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I didn’t need to say who I had chosen. The tears staining my cheeks and the guilt lacing my words were more than enough for them to know.
Syrra’s breathing stopped. Nikolai’s head snapped to me. “What did you say?”
Guilt pierced my chest but I didn’t shy away from the question. Not now that the truth was laid bare. “He told me that he had set two houses aflame on either side of the city. One had your mother inside and the other had Riven.” I swallowed once, my hand balling into a fist beside me. “I didn’t want to believe him at first, but when I woke from the dream, Maerhal’s spectacles and Riven’s cloak were on my lap. I didn’t have time to think. I only had time to choose, east or west. I went east.”
Nikolai blinked, the words refusing to penetrate. “And Damien had Killian too?”
I shook my head. “Killian was in the same alley as me. I left him there unconscious.” I reached for him, but Nikolai pulled away.
He stood, his limbs trembling with anger. “You made that choice while he was laying at your feet?” His nostrils flared as he pointed up at Killian.
I straightened. “He was unconscious, Nik. The choice was mine alone.”
Nikolai turned to me with a feral look on his face. It sent a shiver of fear up my spine. “But he was there?” Nikolai asked, flashing his fangs like a cornered beast.
I pushed myself from the ground. My eyes narrowing in confusion. “Yes—”
The word had barely left my tongue when Nikolai launched himself at the horse. He whipped Killian to the ground so hard the mount ran toward the lake. Killian grunted but didn’t make a sound as Nikolai sat on top of him with his fists pulled back.
“You lying sack of shit.” Nikolai shrieked between blows. Killian didn’t even care to guard his head. “I told you your lies would cost us.” Nikolai’s fist connected with Killian’s jaw and a mouthful of blood sprayed across the grass.
I grabbed Nikolai by his shoulders and lifted him off Killian. “Enough, Nik!” I yelled as he kicked Killian in the gut. “This is not his fault.”
Nikolai scoffed and kicked Killian one last time. “Youstillhaven’t told her!” Nikolai spit on the ground where Killian was lying in a crumpled ball, bruised and cut, but not making a sound.
I froze. “Tell me what?”
Nikolai turned to me and I watched as his rage cooled to pity. Not for himself but forme. Thick tears fell down his cheeks as he looked at the spectacles in my hands. “I should have told you myself, Keera.”
Something in the way he said my name, nodearadded onto the end of it, made me more frightened than anything else he’d done. Gerarda gripped one of her knives beside me as Nikolai turned around and kicked Killian’s boot. “Do it,” he spat, with no warmth or care in his voice. “You owe me that much.”
Killian slowly pulled himself onto his hands and knees. I reached out to help him but Nikolai held out his arm to stop me. Every one of us watched in silence as Killian stood to his full height, his blond hair red with blood and his right eye swollen shut. He didn’t lookat Nikolai, not because he was too scared to face his friend, but because his functioning jade eye was locked on me.
My entire body shook as if it could sense I was in danger. “What is going on?”
But Killian only dropped his head in shame and whispered, “I’m so sorry,diizra.”
Then he balled his hands and disappeared into an explosion of light. I lifted my arm to shield my face from the sudden blast.
Gerarda gasped beside me and I dropped my arm. Thin tendrils of shadows swam around my feet, but didn’t dare touch me. Understanding coursed through me like lightning along a treetop. Every nerve in my body was left raw as I stared at the truth.
Killian no longer stood in front of me. His black jacket had torn at the shoulders from being stretched so quickly. It had been fitted for the prince but now the Shadow stood in his place.
Riven.
CHAPTERFORTY-SEVEN
EVEN THE BIRDSwere silent as Riven stood in the middle of the clearing, his shadows lashing uncontrollably behind him as he tried to keep them where they couldn’t hurt anyone. His face twitched with pain and his shoulders caved into his chest as he fell to his knees.
“I didn’t expectthat,” Gerarda mumbled. Her brows lifted and she pointed to the others who stood behind us. “But apparently they did.”
I turned and saw what Gerarda meant. There wasn’t a hint of shock on Syrra’s or Vrail’s faces. Each of them were staring at their boots, suddenly more interested in the dirt at their feet than the prince who had magically shifted into his half-brother.
“Youallknew?” I stepped back, needing distance from any of them so they weren’t close enough to strike. I turned to Riven. “How is this even possible? I’ve seen you both in the same room dozens of times.”
Riven’s hand shook as he reached for me. “Keera—”
I took another step back, shaking my head uncontrollably. “Does everyone know?” My pride burned through me with that question as I stared at Riven.
