My jaw clenched. Of course, the news hadn’t traveled this far north yet.
“King Weylin is dead,” Nikella said in the silence. “His High Enforcer has declared himself king now. He’s the one who attacked here.”
Silas’s mouth fell open. “Holy Four, I had no idea. Why would the Rellmirans want to kill so many innocent Dags andTeachers?”
I leaned forward with a snarl, my patience snapping. “That’s what we’re asking you.”
Silas looked taken aback, then his face cleared as if remembering something. “They did take all the fireseeds we’d harvested. Every last one.”
Chapter 18
Aiden
I stared at the Teacher,unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “They took all the fireseeds? Nothing else?”
Silas shook his head. Nikella, however, looked disappointed, but unsurprised.
“You knew,” I told her.
“I guessed. From what Renwell said to me.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You spoke with him? Did he harm you?”
“Of course not,” she said sharply. “It was I who wounded him.”
His bleeding side.
“You may have saved my life by weakening him,” I murmured.
“I was aiming for his heart,” Nikella snapped, as if I shouldn’t be grateful.
I narrowed my eyes at her. Something else had happened, but she wouldn’t like me prying in front of a stranger. Even if he was a Teacher.
“What does he need with a mountain’s worth of fireseeds?” I wondered aloud.
Neither of them answered me.
Soon Silas moved on to help a few crying children—undoubtedly, he was excellent at telling them stories.
Nikella stood to leave, but I caught her wrist. “What did he say to you?”
She pulled out of my grasp and leaned against the somewhat whole house we’d sheltered by.
“He bragged about all he’s done,” she said. “Claimed to have the power of the gods themselves with his fireseeds and sunstone. That he could rule the whole world if he wanted to.”
I frowned. That seemed rather grandiose for a man who’d just stepped out of the shadows to take over one throne.
Nikella fixed her dark stare on me, the way she always did when she was about to tell me something I didn’t want to hear. “He also warned me. In a way. He’s sending Korvin to hunt us down.”
Unease rippled over my skin. I didn’t bother asking her if she was certain. Nikella would never bring up her oldest brother’s name unless it was absolutely vital.
“I’m sorry, Nikella,” I said softly.
I’d give my life to save her from him, but I knew that wasn’t what she wanted. She’d taught me how to face my monsters since they were mere shadows in my childhood nightmares. She expected nothing less of herself.
“It changes nothing. Only that we must never drop our guard. I will deal with Korvin when it’s time.”
Renwell. Korvin. The Wolves. Our list of enemies continued to grow. Where did it end?
