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“Actually, I do.” Collin stood straight with his arms pinned against his sides like a recruit in the King’s Army. The pulse at his throat quickened, but he didn’t turn away from Riven.
Riven took a step forward, his large frame towering over Collin. His long hair left tendrils of shadow where he walked. Whether his power was oozing out of him in a show of dominance or a lack of control, I didn’t know. Either way Collin wasn’t going to last long.
“Go on then,” Riven said. He enunciated each syllable, so Collin had a full view of his fangs. It wasn’t a command; it was a dare.
Collin finally broke Riven’s gaze to glance at me, his nose and brows wrinkled as his eyes trailed over my face.
“Are you sure we can trust her?” Collin asked in a slicing tone. “What if this is her plan? Force us all together in a carriage, unable to run anywhere, just to turn us in to the Shades. Maybe even the king himself. She helps us getonenecklaceand suddenly we change the entire plan because she said so? She’s spent her entire life killing people like me. She’s the king’s killerandhis whore.”
Anger coursed through me like a flash fire. My fingers tingled as they tightened on the parrying dagger in my hand. Collin had already thwarted our plans once because of his insolence. It had cost two Shades their lives. I lifted my dagger, ready to tell Collin exactly what I thought of his trustworthiness, when Riven snarled so loudly the walls shook.
The Halflings along the back of the room stopped what they were doing and stared. Riven towered over Collin, his sharp teeth only inches from Collin’s face. The air crackled and I tasted that familiar tang on my lips. The shadows around Riven seemed to bend, creeping along the floor toward Collin’s shaking legs. Riven had said his powers were extremely limited, but whatever powers he had, he was using them now. His violet eyes were anchored on Collin, silver rings glowed around his pupils.
He was terrifying and beautiful.
I thought he might attack Collin right then, but Nikolai grabbed his arm. Riven turned on him, his lip pulling tighter against his teeth. He raised an arm above his head, preparing to strike. Nikolai didn’t waver, his eyes staring into Riven’s. I took a step toward them, ready to push Nik out of the way, but something in Riven’s rage shattered. His eyes softened, and the shadows rescinded back along the wall. He blinked once, and I knew this time he saw Nikolai as a friend and not a threat.
Riven took several deep breaths, his shoulders curving toward the floor. When he looked up, his mouth was set into a straight line. I could see the pulse of his jaw and the red dot along his lip from where his own fangs had pierced it.
Whatever tension bubbled between us exploded. I was scared to touch my own skin from the heat coursing through me. I shifted my legs, realizing the only touch I wanted was Riven’s. He looked up at me, his nostrils flaring, like he could scent the desire on my skin. I twisted my fingers behind my back. I didn’t know what that feeling was between us, or what it meant, but I knew we both had to stay focused.
Riven nodded, as if reading my thoughts. He turned toward Collin and the group of Elverin standing behind him.
“I want to settle this now, in front of everyone,” Riven shouted. “I know I haven’t been encouraging you to trust Keera... or even see her as one of us at all.” His eyes cut to me, lighting a fire in my belly.
“That’s my fault,” Riven continued. “I had my own reservations about Keera because of her title—a title that was forced upon her.” He snarled at Collin. “I never should have let it color your own sentiments toward her. If anyone has felt uneasy because of my failing as a leader, I apologize. To you all and, especially, to Keera.” My throat tightened at his words. There was no sarcasm in his tone or hardness in his face. His apology tore at my chest. He had listened to what I said in Caerth. He had listened, and trusted I was right. The faces of those two Shades flashed across my mind. Thinking of them stung, just as it always did, but the pain was easier to bear knowing Riven understood the weight of their deaths too.
“We have to trust each other,” Riven continued, “if we want to survive long enough to bring the Halflings the justice they deserve. Keera put herself on the line the moment she offered an alliance. We didn’t have to take it...Ididn’t have to take it, but I did. And I donotregret that decision. She’s already risked her life twice—saved Nikolai’s and Syrra’s too—and tonight, she was able to finish the mission on her own. A mission that was only put in jeopardy because I couldn’t trust her enough.”
He looked right at me, pulling his hand to his chest. He took a step toward me without breaking his gaze. “I will not make that mistake again,” he finished in a low rasp.
All the air escaped my lungs and my chest tightened. I kept my mouth in a straight line as I nodded. I didn’t want to show everyone how deeply Riven’s words affected me. In some way, I’d been waiting weeks for Riven to say them, but they made me nervous. Everyone who cared enough about me to show it ended up hurt or dead. I didn’t want to be responsible for whatever happened to Riven.
I leaned forward, about to take a step, when Collin shifted on his feet. Riven turned so quickly I thought he had completely turned to shadow.
“There’s no place for you here,” Riven told Collin, stalking toward him yet again. This time his shoulders didn’t slump forward in a crouch and his lips covered all his teeth. He was deadly calm, the peace of a predator standing before its prey.
Collin’s eyes widened, glancing between Riven and Nikolai, pleading with the latter to step between them again. “I’m sorry, Riven,” he whimpered.
“You will lead the Elverin heading to Mortal’s Landing. Syrra will send word of how to resupply there, and which villages you will stock first. Is that understood?” Riven commanded, his deep voice booming from the walls.
Collin bowed his head and left without saying anything else.
The rest of the group busied themselves with packing. Two Halflings unhitched the horses and took them away. Nikolai bent down to inspect the undercarriage of the coach.
“I’ll be in the front room when you’re ready,” Riven said to me, heading toward the door without waiting for a reply. I took my cue from Nikolai and the others and decided to give him some space. I grabbed my saddlebag and popped into the carriage to change. I peeled off the dress and relaxed into my usual trousers and tunic. I wrapped my cloak around my neck, feeling like myself once again.
I hopped out and leaned against the carriage. Nikolai was underneath, back against a rolling board. He said he’d invented it to help him build his creations that were scattered about the storehouse. I could hear him hammering something against the metal of the undercarriage. After a few more swings, he rolled out and looked up at me.
His brows were furrowed, and his eyes danced from mine to the undercarriage. He bit his lip, and I could see a question swirling behind his eyes.
“What, Nik?” I asked, putting him out of his misery.
He tilted his head, holding a wrench. “Something happened between you and Riv in the manor.” It wasn’t a question.
A rush of heat flooded my cheeks as he slid back under the carriage. I was grateful he couldn’t see the guilty look on my face. I didn’t know how to answer him as he rolled back out, so I shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t ask for details.
“That explains why he’s on edge then,” Nikolai murmured as he twisted at something under the carriage.
