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“All of that is true,” he agreed. “But he hates something more than that.”
She raised an eyebrow. “And that is?”
He met her gaze. “Me.”
“You? Because when you two were in the tournament? He won already.”
And you lost. She didn’t say it, but she wanted to.
Her father and Master Lorian had been in the dragon tournament together. Lorian was now in the Society, and her father was not. The end. The whole story.
“Yes, he won, and we’ve had a feud ever since,” he said evenly. “I fear that he might have discovered that I am your father.”
“And?”
“And he would take you into his household to hurt me.”
She shook her head. “Do you hear yourself? Nothing you are saying makes sense. One, wherever I go couldn’t possibly hurt you because you abandoned me. You left me at the doorstep of Draco Mountain and walked away. You have no feelings on the matter. And two, Master Lorian would never select me when he hates half-Fae. He was the person who convinced the Society to put down the rebellions five years ago. I would be a mark on his record. You have lost your mind.”
“Kerrigan,” he said evenly. “You don’t know Lorian like I do.”
“And I don’t want to. I don’t even want to know you. So… mind your own business.”
“Who?” he got out as she pushed toward the door. “Who are you speaking with?”
She ground her teeth. “Ellerby of Elsiande, if you must know.”
Kivrin froze, a look of horror crossing his face. “But you have magic. Elsiande refuses their magic. It would eat you from the inside out.”
“I’m aware of their beliefs. But it is not that simple. The younger generations are pushing back on that. They want people to use their magic. Ellerby believes in human and half-Fae rights,” she said valiantly. “He… he doesn’t care how much magic I have. And I’d rather have someone like him than… someone like you.”
Kivrin looked as stoic as ever when she said it. She didn’t think she’d wounded him. He didn’t have a heart to hurt.
Then, she strode through the door and back out to the party. But she was no longer feeling festive. She couldn’t see her friends to tell them where she had gone. Instead, she slunk out a side door and grabbed a carriage back to the mountain.
The ceremony was in six days. She wouldn’t have to deal with her father or his delusions about Lorian… or any of it ever again. Just six more days.
9
The Flight
“You just left!” Hadrian cried.
Kerrigan nodded. There wasn’t anything else to say to this ambush. Hadrian, Darby, and Lyam were all staring down at her as if she had lost her mind.
“You left and told no one,” he continued.
“We were worried,” Darby added.
“Clearly, I’m fine,” Kerrigan said.
“Yes, but we didn’t know that,” Lyam said.
Kerrigan rose to her feet and sighed. “I had a confrontation with my father.”
All three of them sucked in a sharp breath. They knew what that meant.
Darby sighed. “I’m sorry you had to deal with him.”
“He’s such an asshole,” Lyam grumbled.
Hadrian put his hand on her shoulder. All of the fight had gone out of him. He always seemed to understand without having to say anything.
But her father just made her want to scream. She didn’t want understanding. None of them could really understand. She just needed to get away. Get away from everything in her life that had made this complicated.
“I have to go check on Fordham. He’s my responsibility for the next six days,” she told them, taking a step back. “I have cleanup later, and then I’ll be around. We can do dinner.”
Hadrian nodded sympathetically. Darby just looked sad. Lyam… well, she couldn’t even really look at Lyam. She’d disappeared in part because she wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say. And she’d avoid it as long as she could… just like her father.
Kerrigan hastened out of the House of Dragons’ quarters and down toward the base of the mountain, where the tournament competitors were being kept. She’d missed their introductions yesterday, so she didn’t even know who else was competing alongside Fordham. She’d likely know at least one of them. Offspring of Society members frequently entered the tournament. She’d known Alura of Venatrix and Walston of Bryonica five years ago.
Kerrigan wandered the halls until she came to the line of tournament rooms. Helly had sent a message that morning with instructions to Fordham’s bed chamber. Servants were assigned to the tournament and all competitors had access to them, but fear was powerful, and none wanted to go near him. So she was to continue her duties to help Fordham through this first week while he was training.
Kerrigan glided down the row of rooms. Some were open with competitors lying on their beds or reading or studying. She could hear the clink of swords from the practice space beyond. Fordham’s room was the last one on the left. His door was closed. She wondered if that meant he was in or out.
