“If you don’t have the time orpatience, Captain, I can train with her today.” Callum walked forward, sandwiching himself between her and Theo, forcing them apart. “Breyer says she’s shown quite the improvement since we left. I’d like to judge for myself.”
Theo eyed his companion, then shifted his gaze toward a mountain ridge in the distance. “She gets up that peak today. I don’t care how long it takes. She touches the top and not an inch below it. She spars with me after, since she’s so eager for the opportunity. Meet me underground at sunset.”
Callum nodded.
Then Theo’s back was to them as he returned to the opponent, who looked entirely too small to be facing such a predatory figure. His counterpart sighed, cracked his neck, and stepped into the circle.
It took maybe three breaths and the poor soul was down, pinned and straining. Helaina turned away from the fight as Callum guided her away. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she detected an inescapable pull deep within her ribs. Despite his hurtful words, there was a distressed force within her, begging to get back to him.
CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
BEFORE
“You can’t stop me!” Helaina raged, packing a small satchel.
The day had come. She was finally done, done preparing for some sort of doomsday. She could keep her powers hidden. She had the bracelet. That’s all she needed, and Dolion promised to protect her. She could have the life she always wanted.
They were in love, and there was no future for them here. She had no choice, she had to run. If she didn’t, he would grow tired of her excuses and leave without her.
She had to get out—it had to be before the wedding, before more foreign royal guards flooded these grounds. It had to be tonight.
“The hell I can’t. I’m telling Father. I’m done with you sneaking behind my back and lying to me. You have no idea what is out there, Helaina!” Krysta, too, was seething. “We are blood. We are your family. He is nothing. He can’t provide for you, he can’t protect you!”
Helaina whirled on her sister. “Don’t you dare call him nothing. He is everything to me. He has been everything to me all these years while you all left me here, questioning every ounce of my existence!”
Krysta parted her lips, but Helaina wouldn’t let her get in a single word.
“Whose fault is it that I have no idea what the outside world is like?”
Krysta was motionless as she took the verbal lashing.
“I’ve spent my life watching you live—actually live. And I have been stuck simply existing because of this family’s fears—not mine. I’m done letting everyone else make choices for me. Whatever comes, I will face it with Dolion.”
Krysta’s features twisted with regret and shame. “We didn’t choose this; none of us did. We did what we thought was right, Laina.” She was on the verge of tears. “You cannot do this. You said you would be there for my wedding. Ildhor and his court come tomorrow. And what about Adriel? How do you think he’ll take you leaving? After everything he’s done for you?”
Helaina paused at the mention of her brother, then continued shoving books and coins into a sack. She hoped it would be enough money for inns on the road for at least a few weeks. They could both work in stables doing what they loved. It would be a different life, but it would be a life she chose. A life not dictated by godly prophecy and family that thought they knew what was best.
“I won’t let you go. You can’t go. This is insane.” Krysta reached to grab her sister’s wrist.
“Is it? Because I think locking a child away is insane. I think a princess who could walk down the streets of her own kingdom completely unrecognized is insane.” Helaina yanked her arm away. “Nearly twenty years, Krysta. While you were off adventuring in foreign lands, I was here. Jailed and doubting who I was, embarrassed and scared of what was inside of me. Everyone talks about the threats and the dangers outside these walls, but I have seen none of it. For all I know, it is an elaborate lie! I can’t do this anymore, I won’t.”
Krysta’s head tilted down toward the floor, as if she were searching for some sort of written answer there.
“You knew what I was, just like Father and Adriel. You knew and you never told me.” Helaina squeezed the cloth of her satchel so tight her knuckles blanched.
Krysta’s tears finally spilled. “What were we supposed to do? Let you go into the world? What if the monsters got ahold of you and made you use your power for unspeakable things?”
Helaina’s face grew hot with rage. “What power, Krysta? A few gusts of wind? A few broken windows? What if the prophecy is only a legend? What if it has never been about me and the fae king was wrong this entire time? What if you let me waste all these years here because of some fable!”
Krysta balked. “We aren’t wrong?—”
“I’m done.” Helaina wouldn’t let her finish. “Enjoy your perfect life and your perfect arranged marriage. I won’t be a part of it.” She shoved past Krysta, nearly knocking her to the floor.
Her sister called out her name as she bolted away down the hall.
She didn’t need them, she only needed him.
Nothing else mattered.
