Page 208 of Commanding Scythe and Sky

He dragged a palm over his face, ran his hands through his shaggy hair, and sighed. “I had the day I deserved.”

I snorted, wiping the back of my hand over my mouth before returning to snapping pieces off my cup and dropping them into the base with satisfying little clunks.

“I was unspeakably cruel today—yesterday—and took out my anger at so many uncontrollable situations on you. You deserve better. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I’m asking for it, because you’re… my friend. And I don’t have a lot of those in the world. But…when death held me captive on his doorstep, it was you that came to free me from his hold. I’m sorry I was such an⁠—”

“Insufferable asshat?” I finished curtly. My chest had ached all day, the look of repulsion on his face reminding me that while Mags had Aren, and the Hadis had each other… it would always just be me in this world. I knew Nat loved me, knew she’d bend over backward for me if I asked, but I was an obligation, not kin.

His sardonic rumble of amusement had the corners of my mouth twitching even as I leveled him with a glare.

“Yeah. That.”

“You going to explain yourself, Blackwell?”

“Oh, that I could.”

I narrowed my eyes in accusation, turning to face him properly. “Suffering from amnesia? Or is this more of a Dr. Jekyll situation?”

The corner of his ample lips tilted, and he pulled in a long lungful of air. “A more accurate description than you know.”

“So, what? I’m just supposed to pretend you didn’t tell me you have no shits left to give? I don’t need you looking after me, Blackwell. I’ve done just fine on my own.”

“Quite the opposite, Briar. With everything going on, my concern for you is paramount, especially now that Green is… otherwise occupied.”

“Then why’d you bite my head off?”

He cleared his throat, expression tight. “No explanation will justify my approach, but until we know why the two of you have been targeted and what this dark king wants with one of you, do me a favor and guard your mind most ardently.”

“Like with shields?”

“For starters.”

“I can’t say that I follow.”

I watched him shift his weight, blinking the threads into existence only to see hundreds of glimmering extensions of his soul dancing around him. Several pulled taut, stretching in a way that looked painful, and I blinked them away just as quickly. Jaw tight, he said, “Just trust me when I tell you that some secrets are best when kept.”

I blinked again, trying to reconcile then with now, Bell with the prince. I worked to clear my throat as confusion clogged it, grief buried somewhere beneath. For what I knew. For… his vague warnings. For the man who grew up in this hellhole.

Adrastos had slipped out of my room that morning and hadn’t come back. I hadn’t seen him among the injured either, which meant either he hadn’t gone head-to-head with the lightning wielder or he’d used those gifts of his to evade the strikes.

As for the survivors…

My gaze snapped to Coraline as she waved me over exuberantly. Feeling as though I hovered outside myself, I crossed the distance.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, Cáit. Not in ages,” the man was saying. “Light erupted down the queen’s blade. It seared all it touched. Like fire, but brighter.”

“So, the rumors are true,” Cáit breathed, shaking her head, eyes flying wide. “A Solskari survived.”

“Thank you, Blythe!” Cora launched herself at me the moment I was within range, throwing her little arms around my neck. Something warm swelled in my chest, the bridge of my nose stinging. I stiffened in her arms. I couldn’t afford this. Couldn’t afford to care about these people.

When August finally came, they were all dead anyway.

If I could at last unleash Alvara, they were carrion then, too.

Trying to force a smile onto my face, I stepped toward the male, peeling Cora off me and into his waiting embrace.

“It was nothing,” I whispered, offering what I hoped was a reassuring smile. Treason, that’s what it was. August nearly killed this warrior, and I was damned to put him back together and send him back into the field. Cáit caught my eyes, apprehension carving a line between her brows.

Almost like she knew.