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I smoothed the wrinkles along the black fabric of my cloak. Fat drops of water fell on my muddy boots. I couldn’t disagree.
“So what are you proposing?” I asked, facing him. I wanted this alliance to work, needed it to. But our chance of defeating the king was slim. I wouldn’t forfeit the lives of people I had spent decades protecting on hope alone.
“We tell each other what weneedto know,” Riven said, emphasizing his point with a jut of his strong chin. “Not anything more, but not anything less.” He crossed his arms and pushed off the post. His large frame cast a shadow over my face as he took a step toward me, but I didn’t move.
“I don’t make promises,” I said, staring at him. “If I agree to your terms, we have an agreement. I’ll hold up my end, but I don’t swear oaths and I don’t make promises.”
Riven’s brow lifted as he squinted down at me. I thought he would protest, but he only shrugged.
“How would we know if the other is being dishonest?” I asked.
Riven shrugged again. “We’ll just have to—”
“Trust each other?” I cut in. I couldn’t hide the sarcasm from my voice.
Riven loosed a heavy breath. “Hopethat our shared distaste for the king is enough to keep us honest.”
“And if it’s not?” I asked, kicking the mud off my toes.
“Then one of us is a traitor. To the Halflings, and to themselves.” It was more than just a statement; it was a dare. Riven wanted me to prove him right. That I was nothing more than a Halfling who had crossed her own kin.
I wasn’t merely untrustworthy to him.
I was irredeemable.
I ran my tongue along my teeth. Riven could hold whatever opinion of me he wanted as long as he helped blow up that dam. All I cared about was freeing the Halflings. If agreeing to tell him the bare minimum cleared the path to Silstra, then so be it. Riven’s opinion was his own problem.
I held out my hand.
“Need to know,” I said, shaking Riven’s large hand just as Nikolai and Syrra appeared. They were armed and packed.
If a revolution was coming, it started now.
RIVEN LEFT THE RESTof his Elverin with Collin. I tried to listen to their conversation, but Syrra brought me outside to ready the horses. I couldn’t hear more than muffled bickering over the noise of the steeds and the rain. When Riven barged out of the door, his brow was creased, and I swore the shadows swirled around him. I scented the rage pouring off his skin as his heart raced.
Collin was evidently not a fan of the alliance. Or me.
Riven mounted his horse without a word. I followed behind Nikolai as Syrra carried the tail. We headed southwest, leaving Aralinth behind. Balls of faelight suspended in the giant branches of Sil’abar grew faint until they were nothing more than stars in the night sky.
No one spoke when we reached a grove. The moons hung in the sky, lighting our path that ended at the edge of the forest. Tall trees with black leaves were encased by thick brush. Heavy vines wrapped around the branches like serpents, so wide a blade would have trouble hacking them away.
Whatever path had existed here was overgrown. I pulled on the reins of the horse they had given me, bringing the brown mare to a halt.
“There is no need to stop,” Syrra called from behind me. “We must make haste.”
I snapped my head back, pointing to the blocked path. How could she not see it? Her Elvish eyesight should be as good as mine.
“Watch,” she said, nodding toward Riven. I turned back in the saddle. Riven and Nikolai had not stopped. I watched Riven’s horse step into the brambles. It was too thick—the horse would maim itself in the brush—but that didn’t happen.
As soon as its hoof touched the lush greenery, it disappeared. Like a glass tableau, it shattered, revealing a well-travelled path through the wood. The forest receded, the tall trees and thick vines cleared enough for two carts to travel side by side. The branches and vines braided across the treetops, weaving a canopy so thick overhead no moonlight filtered through at all.
Syrra pulled her horse beside mine. “It is called a glamour.”
“Magic,” I whispered. “Did Riven do that?” I watched his cloak disappear into the darkness. Nikolai followed without looking back.
“No, this glamour is tied to the land. It uses its magic,” she answered, her black eyes studying me. “Once you know the truth it hides, a glamour loses its effect on you. You now hold a secret of theFaelinth. I hope you are worthy of that trust.” She gave one last evaluating stare before clicking her tongue and catching up with the others.
I paused, feeling the weight of her words on my back. Another secret I had to carry. I would; I had no reason to betray the Fae, but I couldn’t help but wonder how many more secrets I would hold before my work was done. My fingers shook in the cold rain as the familiar burning crawled up my throat. I wanted to drown myself in wine until I forgot about the secrets entirely, until the weight of them could be taken off for good.
