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“Where do I even begin?” She raised her index finger for emphasis. “One, only someone grown into a wealthy family gets to join the King’s army when they are over sixteen. Two, they assigned you to the Valdor Assembly, which is known to be protected by rich men. Always sent last when it’s time to fight against another kingdom or creatures that attack us.” She lifted her third finger. “Three, you are naïve like a child. If you think that there is any way that they’ll spare us once you and I get into the hands of the Crows, then you’ve got another think coming.”
His expression twisted, and his strained laughter barely hid his obvious anger. “If we go back, Julius will see that we are safe. He will send us to our next assignment immediately, away from the Crows to the Gold Kingdom. We’ll be away from the city for a couple of years. The Crows will lose interest in making an example out of us.”
“I’m not heading back to my certain death just because you trust blindly.”
For a long moment, they stared at each other in silence, their hard breathing the only sound that filled the room.
“It must be lonely being you.” Gavin said eventually, and his words pierced her heart. “I understand why you don’t want to come. I meant it when I told you last night that I won’t take you against your will.”
“Then what do you want from me?” She tilted her head back and groaned. “If you know I won’t give you what you came here for, why are you helping me?”
“I’m not one to let a person suffer—even if they got me in trouble.”
The worst part was that she believed him. Gavin seemed like a man of integrity.
“Say what you mean. I didn’t just get you in trouble. I ruined your life.”
“Yes.” He looked away from her, his lips curling into a grimace. “I figured you had a plan to escape when you came here. I want to escape whatever fate the kingdom has waiting for me as well. The Crows or an assembly will be sent here soon. I don’t doubt that they are keeping an eye on my moves and will catch up to us.”
“And you selfish bastard led them straight to me!” Her voice echoed through the room. She swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“You don’t get to call me that. I’m in this mess because of you!” His voice strained. “I wouldn’t have let them watch as I made you mine that night. Even though I knew the repercussions, I would have said no.”
“But you didn’t.”
“The whole thing escalated rather quickly, Violet. But, my family had our back. Now I might never see them again. You didn’t give me the chance to be on our side.”
Violet’s cheeks heated, and it wasn’t anger anymore. It was an ugly feeling. She knew all about losing something. Life wasn’t fair. But that was it, wasn’t it? In the middle of her panic to protect her future, she hadn’t considered about how it might affect Gavin.
Out of the two of them, she was the selfish bastard. “I thought they’d put the blame on me.”
“Well, you thought wrong. Now I won’t ever see my parents age, or my sister marry and bear children. Not without putting them at risk. Not unless you come back with me.”
All this talk of his family brought back memories of her own. Unlike his relations, who were known merchants of great wealth and power in Plume City, Violet’s family had been poor fishermen. They’d lived in a small house that bordered the Leona sea. Secluded, in constant fear of not having enough to feed everyone. She could still recall the last time she’d sat at that very table.
Her blood rushed hot through her veins as something returned to her that she’d lost long ago: clarity of how her actions affected others. The sinking feeling made her squirm. Since when did she actually care for this man? It was his family or her life. She’d had no other choice at the time…
Yet, she now understood his reason for chasing her down. His desire to get her to return with him didn’t seem so ridiculous. If she agreed to go back and take part in the mad plan Julius had proposed, Gavin would see his loved ones again.
Gavin opened the door, revealing the dark corridor of the inn beyond, and the chill of a draft wafted across the threshold. “I know you won’t listen to me, but I’m going to tell you either way. You aren’t ready to travel across the mountains with your leg injury, and I need to regain my strength before I can heal you further. The cold sickness from yesterday has weakened your magic. Rest for today, and I will come back this evening to help you.”
She raised her chin with a trembling lip. “And how will I know you won’t betray me if I stay?”
He tapped his fingers against the door, and she felt naked beneath his unyielding gaze. “You don’t. It’s called a leap of faith.”
7
GAVIN
The door clicked shut behind him. For the first time since he’d found Violet, the air he breathed wasn’t charged with the scent of her skin. Cloves and a hint of vanilla. It was the worst kind of torture to know his presence wasn’t welcomed even though they had been magically bound to each other. He rolled his shoulders, and the ache that stiffened his muscles eased as he turned his neck from side to side.
He didn’t want to leave her here when, on his return, she could be gone forever. He might never see her again, nor get the chance to confess why he’d really chosen to side with her, although she’d thrown a knife at his commander.
“A leap of faith,” he whispered to himself with a reassuring nod.
His concern for Violet leaving him behind was genuine and solely about her safety. He wasn’t ready to admit—out loud at least—that it went far beyond his family’s debt to Violet. Not that they’d discussed said debt. The past wasn’t something Gavin had ever spoken to her about. In fact, Gavin doubted she even realized she had saved his little sister from drowning all those years ago.
He’d been so drunk on blackberry wine that he hadn’t noticed that Elina had gone swimming while a storm approached. Had been too busy fucking that girl from his assembly. Never again would he be so irresponsible. It should have been him diving into the depths of the lake that afternoon, not Violet.
