“Necessity,” I mumbled, my voice lowering as I stared at the top of my feet. I couldn’t meet any of their gazes.
“What the hell kind of necessity would you need to be transparent for?” someone else barked, and I wanted to crawl into my skin.
It brought me back to the night my Token manifested, the night I needed it. My heart rate skyrocketed, and this time, it wasn’t because of the altitude.
I needed Dahes to not be able to touch me. I needed to be transparent, to be nothing more than a ghost so he couldn’t hurt me, so he couldn’t do what he wanted to do…
“That’s enough,” a deep voice growled. I looked up, realizing it was the rider who brought me here. His eyes were narrowed as he assessed me, like he could see through me even though I wasn’t using my Token.
Whoever was laughing stopped, either just noticing my somberexpression or the way the rider looked one second away from murdering them.
“I’d like to see it,” the king drawled. “I’ve never seen a transparent Token before, and if Dahes sent a Tallik after you, well, call me intrigued.” He paused, thinking something over. “You can stay in my palace for now. I’ll have Cash train you to access your Token.”
For some reason I found my gaze drifting toward the drakin again. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it until I saw a muscle in his jaw tick at the mention of Cash.
“Thank you,” I said, forcing my attention back to the king and awkwardly bowing again.
Elion nodded. “Learn control with Cash, and I’ll decide what Province you can go into after the tournament.” He waved his hand like he was done with me. “For now, you’ll be my honored guest for the Vargothi.”
And just like that, the first part of Dahes’ plan was working.
Chapter Eleven
Want
MAGNOLIA
Iwas escorted to a room, and I knew it would be difficult to not get attached. It wouldn’t last. With the Solstice only a couple of weeks away, I was limited on time.
I’d never seen Dahes want anything this badly—except maybe me. He never told anyone his plans, so for him to do so now meant he was desperate.
What if I couldn’t finish in time? What if I found out nothing about Hael? I’d never failed a hunt before, and I had no idea what Dahes would do to me if I did now.
I tried not to think about it as I took in the surroundings of my temporary room.
Iwantedit to be permanent.
Viven felt inviting, vibrant with possibilities, while Moriann reminded me of cold shackles, chaining me to a life I didn’t want.
There was a window left open, letting the suns’ warmth seep into the space. The rays painted everything golden and added a serene peacefulness to the room.
The bed was about the same size as the one in my room at Dahes’, but instead of a scratchy thin blanket that did nothing to cut through the cold, there was a warm,thickcomforter in its place.
I ran toward it, jumping face first onto the mattress. I hadn’t felt this warm,this alive, in so long. Maybe ever. Even on the streets of Moriann, I never truly knew what it felt like to not be cold.
I didn’t even care what else was in the room—which was a lot—a wardrobe, a sofa, a small table with chairs, and my own bath that was twice as large as the one I used in Moriann.
It felt like a slice of heaven, like I was living on warm fluffy clouds above everyone else and no storm could touch me.
And the best part, the thing I loved the most, was that Dahes wasn’t inside my head. I knew it wouldn’t last, that he warned me he’d go to the sinking islands where the Sands wouldn’t muffle his powers, and then I’d feel him again, but right now, I just wanted to soak in every second my mind was my own. It was so liberating to not have to live in fear that my thoughts would be used against me.
I hadn’t realized how dead I was before, how much I had become one of his ghosts.
I pulled the comforter down, moaning at how soft it was beneath my fingers.
Not sure if anything else was expected of me—and honestly, I didn’t care—I closed my eyes and slept.
Really, really slept for the first time in seven years.
