Aodh asked warily. Finn and Tigris both scowled at him, "Fine. I'll lay off. But don't blame me when we get ambushed and chopped into many pieces."

Finn snorted. "When did you become such a coward?"

"It's called being careful!" Aodh snapped, "We are all heirs to the throne. If we're all killed, the kingdom has no future. We cannot negate the possibility of a threat, even from someone as foolish and clumsy as your maid."

"Wow," Tigris deadpanned, "I didn't think your tiny brain could fit so many big words."

Aodh glowered as Finn's tinkling laugh filled the air.

Roche didn't awaken for another hour or so. She snorted awake, startling her horse. Finn barely managed to grab the reins and soothe the horse before Roche could fly off.

"Welcome back," Aodh groused as Roche blinked blearily, crying out when she jostled her injured limbs, "We've been riding for an hour and there's no sign of your mystery village."

Roche's brow furrowed and relaxed as she scanned the trees. "We're close." she insisted, "A couple minutes."

Aodh snorted. "Right."