The Binding (Chronicles of Azaria #1) (23 page)

The biggest difference, however, was th
e two men that occupied this room. One was balding, the buttons on his blue overcoat bursting from his girth, while the other was lean and tall, dressed in black and silver finery.

The taller man stood up as we entered, holding a decanter of wine. He sported grey hair that matched his beard and brows, and his sharp face was lined, making him appear older. Harsh green eyes completed the ensemble, and he cast his gaze over us, like a hawk eyeing fresh prey.

Well, at least Lord Glenford lived up to his stern reputation.

“Lord Glenford,” Aronzo said. He shoved past, dragging Ryan in tow. “I present your son and his two accomplices who have aided him in his refuge.”

Adam took a breath, about to speak. I squeezed his hand so tight it left marks. He clenched his teeth and gave me a sidelong glance. Ever so slowly I shook my head. He had to keep quiet, or we’d get into worse trouble. Adam continued to frown, before he huffed and swallowed back his response. I let out a quiet sigh. I didn’t want to stir the pot before knowing the full set of ingredients.

“They
’re not my accomplices,” Ryan said. “They have nothing to do with this. Release them.”

Lord Glenford
’s eyes narrowed. He set his glass on the table. With measured steps, he approached his son. Ryan’s gaze was no less as hard. They stared at each other, when Lord Glenford abruptly slapped him. Ryan groaned, blood seeping from his left nostril. My mouth hung open, and it was all Adam could do to stop me from running to his side.

“You betray your own father,” Lord Glenford said, with such coldness my blood froze, “and yet when presented with the opportunity to take responsibility for your crime, you waste your breath giving
me
orders?”

Ryan stared at the ground, not bothering to wipe the blood that dripped onto the floorboards. My heart burned, yearning to comfort him, so I leant closer to Adam. He curled his arm around me as best he could. I gritted my teeth. Whether it was the curse goading my emotions or not, this was horrible. However, all I could do was sit tight and wait, no matter how gruelling it was to watch.

When Ryan still didn’t respond, Lord Glenford gripped his shoulders and forced him onto his knees. I winced, listening to the crack of Ryan’s kneecaps on the wood.

“And in the presence of Lord Svendmar, the man you insulted,” Lord Glenford went on, “you don
’t even consider to apologise for your insolent behaviour? For the dishonour you’ve brought me and your family name?”

Ryan bit his lip, determined not to answer. I clung to Adam, unable to hide my shivering. If this was how Lord Glenford treated his own son, I dreaded to think what he planned on doing to us.

To
me.

“Leon, enough,” the portly man spoke, rolling to his feet. “The boy
’s tired from the journey. Let him have some time to reflect upon his actions. We can discuss this in the morning. I’m sure he will be more than willing to acknowledge his mistake.”

Lord Glenford snarled. I gulped. I
’d seen raging bulls with less fury in their eyes. There was a long pause.

“Very well, Abel,” he said at last. “His unacceptable behaviour towards your daughter can be addressed later. Please, retire for the evening. I have other things I wish to discuss with him.”

“Then I bid you good night.” Lord Svendmar bowed, downed the last of his wine, and ambled to the corridor. He passed a sympathetic glance over Ryan, before closing the door behind him.

Once he was gone, Lord Glenford nodded. Aronzo stormed to Ryan and hauled him to his feet. My stomach churned. So much for my theory they were once friends.

“Now then.” The lord pointed at me and Adam. “How much have you told them about your little misdemeanour?”

Ryan
’s eyes clouded. I had no idea what battle raged in his mind, but his worry was obvious. Whatever response he chose would affect all our fates.

He took a breath and looked his father square in the eye.

“Nothing.”

Lord Glenford raised an eyebrow.

“You’re a terrible liar,” he said.

“It
’s the truth!” Ryan exclaimed. “They’ve only helped me keep clear of your guards. I’ve not breathed a single word to them! I swear on Mother’s grave!”

“Perhaps I should have them executed, just in case?” Lord Glenford said, tilting his head quizzically. My heart skipped a beat, and I recoiled into Adam.

“NO!”

Ryan made to wrest free from Aronzo, but a sharp elbow to the ribs stopped him. Then Aronzo punched him in the back, and he slumped to all fours. Tears pricked my eyes, and I looked away. I didn
’t want to see this anymore.

“Don
’t hurt them, please,” Ryan begged. “They don’t deserve to be punished. Take it out on me, all of it. I wronged you, I betrayed you, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry!”

Lord Glenford stared at his son, his expression sombre.

“At least you keep your honesty,” he muttered. He turned to me, and gave a curt nod. “You are fortunate my son holds such compassion. But your part in this tale has come to an end.” He nodded at the Guardsman and Aronzo. “Sergeant Vale, Aronzo, please escort my son’s…
comrades
off my property. I will hold no charges against them.”

The Guardsman crossed his arm over his chest.
“As you wish, my lord.”

My mind froze. Lord Glenford was releasing us?

Then the realisation hit me, and my eyes widened.

“No, wait!” I said, as the Sergeant took Adam
’s arm and Aronzo took mine. I made to shake him off, but he wasn’t letting go. “Please my lord, I can’t leave him!”

Lord Glenford huffed.

“Don’t play with my patience, girl,” he said. “My son is Bound, waste your infatuations on someone else.”

“But I
’m the one who’s…”

A cry of pain silenced my protest as Aronzo pinched my arm.

“Your game of hide and seek is over.” His grip eased, and for a moment I thought a flicker of remorse crossed his features. “You must let him go.”

His hold tensed again, and the last
I saw was Ryan bowed at the feet of his father as Adam and I were led away. I swallowed. I might have escaped execution, but I still had no proof about Ryan’s first Binding. No way of knowing what would happen if I strayed over that half mile boundary.

