Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 47

[ Garrett ]

Startled, I lifted my head and peered into the darkness. Stiff and cold from sleeping on the stone floor it was a gargantuan effort. Not to mention how drained I still felt from my emotion outpouring.

“Zach?” I questioned the green glowing eyes, the only thing I could see. Sniffing, I wiped my face on my sleeve. Zach, with all the Fae in him, could probably see me perfectly and I was betting I looked a total mess.

"Summoned, sorry." He whispered, feet padding against the stone. Zach's soft hot hand pressed itself into mine where I was still on the floor, making me jump.

"Out." He said with a little tap on my chest. On my exhale Zach pulled me through the cold floor and onto a warmer one. All I could think was that I was going to be dumped at the King's feet curdled up like a dirty baby and I couldn't bring myself to care.

"Zach? Where are we… because I can't see. I have zero Fae attributes." Wherever we were, my rasping voice echoed softly.

"Oh right, I didn't know. Stay put, I'll be back in a sec." The lad told me clearly. Must be really quiet here.

Alone, listening to the subtle sounds of water amongst the stillness, I was on the verge of tears again. The pain of it all was just starting to surface when Zach came back. The light he was carrying made me squint. A couple of blinks later I could make out that it was the lamp from the King's desk balanced on top of some towels and clean clothes.

A quick glance around told me we were in the hot springs beneath the castle but not the usual chamber because this one had a different layout and no obvious entrance.

"What's going on?" My brain wasn't working properly, all I could think of was Jo pulling on those trousers.

"No offence, Captain but you are a mess. I'm not dropping you to the King like that." He shook his head and put the bundle down. "Look alive! Get washed up we haven't got all day." Zach ordered jovially. I rose from the floor feeling ancient.

"I don't care if I go like this." I shrugged. "I assume it's urgent. Lady Esther?"

"No, yes and yes." He glared at me. "Get in the water, or I will make you. I hear all the whispers, there is enough opposition to you being in your position without you roaming around looking like a street urchin. Politics are important." Stripping off my clothes before he had finished speaking I climbed into the naturally hot water and started washing at speed. "Thank you for your help last night and for stopping with me, I'm sorry I threatened you."

"Water under the bridge, I don't blame you for being so weary considering how people treat those shades." I dunked my head and scrubbed my wet hair furiously. "What I don't get is why you put up with that shitty room."

"I'm almost never in there and it isn't like I can't very easily go somewhere else. It's just Grace being a dick." He rolled his eyes. "What about you? Why were you in that room? I know you said Jo upset you but you also said there was nothing wrong with crying. Seems extreme and like you were hiding." The way he was so direct threw me off and I answered without thinking.

"Jo took someone to our bed." Before my eyes the leg of the trouser flapped about as Jo put their leg in. Saying it out loud had made it too real.

"Ye Gods!! If Rin did that to me I don't know what I'd do. I think I'd just sink into the floor and never come back…" Zach sounded horrified.

"I think that's what I was sort of hoping for. Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. You're too young, it's not fair for me to unload." Plunging my face into the hot water, I rubbed with my hands until I was desperately in need of a breath. Zach had moved from standing next to the shoulder deep stone pool I was bathing in and had his hand against the cave wall.

"Dunno if it helps but Jo appears to be in roughly the same state you were just curled up in the bottom of the shower crying. Oo, no." Zach stepped into the wall and I got out of the spring and started toweling off. I was on the last shirt button when Zach returned. "Jo was really upset." He dropped the dagger that he was holding. The metal flashed in the lamp light showing me the blood that coated one edge of the blade.

I felt sick.

I almost screamed at Zach to take me to them.

"I dropped him with Tarrin." The lad reassured me.

Breathe, I told myself. Breathe.

"Thank you, you shouldn't have had to see that or do that or…" My voice cracked. My heart clenched.

"It's ok, I've seen worse." Zach shrugged. "He'll be ok though."

"They, not he." I tried to hold myself together. "Sorry Zach I'm being an ass. Ignore me."

"No, it's cool, Rin and I defend each other just the same." He smiled at me. "I've never really spent any time with Jo and you only told me when my brain was sort of on fire so I kinda forgot! Ready?" Zach held out his hand. I didn’t think he meant it in the passive aggressive way it came out but he was right.

"No shoes?" Changing topics felt like a better option. I was going to have a breakdown otherwise. Zach laughed loudly, genuinely amused.

"Sorry." He looked at his toes and wiggled them. "Shoes are something I forget too."

"Well, I suppose I'm ready then." I said, putting my hand in his. He hesitated.

“She’s in a bad way, Captain. I’m really sorry that we are going to ask this of you right now but none of us can touch her.” There was no time to reply before Zach yanked me through the castle.