Winter Queen(25)
Wincing, Narium sat up. “What’re you doing here? You’ve work to do.”
Ilyenna stepped into the room. “I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now! Why did Darrien beat all of you?”
No one answered. Ilyenna looked at each of her clanwomen in turn—Wenly, Kanni, Parsha, Bet, Larina—then at Narium and her clanwomen. None but Larina would meet her gaze. The young woman was glaring at her like she’d stolen all her spring lambs.
Cold fear shot through Ilyenna. “Larina, you want to tell me what this is about?”
Narium shot Larina a look that would’ve singed the bristles off a pig. “You say anything, and you’ll have me to deal with.”
Larina opened her mouth to argue.
“Think what you’re doing, Larina,” Narium said. “He won’t touch us again till we’re healed. And by then the Council will have freed us.”
Larina glared at Narium before turning away.
Looking between the two, Ilyenna felt a sob on the edge of her throat. They’d all turned against her. Her own clanwomen! After everything that had happened, she didn’t think she could bear that too. Tears burned her eyes. “Fine. Don’t tell me,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’ll ask Darrien.” She stormed out.
“Get Rone,” she heard Narium shout.
Ilyenna was halfway to the clan house before Rone grabbed her arm. She whirled, pushing the tears off her cheeks. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
Rone dropped her arm and stared at the ground. “They won’t tell me either, only that it’s best I not know. I believe them, and you should too.”
Ilyenna threw her hands in the air. “Isn’t that for me to decide?”
He shook his head. “Not this time. Leave it alone, Ilyenna. Just leave it alone.” He turned on his heel. She watched him head back to where the men were laying the foundation for a house. A large house, much larger than even the clan house. This couldn’t be a tiam house.
She hurried into the kitchen. Metha was standing at the table, changing her son’s bottom. She looked up when Ilyenna stormed in. “Where’s my laundry?”
Ilyenna stopped short. “I left Jossa to do it.”
Metha frowned. “The girl was just beaten with a soaked strap, and you’re making her do your work?”
“I—”
Metha pointed at the door. “Get back to that river and do your job. Now.”
“I want to speak to Darrien.”
Metha’s finger jabbed the air. “Now!”
Ilyenna stormed back to the river, determined to get something out of Jossa. But as soon as the girl saw her coming, she fled as if Darrien himself chased her.
Helplessly, Ilyenna watched her go. What secret was so dangerous Jossa would run from her, injured as she was? She didn’t get a chance to find out. Hanie brought her supper and the last of the dishes. Ilyenna tried to get information out of the girl, but she claimed not to know anything, though her pained face spoke otherwise.
By the time Ilyenna was finished, her hands were wrinkled and raw, and deep night had come on. Balancing the basket on her hip, she went back to the kitchen. Metha was at the table, patting Harrow’s tiny back. “Darrien’s already gone to bed. You’re to sleep in the hallway.”
Ilyenna stared at the woman’s back, trying to will Metha to tell her something. As if sensing her, Metha half turned. “Don’t, Ilyenna.”
Fine. She’d ask Darrien herself. Up the stairs, she eased into his room. Drawing her courage, she shut the door. Instantly, she was plunged into darkness. Her heart lurched into her throat.
“Hello, Ilyenna.” It sounded like he was in bed after all.
She breathed a little easier that he wasn’t lying in wait for her. “Why did you beat all the tiams?”
“Come closer and I’ll tell you.”
Her eyes had begun to adjust to the dark. He was in his bed. A warning pounded in her head. Narium, Rone, and Metha had all told her to leave it alone. But she couldn’t. He was hurting her clanwomen. If she could do anything to stop it, she would. She came to the side of the bed, making sure to stay out of arms’ reach. “Why?”
“Why, Ilyenna?” She smelled whiskey on his breath. Cringing, she stepped back, suddenly full of terror. “Because they disobeyed. Just as you continue to do.”
Faster than she thought possible, his hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist. She twisted and strained. He surprised her then, lunging out of the bed and knocking her to the floor. He pinned her beneath him. She cried out, shoving and beating against his chest.
He grabbed her arms and held them above her head. He pressed against her, his hungry fingers working her dress up. No matter how hard she fought, she couldn’t stop him. He was so much stronger. “Please, no! Please!” she cried out.
