“What do you have in mind?” His tone grew serious.
I licked my lips. “Are you a conjuror?”
He was not quick to reply. “Why do you ask?”
“Erik thought you may have abilities that could be helpful with what’s to come.” He held my gaze without responding. “I have been to the Sidhe city for a single dinner, and I already know just how over our heads all this is. I am asking for your help, Iver. If you are willing to give it.”
He viewed me, studying my face. “Are you certain you wish for my help in this?”
“Do you not want to save your sister?” I didn’t understand his question, his hesitance.
“Perhaps she may be saved without my need to conjure.”
“Perhaps. But I do not think we will ever win without everyone giving it their all. Clause has armies of conjurors at his disposal. Evenalone,he is incredibly powerful.”
Iver nodded before looking out at the grasslands. His gaze moved towards the horizon. “How much do you trust Erik? Do you trust him with your life?” Those cunning eyes returned to me. “True unflinching trust.”
What did that have to do with anything? I was thrown off, prepared to ask him why that was important in the situation, but instead found myself saying, “I think so.”
He shook his head, the movement barely there yet somehow loud at the same time. “You need to be certain.” The warning, which I realized this was, caused something to tighten within.
“Why?”
“Because he is my King, and my conjuring exceeds his,” Iver stated simply. “Once he knows what I am capable of, then I will be at his disposal. He could use me against anyone he wishes. And if I ever truly oppose him, then it will be seen asa challenge. If I fight him, it would end in someone’s death, and I do not wish to kill my brother. Despite how it may seem, I am relatively fond of him.” He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in before he continued. “So, Ariana. I will ask you again, how much do you place your trust in my brother?”
“Do you not trust him?” I asked, in shock at what he was divulging.
Iver shrugged a single shoulder. “He has always been somewhat power-hungry. I did not want for him to use mine for his own goals. To more easily control the world around him.”
“Your goals do not align with his?” For all I knew, they had the same intentions of freeing the abducted conjurors.
“Sometimes they do, and sometimes they don’t.” His head moved side to side before stilling with a sigh. As if this conversation was burdensome.
“And you are willing to bring your powers to the light now?” I stared at him in disbelief.
“Depending on your decision.”
“Why me?”
A small smile tugged at his lips. “My brother seems to have grown more than I had ever given him credit for. If you trust him not to abuse the power I have, then I trust your judgment.”
I shook my head, hardly believing what I heard. “But you know him so much better than I do. And you don’t even truly know me that well to place such weight on my opinion.”
“I never knew him as his prisoner,” he stated simply. Iver was right. A lot could be said about how a person treated their prisoners. Erik had been kind to me then. He still was. Whatever this power Iver had, I trusted Erik with it. And suddenly a new wave of guilt settled over me for what I had just done to him. Erik was trying to help me, and I lashed out. Iver thenadded, “Perhaps I have already made my decision, and am only curious as to what you would choose, given the option.”
I forced the thought of my remorse out of my mind and focused on the prince before me. “I trust him. Show me what you can do.”
Iver nodded, rising to his feet. “Very well.”
7
ERIK
Iver and Ariana stepped inside my room. Her eyes met mine before she looked away, a blush spreading across her cheeks. She seemed uncomfortable holding my gaze for the first time I could ever recall.
“How was your talk?” I asked, looking from Ariana to Iver before returning my attention to her.
There was a pause of hesitation. Her gaze drifted briefly to Iver, who made no sign of answering the question. “It was good. Iver has agreed to help.”
