“Don’t think of it, knight. It's impossible, and his ancient is not an enemy you want to make,” he says, his voice nearly a growl. He thinks I’m asking about breaking one oftheirbonds. About severing Sava from Roiven.
“But could a witch break their own?”
When he turns to look at me, the dim lighting on his high cheeks makes his face look skeleton-gaunt. And the look in his bright green eyes is horror.
“Who would ever want to do that?” he asks, his voice barely louder than a whisper.
“If you didn’t get along,” I suggest.
If I wanted to let another witch take the kraken’s power, without me having to die.
“They’re your split soul,” Torain whispers, his eyebrows furrowing as he talks. “It would be as broken as hating yourself.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I just shrug, and stare blandly at him until he gives me one final frown and turns back forwards. Figures, that witches would find a way to justify beingstuck with a bond forever as a good thing. What happens to unhappy couples who forged a kin bond, evenwithoutbeing tricked into it?
I’m beginning to think the Tower is nothing but stairs, which I guess makes sense, since we started at the top of the mountain and are working our way down. But after two more staircases we suddenly leave the closed, confining corridors for a flat, open area that feels almost like a town square. There are two dozen doorways, and small windows above them cut into the rock. Fruit trees on every side, and an open staircase to our right. The whole thing is overshadowed by a tall stone ridge that blocks this outdoor space from the ocean’s view. A child’s abandoned wooden doll sits beneath the bench of a stone table like the ones in the village’s courtyards.
One of the doors is cracked open. Pale light spills out of it. So does a voice. An annoyingly familiar one that’s low and commanding and makes my stomach clench.
“We don’tknowif their information is wrong, or if ours is,” I hear Roiven say. “We…”
I throw an alarmed look at Torain’s back, wondering if he’s led me here on purpose, to turn me in. But Torain only glances at the door before continuing toward the stairs. I tiptoe after him with my heart in my throat. I let out a sigh of relief as we reach the stairs and start to descend.
The stairs end in another courtyard with a dozen doorways.
“Cai?”
I flinch, and turn to look up at the top of the stairs.
Roiven stands there. With the dim glow of the stones as our only illumination, he’s too far away for me to make out any of his expression. He’s just a shadow.
“Damnit,” I mutter under my breath. I hear Torain’s soft snort behind me.
“Where are you going?” the man I bonded to asks.
“I’m leaving.” I straighten my back. I’m not going to be embarrassed about it, even if I was trying to sneak away without a word.
“Just like that,” Roiven says flatly. He crosses his arms and I shrug.
“You tricked me into becoming yourwife, and you think I’d want anything to do with this place?”
“And how do you expect to leave?” Roiven finishes.
“I know how to work a rowboat,” I say stubbornly, already knowing it’s an insane proposition.
“If you’re that determined, Savasaeirn can take you tomorrow morning,” Roiven says. “Don’t do something stupid just to get away from me.”
I snort.
“Tomorrow morning? When the Hellions will be here? That plan’s so transparent it’s practically made of water.” He’s not planning to take me anywhere.
“They won’t be here tomorrow. They changed course,” Roiven growls.
“What?” Torain snaps, his whole body stiffening.
“They seem to be headed to Lusern,” Roiven tells him. Even if I couldn’t feel the worry radiating off him, the tension in his voice is thick enough to cut.
“Then take me tonight,” I demand. Both men ignore me.
