AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A steady thud sounded, and I stepped into the arena, crossing the wide space until I found Galon in a hidden corner. He was alone, slamming his hand into a bag filled with sand, over and over. His knuckles were bleeding, leaving streaks on the bag, which had begun leaking sand.
He turned, spotting me. “About time. You haven’t trained in days.”
“I’m here now.”
Galon’s eyebrow rose, but he didn’t comment on my tone. He seemed to realize I needed a distraction, because he made me run through everything I’d learned so far. Footwork, sword work, wrestling—even shooting with a bow and arrow. By the time we were through, I was dripping sweat, panting, and my muscles trembled from exertion.
“Time to stretch,” he said.
I nodded, gratefully falling to the floor. It was made of some kind of springy moss, which was much more pleasant to fall onto than the arena in the hybrid camp. Galon had wrinkled his nose at the moss, muttering something about “precious baby kings.”
“You’re quiet,” Galon said. He’d sat down next to me and was stretching his hamstrings.
I shrugged. He just pinned me with one of his endlessly patient looks.
“I’m worried about Marth.”
“My father once told me that when someone is haunted by guilt, nothing anyone else can do or say will scrub that ache from their soul. They have to plunge into that guilt, sink down in it, let it gnaw at their very core. When they finally rise, they’ll either emerge cleansed, having faced and conquered that guilt, or they’ll remain forever shacked by it.”
I let his words sink in. “You’re not worried?”
He let out a low laugh. “Of course I’m worried. I’ve spent years worrying about every one of those stubborn bastards.”
I smiled. Galon just watched me, his expression hardening.
“Lorian has stayed with Conreth because of us, hasn’t he?”
It wasn’t my place. I opened my mouth, unsure what exactly to say. I didn’t want to lie, but—
“That answers that question.” Galon let out a low growl. “I’d wondered how Conreth had kept him loyal all these years. It was the one thing Lorian refused to talk about. It seems so fucking obvious now.”
“It…it wasn’t just you, Marth, Rythos, and…Cavis. You know Lorian loves the fae. He wants what is best for his people.”
He nodded, but his expression was grim. “And yet Conreth has been keeping him as far from the generals and the armies and the wardens as possible. Because he wanted him leashed and never a threat.”
“Yes.” It was true. I might feel sorry for Conreth and the situation he was in, but I would never forgive him for what he had done to Lorian.
Galon had always been difficult to read, but in this moment, it was easy to see the repressed fury in his eyes.
“I’m going to kick his ass.”
Despite the situation, I laughed. “He probably deserves it,” I admitted.
“He shouldn’t have allowed Conreth to use him like this. The rest of us would have been fine.”
“Marth almost died.”
Galon closed his eyes. “Of course. Conreth had ordered Lorian to put down a wildkin named Krythorx. It was ancient—even to the fae. And far too powerful and clever. Lorian refused to kill it. He said the fae were the ones encroaching on the wildkin’s territory. No one else could kill the creature, and Lorian’s refusal made Conreth look weak.”
And that was the one thing Conreth couldn’t tolerate—especially from Lorian. “So Conreth split you up as punishment, and that’s when Marth almost died.”
“Yes.” Galon swept his hand across his face. “I never made the connection. If I had…” His mouth thinned.
Footsteps sounded on stone. I turned. Lorian entered the arena, but for once, my attention didn’t linger on him.
No, I was too busy staring at Sybella and Piperia.
Sybella’s eyes met mine. There were hollows beneath them, and she looked exhausted. Drained. Piperia had grown, and she let out a soft baby gurgle. Grief swamped me, until it felt as if I’d never be able to take a full breath again.
