Endless Night (Fate's Intent Book 3) (2 page)

“Yes.”

“Good. Let them rest tonight. We’ll meet there in the morning like we stopped in for breakfast.”

We started to leave as requested but there was a knock at the door before we could even reach it.

I looked back and Trever’s curiosity passed us quickly to answer the door. He opened it casually and Red and Jay were standing on the other side.

“Oh, hey. You’re back.”

“You probably already knew that we would be.” Red said. “May we come in?”

“Of course.” He stepped aside and they both entered.

“Well?” Jay asked.

“Well what?”

“Where are they?!”

“Where are who? You’re right here.”

Jay’s eyes narrowed.

“Awe.” Kole whispered with a little humor. “I think she believes he was actually going to come for her.”

Her eyes found him and her face softened with disbelief, enough that she couldn’t speak.

“Don’t say that to her!” Red snatched, her eyes turning red. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” Kole sighed, seeming to become a little more mellowed and I knew what he was about to do. “I was just telling her the truth and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that they did that to you and made you believe that you had something with them. That’s just what they do and they’re probably doing it to a whole new group of women right now.”

Jay was left standing placid like she didn’t want to believe it but she rushed into Kole’s arms nonetheless.

He made that look all too easy and smiled at me then spoke with words of comfort. “It’s all right, Jay. It wasn’t your fault. He made you see what he wanted you to see. You couldn’t have known any different.” She was crying but never said a word. “Come on. You want to come home?”

Jay nodded and Kole started to lead her to the door.

“Jaylyn!” Red shouted. “Really? You’re going to believe that?”

“Let her go. It’s okay.” Trever said.

Red sighed and we watched them leave the house completely. “What’s really going on?” She looked back at us but our faces remained blank.

“Nothing.” Trever said. “What did you really expect to come from this? If they came here, it would be for your death. You both can’t exist in the same place.”

Red let go of her anger quicker than I thought she would and it was slowly being replaced by sadness. “Adele keeps saying something like that.”

“And she’s right to. She’s just trying to protect you.”

“I know. I just thought that maybe—never mind.”

“Are you going to be all right? You’re welcome to stay here.”

“Yes, I know. Thank you. I just may but probably tomorrow. I want to tell Adele what we’ll be doing. Maybe some time apart from each other would be best to get over this.”

Trever nodded and Red started to turn.

I followed her. “I’ll walk you back. I want to stay close to make sure she’s going to be okay.”

“She still doesn’t know that you were there.”

“I know. I didn’t plan to mention any of it to her.”

“Good. You still shouldn’t.”

“I won’t.”

“All right.” Trever called. “See you tomorrow.”

Chapter 4

Adele

I shuffled out of my room. It was early in the morning. My eyes were moist from my waking tears. I dreamt of the last time I saw Zayden but it was more like a nightmare. I was almost glad to be awake now and made my way downstairs.

Everything was still quiet like everyone was gone. There wasn’t a sound echoing from anywhere. I gathered something simple to eat and took it into the dining hall where I ate it alone at the long table.

It was almost peaceful but my thoughts couldn’t keep it that way. My mind constantly drifted. It made me feel lost, undecided about my life. Everything seemed to have changed since I’ve been to Seni. I didn’t know what to do, what I could do. I knew what I’ve been telling the others but it was just to stray away from what I was feeling. I couldn’t live if I couldn’t see Zayden again. He was everything to me and I just wanted it back but I didn’t know how.

My heart almost skipped a beat when I heard another sound around me and I jumped lightly in my chair. My eyes immediately found movement by the door and I saw Ruby step in with a bag in her hand.

“Morning.” I muttered, looking back down at my food like nothing was wrong.

“Hi.” She replied in a low tone.

“Jaylyn up yet? She usually is.”

Ruby stopped several paces in front of the table and just shook her head. “She’s not here.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s gone.”

“Where?”

“Kole’s, I’m guessing.”

“What’s the bag for?”

Ruby paused again and it was clear that she was upset. “We thought it would be best if we—well, parted for a while. You know, so it’s easier for us to stay normal. Being around each other will just make it worse.”

“Okay.” I took an uncomfortable glance down at my food to the topic of this conversation. “I can understand that.”

“It was too hard for Jaylyn to stay. She left last night. I just stayed behind so you could be told.”

“Okay. Hopefully it won’t have to be long.”

“Yeah. I hope so too and I’m sure you can find us if we’re needed.”

I nodded and neither of us could seem to get out anything else to each other and Ruby left.

I sat still and heard the door close. I was truly alone now but it didn’t seem like it helped much. My mind was being my worst enemy and wouldn’t leave me in any kind of peace. I felt the coming days hitting hard already. I only hoped I could survive them.

Four days went by and I didn’t know if it was working at all. At least it wasn’t for me. I spent most of my time alone and my nights were spent next to Ryon just so I could get some sleep but it still seemed restless. He held me in his arms like I liked but it wasn’t the same. He wasn’t Zayden. I couldn’t find the strength to be with him intimately because my last experience still haunted me and I knew he started to notice.

Chapter 5

Ryon

Her mood was always low even though she tried to act happy when I was around but I saw right through it.