And this was not how I wanted to find out.

* * * * *

We retraced our steps to the gates. The mist had cleared, revealing the dark buildings of Terent, but I couldn
’t concentrate on them. I kept an eye open for a place to hide, although deep down I knew it was futile. With Sergeant Vale and Aronzo at our heels, I’d never get far enough away. And how could I leave Adam after all he’d braved to find me? On the other hand, once we set foot off the estate, I’d never get back inside. And if my fears about the curse were true, well, that would be the end of it.

Goddess, what was I supposed to do?

“You okay?” Adam pulled me against him—they’d taken the shackles off once we’d left the manor. His touch ignited an urge to throw up, and I had to step away to keep my digestive system from revolting.

“Not particularly,” I mumbled, trying not to notice his hurt expression. If only he
’d believe it wasn’t my fault.

“You
’ll be fine,” Adam said, meaning to be reassuring. “Lord Glenford himself said Ryan was Bound, so it has to be true.”

“But how could he be?” I blurted. “He
’s been travelling alone for four months, Adam. Four months! It’s not possible to be that far apart for that long and not become Unbound.”

“It
’s not,” Adam said, “but it’s also not possible to get Bound twice.”

“One of us has to be wrong then,” I said, drawing my arms around myself. “Either he
’s not Bound, or I’m not.”

“Well, let
’s hope it’s you.”

I let out a long breath, watching the main gates come into view. Either way, we
’d soon find out.

Aronzo unlocked the bars, and gestured towards the town.

“You are fortunate Lord Glendford is in a generous mood,” he said. “Do not take his goodwill lightly. You no longer have permission to remain on his estate, and if you are found trespassing, you will be suitably punished.”

I nodded, though I couldn
’t help but pick on a slight hitch in his voice. Perhaps he wasn’t as cold-hearted as he’d made out. Or maybe he felt guilty for trying to drown me in the lake.

Before I could ponder on it, Adam took my hand and led me to Terent
’s main square. I stood tall.

No turning back now.

Fighting down the butterflies in my stomach, I began to count my steps. If my guess was right, the half mile boundary would be about five hundred paces from the estate. My heart thudded in time with my strides. Keep calm. I’d have my answer soon.

“Well?” Adam watched me carefully.

I shrugged.

“I
’m alright for the moment, but we’re not at half a mile yet.”

“But you
’re not feeling any urges to run back, either?”

“Adam, it
’s not as simple at that,” I grumbled. “Besides, I’ve been fighting those desires since the moment I met him. I’m bracing for something much more potent.”

“Oh, be a little more optimistic, Eliza.” Adam nudged me with his elbow. “You
’re always expecting the worst to happen.”

“
At least I’m never disappointed,” I muttered back.

Adam didn
’t answer. He simply gave my hand a squeeze.

The lamplights were already lit on Terent
’s main street. I focused on their blurry outlines, listening to our footfalls. The curse seemed to have gone quiet again, but all that did was focus my attention on the upcoming moment. My heart was a hurricane of dread, anticipation and hope, each vying for dominance as I kept counting. Four hundred sixty-seven, four hundred sixty-eight, four hundred sixty-nine…

On the threshold of the town, a crisp wind picked up, blowing in the mist and cloud. The green moon vanished, and I lost sight of the road. At the same time
, Adam’s hold on my hand disappeared.

I stopped.

“Adam?”

No answer.

“Adam, where are you?”

The cold howled past my ears, and I swallowed.

“Adam, I’m not in the mood for one of your games right now.” I was trying to sound irritated, but inside I was trembling. How could he leave me alone? I needed him around in case anything happened when I came to the half mile boundary. If this was his way of cheering me up, he needed to rethink his strategy.

“Adam, come on, this isn
’t funny…”

Frantically I looked around, but the mist and darkness were too thick. I couldn
’t even see the city gates, though they must’ve been a few steps ahead. The chill seeped deeper, and I shivered, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

“Adam!” I shouted. “Please, stop it now! Come back!”

My hollow cry echoed back. Damn it, where had he gone? I had to find him, find someone. I stumbled forward, walking blindly through the smoky air.

“Adam?”

My foot caught on something and I tumbled to the ground. The stones cut into my palms, and I hissed. I fought to get up again, but my arms were shaking so much, and my muscles wouldn’t work. What was going on?

Suddenly the ground began to move. At first I thought it was just my shadow, but then the blackness began to elongate. It spread out, smothering the path, and I caught my breath. Without warning, several inky tendrils burst from the earth, growing at an impossible rate. They fanned out across the sky, surrounding me in a cage of darkness. I screamed, desperate to run, but my body had stopped responding.

More tendrils erupted from below, and snapped around my waist, throat and ankles. My screeches became inhuman as I thrashed wildly, but their grip was deadly. They wound between every joint, pulling and stretching my tendons to breaking point. All I knew was pain, and my struggles ceased, my limbs threatened to be rent apart.

Trapped in the monster
’s hold, I could do nothing as it dragged me into the shadows. The cold clawed at my skin, snatching my breath away. In a final effort, I arched my neck back, straining at my bonds, but yet more snares appeared, seizing my chest and torso and squeezing hard. My ribs snapped, and my shrieks died.

Limp and lifeless, the darkness swallowed me whole.

* * * * *

“Eliza, Eliza! Snap out of it!”

A panicked voice broke through the emptiness, and I blinked. Slowly, the world came back into focus. I was lying in Adam’s lap. Terent’s gates were right before us, clearly visible now the mist had cleared. Some stars poked out from the velvet sky, and I stared at them, thankful for their brightness. I didn’t want to go back to the shadows.

“Thank the Goddess, you
’re awake.” Adam drew me against his shoulder. “Are you alright?”