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“Do as she says,” he instructed. They moved instantly, cutting through the crowd toward the creek behind us.
“I would send the rest of them away,” I said, more calmly than I felt.
“I’m not going to fight you.” Riven’s shoulders tensed, but his hand drifted toward his sword.
“I don’t want to fight. But what I have to say isn’t something you want heard by the group.” I crossed my arms. If he insisted on having this argument in front of everyone, I would. But I’d rather the likes of Collin leave us alone.
The two Riven had sent to fetch Elinar’s body returned. They laid her beside the fire next to Alys. Her face was unmarked, but her tunic was soaked in blood. The handle of a small Elvish blade protruded from her chest. At least her death had been a quick one.
Something about her launched Riven into action.
“Collin, you and your unit will continue on to Cereliath. Don’t stop in Caerth. Travel light and travel quick. You know where to wait for us.” Riven’s tone was unyielding.
Collin opened his mouth to reply but closed it with a single look at Riven’s crossed arms and daring eyes. He nodded and marched toward the wagons.
“Tarvelle,” Riven called to the tall Elf who had stabbed Elinar. “You’ll take the rest into Caerth. Wait two days and start sending out teams to the trade routes we’ll be targeting. Syrra can brief you while you ready the horses.” Tarvelle accepted his orders with a slight bow. Syrra was already waiting for him by a group of mares, whispering the locations in Elvish.
I waited in silence as the groups dispersed. My tongue burned like the flames beside me, waiting for the opportunity to lash out. Finally, the only people who were left were Riven, Syrra, and Nikolai.
I pulled out a small blade I kept holstered in the belt along my hip. It was shorter than most of my weapons but was one of the sharpest. It would make for a painless death. Quick enough that a victim would not wake from her slumber as the steel pierced her flesh.
I handed the blade to Riven.
“What’s this?” he asked, holding the blade in his palm.
“She cannot live—she knows too much. The person responsible for that should be the one to end her life.” My voice was hoarse. The fiery rage in my stomach burned low, leaving only smoke in my lungs. My throat ached and my eyes stung with each word. Alys had been dead from the moment Collin had opened his mouth.
“My Elverin did not attack the Shades. I won’t take responsibility for Collin’s act of self-defense, no matter how unfortunate the circumstances.” Riven’s nose wrinkled to its sharp hook, his lip pulling into a thin line.
“Collin would never have been attacked if he didn’t feelentitledto openly disregard your commands,” I snapped back. “The Elverin were meant to wait for instructions in Aralinth. They left against your orders.”
Riven’s fingers wrapped around the small handle hard enough that I could see veins pulse in his hand. He looked at Nikolai and Syrra, but neither of them spoke. “I will speak to Collin when we arrive in Cereliath,” Riven offered quietly.
“Collin is an idiot, but this wasnothis fault,” I said. Riven opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off. “You made your disdain formeand this alliance clear to everyone who follows you. And then you left Aralinth without giving themanyreassurance that you thought this plan would work. Without any insight as to why you agreed to this alliance in the first place. Your only concern was to make sure me and everyone else knew how much youdespisedit. Message received.”
I turned toward the flames, hoping the heat would reignite some of my rage, but it didn’t come. My throat was raw, and my chest ached as I tried to ignore the two young Shades laying at my feet. One dead, one about to be.
All my emotions drained out of me; I was just an empty shell. “I expect you to have reservations about me,” I said softly. “About our plan. I know none of you trust me. But we won’t succeed if every scout, every Halfling with an attitude, feels like they can question your orders. Be insecure in private—I don’t care. But in front ofthem”—I pointed toward the path where the caravan had disappeared—“you need to be steadfast. Unwavering. You need toleadthem, Riven, or it’ll be the ruin of more than just these two lives.”
“You expect me to stab her in her sleep?” Riven choked. I turned back to him. His hand holding the knife was shaking.
“Would waking her to die in fear bring you comfort?” There was no malice in my voice. I knew there was never any comfort in taking the life of an innocent. It was time for Riven to learn the same.
Syrra stepped toward the fire, unsheathing a dagger of her own.
“I can do it.” Her lips drooped as she looked for Riven’s approval.
“No.” I held up a hand in front of Syrra. “Passing the blade to someone else will not relieve any of the pain; it will only add to it,” I said, closing the distance between us. I placed a hand on Riven’s shoulder. “You will carry her death on your conscience until your last breath, regardless. Theleastyou could do is ensure no one else carries that burden with you. Give her the honor of only haunting one soul and not two.”
Riven leaned into my hand, dark violet eyes boring into mine. Tears pooled at the corner of one eye, but they didn’t fall. Instead, Riven took a deep breath and blinked. When he opened his eyes, they were focused and resolved.
“Let me know when it’s done,” I said, leaving him to kill her.
RIVEN EMERGED FROM THEwoods twenty minutes later. His long hair blew against his face in the breeze, but he didn’t lift a hand to move it. He rode his horse with unfocused eyes, his back stiff, and his limbs rigid.
Nikolai and Syrra followed him, already on mounts of their own. Nikolai’s eyes tracked Riven’s back. His usual smirk was gone as he gnawed on his bottom lip. I didn’t say anything as he passed.
“I’ll meet you back at the safe house,” I told Syrra as she brought her horse to a halt.
