Page 65 of Elysian

“For the last century, I sought to end the Resistance. Their attacks on imports and travelers had grown. The complaints from villagers had grown to a point where I could not sit by and allow it.”

“They were trying to survive.”

“They were nothing more than pirates⁠—”

“You are unbelievable! Spouting all this when you know what the council has done. How their lies have made redbloods the villains mffp—” His palm covered my mouth.

“I did not say I agreed with it any longer.” He cocked his head.

My words stuck in my throat.

“I am explaining to you why I searched, and had you translate the Creation Scripture. I was after those I deemed enemies.” A wry smile played at the corners of his mouth. “Yet, the true enemies were closer than I could have imagined.”

I yanked my face away from his grip and tapped the parchment, glowering at him. “Then what is this?”

A thick circle adorned a spot in the woods, and beside it was scrawled, ‘unregistered redbloods’. A bit higher than it was a small structure named Lifton Village. He’d marked where Tabby and Archer were located.

After he promised not to go after them, he did this?

I couldn’t hide my anger.

“It is not what you believe.” A tic twitched in his jaw. “When I discovered you helping the Resistance, I nearly killed you. I was prepared to have them drag you to my chamber.” Another jump on the side of his jaw. “I could not do it. As angry as I was, any thought of harm to you repelled me.” He shook his head. “In a fit of rage, I scrawled the location of the illegal redblood camp.” He pinched my chin, and as much as I tried to pull away, he held tight until I looked at him. “Just then, you began to demand an audience,” he said, voice full of humor.

“The ones you ignored. Then you summoned another woman to feed you.” I had no choice but to stamp down the emotion about his betrayals back then. It roared to life.

“I was mistaken.” He finally released my chin and scrubbed his palm over his mouth.

“I do not think I can ever trust you,” I spat at him.

He flinched as if I’d dealt a blow.

Birds chirped with the rise of dawnlight, drowning out the sound of our breathing with their chorus.

“I will live with it. As long as I have you by my side.”

The response stunned me silent. I sputtered, scrambling for my next words. Was he purposely misunderstanding me? No, more likely he simply did not care about my emotions.

“We should begin our journey,” he said, rolling to his feet with a groan.

He stretched his neck from side to side, leaving me with words on my tongue. Cassiel collected the sword and easily lifted it in one hand. He strapped it back into the scabbard, then he rolled the parchment up and stored it back into the pack.

“The conversation has not finished! You behave as if it was no large offense, but you harmed me many, many times. I will not forget this. I cannot. Despite what nature demands, it does not mean I will remain by your side⁠—”

He snarled, taking hold of both my arms. “You, the woman I had begun to care for, worked for what I attempted to destroy. Have some thought—” he cut himself off, closing his eyes.

“Have some thought?” I parroted. “You are telling me to have some thought when you are the one that did not.” Now he had done it. I verged on raking my nails down his face.

“That is not what I meant,” he gritted out. I yanked my arms out of his grip, and it was easier than I had anticipated. Cassiel held his hands out. “There is no use in sniping at each other⁠—”

“You are insane,” I bit out, turning away from him. I did not know where I would go, but looking at him was agony.

“I am,” he said. He came from behind me, and I had no warning before he hoisted me up onto the horse. The weighty satchel thumped against my leg.

“This conversation has not ended.” I wiggled my hips to adjust myself on the curve of the saddle. Cassiel mounted smoothly, settling behind me.

“I never said it was,” he gritted out. “But you require sustenance.”

He was only dodging the issue. Levity to avoid what he had done. Did he even know how to acknowledge it?