Page 64 of Dance of Stars and Ashes

“Okay. Lovely to see you, too.”

She ignored him, barging into his small room. As a soldier, he wasn’t privy to the same opulent suites found in the rest of the palace. She noticed he hadn’t moved into the larger quarters reserved for the army’s commander but decided not to bring it up, hoping he’d talk about it when he was ready. She paced the length of the space, but it was too small, and the lack of movement left her unsatisfied.

Much like a lot of things lately.

She stopped. “Please. Can we go and hit things? I need to expel some of this… energy.”

“What’s this about, Zee?” he asked as he retrieved his sword.

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“Okay, let’s pretend I believe that.”

“Good,” Zarya said, brushing past him back into the hall as he followed her towards the central courtyard. It stood empty today, the air cool and comfortable thanks to the shade of Amrita’s shimmering leaves.

Zarya drew her sword and then turned to face Yasen. He pulled his blade free and tossed the sheath to the ground before they began sparring. Their blades flashed as the sound bounced off the stone walls.

Zarya fought furiously, but Yasen matched her speed, fending her off until she swung, nearly missing his ear and shearing off a lock of his silver hair. It floated to the ground, landing on the pavers in a way that suggested it was also judging her erratic behavior.

“Whoa!” he cried. “That’s enough! What is with you?”

“Nothing,” she snapped.

He raised his arms in the air and dropped his sword on the ground with a clatter before he folded his arms.

“I’m not training with you anymore until you tell me what’s going on. You’ve been feral for a week, and I’m tired of you snapping at me. What’s wrong, Zee?”

Genuine concern laced Yasen’s question, causing Zarya’s shoulders to slump.

“I’m sorry.” She rubbed a hand over the back of her neck, guilt twisting in her stomach. She had been peevish with him and everyone around her lately, and no one deserved this treatment. There was only one person who did, but she was doing everything she could to keep her distance from him.

Yasen waved it off and gestured to a stone bench on the edge of the courtyard.

They sat down, and Zarya leaned against the wall, tipping her head back.

“It’s Rabin,” she said before she looked at Yasen.

His eyebrows drew together. “Rabin? As in Daragaab’s former commander and Vik’s brother? The one who showed up here unannounced after disappearing for years?”

Zarya let out a small huff of breath. “Yes, that one.”

Yasen leaned in, his shoulder bumping hers as he lowered his head and said, “Did he do something to you that I need to kill him for?”

Despite herself, her mouth turned up in a half-smile at Yasen’s protectiveness.

“That’s violent and sweet, but no. Technically, not.”

“Technically? Does this have to do with throwing yourself at him?”

She wrinkled her nose. She hadn’t told anyone this story in detail yet. Even with Amrita, she’d kept it vague enough for plausible deniability if anyone were to go digging. But she needed someone to talk to, and Amrita was no longer an option.

Zarya gave Yasen a sidelong look. “You remember when I got so sick, and I told everyone a stranger came and lifted the binding curse on my magic?”

“Yes?”

“Well, I wasn’t entirely truthful about who the stranger was.”

“Excuse me?” Yasen asked.