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“After I’d rested for a couple of days, Herne came back. I told him who I was. And that I was a healer. He made it clear he had no interest in allying with the hybrids or fae.”
“I’m assuming you tried to leave?” I asked.
Tibris nodded, although something in his expression told me he hadn’t tried too hard. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he sighed. “They didn’t have any healers,” he said again.
On the other side of the tent, Demos pinched the bridge of his nose. “So you decided to prove to them exactly how useful you could be?”
Tibris glowered back. “They knew who I was. It was evident I was a hostage—at least until they sent a message to Prisca.”
And he hadn’t been able to help himself. Healers were compelled to heal, and Tibris’s heart was bigger than most.
“A fae delegation showed up a while ago,” Tibris said. “Herne refused to allow them entry. I assume that was Lorian’s doing?”
“He was trying to get you back before Prisca learned you’d been taken.”
Tibris’s expression softened slightly.
Demos folded his arms. “We’re staying a few days. We need to wait to hear if Prisca and the others free Jamic—and where we need to travel next. That gives us some time to convince Herne to drag his head out of his ass. I want to get a good look at how this camp runs. Since you’re so close to him, you can convince him not to make this an issue.”
* * *
A cool breeze ruffled my hair, the air tinged with the distant scent of salt from the sea. A blanket of stars had emerged above our heads, while below us, the sounds of the slums cut through the night. Someone was cursing, low and vicious. Several children ran past, little more than barefoot blurs in the dim light. Dogs barked, carriages rolled down the cobbled streets, and laughter spilled out when someone opened the brothel door.
Next to me, Galon and Rythos passed a flask between them, murmuring quietly. Lorian had flung his arm around my shoulders, while Telean had climbed up with us, insisting that she wanted to watch the gatehouses as well.
It was difficult for her—being left behind so often. She wanted to fight, and yet she knew her body wasn’t strong or fast enough.
We’d sent a message to Vicer while we were still traveling here, asking that he familiarize himself with the shifts. Still, all of us had wanted to watch the guards come on and off shift, to ensure we’d know exactly what to expect.
“How exactly will we take down the barrier?” I asked, turning my gaze to the gatehouses in the distance.
No one spoke. Finally, Galon met my gaze. “Regner used the dark book to create it. I don’t know if we would need that book to uncreate it, or if the barrier could be broken with brute force. Perhaps if we gathered enough people with enough power, we could finally take it down.”
It was a huge risk. But I couldn’t see any other option. “No one has ever tried that before?” I asked.
Galon shook his head. “So many hybrids still don’t even know what they are. And those who do are often distrustful of the fae. And our people?” He glanced at Lorian.
Lorian’s expression turned grim. “Conreth couldn’t even convince the fae to cooperate long enough to attempt to bring it down as soon as he learned of it—before Regner had reinforced it multiple times.”
“There’s one thing we’re not taking into account,” Galon said. “It’s possible the barrier will recognize Jamic’s power. Not only will he be brimming with stolen human power, but his magical signature will be the same as the other boys who were sacrificed before him. We can’t rely on this, however. We need to gather the most powerful hybrids we have. As for the fae,” he sighed. “We need more people. Regner will do everything he can to prevent us from bringing down that barrier.”
“We’re going to need to negotiate with Conreth,” Rythos said.
Lorian nodded, stretching out his long legs as he took my hand. “My brother will be difficult to deal with after the way I left. But once he learns of Regner’s plan to take down the barrier and steal the power, he will listen. Besides, we need to be able to protect Jamic while we determine if he can actually help us bring the barrier down.”
I took a deep breath. “Perhaps you should go to the fae lands, and I’ll travel directly to Daharak—”
“Not happening.” Lorian’s expression was blank, except for the stubborn look in his eye that told me he was unrelenting in this. He’d made a decree, and he expected that everyone would fall in line. Including me.
I reached for patience. I didn’t have much available.
“I don’t want to separate either,” I said, my voice even. “But if we successfully rescue Jamic, it’s likely that Regner will lash out. We need to be moving forward with our own plans.”
“I said no.”
I pulled my hand from his. I loved this stubborn fae bastard with everything in me, but gods, sometimes I wanted to slam my fist into his gut. If some miracle occurred and we went on to grow old together after this war, this would be what our lives would be like. A never-ending battle for dominance.
His brows lowered into a dark scowl. “Think, wildcat. Do you really believe this is the best action, or are you just mad because I told you no?”
