Shadowburn (2)

Chapter 33

Thorn sat in the dining room with Caelei and Lana. Everyone else had left--Raiden without a word as usual, mere moments after Sin and Andreas vanished.

Thorn hoped she managed to get him to talk--the link was blocked from both ends, completely silent. He couldn't even feel her emotions when they were both blocking.

It felt strange, awful, as it had when she disappeared before, sucked into the Nox. But he knew, because she'd said it and because it hadn't needed to be said, that this was something he was going to need to get used to.

He would do it, would get over it and handle it. Because it was the only way she would let him stay by her side, and he couldn't bear to leave her.

"So..." Lana trailed off, sitting back in her chair as she looked at Thorn. She picked at her food, and Thorn smiled faintly at her. "That was a nice plan, by the way. Brave of you."

The girl looked at him with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. "Uhm, thanks?"

Thorn shrugged. "Am I going to need to ask for a translation every time?" Caelei asked from beside him, a slight pout on her lips.

Thorn grinned at her, and almost leaned in to kiss it away. He felt full to the brim of energy, had ever since Andreas healed him, and he didn't know what to do with it all. It was like a Whiteroot buzz, racing through his veins and making him a little bit giddy.

He patted her head instead and said, "I was just making conversation with her. Though if you're going with them, you should probably know more about that plan..." he frowned a bit. "This would be so much easier if you'd let me into your head, little nymph. I could just give you the language--ten seconds and I'd leave."

"I spent years building mental blocks to keep everyone out and now you make it sound like it's supposed to be easy for me to let them down and just let you in."

"You could have them back up in seconds. I promise not to touch anything you don't want me to," he said, and couldn't keep the hint of suggestion from his tone at the last words.

When she looked at him, that hint of vulnerability was back in her eyes. Thorn shook his head with a sigh. "Never mind. The plan is simple--Sin wouldn't tell me why they want to kill this guy but I assume there's a good reason--that girl, Lana? She's supposed to marry him, so they kidnapped her. But she doesn't like him either, so she's going to help Sin--and you--get into her engagement party next week... well, less than that now. Anyway, you go in, lure John out with feminine charms--which you can leave to Sin if you want--and once he's away from the estate, you hogtie him and bring him back here."

"Thank you," she said, softly, and Thorn tilted his head. It was unusual for Fae to balk at using mind-speak. Generally speaking that way was considered a gesture of respect. He wondered what had happened in her life to change her view of it.

He nodded once and looked at Lana. "She's in on the plan, by the way. How much time do we have left?"

"About five days, maybe four now."

He nodded at Lana and relayed the information to Caelei in Faerndesl.

"More than enough time," she mused. "I could even sharpen my blades."

Thorn chuckled. "Have fun with that. Anything you want to say to her before I leave?"

She shrugged. "Not particularly."

Thorn patted her head again as he stood. "See you around, little nymph," he said, smirking as she scowled at him. He waved at Lana before heading for the door.

He needed to get rid of some of this energy--he needed to run.

*****

The sun rose slowly, beautifully, over the cliff's edge as Sin and Andreas watched, lying beneath the tree. Andreas was still curled up in her arms, and she rested her chin on his head, absently running her fingers through his hair.