The Boon of Alon

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

"No kidding?" If I shouldn't be here, then these are definitely rebels, and Jeddin is among them. Was that Suthi's influence, or has he been a rebel all along? "I heard you talked to Corren."

Jeddin pushes out through the line of people guarding the road and comes closer, enough that the bonfire lights his grimace. "It's nothing personal, I promise. I want it all to work out, too. I just thought—there must be a better way."

"Sure. Like what?" I ask pointedly. "I didn't like the plan, either, but was it worth killing me over?"

His brow scrunches. "I don't want you killed. Aren't we friends?"

"I thought so. Corren had a go at me, though."

"Gods." He rubs his forehead. "I'm sorry. Really I am. That wasn't...we're supposed to have integrity and all that."

And integrity is more important than loyalty. "So you went behind our backs instead of talking to us."

"I talked to Suthi!" he protests.

And then what? But I don't want to get into the details in front of the rebels—I'm worried enough about her safety as it is. I sigh.

"Is she okay?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says, also with a sigh. "Yeah, she's fine. I saw her just a couple hours ago. She's fine."

That's something, anyway.

"Dammit," says one of the rebels, right on cue. "That's Della, isn't it?"

He says it like I'm some sort of boogeyman. Ugh. I step back, they lift their weapons, and Jeddin turns and flings out his arms.

"Don't!" he says. "Don't—she's on your side, I swear." He looks back over his shoulder at me. "Weren't you looking for the prince? What happened, where is he?"

Gods. Today has been the longest day. "Found him," I say, watching the rebels warily—there's still a lot of weapons aimed at me, but no one's made a move past that yet. "Short version, he tried to set a village on fire so I had to kill him. Chama's making sure his people don't keep murdering without him. Does this mean you've talked to Tack lately? Where are they?" I don't know how else he'd know where I was.

"Yeah—" Jeddin starts.

"How do you expect us to believe that?" one rebel demands.

"I believe her," says Jeddin, still with his arms outstretched. "Suthi believed her."

Somehow, that shuts the rebels up. Briefly.

"Suthi said she was dead," one says, more subdued now but still suspicious.

"Jeddin." I don't like where this conversation is going.

"I wasn't expecting you to come here," he says defensively. "Look, we'll work it out." He looks back at the rebels. "We'll work it out. I'm gonna—I'm gonna bring her to the palace, so don't try to kill her."

"So she can kill Ven?" someone scoffs.

"She's a rider," says Jeddin, slowly lowering his arms. "She's not gonna kill him unless he deserves it, and he doesn't." I bet this Ven is one of the rebels in charge. "And I'll be there the whole time."

Jeddin must have spent more than just this night with these people, because that finally makes them back off. Jeddin beckons and I follow closely behind him, on high alert, watching the people around us as closely as they're watching me.

It's much better once we get out of the square. The road clears out again by the next corner—it's not as straight a shot to the palace as I thought it was—but I'm still very aware of all the rebels at my back.