I knew about her attachment to Zayden and how she gave in but I couldn’t confront her about it to end this chain of lies. I wasn’t allowed to. I wanted to but maybe I wasn’t ready to have that conversation with her just yet. I knew what it would lead to. Instead, I just tried to make my time with her worth it.

I knew they were coming. The day was getting close and I would lose her for good just as soon as Zayden stepped back into the picture. I didn’t want that to happen. I just wanted everything to be like when we were happy. I wanted everything to be back the way it was before she left. I just wanted her back, fully and felt I would do anything to get it. I’d do anything for her. Whatever she wanted she’d get but that sometimes would just upset me more. I knew what she wanted and it wasn’t me. She could never love me the way I love her with Zayden always being thought of first and I hated him for it. I almost couldn’t wait to see him in our lands and reflect off my hate. I spent the days thinking of it, how great it would be, knowing it would be soon.

I saw them coming. It was only a matter of time. I tried staying a step behind them whenever I could; only being able to dream about stopping them from coming at all. I knew what I will truly lose then and just tried to spend every second with Adele that she would allow.

Chapter 6

Zayden

The days drifted by slowly but we at last reached the walls of Dorlin. We could see it in the distance. The fires of the city were lighting up the night sky. It seemed beautiful just knowing we made it. We were close. Our days apart haven’t exactly been easy. We fought hard to get here and couldn’t wait to see the surprise on their faces. We missed them.

“How do we get in?” Troy asked. “Surely we can’t use the front gate.”

“No. They would notice for sure with the white horses under us. It’ll have to be the wall somewhere. I remember Adele once saying that their manor lies against the northern wall.”

“Then we know our entry point.” Darius said.

“Yes, but it’s the where that I’m unsure off.”

“We’ll find it.” Troy replied, his eyes peering towards the city with Jaylyn most likely on his mind. “We have to.”

“We’ll go around.” I started to lead my horse out to the north. “We don’t want to be spotted by the patrolling guards.”

We disappeared deep into the trees north of the city but kept the wall in our sight. We were able to travel west a distance along the northern wall, searching for the perfect entry.

“Sense anything?” Darius asked.

I shook my head and glanced over with solid black eyes. “The city is full of people. I couldn’t be sure where they are.”

“Should you climb up to get a better look?” Troy asked.

I let out a long breath and started to slow on my horse. “It’ll probably be easiest but this could take all night. I don’t want to be doing this during the day. Maybe we’ll just find some dark alley to slip into and leave the horses out here for now so we know it’s safe. We’ll be able to walk the streets easier.”

“You think so?” Darius asked.

“As long as we take off our gear that says who we are. They should have been back for a week if they went nonstop. That means they had to have told them something.”

“Like we’re dead.” Troy muttered.

“Exactly. If they’re back then we must be. They wouldn’t guess that we’d be walking around.”

“Okay. Then we’ll keep moving. Find the spot then call us.”

I nodded and got down off of my horse.

“Wait.” Troy said.

“What?”

His eyes were directed through the trees at the wall. “Who does that look like to you?”

I turned my head, trying to see well enough and noticed movement on top of the wall. Someone was laying up there with one leg bent up over the other and long brown hair was hanging over the edge.

“Adele.” I was full with a deep sign of hope.

“Hold on.” Darius cut in, hopping off his horse to stop me from proceeding forward. “You don’t know that it’s her. I’m sure she’s not the only brunette in the city.”

“It has to be.” I wanted it to be more than ever and got the confirmation I needed.

“Adele!” A loud voice echoed her name off in the distance from over the wall and my eyes widened, shooting them back at Darius and Troy.

Troy laughed while he got off his horse. “Well, that’s lucky. We stopped just in time.”

“Shh!” I snatched. We stayed where we were and listened to the voices from the wall.

“I know!” Adele shouted back with a long sigh. “I’ll be there, father. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” Said the General’s voice in a more calm tone from the ground just on the other side of the wall. “Just more concerned. It’ll be good for you. You need to get out, be around people. You’ve been locked up in here for a week. People are starting to talk.”

“Then let them. It doesn’t bother me.”

“No, it bothers me. Now, get down from there. I’m leaving now and you need to get ready and do the same. I have a lovely gown on its way for you.”

Adele sighed again and rubbed her face. “You mean I can’t just go naked and put an end to everyone’s disappointment?”

“Of course not. Show some respect please and limit how much you open that mouth of yours. The Queen wants to see you and I will not have your attitude reflect on her behavior.”

Adele sighed again and kept her laying position on the wall like she wasn’t going to be moving anytime soon. She used her defiant nature on everyone. “You wouldn’t be making me go to this thing if mother were alive.”

“If your mother were alive, a lot of things wouldn’t be happening. Discussion over. Now get yourself ready. I hope to see you there promptly.” Adele silently saluted him as a gesture of sarcasm. “Adele! Please don’t do this right now! I don’t have time for your games! Get yourself ready!”

She stayed exactly where she was and sighed as if his yelling hadn’t bothered her.

“Trever!”

I looked to those next to me when I heard him call his name and waited for the reply. “What happened?”

“Talk some sense into her because I have to leave before I lose it!” The General’s loud stomping footsteps left them alone.

“Oh, Adele, Adele, Adele.”