Page 29 of Revels on an Angel’s Grave

Birds swooped overhead, warriors running about the ship and docks. A row of buildings with thatched roofs and dusty windows lined the street beyond the port, small patches of grass and cypher trees surrounding them sporadically.

He read all the signs on the shops, but he didn’t recognize any of them.

“Where are we?” Roremar asked as he was led toward the gangplank after a pair of warriors carrying a crate labeled highly confidential.

Every Starsearcher on this boat gave him a wide berth, careful not to look at him, though they had no problem whispering about him as he passed. It was like they thought he’d contaminate them with his Fate tie if they got too close or held eye contact too long.

Superstitious fools.

“Doesn’t matter,” the burly guard snapped.

Roremar released a frustrated growl, growing more agitated. Unbalanced. Not knowing their plan was pushing on the gaps in his memory—pushing him to snap. “Well, can you tell me why we’ve stopped then?”

The man halted when his boots hit the dock, giving Roremar a slimy smile that twisted his stomach. “Because, Reckless, it’s time you’ve gotten your sentencing.”

Chapter Eleven

Emmeline

There was an unwelcome pounding on her door the next day. Emmeline had stayed up until dawn researching forced bonding ceremonies and attempting to read the Fates about this entire tournament mess.

Attempting being the key word, given that the celestial beings hadn’t had any answers.

The Fateforsaken pounding echoed again.

“Emmeline!” Bang, bang, bang, went Alana’s fist on the wood. “Emmeline, let me in, or I’ll have Eston break down the door, and I don’t think either of us wants to deal with that mess.”

Bleary-eyed, Emmeline swung her legs over the edge of the bed and slipped into her dressing robe, the silk cool against her skin. She padded across the room and flicked the lock. When the door flew open, Alana blinked up at her in shock. Despite the full tea service balanced in her arms, she clearly hadn’t expected Emmeline to answer.

Not that Emmeline could blame her. She hadn’t opened the door any time Alana tried last night.

“Good morning,” Emmeline said, not coldly, but she turned away quickly and headed for the bathing chamber.

“Finally,” Alana exhaled, kicking the door closed behind her. “How are you?”

“Fine.”

Mystlights flared to life as Emmeline entered the bathing chamber, all the pristine white marble reflecting the glowing orbs up at her. The heavy periwinkle fabric of her gown from the opening ceremonies sat bunched in the corner where she’d peeled it off last night, mocking her. She pressed her hands to the counter, taking a deep, shaking breath.

White flames flickered around the edges of her vision, her image in the mirror wavering. Alana swam into view over her shoulder, the tea tray deposited on the desk behind her.

Emmeline held her stare as she forced out, “Did you know?”

“Did I—” Alana’s blue eyes widened as she realized what Emmeline meant. “Fates, no I didn’t know.”

“That’s not part of your role here? Befriend me, keep me in line?”

“No, Emmeline, I swear I didn’t!” Her emphatic tone paired with the fiery indignation in Alana’s eyes and heat staining her cheeks persuaded Emmeline to believe her, at least a little more than before.

“I take it you didn’t know either?” Alana asked.

Emmeline’s lips pressed into a line, every breath still trembling at the thought of being bonded to a stranger, her Fate ties tightening. She shook her head.

Alana exhaled, falling back against the wall and crossing her arms. “I guessed as much, but then I thought about how you’d snuck out the night before and Rocarri had been looking for you. I thought maybe you’d been running.”

“I wasn’t,” Emmeline confirmed. “I had no idea that was his plan. Until yesterday, I thought I was still being given a position at the Academy.”

A lump formed in her throat, cold mourning not only for what they were trying to force her into but also for the life she would be saying goodbye to if she didn’t find a way out.