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“No.” The word came out as a whimper. I didn’t trust myself to say more. I didn’t want to cry. I wouldn’t. Still, I felt hot tears fill my eyes.
“I’ve lost friends, too. It never seems real.” Draven’s face was weary. “You asked where you are. I know I owe you an explanation.”
I could only manage a nod.
“I took you home. To my home.” He hesitated. “To my court, I suppose I should say. You’re in the heart of the Siabra Empire. In the city of Noctasia, in the kingdom of Sorega.”
I felt a rushing in my ears. None of the names were making any sense.
Draven hesitated again. Longer this time. “On the continent of Myntra.”
The rushing grew louder.
“I beg your pardon.” My eyes were still wet but the tears were now forgotten. “I must have misheard you. Did you say...continent?”
Draven nodded slowly.
“We’re not on Eskira? We’re... somewhere else?”
He nodded again and I wanted to punch him.
“What the fuck have you done?” I exploded. “How could you have taken me to another fucking continent? You fucking liar! You claimed to have searched for Lancelet? How? How was that possible?”
“You already know how. There are ways. To travel vast distances.”
I stared. “You used an archway?”
“Something like that. I brought you back here. Then I traveled back. That same day. As soon as I knew you were... stable. That wasn’t a lie.”
I felt slightly remorseful for calling him a liar, but only slightly.
“You’ve kidnapped me!” I caught his expression. “And don’t you dare say that’s nothing new,” I said furiously. “You know this is different. Before we weren’t on an entirely different continent!”
“But you still considered yourself abducted?”
“You weren’t really abducting me,” I admitted. “Not then. But this! Yes! Take me the fuck back! Now!”
Draven’s jaw locked. “I can’t do that. Not yet at least.”
“What the hell do you mean you can’t take me back yet. I have to go back. Kaye is all alone. Lancelet’s family... I have to tell them. And as for Arthur...” He could have burned Camelot to the ground by now for all I knew.
Draven held up a hand. I wondered when in the history of trying to calm someone down that had ever managed to work. “I know. I know you’re upset. You have every right to be upset. But I can’t take you back.”
“Like hell you can’t,” I shouted. “You have the power to take me from one continent to another. You can take me right back again if you wanted to!”
He shook his head stubbornly.
“You could take me back,” I translated. “But you don’twantto. Why?”
He said nothing.
“Fine. I’ll walk back.” I started to struggle out of the bed.
“You’re weak as a kitten. And besides, there’s an ocean between Eskira and Myntra. Don’t you know your geography?”
The Kastra Sea. I remembered it. Suddenly I hated the fucking thing for existing.
“Most people in Pendrath are only vaguely aware that Myntra even exists,” I snapped. “As someone who claimed to be a native to Eskira, shouldn’tyouknow that? Fine. There’s an ocean. I suppose I’ll have to charter a fucking boat. After I walk to the coast.”
