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ANARIA
You were brave out there, braver than most seasoned soldiers.
I turned onto my other side, replaying Zorander’s words, uttered out of complete pity, most likely. I was still a failure. I’d gotten away, yet somehow, Solok had won tonight.
You could not have saved her.
Solok had Ember.
Terrified, all-alone Ember who now believed I was a heartless traitor who’d abandoned her. I could have told Zorander everything of course, how I’d been a slave, then Solok’s prisoner, then the Shadow King’s pawn.
How Solok stabbed me to release my magic, killing Julian, although the other two rescuers had been all me. But the more I formulated my argument, the more it sounded like lies at worst, and excuses, at best.
I said nothing.
I stewed over Ember and Solok, replaying the scene a hundred times, trying to figure out what I could have done differently.
Every time I came to the same conclusion.
Only magic would have made a difference. If I had power, like Solok, like Zorander, I would have been able to save her. Stuck like this—powerless, mortal, female—I would forever be weak.
My first night in Solarys, we camped just on the other side of the invisible ward.
Not twenty feet away, our enemy’s horses snorted, armor clanked and clattered, Solok’s guards shouted, searching for a way through, while my teeth ached from the constant hum of magic.
My rescuers didn’t seem to notice, hobbling their horses and going straight to sleep around Tristan’s crackling fire, the one he’d created with a snap of his fingers. As if they were safe at home, in their beds, not ten feet away from an enemy who would gut them.
I huddled into a ball to stay warm. After I was sure they were asleep, I pulled out Torin’s note and picked up where I’d left off.
“…Do not trust the Fae King’s dark brother, he will only use you as his weapon, he has no idea of your true worth. Survive what’s coming, Anaria and trust no one.”
Who was the Fae King’s dark brother, and why would Torin think I’d ever meet him? I bit my lip. Torin should have told me, if she wanted me to know who to trust.
“Carex will stop at nothing to get his magic back. Much has been sacrificed to keep him from reclaiming his power, but there are some who want him on the throne.”
My fingers rumpled the paper.
No, I wouldn’t give one drop of magic back to that monster.
“The Shadow King will keep you alive. But that doesn’t mean he won’t use you to his own ends. Be smart, stay one step ahead of him, and never touch the magic. Such evil power will corrupt…”
“Where the fuck did our bounty go?” I slipped the note back in my pocket, seconds before a pissed-off Tristan rounded the mossy tree. “She’s here.”
His gaze narrowed. “Why aren’t you by the fire?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Because that’s whereyouwere. Isolation was preferable to insults and besides, I’m not that cold.”
“Your fucking teeth are chattering. Go.” He pointed. “Get warm. I have a lot riding on you, I’m not losing you to a fever.”
I held my hands out over the glowing embers, my numb fingers aching while they thawed. True, I was warmer, but too close to these males who despised me. I should be used to this by now, but their treatment rankled.
Raziel got up, pulled the blanket from beneath his saddle and spread it out beside me. “Better than nothing and in five days, you’ll have a real bed at the palace.” He waited patiently until I scooted on.
“Stay by the fire, Anaria.” Raz counseled gently as he squatted down. “Don’t let pride dictate your decisions. You’ll need all your strength for what’s coming.”
“Thank you.” I ducked my head to hide the tears welling up in my eyes. Two acts of kindness in one day.
And from Raziel, no less, who looked like he’d tear you apart with his bare hands. I lay my head on my arm and watched the blue flames lick the glowing logs, the now-familiar smell of horse growing stronger as the blanket heated beneath me.
