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People. Adele’s people.My people.
The ones I thought were dead.
“What about these secrets?” I asked instead. “This morning you said my mother has some…‘intense secrets’ were your exact words.” I glanced up at him, my stomach cramping slightly, just like he said it would, as the cold water hit. “At the time, I thought you were just being dramatic, but you’re not dramatic, are you?”
“No, I’m not.” His eyes landed on my arm, to the white marking. This mark meant something terrible.
I didn’t know how, I just knew.
I took a minute to watch Tavion half carry Adele over to the fire. He was so gentle with her, and as if he heard my thoughts, his green eyes met mine over the flames.See?he seemed to say.Not a complete bastard after all, am I? I snorted and looked away.
When I looked back, he was gone.
Out of habit, I scanned the edge of our camp, the line of hobbled horses, but there was no sign of him. He probably went to take a piss.
“All right, fine. What did my mother say to you last night?” I didn’t want to know. I couldn’t carry any more secrets or weighty surprises on my shoulders right now. It took everything just to put one foot in front of the other, but I couldn’t just ignore this, either.
“Too much,” he muttered. “But it’s time you knew everything, even if you aren’t ready.” He brushed his hand down my cheek, sorrow written in his eyes and on his battle-hardened face. “Know this, Anaria—I love you, and I always will. Nothing will ever change that.” The sorrow changed to something fierce and harsh. “Nothing, do you understand?”
Gods, what horrible thing was he about to tell me?
“You’ve been given a gift, Anaria. Imagine everything you could do with such power. You could remake the entire world.” He turned my hand over, pressing a kiss to my palm, my eyes drifting closed as his warm lips pressed into my skin. “All I ask is you let me be a part of it, because I couldn’t bear to be separated from you.”
I tried to nod but failed as Zor motioned Raz closer.Backup.
Zor needed backup for this conversation.
Raziel headed our way, his steps steady and even, such a look of pity on his face I wanted to vomit. He’d almost reached us, my heart hammering so hard I wondered if everyone in camp heard the slippery beats stumbling over each other and my panicked, raspy breaths.
Secrets, secrets, secrets.
Secrets that will tear you apart.
Secrets that will wreck your world, little thief.
I frowned. I didn’t know where this voice was coming from, couldn’t put my finger on where I’d heard the slithering, female hiss before, cruel and malevolent and utterly wicked.
No one else showed the slightest sign they’d heard anything, yet the voice was so clear.
And so close.
One second, I was crouched on the bank of the stream, my hand in Zor’s. The next, I was yanked away from camp and dragged through some dark, cosmic corridor, lined with razors and broken glass, the shadows slicing into me with brutal precision.
I emerged somewhere else.
Just as dark and smothering, but somehow…worse.
I’d never been in this room before, but I knew where I was. A sumptuous, cavernous room with a soaring ceiling painted like a midnight sky, the floor covered in gritty, ashy dirt, the howling wind still smelling of smoke and the foul, putrid stench of rot.
We were on the top floor of the Citadelle.
When I swept my foot through the ash, pristine white marble emerged. Through the blown-out windows I glimpsed nothing but clouds, the tops of the lower spires, the tangled maze of streets in the city below.
The rotting smell…strong enough to choke, was the Oracle’s.
On the far side of the room, too far away for me to reach, trapped behind a web of black, Tavion fought to get free, bound by ropes of twisted black magic. Everywhere they touched left red burns, his skin blistering.
I ran for him, my feet dragging. I was tired. So fucking tired.
