Kiera looked down at her scarred fingers, which were curled around Ozlow’s reins. “She stopped—probably around the time she met you. But also because I always said no. I hated being anywhere near that square.”
“I remember.” Kiera had paled at the thought of going through it and had run away when she’d seen Asher’s head.
“Father forced me to watch some executions there during the Pravaran rebellion,” she whispered. “One of them was the first boy I fell in love with. Julian. His father was a People’s Council member.”
I ground my teeth together. Weylin’s cruelty apparently knew no bounds in punishing his family and his people.
Julian. Julian. Why do I know that name?
“The boy you went to prison for,” I said. “You said his name was Julian.”
Kiera nodded. “That story was partially true. He was a boy whose execution I tried to stop. His death was one of the reasons I hated my father.”
Another truth from a lie. “Thank you for telling me. But why?”
“Because I feel like I could’ve saved their lives if I hadn’t been so afraid,” she said softly, gazing at me with her beautiful soul bared in her eyes. “If I had gone with Mother to the Temple, maybe she wouldn’t have planned something so reckless. If I hadn’t run away from my responsibilities, maybe she would’ve confided in me. If I had fought my father sooner, maybe I could’ve stopped those horrible executions.”
My chest tightened. I recognized that guilt, that desire to do more and to do it perfectly.
I reached over and squeezed her arm. “It’s easier to pass judgment when we’re on the outside of fear. But that shouldn’t make it any less real.”
“Are you afraid?”
“Every day,” I said without hesitation.
“I am, too. But for the first time, I feel stronger than my fear. And I want to do some good with it.” She gave me a hard look, the fierce determination in it bolstering my meager hope. “Do you understand?”
You want to fight for our people. You want to honor your mother’s and Julian’s and all of Rellmira’s sacrifices. And you don’t want me impeding that.
I dipped my head, then set my gaze on the endless road. “I understand. No more brooding.”
“Thank the Four,” Maz grumbled behind us. “You really should listen to your wife more often, brother.”
Ruru laughed. Kiera’s cheeks turned pink, and she refused to look at me.
I dropped back next to Maz and gave him a shove. “For that, you get first watch tonight.”
He shoved me back, the familiar gleam in his eyes. “Worth it.”
“We should rest on the other side of that hill,” Nikella said, pointing to a knoll off the road. “It’ll provide excellent cover from anyone passing by.”
We set up camp by dusk. I grabbed my bow and arrows to hunt for our supper when Nikella stopped me.
“You’re fighting Kiera tonight.”
Chapter 38
Kiera
I stumbled midway through an exercise,my hand limp around my sword hilt.
Fight Aiden?
Nikella had never pitted us against each other. He’d trained nearby when I trained with Ruru. I’d snuck glances at him when he and Maz fought, shirtless and sweaty. Aiden was all honed power and dangerous beauty when he whirled about with his sword.
I could only hope to be half as good one day. But now?
“Why?” I blurted out, watching Aiden with the same hesitation that lined his jaw.
