But then I force myself to settle.
He has more to say.
With my eyes locked on his, I brace myself for whatever it may be.
“Some of them,” he continues, “are sent across the sea. We sell them to—”
“Bragunda,” I finish for him, and I freeze. My brain piecing everything together.
There’s a reason he didn’t want to tell me this very specific thing, there’s a reason he hesitated, and it’s not because it’s awful—which it is—it’s not because selling people as slaves isn’t one of the most vile, horrendous things they could ever possibly do, because it is.
It’s because…
The realization hits me like a punch to the gut, deep and throbbing, and I don’t think the pain will ever leave.
No.
I turn so fast, my gaze only on Theo, and by the look on his face, I know I’m right.
He knew her.
I’m on him in a second, my hands colliding with his shoulders, and I shove him as hard as I can.
Tears form in his eyes right as a sob breaks free.
“Little Flame,” he begins, holding up his hands, his hazel eyes mirroring the pain in mine.
I shove him again.
“It was her, wasn’t it?” My pulse races because please, oh gods, please let me be wrong. Let me not be right about this. Not this.“The woman you love is mysister?” My jaw tightens and everything hurts, but when he nods his head a pain like no other stabs at my heart. “And you let them sell her to Bragunda?” I scream, reaching for my hair as that same scream threatens to destroy me.
The country across the ocean. A place of torture and pain and relentless cruelty.
Drea, Lucia, they may still be alive, butTelfi, Telfi has been sent to a place worse than death itself, and it’s allhisfault.
“You fucking asshole,” I grind out, and another tear falls, gliding down his cheek, but he says nothing because he knows I’m right.
Why her?
Why did he have to loveher?
I turn away from him, and then my gaze, myrage,falls on Char. Staring at me with wide eyes, surely having heard what Ryjax had just revealed, but I don’t want to deal with him right now.
I can’t.
“Andyou.” I point my finger at him. “Go set up your camp down the river. As far from me as possible until I can stand to look at you again.”
He opens his mouth as if to say something, but he doesn’t deserve to breathe, let alone speak.
“I said go!”
Nyxa releases a puff of smoke from behind me, and Char stumbles over his feet as he backs away, but then he turns and does exactly as I demanded.
I face the trees, my vision blurring, my anger overwhelming, and flames emerge from my hands.
Feeling someone behind me, knowing exactlywhoit is, I allow my flames to simmer until they disappear.
“Nova,” he says, his voice dripping with regret, and fear, and utter heartbreak.
