Page 72 of Heart’s Rescue

“I’ve had worse,” I lie.

Rowan looks at me like he can see right through me. I swallow.

“Is everything okay?” I ask again.

Rowan laughs, and it’s a sharp little sound. Sharp as a knife. I shovel another spoonful of beans into my mouth. This is easily the worst meal I’ve ever had, but it is better than going hungry.

“Have you ever teleported before?” Rowan asks.

I shake my head. I’ve heard of it, and apparently, it used to be quite common, but the magic around the Kingdom of the Summer has been too unstable to allow for anything that complicated for longer than I’ve been alive. Rowan makes a face. Maybe that’s what’s bothering him. What we’re about to do next.

“Okay, well, it’s horrible,” Rowan says. “Seriously. I’m not very good at that, either.”

I swallow my mouthful of burned beans. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I don’t care, that his teleportation abilities don’t mean anything to me, but he turns to scowl at the darkness outside the window and I suddenly doubt he wants to hear anything at all out of me.

“Once we’re there,” Rowan continues, “we’ll have to sneak through the Crystal City without getting caught. It won’t be dark there, so you’ll have to follow me.”

“Okay,” I reply.

Something in my chest twists in irritation. Does he really need to remind me that I have to follow him? Isn’t that what I’ve been doing all along? Why would it suddenly change now that we’re trying to break into a palace?

“There are four gates to get to the inner garden,” Rowan continues. “Just, listen. Just follow my instructions—”

“Of course, I’m going to follow your instructions,” I snap. “Haven’t I been following your instructions this entire time?”

Rowan's pale eyes flash. “And just look where it’s gotten you!” he snaps, glaring at my left arm.

I rub my hand across my arm as though I could wipe away the void-touch.

“It’s not your fault I got attacked,” I say.

Rowan huffs, comes to his feet, and paces across the little room. Most of the things from his pack are leaning against the wall by the door. My heart does a funny little twist as I recognize the shelter. The bed roll. I force down a final spoonful of beans and come to my feet.

“Leaving things here?” I ask.

Rowan nods. “We’ll come back for them. Once you’re better.”

I sink my teeth into my lip. That image sings through my mind again, so strong and vivid I could almost believe it’s a memory. Rowan on the Dragon Pass, by my side. Ready to seek our fortune in the Worlds Above. And beside him, of course, is Phaedron. The brother he would never leave behind.

“Maybe with Phaedron too?” I ask.

For just a heartbeat, Rowan looks like he’s been punched in the gut. Then he blinks, shakes his head, and turns to me with a cold expression I haven’t seen since I spun around and found him standing behind me with his sword drawn.

“Heh,” Rowan says. His voice is as brittle as ice. “You like him?”

It feels like a trap, but I can’t imagine why.

“Yes,” I say, drawing the word out so there’s no possible way he could misinterpret it. “I mean, I’ve only met him once, but yes, of course I like him.”

He’s your brother, I think but do not say. How could I dislike anyone Rowan loves?

Rowan turns away, and I hear him let out a sharp breath. He pulls his cloak from the wall, then pulls mine off too and tosses it to me. I lay it across the bed, then hurry to pull on my boots, fumbling with the laces. My hands feel like they’re already frozen.

“You’d be surprised how often that happens,” Rowan says without turning around.

I look up at him with a frown. “How often what happens?”

“Women who like Phaedron,” Rowan says, making the words sound like an insult. “Trying to get to him through me.”