Page 50 of Storm of Ink and Blood

Yes, he’d hurt her, but a part of her understood that while she could logically try to fight her feelings, she couldn’t deny what her heart craved. They’d grown close so quickly, and it was impossible to ignore their intense connection. One couldn’t just turn off their emotions like that. Especially not Zarya.

“I had one of my dreams,” she confessed, and Yasen raised an eyebrow.

“I’m surprised you’re so subdued about it.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly, and she glared.

“I was so angry when I saw him. But we weren’t in the forest this time.”

“Where were you?”

“He brought me to Andhera. He said he’d been reading up on paramadhar and had learned how to control the visions.”

They continued to weave through the crowd, breaking through a line and emerging into a quieter street.

She opened her mouth, and Yasen raised a hand. “And you need a bookstore.”

She snorted. “Am I that predictable?”

“You are,” he said, and she pulled a wry face.

“I’ve already tried that. I haven’t been able to find anything, and I’m annoyed I didn’t think of it first.”

“Fair,” he said. “So, what happened?”

“We fought?”

“Fought?”

“Like with weapons. He threw me a sword, and we nearly killed each other.”

Yasen smirked. “Killed or kissed?”

“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” she asked with a glare.

“Listen, that sounds hot.”

Zarya huffed out a laugh. “I mean… it kind of was.” She bit the corner of her lip. “But I’m still so mad at him.”

“Understandable. But love and hate are intimately tied emotions, Zee.”

She gave Yasen a rueful smile, conceding his point.

Rabin seemed so certain that he hadn’t betrayed her and had never intended to tell her father until she was ready. But what did that mean? Why would she ever be ready to meet the man who wanted to steal her magic? Was that the truth? What if Row had been wrong?

Everything she’d heard during her months in Gi’ana didn’t paint the king of Andhera as anything but a monster and a murderer. She could go her entire life never meeting him. And yet, some deep knot in the bottom of her heart wondered what the man who’d sired her was like. It was impossible to disregard her curiosity about him completely.

They continued walking, and Yasen turned them down a narrow alley into the vanshaj district. Here, the buildings stood shoulder to shoulder, so tightly they were practically leaning against one another. It was quiet here, away from the bustle of the market and high street. Yasen knocked on a door in a pattern that was clearly meant to be a secret code.

“What is this?” she asked, narrowing her eyes with suspicion. “Where are we?”

“You’ll see,” he said.

A shuffle came from the other side of the door, and they waited for a few seconds before it popped open. There stood a young man with a ring of stars tattooed around his neck.

Yasen reached out and shook his hand. “Here’s my friend I told you about.” He gestured to Zarya. “Zee, meet Vikas.”