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I glanced back over my shoulder once last time. No sign of Raven.
“I’m ready,” I said, the words heavy in my throat.
Kah and I followed Yaro along the main path that ran underneath the hanging city. Yaro used his spear as a walking stick while I slung my staff across my back. My shoulder had healed enough that I could brandish it quickly if needed.
“I’m sorry about Raven,” Kah said, trailing behind me on the narrow path. He was still wary about touching the bramblethorns, despite the fact the queen had given him the nectar as a parting gift.
“I thought—” I began before cutting myself off.I thought she’d come.“It doesn’t matter.” I rubbed my face, still tired from the lack of sleep. It was my own fault. I should’ve never lied to her. “We’re just going to have to find another way to save Lila,” I told him. But my thoughts weren’t on Lila. I kept picturing Raven’s broken expression when I’d finally told her the truth about my engagement.
With every step I took away from her, I felt my heart waning, just like the moon shrinking into nothingness. Even though Queen B’Kara had assured me she’d watch over Raven, leaving her behind felt like a terrible mistake. I didn’t know how to let go of her without losing myself.
Yaro turned north once we reached the edge of the city, and a few kids shouted and waved at him from their elevated windows. He waved back like he was a regular friendly guy, not a formidable warrior who’d shoved me into a cell only days ago. I kept my attention locked on the path ahead, stewing in my own failure.
“Hey! Wait up!” A voice called from behind us.
I whipped around to see Raven running to catch up, her cloak fluttering behind her. My heartbeat lurched.
She skidded to a stop beside Kah, breathing hard. “I’m coming with you,” she said to Kah, not looking at me. She tightened the tie of her cloak and secured the knife in her belt. It looked like she’d dressed in a hurry. “Tell Jeddak he’s an ass for lying to me, but I still want my magic back.”
Kah glanced at me. “You’re an ass for lying to her.”
I smirked in an attempt to conceal the tidal wave of relief that was washing over me.
She rolled her eyes. “And tell him that I’m not talking to him,” Raven told Kah before turning to follow behind Yaro ashe continued along the path. He was moving faster now, as if he didn’t want to get stuck in the middle of our drama.
Kah dutifully translated the message, unable to mask the amusement in his tone. Though, I had a feeling he was hiding his relief too.
“I heard her,” I muttered, falling in line behind the rest of them.
Sure enough, Raven pretended like I wasn’t there. As we trekked through the bramble forest, she didn’t speak to me. She didn’t even look at me. And after the first few hours, I forced myself to stop wishing she would. I didn’t need her to talk to me. If she was with me, it meant I had a chance to save Lila … and win back Raven’s trust.
Somehow…
39
Raven
Icould feel Jeddak’s intense gaze on my back as we followed closely behind Yaro through the thick bramble. I didn’t look back. Icouldn’t. Just glancing at him this morning was enough to make the fracture in my heart ache. Talking to him would be much worse. I didn’t trust my emotions. They were dark and fast, moving like ominous storm clouds passing over a clear sky, threatening to break open without warning. One moment, I wanted to cry, and another, I wanted to scream.
He’s engaged!
The thought made me feel like I’d been punched in the ribs.
He’d said the words “my betrothed” just as casually as “my boots” or “my brown hair”—like something obvious I should have noticed he’d had with him the entire time. The problem was, I didn’t notice. When we met, I suspected he was hiding something, but as the days passed, the warning bells had faded as my feelings for him grew. Now, I didn’t know if I was angrier at Jeddak for lying to me or at myself for blindly trusting him. For blindlylikinghim.
Since our argument, I’d been trying to make sense of Jeddak’s story. I’d turned it over in my mind like a rune, searching every possible meaning to understand why he’d kissedme when he loved someone else. Worse, when he wasengagedto someone else. Meaning he loved her enough to propose. Enough to lie. Enough to risk his life—and mine. There was only one explanation that made perfect sense—nothing between us had been real. He’d been using me the entire time.
His words echoed in my head.Li kirkana a tia.You’re a part of me.
Ugh! It was all a lie.
I picked up my pace, trying to ignore the stinging in the back of my eyes. After hours of walking, my energy was waning, but if I let Yaro get too far ahead, he’d disappear into the bramble maze, leaving me alone with Jeddak and Kah. So, instead of continuing to ask him to slow down, I forced myself to keep up as the afternoon dragged on. The sooner we got to Askeland, the sooner I could get to the healer … and leave Jeddak behind.
But then the thought of leaving him made my heart hurt more.Ugh.
Sighing, I glanced up toward the sky, which was hidden from sight by the dense bramble. Where was Skyler? I’d promised him I’d stay in Nekhanan until he returned before realizing that might be weeks. I couldn’t sit idly when my brother might be drawing his last breath and my tribe might be dying. I needed to get my magic back. That was the only way I was going to complete the mission that I’d come to Eastlandra for. Promise or no promise, I couldn’t wait in the bramblelands any longer.
When I looked ahead again, Yaro had vanished. Blazenhell. He was right in front of me a second ago. “Yaro!” I called out, pausing at a fork in the trail to tell if I could see which way he went.
