AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes,” I said, “You did.”
His eyes widened, and his grip on my arms loosened enough for me to pull myself from them. “Now you listen to me, Kade. I’mdoneseeing you like this. If it had been me who wielded the sword and I had killedyou, would you hold it against me?”
“No, of course I w—”
“Exactly. And if I were distraught over it—if every time you looked into my eyes you saw me hanging from the end of a noose I had created for myself, how would you feel?” I shoved him back and he flinched at the contact, his breathing coming hard and fast, his glowing eyes narrowing.
I didn’t give him time to answer me, “Would you want me to feel like that?” I paused, and said more calmly, my voice breaking, “Kade,” I started, and at the sound of his own name, soft and broken coming from my lips his fire went out all at once and his jaw tensed, “Would you blame me at all for what I had done?”
He came and wrapped me in his arms, and I buried my face into his chest, “You havenothingto feel remorse about.Nothing. Do you understand me?”
He nodded against my hair, “I do,” he said.
Ricon’s face came to the forefront of my mind, smiling wickedly, his eyes alight with insanity. He would pay for what he’d done to us that day. I would make sure of it before the end.
Alaric cleared his throat, “Welcome back brother,” he said, “We were wondering when you’d snap out of it.”
“Asses, the lot of you,” Kade grumbled, but a small smile lit his eyes and I wanted to cry at the sight. I stood on tip-toe to kiss his still Grace-warmed cheek.
“I’ve missed you.”
He bowed his head low to nuzzle his forehead against mine, “I missed you, too. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
“Liana,” Finn called, and I turned slightly to see him standing near the water, his boots on the shore and his trousers rolled up to his ankles. “They’re coming,” he said, pointing out into the black water rippling with ribbons of shimmering silvery blue.
He was right, though I saw only three of them streaking their way through the water, just under the opaque surface.
Kade planted a soft kiss on my forehead and spun me around, “Go,” he said, giving me a little shove and a tap on my rear.
I gasped at the vulgarity of the action but rather enjoyed it. I made my way over to Finn, kicking my boots off as I went.
Alaric, Tiernan, and Kade stepped up closer to the water. They didn’t visibly ready themselves for an assault as they had the last time, but if you knew them at all, you would know they were always ready for an attack. Poised. Their muscles taught and eyes always searching their surroundings. Looking for danger, filing away ways to escape, measuring distances, and noting changes as they occurred.
I took Finn’s outstretched hand and together we stepped in the water to meet the Wraiths.
Chapter Eight
Liana
Ihad been right—there were only three. Their movements slow, and a bit disjointed compared to their perfect formation three nights before. They halted several yards from where we stood, now up to our knees in the icy water. They raised their heads from the surface and stared at us with unblinking black eyes.
The one in front—who I assumed was leading the other two, was not the same Wraith we’d spoken to before. Though they mostly looked identical, I could tell this one was different.
“What news?” I asked of the Wraith, “Where are the others?”
I noticed the way the one in front swam. It was having trouble holding itself up. And I heard it hissing with the effort.
“Is everything alright?” Finn asked.
…the boats come…the boats leave Emeris…they come here…
I swallowed, my face heating and fingers prickling with ice. A shiver darted up my spine, and Finn’s gaze met mine, his jaw clenched. He had been right. The Mad King planned to bring an army form Emeris, but…
“How many?” I asked the Wraith who was shaking with the effort of staying afloat.
…there are many…we help queen…we sink two ships…
