Chapter Twelve
The Unmarked, Book One
[Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4] [Ch.5] [Ch.6] [Ch.7] [Ch.8] [Ch.9] [Ch.10] [Ch.11]
River
Aura’s iron gates glistened under the midday sun as the guards pulled them open. River gripped his horse’s reins, eager to be on the road. The sight of those gates made River fume. He had gotten word that Wolfe Bloodwood had left the city through this entrance on the night of the festival. The guards on duty had not checked his horse’s wagon; a wagon large enough for a person to hide in.
Despite his best efforts, River couldn’t help but picture Dawn gagged and tied up, bobbing around in Wolfe’s wagon as he pranced his way out of the city. But part of him feared something worse: if Dawn had actually been in that wagon, why hadn’t she tried to scream or throw herself out?
The only answers he could find were either that she had been threatened to keep silent, or knocked unconscious. Those answers kept at bay the nagging terror that Dawn was actually traveling with Wolfe of her own accord, but they provided him no comfort.
Alongside his distress, was exhaustion. The feeling clung to River like wet clothes on a stormy day. After his meeting with his father, River had had to finish his daily duties and then gather his team. When he had gone to bed last night, his sleep had been invaded with visions of Dawn in Wolfe’s embrace. Of blood on hardwood floor. Waking up this morning had been near to impossible. The only thing that pulled him out of bed was his need to find Dawn.
Coal, Bryn, and Aspen, the latter being River’s cousin and lifelong friend, were each on horseback on either side of him. They were the team River had chosen to help him find Dawn. He trusted these men with his life. They knew that River cared for Dawn, and they knew that Dawn was faithful to the Queendom. They were those who were loyal to River first, his father second. He would trust no one else to accompany him on this mission.
Gates opened, River looked to his team. They nodded to him; indicating their readiness to leave. River signaled for his horse to move. He wasn’t even at the gates when a voice called out from behind.
“Wait up boys”.
River frowned and turned his horse around. A flicker of panic ignited inside of him at the sight of Olive approaching his team on horseback. He saw his men cast uncertain glances at one another.
“Come to see me off?” he said jokingly.
Olive smiled at him. He really hoped that she was setting out on a personal assignment.
“No. Your father sent me a last-minute notice that he wants me to attend your mission to hunt down… I mean to find, Dawn”.
River just stared at her. The sun reflected off her auburn hair that was tied back in a simple braid. Freckles dusted her nose and cheeks. Her green eyes looked him over. She wore the Guardian’s customary navy vest and pants, and her sleeveless shirt revealed her Marked arms. She was a Guardian of the same Order as him.
His father had decided to add Olive to his team in search for Dawn. Charming, swift and crafty Olive. More loyal to Governor Torrent than River and all of his team combined. Approved by Torrent as an eligible bachelorette to be courted by his son.
The emotions inside of River shifted from confusion to annoyance to anger in the span of only a few seconds. River balled his fists as he gripped his horse’s reins. It seemed that, in the end, his father did not trust him to carry out this task completely on his own. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to him. The surprise had always been the fact that Torrent had given River ownership over the mission. What vexed River was realizing that his father had tried to make himself appear trustworthy in his son’s eyes. Which caused River to wonder if Olive had been sent to simply keep an eye on River, or if Torrent was intending to compromise his mission somehow.
There will always be a part of you that will question if I somehow had a hand in it...
River worked his jaw from side to side. He would have no choice but to watch Olive closely and find some way to deal with her later.
“Try to keep up” he growled, not bothering to hide his anger, and whipped his horse around. “Let’s go!” he told his men as they rode through the gates of the city.
I will find you, Dawn.
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