Page 46 of Bride of Ash & Dust

With that, Alia clucks and turns the gelding up the narrow spur trail. There’s a tense couple of minutes as the horse confronts a funny-shaped rock on the side of the trail, but Alia calms him, and after ascending another set of hills, we emerge in a small meadow.

“Oh!” I say, the exclamation slipping out before I can stop it.

The little meadow is ringed with aspens, and their tiny, new leaves dance in the breeze. Below them, bright shoots of grass poke through the carpet of last year’s fallen leaves. And for just a moment, I’m back in Marion, riding through the mountains that border Vsenrog, watching spring slowly cede its ground to the long, hot days of summer.

I blink, then wipe my eyes as Alia dismounts. She pats her nervous gelding as I slide out of the saddle. My back aches in a low, familiar way.

“We’re here,” Alia calls.

I have enough time to wonder who she could possibly be talking to, and then a man emerges from the far end of the clearing.

He’s tall, with dark hair and skin, and he moves like a soldier. He’s smiling, and he’s holding both of his hands out in front of his chest, like he’s trying to prove he’s unarmed.

My heart tries to climb the back of my throat. Alia said she had a present from my husband. What in the fuck⁠—

“Lilias, this is Petrys,” Alia says, nodding at the man. “Petrys is Zarek’s— friend.”

She hesitated. I wonder what she was going to say, the word that she replaced with friend. My throat feels tight as I stare at the man who is obviously a soldier and who just came out of the woods, miles from the palace, on a side trail that looks like it’s hardly ever used.

I thought I could trust Alia.

I didn’t think she was a friend, I’m not that naive, but I thought I’d be safe with her. I thought she had no reason to hurt me.

I step back slightly, then put my hand on the mare’s neck. If I need to, I can outrun them.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Petrys says with a smile. He has a low, deep voice that reminds me of the snake.

“I’m charmed,” I reply. “Do you care to tell me what you’re doing here?”

Alia laughs. Petrys just smiles.

“I’m here on Zarek’s behalf,” he says.

I swallow hard. If my husband is trying to murder me, he’s going to be sorely disappointed when I survive.

“I’m going to teach you how to fight,” Petrys finishes.

My mouth drops open. “What?”

“Fight,” Petrys says again, as if that answers my question. “Zarek says you’ve had some training. That’s good. We’ll build on that.”

“I— What?” I stammer.

Alia walks up to me and gently takes the mare’s reins from my hands. Petrys beckons me closer as Alia leads both horses out of the meadow.

“Come on,” he says. “Show me what you know.”

“I— I don’t⁠—”

He lunges forward, reaching for my wrist. Elrick’s lessons come back to me in a rush, and I spin, twisting out of reach. My heart hammers against the inside of my chest. Petrys smiles at me.

“Good,” Petrys says. “That’s good.”

He’s still smiling as he grabs my arm and twists me against his chest, pinning my hand behind my back. I cry out, but of course, there’s no one to hear me. I can’t see Alia or the horses. Gods, I could die here.

A strange, cold calm settles over my body, and suddenly, I’m back in Elrick’s quarters, facing him as light slants through the windows and makes the dust motes dance. Elrick lunges for me. I spin away. He catches me, grabs my neck, and whispers what to do next.

Now, years later, I hear my brother’s voice.