Page 100 of Ashen Wings

“Let’s not revisit the past.” Jace’s voice is low and menacing. “I’m sure your father wouldn’t be pleased if you caused a scene.”

“My father’s rarely pleased, or have you forgotten?” Eden picks at a sharpened fingernail. “How’s my little sister, by the way? Still a pathetic little bitch?”

“Keep Roe’s name off your tongue or I’ll slice it out myself.” Isra’s hand hovers over his sheathed blade.

“Oh, call off your guard dog Ashborne, before he starts humping my leg.”

“Let’s just settle our terms and go. As much as I’d love to rip your throat out, this is a brand new shirt,” Jace looses a long drawn sigh and Isra huffs.

I’m stuck on the information so casually exchanged as if it didn’t totally break my brain. Roe is of noble blood? Fuck, it makes sense. Her pendant, the persistent refusal to cross the border…damn.

The little viper herself, slinging snide comments like they’re daggers, is the second heir to the drowned throne.

But does that mean she, too, is a rider? If I’m not mistaken, all of House Mercora is. Just like House Ashar and House Raine. She never mentioned a bonded dragon, nor expressed any desire to fly for that matter. Is that why she left Sea? To escape her fate as a rider? Or maybe to rid herself of this asshole. Either seems plausible as Eden wets his lip and inspects the circlet.

“One day the little bitch will have to come home,” Eden snarls. “Your sanction expires in three days’ time.”

Jace tucks his hands into his pockets and slips past him. Isra follows then, shoving a shoulder into Eden’s rib.

The man gnarls his face to hide a forced breath and takes a seat at the front post. Silently, the initial guard leads us down the corridor, past various storage rooms and offices, each pristine and gleaming. We slip through another door, finding ourselves behind an iron gate, open to the outside air.

“Have a nice visit, King Ashborne,” the guard clips before retrieving the key. None of us offer a thank you in return.

43

“So, was anyone going to tell me about Roe’s lineage?”

Jace and Isra exchange a look but say nothing. We pass vacant streets of quaint little cottages and shop fronts, each laid from smooth, sea stone in various shades of blue.

“We’ll head to the temple tomorrow morning. Until then let’s find an inn, I’m starving and my balls have definitely frozen off.” Isra chuckles to Jace, as if I no longer exist. Are they really going to pretend I’m not here to avoid the question?

Fucking assholes. Both of them.

My blood boils as we continue through Sea’s central port. Dusk falls when we round another block, stopping to catch our bearings in front of an open-air market. Smooth, rounded chimes of sea glass clatter from a merchant’s cart beside me. If I wasn’t fighting the urge to punch both of my companions square in their mouths, I’d stop to browse. Right now, though, my thoughts spiral like they’re trapped in a whirlpool, spinning so violently I fear I might vomit.

Roe was so adamant about staying in Shadow, so quick to cut the subject when discussing Mercora’s border terms…holy shit.

“Plan A was giving them Roe.” I cut the quiet chatter between the two men with one swift bite. “We risked our lives retrieving Queen Ashborne’s circlet so she wouldn’t have to face her duty as heir?”

Jace’s eyes narrow as he turns to me. “It’s not that simple, starling.”

“Seeing as I’ve danced with death more times than I can count since you three took me captive, I think I deserve the truth.” My fists tighten at my sides.

Maybe this rage isn’t solely seeded in Roe’s secret, but I can’t help it. It feels good to stay angry, to fight. I’ve been fighting my entire fucking life. Maybe it’s all I know how to do, and maybe Jace’s rejection earlier hurt more than I’d like to admit.

“I thought there were no more secrets, King Ashborne,” I hiss, my nails digging into my palms.

“It isn’t my secret to spill, starling. Just let it go, please,” he replies. I glance toward Isra, now tight-lipped and silent. “Ask Roe yourself when we return home if you’d like, but I doubt she’ll offer much more than I have.”

“Her selfishness almost got us killed. We went into that tomb, faced all of those soulless riders, because of her.” I throw an index finger toward him. “And you’re going to stand there and tell me to just let it go?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Anger bubbles through me, lighting my thoughts like tinder. Of course I know I’m being a hypocrite. I understand Roe’s reluctance to share.

Whatever’s keeping her over the border—whether it be her dickhead brother, or noble duty—I get it. Am I not also fighting for scraps of a life I want? But to keep this from me has proven again that Jace, nor Isra for that matter, trust me.

“Pin this conversation for a moment.” Isra gestures to the tavern across the street.