Iran my fingers over the path drawn on the closest map but snatched my fingers away as if they had been burned.Ilooked up at the king, but his expression was muted.
“Itdoesn’t make any sense, does it?Howcan our reports be so different just days apart.”Washe asking my opinion?Ilooked back down, comparing the reports.
“Isit true, that the forest is shrouded in an unnatural darkness, day and night?’Iasked.
“Yes.”
“Whathappened to the cohorts?”
Deepworry creased his face, “Wedon’t know.Theyenter but never come back.Ourscouts find no trace of them.”
“Itseems like a place tainted by evil.”Ithought of the wasteland outside the city and shivered. “Somewherethat light cannot go.Isthis diadem really worth the trouble?”
“Yes.”Hedidn’t elaborate.Whatwas he holding back from me?
“Whyare you keeping me here?”Iasked again.
“Ihave heard you have become quite the warrior.MaybeIjust have a very involved process for new recruits.”Hesmiled then, andIsaw it.Thatmischievous part he kept hidden away.Ithought about the vulnerable side he had shownAvlyn, and apparently shown me as well.Ithought of the hurt in his voice, and how at odds it was with that aristocratic mask he wore every day.Perhapshis vulnerability let my own slip.
“Ifyou are keeping me as some sort of leverage against my father, know that it’s pointless.He’slikely happy to see me gone.”Ihad meant it to be an attack on the king, for his lack of foresight, but my breath hitched at the end, andIhated myself for it.Almostas much asIhated the sadnessIsaw creeping into the king’s eyes.
“I’msure that’s not true, you are his daughter.”
“No,I’mjust the spare he’s had to deal with for the last two centuries.”Icould feel the tears burning in my eyes, andIturned away from him.Iwouldn’t let him see that.
ButIfelt his hand gently trace under my chin, as he turned me back to him, “Tori…”Icouldn’t stand it, the way he said my name, that look of pity in his eyes, “Anyman would be a fool to not see the value you have.”Thewarmth that flooded me at his words had to be stopped.
Ididn’t have a weapon, soIattacked howIcould. “Andwhat value is that,YourMajesty?Pissingeveryone off?”Hedidn’t answer, just held my stare untilIcouldn’t bear it any longer.
“Ourrelationships with our fathers can be complicated, can’t they?”Hepulled away likeIhad slapped him.Ididn’t stop. “Whatdo you want revenge for?”Inan instant, there it was again.Thatice-cold expression.Anytenderness gone.
Hemoved towards me, and once again,Ifound myself pinned between him and a wall, his arms blocking me on either side.
“Somany questions tonight,Princess.Ican think of so many better things to do with our time together.”Hewas playing the same gameIwas, trying to distract me.ButIwouldn’t let him.Islammed my palm into his chest, directly over his heart.Iwasn’t as strong as him, but the hit sent us both flying.Butit wasn’t from my strength.Abright light filled the space between us.Iwas so close to the wallIknocked my head on the stone as he toppled over the table.Myworld spun, and visions danced before my eyes.
Aman with long dark hair and pale skin stood before me, wearing fine clothes.Icould see strands of silver blonde hair whipping around my face in the wind.Westood at the cliffs at the edge ofXyr, looking out over the ocean and the sea mist.KingAmarospointed out to the sea, andIfelt a huge grin spread over my face.Theking didn’t say anything, butIcould feel the unadulterated joy leaking from my heart asIdashed towards the sea.
Myvision shifted, andIwas training out on the beach.Idueled withDragonKingdomsoldiers, my sword whirling through the air like a bird riding the sea breeze.Mymovements were blurred with speed, and my grace was unmatched asIdeflected blow after blow from my opponents.Thematch quickly ended with all of them disarmed, and my muscles sang with exertion and familiar rhythm.Mycompanions laughed and jested after the fight, and a young, dark-skinned fae with long braids ran to me and practically climbed up my tall, male body to sit on my shoulders.Ilaughed and held youngAvlyn’slegs asIpointed out fighting techniques of the other soldiers who had started sparing.
Thefighting of the soldiers blurred, butIcould still hear the ring of swords clashing and shields smashing.Butsuddenly the beach was covered in blood, the bodies of soldiers lying everywhere.ThenIwas running through the streets ofXyr, a gangly teenAvlynclose behind.Adeep red fire rained down from the sky.Dragonfire.Agreat roar shook the very earth, and the sky darkened as maroon wings covered the sun.Igrabbed the youngAvlynand shoved them into a doorway as a great crash of bricks and dust rained down.Enemysoldiers flooded the streets, and the screams of citizens could be heard from all directions.Ibroke down a nearby door, and a group of enemy soldiers looked back at me.Theydidn’t have time to react before my sword was in the first’s neck.Iwretched it free, blood shooting out and covering my face, butIkept moving.Strokeafter stroke, soldiers fell, until they were all dead before me.Blooddripped from my long pale hair asIbolted up the building's stairs, to the roof withAvlynclose behind.
Myhead spun, but my vision cleared, andIwas back in the room again.Itried to stand, but my head throbbed from where it had hit the wall.Iheard the chair scraping against the floor asAbraxasrose.Helooked about as confused asIfelt.Hiseyes locked onto me, and he pushed aside the prone furniture to scramble to me.Hegrabbed my arm and lifted me to stand roughly.
“Whatdid you just see?”Myhead was in a daze,Istill couldn’t comprehend what he was saying.Heshook me, his voice raising, “Whatdid you see?”Ilooked at him, and he was afraid.Icould smell the fear on him, lurking under his anger.
“Isaw…Isaw theWorldBreaker, attackingXyr.Iwas there, withAvlyn, andIwas trying to get through the city…”Iclutched my head, trying to remember which made it feel like it was splitting open.
“Whatelse?Tori, what else?”Irubbed my eyes.
“Ican’t remember.Whatthe fuck was that?”Ilooked at him, the lines of his face seeming deeper thanIhad ever seen them. “Wasthat a dream?”Ithought about the perspective, and it became obvious whose eyesIwas seeing through.
“Wasthat…you?”
“Whatelse did you see,Tori?”Hewas drawn so tight, like a bow ready to be released.
“Isaw your father.”Hestiffened even more. “ButIthink you were very young, and you felt…happy.”Itwas all becoming so blurred, slipping away just like a dream would. “Ican’t remember anything else.”Ifelt him exhale and he seemed to relax. “Whatjust happened?”ButthenAvlynstormed into the room, sword drawn.
“What’sgoing on?Iheard—" their eyes locked onto me, “Ah,Isee you finally got caught,Princess.”Gods, did everyone know about this?Isuppose spymaster would certainly be taken off my list of skills.
