Page 103 of The Incendiary

“Good gods, Mavic!” Mina’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Don’t barter with the Queen! ‘Special privileges’? What does that even mean?”

“Like I said, I’ll decide later,” he replied. “For now, it’s a placeholder.”

Relieved laughter bubbled out of my throat. “Deal. I promise.”

Traces of a familiar smile tugged at the corners of Mavic’s mouth. “Winterton doesn’t know?”

I shook my head. “No.”

He blew out a low whistle. “He’s going to lose his shit when he finds out.”

I thought plenty about how Elias would handle finding out who I was, especially given the contention between us. I wasn’t looking forward to it. “I’ll handle him.”

“Can I ask…?” Mina’s mouth dropped in a frown. “The Butcher⁠—”

“Please don’t ask me about him,” I rushed out.

Because I knew, like everyone else, they would assume the worst. I couldn’t bear more disgusting, untrue accusations about the type of man he was behind that title. When it came to worrying about him, I was hanging by a thin thread.

“Is there anything else you’re keeping from us?” Mina removed her shoes, pulled up her feet, and sat cross-legged on Mavic’s bed. They hadn’t been gone long but clearly weren’t planning on finishing their run.

“There are things I can’t tell you.” I found the courage to meet her gaze. She deserved my honesty and undivided attention. “I know that’s not fair. But I’m asking you to trust me anyway.”

It was tempting to tell them everything, but it wasn’t safe. Knowing my identity as the “prophesied queen” was one thing. Knowing all about my prior life and my connection to the Butcher could put them in danger.

“All right,” sighed Mavic. “What do we call you now?” He started to sit beside his sister but paused. “Oh, we haven’t… bowed?”

“Please don’t bow.” My laugh came out awkward and high-pitched. “You can call me Ary here and Fera out there. Or just keep calling me Fera all the time, if it’s easier. I don’t mind.”

“In that case, Ary… we’ll keep your secret.” As he sat down, his mouth curled into a playful smirk. “But we have more questions.”

They interrogated me about what happened between Warrich and Brinnea. I told them everything I could that didn’t involve Gavin, which wasn’t much, but I distracted and enthralled them by changing my appearance back to Fera. Then, they watched me attempt to lift the book to the ceiling with my magic. It was enough that they didn’t press for any of the information I left out.

When I asked if they were going back out to run, Mavic gestured to the doorknob. “Looks like we’re stuck in here until your ice melts.”

Mina’s responding laugh was like a wind chime in the spring breeze. A reminder that so many of my people were good.

I could only lie to them all for so long before it ripped my conscience apart.

TWENTY-SEVEN

GAVIN SMYTH

Every time I doubt myself, I think about what you would tell me if you were here. You have a way with words that makes me feel like I can do anything. It’s almost as if you’ve spent centuries thinking of ways to light my way forward.

And all I can think to say is that I should never have told you to go.

—UNSENT CORRESPONDENCE FROM QUEEN ARYELLA I TO THE BUTCHER OF NYRIDA

22nd of Soltum, 402 Years Ago

It had been three weeks.

I wasn’t sleeping. I was barely eating. Getting out of bed was a terrible chore. Most days, so was breathing.

I didn’t want to do any of it without her.

The first day I saw her, she shifted the axis of my world. I revolved around her, and now I’d been cast out of orbit. Floating aimlessly without gravity, without reason, without the sun that burned life into my body.