It was of no consequence now. She’d made her decision to continue the fight without her king’s approval. After Fatima seduced Fromme Bagita into revealing what lay within the Council Chamber, she would have the secrets Vile refused to share with her. Perhaps those confidences would lead her to the Abyss of Souls. If that were true, she’d find a way to open it and command the army herself. When this battle was finished, Icarus would be dead and Vile would be bowing at her feet.
Chapter Seven
For Rell the next week at Lord Le Daun’s manor consisted of long, grueling days of hand-to-hand combat, learning the art of conjuring energy to use as a weapon, and mastering control over her Tell. Not to mention the extensive history lessons about the Bringers. Each night she fell into bed exhausted. The restlessness inside her had abated and she finally felt like she was gaining some semblance of normalcy in her life.
Brita had taken over imparting information to them since she had been King Arron’s top advisor. She’d shown them Arron’s peaceful reign and Queen Anna’s plea for him to open the Mystic Arch and help her people—the humans. The hardest vision to watch had been Arron’s death in battle against the Bane. He’d never known that Anna was pregnant with his child, Gregory. Having now witnessed the actual events, Rell was quite certain that Gregory fought not only to complete his mother and father’s vision for their people, but also to avenge both their deaths.
With so much training and the constant flow of people, the opportunity to get reacquainted with her mother had not presented itself. But guilt over keeping her and Jade’s existence from their mother still plagued her
During meals Rell sensed Willa’s restlessness to return to her husband and other children. The thought of her mother’s other life no longer made her angry or insecure. She’d found her place within the Bringers and with Siban. When the evening meal was finished, Rell and Siban picked up the last of the dishes and carried them to the kitchen.
As she entered the room, Hayden ducked behind his mother’s skirt. Obviously he hadn’t gotten used to seeing her as a person yet. She couldn’t blame him since she still struggled with it herself.
“Just give those to Serena,” Delphina said, gesturing with a wet rag to her oldest daughter. “That the last of them?”
“Yes.” She handed the young girl her dishes, noticing Serena’s red hands when she took the plates. Dirty dishes were piled on the table and Delphina’s hair lay slick with sweat against her forehead. Her hands were also red from the hot water and the effort to scour the pots. “Can I help you with kitchen duties?”
The older woman stopped her scrubbing and smiled. “Thank you for offering, but no.”
“Are you sure?” Rell remembered the domestic work she’d done around their home before she’d been turned Bane. The tasks of cooking, cleaning, and sewing were now so foreign to her. Swordplay and her Tell powers had replaced all other duties but she still remembered how to do them. “I’d like to help.”
“That’s very sweet, my lady, but I enjoy the hard work. It makes me feel useful.” Her smile grew determined. “It helps me remember what I’ve risen above, thanks to the help of the Bringers.” She flicked her head, motioning to Serena, who diligently scraped the drying food into a bowl. “And it does my children good to see their ma doing honest work.”
At that moment, Willa shuffled in, hauling a large bucket of water. Siban crossed the room and relieved her of the burden. “Thank you. Just set it by the fire.”
Unsure how to ease into a conversation that didn’t sound rehearsed, Rell said the first thing that came to her mind. “The meal was excellent, as usual.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Her mother wiped her hands on the dirty rag draped around her hips. “Delphina has been a godsend. She’ll have no problem cooking for the group after I return home.”
Willa’s disquiet washed over Rell. “Will you be leaving soon?”
“It’s been nearly three weeks. I have to return sometime.” Her mother sighed and picked up the first plate. With more vigor than the dish required, she scraped the remains into a bowl. Now that the mission preparations are almost complete, it’s time I make arrangements for ship’s passage home.” She sniffed and cleared her throat. “I’ll leave after the group has left for the Shadow World.”
This surprised Rell. “You won’t wait until after we return?”
“No.” She appeared to blink back threatening tears. “Better I receive word of your mission’s success while I’m with Orvis and the children.” She picked up the next plate and scraped it as if to rid herself of the unpleasant possibility that they might not return. “Whether we celebrate or grieve, I’ll want to be with them.”
“I understand.” Finally she did comprehend the depth one person could feel for those they loved. “I will miss you.”
Willa’s haunted expression softened. “And I will miss you.” She set the plate down. “Promise you will come to the inn immediately after the Shadow World.”
Could she promise such a thing? Perhaps it was more the security in believing the Bringers would make it than actually keeping her word. “I promise.”
Siban wrapped an arm around her waist. “We promise.”
His words brought a smile to Rell’s lips.
“So, it’s you and my daughter, is it?” Willa crossed her arms. Delphina stopped her scrubbing, no longer pretending to ignore the conversation. “I won’t ask if you love her because that much is obvious.” She leveled an assessing stare at both of them. “But remember, she’s still my little girl.” She paused. “Which means she’s stubborn.”
“With all due respect, my lady, I believe we’ve already seen the worst of each other.”
“Maybe so. Maybe so.” She leaned against the wooden island in the center of the kitchen. “But trust me, someday she’s going to do something or say something that will make you so angry you’ll wonder what you ever saw in her.”
“Thank you, Mother.” Rell enunciated the word mother, not sure if she should laugh or be offended by Willa’s prediction.
“Esmeralda, I loved your father more than anything in the world, but the man could get me so angry that I contemplated bashing him in the head with the fire iron when he wasn’t looking.” She held up a hand. “So trust me when I say, I speak from experience.” Willa sighed. “I can see you don’t believe me, and that’s all right. But remember one thing.” She addressed Siban. “Even though she lived as a Bane and experienced things that make me shudder inside, Esmeralda has only been a woman for a few weeks.”
Siban tipped his head in acknowledgment. “I assure you, my lady, I only have Rell’s best interest at heart.”
“I’m sure you do, Siban. That’s why I’m trusting you to keep her safe. I just got my daughter back.” Her voice cracked with emotion. I don’t know what I would do if she was taken away from me again.”
He didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “Likewise, my lady.”
Willa sniffed again and straightened. “Then it’s settled. You both will come to Dragon’s Head Inn to meet Orvis and the children. I know they are all very excited about the prospect of two new sisters.”
Tears burned behind Rell’s eyes. It was an odd sensation and one she’d experienced several times over the last two weeks. That was one thing about being a demon. No pesky emotions except for anger to deal with. “I can’t wait.”