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“Should we find something else for your man to do?”
“Yes, please—” Ana stopped herself. “No. No, he has as much to lose as I do. He...” She couldn’t help but laugh. “Heflewhere to be with me. He put his trust in a hundred ravens with every reason to dump him into the Howling Sea, and came anyway. How could I ever turn him away?”
Elyria nodded and paced toward one of the giant trees holding court. “You’re wondering why I brought youhereand not elsewhere.”
“I am,” Ana replied. “I thought the Courtyard of Regents was sacred and off-limits to all but you and your heirs.”
“So it is,” Elyria called back, over her shoulder. “And that is part of why I chosethisplace and not another. Should it not be upon our most treasured land where we form the protective barrier that will keep my people safe for centuries onward?” She reached up into the tree and lovingly stroked the back of her hand across frozen leaves. “But that isn’t the only reason, Anastazja. My people would never step foot upon this ice shelf unless they welcomed death. A hundred ravens, as you say, carried your love here. But there are a hundred more who would send you hurtling to your death.”
Ana stiffened. “Tyreste...”
“Will be fine. They’re ushering him here now and will not let harm come to him. Anyone who dares defy my order will find my reprisal swift and final.”
“High Priestess, there is something...” Ana took a step on the ice. “When this is done, I have something for you. For your people.”
Elyria snorted. “We do not place significance on gift giving here. And there is nothing you have that we need, save the reason I brought you here tonight—thelasttime you ever come here. You or any of your people.”
“No. It’s not a gift,” Ana said, wondering if she’d ever get the chance to offer it. Grigor had assured her the task had been carried out with respect, and she trusted his word. Trusted he’d follow through if she didn’t make it home.All of them?she’d asked hopefully.Every last one,he’d assured her.
“More of an offering of peace and closure,” Ana stated. “And should I fail, my uncle will provide it in my stead.”
“You will not fail unless you dwell on that outcome,” Elyria snapped. She spun around, her expression broadening. “Ahh. And here he is.”
Ana turned and saw a flush-faced, wide-eyed Tyreste standing underneath the trellis leading from the courtyard to the castle proper. He was flanked by several Ravenwoods, all of whom seemed afraid of taking another step. One regarded Tyreste with dark envy.
“They know better,” Elyria muttered with a purposeful look at Ana. She marched to the trellis and snapped her fingers. “Come on then, boy.”
Tyreste took one tentative step onto the ice, moving sideways. His eyes were on his feet, which he tapped on the frozen ground before each attempt.
“You won’t slip,” Elyria said, waving him in with impatience. “The ice never melts. It’s as solid and reliable as stone. Come.”
Tyreste looked up, his eyebrows knit in concentration. A small frown betrayed his distrust, which Ana understood because a part of her still expected Elyria to do what she claimed a hundred of her people were fantasizing about doing right at that moment.
“Tyr,” she said, drawing his attention to her. “It’s all right.”
He wilted at the sight of her, then sprinted across the ice to envelop her in a ferocious hug. “Oh, Ana. Guardians deliver us. I can’t believe...” He peeled back and kissed her forehead. “You flew on your own?”
Ana nodded, swallowing. “Thanks to you.”
“You ready for this?”
“No.” She laughed because it was better than crying. “Areyou?”
“No,” he said, sputtering into laughter as well. He rubbed his cold nose against hers and smiled. “But we’re both here, and that’s a start. And I’ll be right here the whole time, no matter what happens. Even if a giant hand comes scooping out of the sky—”
“Tyreste.” Ana shook her head. “What if I can’t... What if it doesn’t work?”
“Itwillwork,” he said, insistent. “You are every bit the warrior your ancestors were.”
“You and Grigor with that cursed word,” she said, practically spitting. Tension vibrated above and below her skin, threatening to explode. “Imryll was protecting her child. Then her grandchild.” She gestured around. “But this is not my home. Our child will never live here. Will never walk these halls. They’ll always be safe, won’t they? For they havehisblood, and he cannot harm them, even if he wanted to.”
He slid a hand between them and palmed her belly. “There is more than one way to protect our children, Ana.”
She looked up.
“Would you ever want your children, your grandchildren, to endure what you have? To be tricked into aiding murder, their own family dangled as threats?”
“Of course not,” she answered. “How can you even ask me that?”
