Page 106 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

“You’re lying,” Zarya said, but there was no conviction in it. The tattoo on her chest throbbed with a deep ache, almost as if trying to confirm his words.

“Would you like a demonstration?”

“No!” Zarya said as he lifted a hand. “No. Stop. I believe you.”

“Then we’re understood,” Kishore said. “Come.”

He spun on his heels and strode for the door without looking back. Rabin stood from the table, his eyes on Ekaja as they regarded one another with cold looks.

“How could you do this to me?” he asked.

“If it hadn’t been me, he would have found someone else.” Though her expression remained stony, Zarya thought she caught the slightest dip in her voice.

“That makes it okay?”

“Don’t do this,” Ekaja said. “It doesn’t become either of us.”

She gestured to the guards, who moved in closer. “We’re leaving now,” she said. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Then she turned, and the guards ushered Zarya and Rabin out. She watched Rabin staring at Ekaja’s stiff back with an ocean of hurt in his eyes.

They wound through the castle and to the front entrance, where they were met with a line of iron carriages pulled by teams of massive black horses. Zarya, Rabin, and several of their guards were shoved into separate carriages. The doors were then slammed and locked before the carriages lurched to life.

Zarya slid over to the window, peering out as they marched through the streets of Andhera. A few people stopped to look as they passed, but most were oblivious to their presence while they hurried about their busy days.

“Help!” she screamed, but the carriages must have been soundproofed because no one even blinked. Even if they could hear, what could any of them do?

“Shut up,” one of the guards snarled. “Or we’ll get the mystic.”

She glowered and returned her focus to the window as they exited the city and entered the forest, traversing an icy road bordered by snow-dusted pine trees and the endless forest.

She tried to snatch a glimpse of Rabin’s carriage, but the angle was wrong.

Eventually, she resigned herself to whatever waited at the end of this journey, sitting back while she scowled at her guards, and they returned the favor for the next several hours.

Rabin watched the landscape pass, his gaze fixed on the horizon as day shifted into early evening. He’d tried to catch a glimpse of Zarya in the carriage behind him, but all he saw was the trotting horses and dark windows, and it tested every single one of his reserves not to smash through every one.

Gods, he’d fucked up worse than he’d ever fucked up in his entire life.

Abishek had known from the very beginning and had manipulated him into seeking refuge in his arms. And then tricked him into finding Zarya, all while worming into his subconscious. Rabin had fallen for it like a fucking fool.

And now they were tethered by Kishore’s sick magic and headed to the gods only knew where for some nefarious reason. His teeth ground so hard it was a wonder they hadn’t turned to dust.

They hit a bump, and the carriage lurched as the terrain became rockier. He had already surmised they were heading for the mountains, but he had so many questions.

Impotent rage churned through his gut, making him nauseous.

Ekaja sat across from him, her posture stiff, studiously avoiding his gaze. They’d stewed in this awkward silence for hours, pretending the other didn’t exist. He still couldn’t believe she’d done this.

He glanced over, watching as she stared out the window, but he knew she could sense his scrutiny.

“You have nothing to say for yourself?” he asked, unable to contain himself a moment longer.

Ekaja blinked. It was the barest show of emotion. She always kept her feelings close to her chest. Most people found her difficult to read, but they’d spent years together, and he wasn’t most people.

After a beat of silence, she slowly turned her head to meet his accusing stare. “What should I say?”

“Anything? An explanation for why you’d betray me like this? Give me some clue about where we’re going? Why are you in here? You can barely stand to look at me.”