He worked faster.
“You swore you wouldn’t!”
He paused.
Tears streamed down Ilyenna’s face and soaked into her hair. Twisting, she strained to get as far away from him as she could.
Releasing her hands, Darrien lowered his head, his breath coming hard and fast against her neck. “You were smart to bargain for that right. Very smart. But you aren’t the only one I can hurt.”
All the blood in Ilyenna’s body went cold. “No,” she gasped.
He leaned in and whispered into her ear. “I told you I’d make you pay, Ilyenna. And pay you will. I will beat each and every one of them until you marry me or tell me the secret of your healings.”
“I told you. The fairies did it. They gave me a flower, but I used it all.”
Her searching fingers found something smooth and hard under the skin rug. The onyx. She fumbled to pull it out without Darrien noticing. “I’ll kill you,” she said through clenched teeth.
He laughed. “You proved it with Metha. You’re a healer, a clan mistress. Not a murderer.” He took her earlobe between his teeth. “Not like me.”
She clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to see what was coming. “Why? Why are you doing this?”
She felt him smile against her neck. “All my life my mother spoke of the Balance. But she was always so weak compared to my father. I realized the truth when she died. It’s the strong side of the Balance that survives—that leads, that rules. I’m stronger and smarter than anyone else in the lands. And one day they’ll all be mine. Let me hear the words, Ilyenna”
He’d given her no choice. They both knew it. He’d won. Unless . . .
Her finger tightened around the onyx stone. It would cost her life, but so would agreeing to what he wanted. She slammed the stone against his head. His weight collapsed on top of her, his breath hot on her throat. Wiggling, she managed to get out from under him. Already, he was starting to moan.
Dropping the bloodied stone, she ran.
13. Falling
The clan-house door cracked against the river-stone wall as Ilyenna streaked through. Metha cried after her, but she didn’t stop or slow. She flew down the path, the trees shadowed blurs as she passed. At the river, she paused to catch her breath and listen. Nothing. But he would come.
She ran until the path disappeared. Not much deeper, the forest grew too dense to move through, forcing her to run parallel to the river. Dodging a boulder, she splashed in, soaking herself to her knees. A little farther down, the trees crowded so close to the bank she had no choice but wade in the water up to her waist. Water that terrified her. But Darrien terrified her more.
Suddenly, she felt the slippery stones shift beneath her. She slid and went under. Immediately, she was ten again, drowning under the ice. She clawed at the water. Her braid came loose and her hair flared around her like a dark sheaf of wheat.
Fighting the current, she finally managed to get her feet back under her. The river had carried her downstream to where the bank wasn’t as steep. She scrambled out and ran.
The water grew swifter and the crashing sound louder. Just as she was starting to wonder what it was, she leaped over a log and her ankle gave way. With a cry, she crumpled to the ground. She was soaking wet, her dress clinging to her. Now her ankle throbbed. But over her frantic panting, she could hear them. Dogs barking. She lurched to her feet and began hobbling as fast as she could.
The river narrowed and deepened. The air was thick and heavy with the smell of moss. With a sense of foreboding, she climbed up the bald expanse of a flat boulder and looked down.
A waterfall crashed down a cliff, hurtling into a deep pool. Rocks and boulders ringed the pool like the teeth of a hungry maw. An updraft blew against her. For leagues in either direction, the cliff went on. She had nowhere to go. The dogs were very close now. She was trapped.
She stared at the pool, her whole body screaming to live.
The dogs crashed through the trees, baying happily when they found her. She turned. Darrien was astride his gelding. What would he do to her?
He rubbed the back of his head. “That’ll cost you.”
He was going to take everything she held dear. By the time he finished, she wouldn’t be Ilyenna anymore. Yet if she didn’t bend to him, he’d destroy her clanwomen. Only one choice remained for her now. She peeked over the edge and looked down.
“Come here now,” Darrien said softly.
She turned. From the look on his face, it was clear he knew she planned to jump. She closed her eyes. Drawing every ounce of courage, she inched backward. She was the clan mistress. She protected her clan, no matter the cost. With each step, she expected to feel nothing but open air beneath her.