Collide and Seek: Act 4-5 (Bitter Ashes Book 2) Read Free

voice was hurt when he asked, “How could you trust him , of all people? I would have gotten you out of the Salr, if you'd only given me time.”
    I snorted. “I got tired of starving and getting stabbed while I waited.”
    “But he stabbed you,” Alaric replied as he gestured toward James. “Surely my crimes are not worse than his?”
    “He never pretended to be something he's not,” I countered, “and when he decided to help me escape, he actually followed through on it.”
    Alaric's shoulders slumped in defeat. “I've only tried to ensure your survival, Maddy. You must believe me.”
    “No, I mustn't,” I replied haughtily.
    James watched our exchange with an annoyed expression on his face. When no one had spoken for a moment, he stepped forward.
    “We need to get going. There's no telling who could have followed him here,” he said with an irritated nod towards Alaric.
    “How did you find us so quickly?” I asked, ensuring my voice still conveyed anger.
    “He's Bastet,” James answered before Alaric could say anything. “He sniffed us out.”
    I had already known that Alaric and his sister, Sophie, were Bastet. They both had a tendency to go a bit . . . feline, when emotions ran high. I'd never considered that Alaric might have a heightened sense of smell too.
    Alaric just stood there looking miserable while James snuffed out what remained of the fire. Once he was finished, he walked away through the trees wordlessly. I took one last look at Alaric, then began to follow.
    “Maddy please,” Alaric begged.
    I stopped, then turned to face him. “I've got things to do,” I said simply. “I'd appreciate it if you would keep this meeting to yourself, but I'm sure you'll run to Estus the moment my back is turned.”
    I started walking again, hoping that Alaric would go back to where he came from, but he quickly caught up to my side. I was out of luck it seemed. Not that I had any to begin with.
    I stopped walking and glared at him. “What are you doing?” I asked sharply.
    “I'm coming with you,” he answered, looking forward at James' back in the distance instead of at me.
    With a huff, I began walking again, and Alaric kept pace wordlessly beside me. As we made our way through the woods, Alaric unbuttoned his navy flannel, then took it off and held it out toward me. Although I was still quite cold in the lightweight dress I was wearing, I ignored the shirt and walked a little faster.
    “I don't want you to come with,” I replied. “I think I've proven that I don't want, nor do I need , your help.”
    Alaric snorted and let his hand with the shirt fall to his side as he trotted to keep up with me.
    “Well if you've chosen to trust James, then you do need my help. It wouldn't surprise me if this was all some elaborate plan orchestrated by Estus to trick you into to finding the charm.”
    That stopped me dead in my tracks. I'd trusted James because he was willing to risk his life to help me escape, but what if he wasn't risking his life at all? Estus could have easily assigned James the task of making me believe he was an ally, so that I'd be willing to find the charm. Then once James had the charm, he could just give it to Estus instead of Aislin.
    “Didn't think about that, did you?” Alaric asked with a bitter smile.
    I started walking again, trying to brush off my reaction. “Of course I thought of that,” I replied, “but he's helping me at the moment, and if he does turn on me, I'll be prepared.”
    “Well since we're being so logical, I'm sure you can see that your best option lies in having me join you as well,” he stated conversationally.
    “On the contrary,” I replied, “I'd rather only have to watch my back against one traitor, not two.”
    Alaric laughed, delighting in our repartee. “If one of us is a traitor, then the other one can help you escape. You'll have the odds of two against one either way.”
    I smiled ruefully. “Unless you're both on the same side, and Estus