Rise of the Seven by Melissa Wright Read Free Book Online Page B

waited.
    “ Junnie saved your life. She
protected you. She fought for you.”
    “ But?”
    “ We are not certain she
meant to keep Asher alive long enough to unbind you.”
    I nodded, forcing myself to ignore the
tightness in my chest. “All right.” I took a deep breath. “But
she’s still done nothing to warrant my enmity.” There was no way to
prove she had intended to keep me bound now. Though it was
possible. If nothing else, she might have only been trying to keep
her family alive. How many of the council members who were
slaughtered had been her blood?
    Fannie had been responsible for many of those
deaths. Junnie had saved her, and Fannie, as she escaped her bonds
and regained pieces of her old self, had slipped into madness,
reaping revenge on those who had trapped her. She had cut down her
own family, Junnie’s family. My family. A small voice whispered
that council’s resistance to Junnie was now shrunk by half, but I
choked it off. Fannie was dead. Asher was dead. Junnie was all that
was left.
    I sighed and turned from Chevelle’s embrace
to face him, handing his cloak back. “I’d like to meet with the
guard in the morning.”
    He stepped back, straight and dignified, and
gave a curt, acquiescent nod. I felt like such an ass.

     
     
     

Chapter Eight
    Excursion
     
    They were scattered about the study,
patiently waiting for me. It still annoyed me I was the only one
who needed so much rest. Ruby’s hair was pulled back, exposing the
points of her ears. Not entirely fey, but close enough.
    “ What news?” I asked before
they had a chance to take their places at the table.
    Anvil reported. “Word has already flooded the
valleys. There were but a few minor protests south of Camber. No
news of the reaction of the rogues.”
    “ We will ride out today.
Silence the dissidents.” A few eyebrows rose. “Grey, Chevelle,
Rhys, with me.” I glanced at Steed. “Ruby will need to lay low for
at least three days. Please attend her.” I wasn’t finished, but
Ruby was bloodying her lip waiting to respond. I let
her.
    “ Three days?”
    “ One for word to reach the
outlying camps. One for them to form a plan. One to implement it.
If they do not strike by then, they will not bother. At which
point, and only then, will you be allowed free rein.”
    Her eyes narrowed on me and I decided to nip
the rest of my fairy problems in the bud.
    I turned to Grey. “Until the fourth day, she
will be Steed’s charge.” He looked like I’d slapped him. “You put
us all at risk last night, but none more than Ruby. Had you stepped
in to protect her, she would have no power under the sign of the
guard.
    “ When we return,” I
continued, “Grey will lead a scouting mission for information on
the boy. Someone will have seen him or his silver.” And I would
need to find the wolves.
    Mention of the assassin had brought a
stillness to the room. I struggled for a way to express my thanks
to this group that meant so much to me. They had brought me back
from nothing, had risked their lives for this. Everything seemed
inadequate, but the silence was growing too loud.
    “ You have done us
proud.”
     
    Grey and Rhys were mounted and waiting at the
gate when I reached the stable. Chevelle stood outside, holding the
reins of both horses. It seemed like people were always waiting on
me. I picked up my pace.
    Chevelle handed my reins over with a wry
smile. “Your Steed.”
    I bit my cheek and swung up into the saddle
as quick as he. Side by side, I replied in a hushed tone, “I am
surprised you’ve let me keep him.”
    The smile dropped from his face. “Yes. Well,
I considered replacing him. But, in truth, he is one of the nicest
mounts in the land.” He winced at his own words and kicked his
horse up to gallop.
    I swallowed a giggle and joined him.
    We were quiet as we made our way from the
castle. When we’d cleared any foot traffic, Grey and Rhys rode
ahead as sentry.
    I still felt guilty about berating Grey