Page 9 of Embers of Ruin

When the crackle of torches fade and the shouts dissolve into distant echoes, he finally stops beneath a massive oak tree whose branches stretch wide like outstretched limbs.

“This is far enough for now,” he murmurs. “You look like you’re on your last leg.”

I ignore him as I lean against a tree trunk, savoring the chance to catch my breath. My heart is still hammering against my ribs, adrenaline refusing to release its grip.

“So what is your name?” I ask at last, my voice barely above a whisper.

He studies me for a long moment and I note the silver moonlight that catches in his dark eyes.

“Onyx,” he says in his low, deep voice.

I give a short nod. “I’m Lyra Tarethyn,” I say, glancing over my shoulder. “And thank you for helping me.”

I force myself not to add even though you’ve been a sarcastic ass the entire time. Self-preservation has to win occasionally.

Onyx nods once, accepting my thanks without comment and for the first time since I met him, I allow myself to breathe. I still don’t trust him, but traveling alone when you’re being hunted doesn’t seem like the smartest thing to do. I straighten my cloak and meet his gaze.

“All right,” I say softly, throwing my arms up. “Lead the way.”

His eyes linger on mine a moment too long and in that instant, I know whatever path I stepped onto tonight, there is no turning back. Only forward.

That realization is enough to terrify the hell out of me.

CHAPTER 3

Ihaven’t slept in two days, and I’m still following closely behind Onyx toward an unknown location. There have been plenty of opportunities to slip away on my own, but where would I go? I’ve never ventured beyond Elvora and know next to nothing about the rest of Solaris. Following a stranger is easier to swallow when the alternative is getting hopelessly lost.

Is Onyx a danger to me? Probably. But at this point, there are bigger dangers out there, and I think I’ve had enough fear and adrenaline pumping through my veins to last a lifetime. For now, this is a risk I’m willing to take.

The forest is swallowed by endless rows of black trees that consume light and sound alike. Onyx moves quickly ahead, silent as a shadow while I stumble after him, half-frozen and furious. I can think of several colorful insults to hurl his way if my lips weren’t on the verge of freezing shut. Damn this situation. I want to curse the ground, the sky, and the gods themselves. But I’ve had enough bad luck already. The last thing I need is to invite more by angering them.

“Slow down, Onyx!” I snap, shoving branches out of my path. Why are there so many trees? I would never have been able to navigate this route—wherever it leads—on my own. That much is painfully clear.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t have cursed boots that never tire. Some of us need rest to survive. I don’t suppose you need rest, do you?” I emphasize the last words with narrowed eyes as I stomp after him.

The bastard doesn’t even look tired. If anything, he looks well rested, which sends my annoyance skyrocketing. At this point, I’ve stopped trying to figure out what Onyx is. A high priest seems unlikely. The man has all the humility of a kicked hornet. A demon feels far more plausible.

I wait for a response, but he only grunts. I huff and hug my arms to my chest. He had so much to say yesterday. Where did all that talkative energy go today?

“You could at least tell me where we’re going. Or explain why you think I won’t put a dagger through your heart the moment we stop walking.” I glance up at him and smile sweetly. That earns me a faint, amused look over his shoulder. He doesn’t seem fazed by my threat in the slightest.

Cocky bastard.

“You can certainly try,” he says with a smirk. “But you won’t get very far.”

“How arrogant of you to say,” I mutter, moving closer to him. “I bet you’d fit right in with the Shadow Guard.”

“No, sweetheart. I’m realistic.” He runs a hand through his hair. “I have a few feet on you, solid muscle, and years of training. It would take less effort to block you than it would to swat a fly.”

Did he just...?

I tilt my head back, mouth parting slightly as I sneer at him. The nerve of this man. His hood is down now that the threat of the king's soldiers is long gone, and I do a quick double take.

Wrong move.

He is a handsome man—dangerously handsome, in fact. And an arrogant brute. Two things can certainly be true at once. His dark hair falls around sharp features, and his dark eyes seem entirely too pleased with themselves.

Gods, I wish I hadn't looked at him.