Chapter 48: Going Home

The four of them stumbled out of the castle, finding it surprisingly empty. No one was waiting for them in the halls, no one was lurking to see the happy couple. It seemed that no one had heard anything coming from the ritual room. Still, they kept quiet as they crept across the front plaza, stopping just in front of the stables. Isaac motioned for the girls to wait, holding his hand out.

“I’m going to get the carriage. Stay here.” He leaned heavily on his right leg as he made his way to the stable. Lavinia caught up to him and pulled his arm over her shoulder so he could put his weight on her. She was all but carrying him as they passed through the wooden doors.

As they swung closed behind them, Isaac sank down. He was shaking badly, his head falling forward against Lavinia.

“Isaac?”

He smiled weakly, looking up at her. His eyes glittered, red lines radiating out from his irises. “I am not doing well, Vini. As much as it pains me to say it, I might be out of my depth.” He groaned, trying to sit up straight. “That fight with Marco took a lot out of me. Not to mention…” His hand rose to his chest, holding the spot where Lavinia had accidentally stabbed him.

“I’m sorry-”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I need you to help me set up the carriage and harness the horses. I can drive, but I do not think I can set everything up.”

Lavinia nodded. She kissed Isaac quickly, tasting burning iron on his lips. Standing, she turned to the rest of the darkened barn. She saw the carriage they had taken. It looked shabby parked next to the Brogan’s highly polished ones. She checked the wheels and, seeing everything was in order, turned to the horses. There were none that she recognized, so she picked the two that looked most awake. She opened their stall, trying to lure them out, gently clicking her tongue and tugging on their reins.

Praying they would not buck, she started backing towards the carriage, taking one step at a time. The horses followed her, snuffling softly. She fumbled with their harnesses, struggling to fasten the buckles. Her hands shook, her attention torn between Isaac and the two horses. He was getting painfully to his feet, gripping the stall door behind him for support.

Isaac reached Lavinia, placing his hands over hers. “We need to move faster, Vini.” His fingers worked quickly over the buckles and straps fastening them into place and tightening them around the horses’ broad chests. Lavinia let Isaac press his chest against her back, keeping the strain off of his damaged leg. He finished, patting the horse gently.

“Help me up,” he said. “I don’t want Arabella and Sonia to see this.” He braced himself against the driver’s platform.

“Not a chance,” said Lavinia. “You can barely stand. Get in the back.”

“Someone needs to drive the horses.”

“I’ll do it.”

Isaac hesitated, but, feeling the strength quickly sapping from his body, nodded. He let Lavinia help him into the back of the carriage, smiling sadly as she forced him to recline.

“I’ll be right back,” Lavinia said. She held his hand for a moment, before turning back to the doors. Opening them a crack, she motioned for Arabella and Sonia to come inside. They followed her, stepping up into the belly of the carriage, settling on the seat opposite Isaac. Lavinia boosted herself up onto the driver’s platform. She took the reigns in both hands, setting her jaw.

“You can do this,” she told herself.

“Why aren’t you driving, Izzy?” Arabella asked from inside. Her voice carried through the open front window.

Lavinia heard Isaac groan, but could not catch his reply.

“Isaac?” Sonia sounded calm, her voice carefully measured. “Is Marco dead?”

“No. I did not kill your brother.”

“With as bad as you’re hurt-“

“Sonia, I left him alive. Though his body may be bruised worse than his ego.”

“As long as he isn’t dead. My pack would not forgive something like that. We would be compelled to attack your family.”

“You would? Or your father and your brother would.”

Sonia did not answer. Even from the platform on the front of the carriage, Lavinia could feel the tension mounting behind her. She tried to keep her attention on the horses and the sound their hooves made as they pounded into the dirt track ahead of them. She did not want to think about the resentment Sonia might be harboring. She had helped them escape, but hurting her family was a different story. How far would her new loyalty stretch?

Lavinia shook her head, turning her eyes back to the road. They would deal with that later, when Isaac was stronger. All she wanted now was to get him safely into his bedroom and let him feed. Arabella had revitalized quickly after drinking what remained of poor Rosie, and if there was to be another confrontation, they all needed Isaac to be at full strength.

She felt the knot in her chest start to relax as the carriage crested a knoll, bringing the warm lights of Astor Manor back into view. The foreboding frame of the estate seemed almost welcoming after the stone behemoth of Castle Brogan. There was a modicum of safety in this house, a safety that was carried bloody and injured in the back of the carriage.