Helaina raged. “Why? Because he’s lowborn? Are you the only one who gets to live your dreams?” She groaned in frustration, trying to turn away from her sister.
“Just how far has this gone, Laina? Tell me.”
Helaina scrunched her eyes hard and tried to calm the fury bounding within her. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair or normal.
“No.”
“Tell me!”
“no!”
The windows in their room broke open. They had been locked, but a forceful flurry burst the latches apart.
They both screamed.
The outside breeze swept into their room, blowing papers into disarray. Helaina didn’t know how to describe what she saw. It was not the wind. It was an opaque fog coasting through the space. And then it was gone.
Helaina’s breathing grew ragged as an odd burning in her chest settled. She turned to face Krysta.
Her sister’s skin had gone ashen. A look of pure dread was plastered on her face. She reached a trembling hand to Helaina’s wrist, clasping around the tempest tears, almost digging the pointed ends into her skin.
“Have you... taken this off... ever?” she stammered.
“What are you talking about?” Helaina glanced down at the jewels. “No? Why?”
“We need to find Adriel. Now.”
Krysta yanked her sister’s arm and made for the door.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
Her knuckles pounded on the door in quick succession.
It opened nearly seconds after she started. Theodon wore absolutely nothing above the waist of his simple pants. Her lips fell open. His physique looked like the statues in Oakmire’s courtyard, finely shaped and chiseled to perfection. Even in the darkness of the cave, the small flickers of firelight showed off his bare chest.
She caught herself staring and deflected her eyes to the side, snapping her mouth shut with an audible click.
“Yes?” He watched her awkwardly shuffle.
“I’m... I’m not...” His appearance was making it hard to speak. She took a breath and tried again. “I’m not saying I’ll use the dagger, but I will try, I want to try here.” She had let some time pass, staying in her room, making sure this was truly the direction she wanted to take.
He closed the door behind him, pushing his own body forward until they damn near collided. “It’s a lot easier, isn’t it?”
“What is?”
“Not being a stubborn ass.”
Helaina was about to walk away, forgetting this whole venture just to spite him.
He must have read her body language because he grabbed her wrist. “No more running.” He started pulling her down the hall. “No more hiding.”
The tunnels of the underground fortress were alive with motion and conversation as he dragged her along. Soldiers came from every direction—she was finally getting a good look at the army Theodon had created.
Many who passed were wearing variations of midnight-black armor atop their leathers. The majority possessed human features, while some she could tell were once fae folk—those pointed ears a dead giveaway. She saw other forms too, ones that were more akin to animals than humans. Her mouth gaped open, taking in the tails, teeth, claws, and yes, even wings sprouting from the various bodies. Although these wings looked to be more permanent, stemming from the skin on their shoulder blades, not like Theodon’s, which he could hide and summon on a whim. Some noticed her gawking. She cringed, pressing her lips together, attempting to make her shock less obvious.
As they walked, the crowded halls parted for them.
No, not them—him.
