"Not on purpose." I tried to defend myself. The set of his jaw betrayed his anger and I started to babble. "It's not like I can remember anything and so I thought I was going the right way when I found the storage room and then I saw the tunnel and I don't know what happened, I was just running through it, and when I came outside I knew where to find the path and I was almost there when-" My words broke off as I reached the part about being caught.
"Almost where?" Chevelle demand.
"I don't know. I can't explain it," I added, defeated.
Chevelle nodded, giving us all a moment before starting again. "We need to know where you were going. Can you tell us where to go from where we found you?"
I contemplated it. "No. I'll have to show you."
He shook his head. "No."
"There's no other way," Ruby interjected.
He glared at her. "We don't even know what she's going toward."
"We will all be with her," she argued. "It's got to be sooner or later-"
He cut her off. "Later. It will be later."
As he looked back at me, he seemed to become aware that the hold he'd had to steady me was now nearly an embrace and he dropped his arms and stepped back from me. "Rest, Elfreda." He started to go but glanced back at me and added, "Let us know if you recall any other details."
I nodded, and then slid my hands behind my back when I realized I was wringing them. Once he was gone, I slumped and then fell back onto the bed.
Ruby was fidgeting and restless, a rarity for her. I sat up as I questioned her. "What?"
"Nothing, Frey. Rest."
It wasn't long before Grey was at the door and she practically bolted past him before he stopped her. "What's going on, Ruby?" She feigned ignorance. "Then I guess I'll be going. I was merely checking on you since Chevelle informed me not to relieve you of your charge."
She gritted her teeth. "He did, did he?"
"That's what I thought," he laughed.
She'd disappeared before he'd even turned to greet me. "So, Freya, what have you done this time?"
I grimaced before confessing, "I got lost and took a hidden passageway outside the castle." The smile dropped from his face. "Yep," I continued, "and I don't really know where I was going so Ruby wants me to show them the way..."
"And Chevelle knows better," he finished.
I nodded, conceding his point. Ruby really did enjoy trouble, it reminded me of her laughter last night. "How's Steed?" I asked.
"Fine." He grinned. "How are you?"
"Ugh," I answered.
"You are much improved, aside from the wine, of course. We were all relieved to see your response during training yesterday."
"If only I could get to my mind that way," I mumbled.
"It won't be long, Freya." I looked at him, confused, and he explained, "You are so close now, only one remains to release you."
I sat straight up. "What?"
And then we heard them in the hall, as their bickering rapidly approached the door. They filed into the room, Ruby, followed by Chevelle, Rhys, and Rider.
"Let's go, Frey," Ruby directed. I stared at her blankly. "It's decided, you will show us the way."
I glanced at Chevelle. His jaw was tight, but he didn't argue. Ruby tossed my shoes at me so I hastily put them on while she barked out orders. "Grey, go get Steed. Anvil is waiting at the south gate. We leave now."
I didn't understand how Ruby had taken over charge of the group until I saw Rhys and Rider's expressions. They had agreed with her. I was certain Grey would go along with her as well, even if he thought it foolish. And if Anvil was already waiting for us, Chevelle must have been the only dissident.
Which was how we found ourselves standing in the middle of the path, waiting for my murky brain to tell me the right direction to take. Chevelle was so near me I could barely concentrate and everyone stood either staring at me while they waited, or watching the surrounding rocks sharply, as if they might come to life and crush us. It was making me anxious and I was about to give up as I noticed a vulture circling above.
I was staring up at it when the wolves signaled a short way down the path. We started toward them as a group and then I saw it, the rock that leaned just so over the pass. I stopped to examine it but the others kept on, except for Chevelle.
"What is it?" he asked in a low tone.
"Here," I said, suddenly heading off the trail and around a tall rock, down the hidden path before he could stop me.
"How far?" he asked, glancing back for the others, who were not there, though we could hear them with the wolves now.
"I'm not sure," I said, "but it feels close."
He put a hand on my shoulder. "Wait." Anvil was behind us suddenly and Chevelle turned to him to find the cause of the wolves' call.
"Carrion," I heard Anvil say, but his tone was off, so much so that I almost looked back to see what was wrong. But I didn't, because I could see it now, the way in.
It took only two steps further to reach it and Chevelle was in such a solemn discussion with Anvil that he didn't notice the minor move. Until I cried out.
Chapter Eleven
Gross Misconduct
I woke in my own bed. Ruby, Chevelle, and Grey stood anxiously watching, but I could see they were trying to seem nonchalant. I sat up, surprised to find that my clothes had been changed.
"How long have I been out?" I asked.