After what happened in the streets of Stonehill, Marco's anger at me transformed into guilt. He explained he'd spent the last few weeks spiraling out of control in his grief over his family. That Levi promised him vengeance against those who caused the battle. Against me and Fen.
But seeing the kind of king Levi would be, the kind of ruler he is, Marco couldn't support him. He knew I wasn't the enemy, that I had no control over what I was born as. So when I found the key to my cell, I took a risk. I asked Marco to help me.
He wouldn't help me escape, per se. That would be too risky, even for him. But he could get me water. And tell me where Levi was. And he could finish Levi's mark in the dirt with my blood, after I left. To give me more time to free Fen and escape.
So now I must wait for Levi to feel the pull of the mark. To come to my cell.
It takes so long I fear the plan failed, that Marco chickened out, or I hadn't left enough blood. But then Levi stops talking and looks down at his wrist.
He says something that makes Fen scream louder than any of the torture had, and then leaves the dungeon laughing.
I grit my teeth and wait until I can no longer hear his footsteps, then I push out the loose stones I know are there and climb out.
When Fen sees me, his mouth falls open.
"You know, you really have to stop getting yourself captured and beaten," I say, trying to lighten the mood.
I rush over to him and shove the key into the lock, hoping it works. It truly is a master key, because his chains fall off, and I support his body as he steps away from the beams. "How did you get here?" he asks, his voice hoarse and low. Even in this broken state, it soothes me to hear it.
"Remember, I know this castle's secrets," I say. Then something whines behind me, and I turn to see Baron chained in the corner. "Oh my god, what has that monster done to you?"
I quickly free the white wolf and check him for injuries. There are none, and Baron rubs his head against both me and Fen. I still can’t believe this wolf is the Earth Spirit, but I will have to think on that later.
Fen pulls me closer to him, and I take comfort in the warmth of his body, in the hardness of his muscles and the feel of him so close. And beneath the layers of stench we both have brought with us, I can smell him. The wildness that clings to him always. The pine and woodsy scent. I breathe him in and dig my nails into his arms to hold him tighter.
I sob into his chest, all the fear and tension of the last few weeks flowing out of me, releasing in one great swell, like a wave I can no longer control or hold back. The beat of his heart is steady and strong and I sigh into his embrace, so happy to be with him again. I haven't seen him since the trial, and I feared I would never see him again. After a moment, I pull away just enough to look up at him. He's still Fen, with his ruggedly gorgeous features, his piercing blue eyes and sandy brown hair with copper flecks always a little disheveled. But he's also more. I reach up to touch the points of his ears, now so much like mine. "This is my fault," I say softly.
He reaches for my hand and pulls it against his chest. "No. You didn't even know what you were until we brought you here. This isn't your fault. Never blame yourself."
I nod, wiping the tears from my eyes. "We don't have long. We must leave. Levi will know we've escaped as soon as he gets to my cell."
That's when Fen looks down at me and notices I'm wearing only a cloak. "What happened to you? What did he do to you?" A growl forms deep in his throat, and the new tattoo on his stomach glows a slight pale blue, radiating his magic.
"I'll explain later. Right now we have to go."
Fen presses his lips together but nods, reaching for my hand as we climb back into the secret passage. He returns the stones to their proper place and we make haste through the dark, hidden halls as quickly and quietly as we can. I know he has many questions, as do I. They will have to wait.
As we pass one door, Fen stops and holds up a hand. "We need our gear. Our weapons. Normally they’d be in the armory, but ours are a special case, so they should be kept here." He looks down at my feet. "And you won't get far without some clothes and shoes."
I can't argue with that. I'm limping along as it is.
He pushes through the door and peeks out, then ushers me in. It's Fen's quarters, though it's clear Fen's not the one who's been sleeping here. "Levi has taken my place," Fen says with venom in his voice.
I look at the disheveled bed and unfamiliar clothing that litters the floor and I seethe with rage. "That bastard."
Fen opens a few trunks until he finds what he's looking for. He hands me Spero—my sword—and the dagger Daison made for me before he died. Then he hands me clothes. "They will be too big, but they're better than nothing."
I shrug them on over tender skin as he also undresses out of his rags and into his leather armor. Light but still offering some protection. I try to look away when he's naked, but don't quite succeed. He catches me staring and smiles for the first time since the dungeon. "There will be plenty of time for that later, Princess."
I'm flustered but don't turn my eyes away. "I hope so."
And I mean it. I'm tired of waiting. Tired of second guessing. We aren't guaranteed any kind of future. I want to live my life now. Which means being with Fen. Loving him. Regardless of what the future holds. I spent so much time worrying about who would make the best king, I failed to consider that fate might conspire to take the choice from me altogether. I almost lost him once in the battle, and again at the hands of Levi. I won't lose him to my own foolishness now.