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Verve’s feet refused to move as she and Alem stared at each other.
“You’re not the only one who’s lost people,” Alem said at last.
She balled her hands into fists. “Hardship isn’t a competition.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He held up his hands, palms facing her. “Look, I don’t know how to ask this without causing offense, so I apologize in advance.”
That boded ill. But curiosity got the better of her, so she nodded. “Speak freely.”
He lowered his hands and came forward, within arm’s reach. His eyes never left hers. “What sets someone on the path you’re walking?”
A night wind blew, bringing her the scent of burning wood, of cooking spices, of jessamin flowers. If she reached for him, would he shy away? Or would he continue to close the space between them?
“Dead family,” she managed, trying to shrug. “The usual tragic past.”
“What else?”
She frowned. “Isn’t that enough?”
But the question was foolish. She exhaled and looked away, at the glowing mage moon high above. Atal was nowhere to be seen. Something in her heart cried for freedom, but she clamped down on the feeling with all her might. She could not break, could not let this pain in her heart flow free, because it would drown her.
Within her spirit, Space-Between-Stars murmured, Let it flow. You do not have to bear this burden alone.
Verve bit back a sob. Alem took her hand again, squeezing once. His touch broke the dam inside her, sending the rushing river to flood through her whole self. Memories she normally shied away from floated to the surface of her mind, but this time, she tried to face them.
“The mages came with fire, tore our homes apart, burned our lives to the ground. Then…” She frowned again, this time in confusion.
“Then?” Alem asked.
Verve closed her eyes, trying to recall. “Fire. Smoke. Ahmma told me to stay quiet, stay hidden. There was a…cellar?” No, that wasn’t right. Her family had no stone houses, no cellars. Only the road and each other. “No cellar, but I remember being trapped in the darkness… There was shouting. I could hear them as they died.”
“Your family?”
“Yes.” Her breath came shorter now as the pace of her memories quickened. “Boots clattering on wood planks. The clink of armor, and swords, and…” Her eyes flew open. Her heart froze in her chest.
Alem looked thoughtful. “Who had swords? The mages who killed your family?”
“No…” Verve’s eyes stung again. She met Alem’s gaze and saw her own shock mirrored there. “No, the soldiers who captured us.”
He sucked in a breath. “Captured? Gods above…”
No. No, this was all wrong. Mages had killed her family. Danya had told her so many times, had described the scene so clearly, for mages had destroyed the priest’s home, too. The shared trauma had bonded them like mother and daughter.
Or so Verve had always believed. A truth she’d tried to ignore bubbled up in her mind, like bile she’d tried to swallow. “The soldiers… they were sentinels from Legion.”
Something warm enveloped her hands. She looked up to see Alem, tears shining on his face. Her influence? Surely sorrow poured from her like spilled wine. But he only embraced her hard, wrapped her in strong arms, and gently set her cheek against his solid shoulder.
She pressed her face into him, leaned her weight against him. He didn’t buckle, only held her tighter and whispered into her ear, “It’s all right, Verve. You’re safe.”
A kind thing to say, but she wasn’t now and would never be. Not while Legion grew in strength and power. She cast her mind back to her last meeting with Danya and her stomach turned. Danya was in league with Legion, and probably had been for some time. Verve had lived in willful ignorance, and now she couldn’t erase the realization. But what to do about it?
Find a new path forward.
Where the thought came from didn’t matter. Verve was a meridian now. Her life had already veered wildly off course — whatever that meant for someone like her. She could fight and kill, and likely would again, but she couldn’t allow Danya—or her own fear—to rule her heart any longer.
So she pulled away, enough to look Alem in the eyes. She’d failed her last mission for Danya.
Thank the One.
