The Woven Crown (Completed)

Chapter 26

They followed the southern road that led to Harker's Bridge until they felt it was safe to veer off towards the Hive without notice. They had spoken little while on the road and met no one who challenged them. Now that they were far enough away from Folireach and they no longer feared being overheard, Ryla felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Out here with just the two of them, she didn't have to hide who she was or why she was there. She didn't have to separate her true self from the one written on her false birth papers, keeping her facts straight and her words few. But even so, what she had seen in Folireach was never far from the edges of her thoughts.

"Did you know about Labyrinth? Does the refuge know?" she asked Killian as they walked with long strides through fields of grass.

"Yes," he answered. "Though I only knew a little. Mostly rumor." There was underlying anger to his voice that told Ryla there was something more to his answer.

Ryla said, "It's revolting, what she does. Shouldn't everyone be aware that they're using her as a weapon? What if she caught one of the scouts from the refuge?"

"Oran tells me he is well aware of the danger and that there is really no need to discuss it." Killian almost growled the last words. His shoulders were tense and he slapped the long strands of grass as he passed.

Ryla knew Killian and Oran had their differences, but she was surprised this had brought such a quick rise out of him. Killian slowed down and said, "I'm just so tired of Oran and all the rest trying to protect me. Just because I came to the refuge as a child does not mean I've stayed one. I'm nearly twenty and one."

He stopped walking and Ryla caught up to his side. He twisted the grass in his fingertips and said, "I know why they don't want to tell me things. They're afraid of what I'll do. They're afraid I'll do something rash and get myself killed." He looked up at Ryla. "But it's not like that. Yes, I'm angry. And yes, I believe my parents may still be alive somewhere. But my head is clear. I still have Yulia to care for. I've never forgotten that."

He turned and began walking again with determined steps. "Keeping information from me that could be helpful is what will get me killed. I didn't know what Labyrinth was capable of, or if what I'd heard of her was true. She could have been used on my parents, Ryla. Oran and the rest— they knew how likely that was, but they chose to keep it hidden from me."

Ryla felt her heart sink. She hadn't even thought about that possibility. As gently as possible, she spoke up, "For someone who has been lied to for most of her life, I can honestly say I understand."

That brought a little light into his face. "We have more in common than I sometimes remember. I shouldn't complain so much. Besides, I've finally got what I wanted— to be on the other side." He looked up at the sinking sun. "C'mon. We're almost there."

The looming shadow of the stone forest stretched across the plains to fall like a whisper onto the travelers. Ryla became conscious of how vulnerable they were in the open plains before the stone pillars. The reason they had come all this way came back into full focus. If the Prestige had sent a task force to attack the Hive like Killian said, they couldn't be sure if they had made it ahead of them until they arrived.

Killian looked up in awe as they passed through the first stone pillars and Ryla was reminded that he'd never actually been here before. It felt odd that she'd experienced something he hadn't for once.

Darkness settled much faster on this side of the wall of stone. The sounds felt hushed. Ryla didn't remember it being so quiet when she came through with the Caravan and it made her step carefully.

"Do you know the way?" Killian whispered.

"Me? I thought you knew how to get there! You memorized the maps!" she whispered anxiously back.