I find that nothing has ever scared me quite as much as that word.
A skilled Lightbringer would be able to heal it. But there are no Lightbringers here.
“It can’t cast?” At the harsh demand, we both look up. Duskbane has turned around. I pull up my arms to hide my chest, but he’s not looking at my body. His eyes are on my bandaged hands.
Eres shakes his head. “Not right now, at least.”
“Good.” There’s nothing but cold, calculating hatred behind his silver eyes. “Get it dressed. We need to go.”
I flinch away, watching the frown deepen between his eyes as I lean closer to Eres.
The healer is kind enough. Kinder than most, I would wager. Darian didn’t seem inclined to hurt me either.
But this male makes no attempt to hide his hatred of me. Of all Lightbringers. He presents himself exactly as I expected from my teachings. Boorish, cold, inflexible and arrogant.
Andpowerful. It almost leaks from him, as if he bears too much to contain in one body.
Thismale, I will have no qualms in ending. For Reena, I would even kill him with a smile.
But if I have no luminth, thanks to Cindral, the only question ishow.
Lyra
“This is ridiculous,” Eres runs a hand through his hair for the fourth time in as many minutes, explaining the riotous curls. He gestures at me. “She’s not a threat. She can barely walk.”
“We have no idea if it’s a threat or not,” Duskbane counters, his voice level. “I’m not taking it through the castle without precautions.”
He steps closer to Eres, but the other male turns away, storming out through the door. Duskbane’s eyes flicker before he follows, yanking me behind him. “Keep up, or I’ll drag you.”
My cheeks burn as I stumble. Duskbane uses his erevas as easily as I use my own luminth, it appears. Dark ropes of shadow form a link between us, wrapping around my ankles, binding my wrists, looping my neck and even mymouth, acting as a gag.
Ass.
Another phantom tug at my wrists pulls me forward as he stalks away without bothering to look at me. My hands burn as I try to follow without falling, each step sending a pulse of pain through my stomach.
Eres reappears a moment later, pushing past Duskbane and reaching for my elbow. His lips press together as he grabs it, steadying me.
“Slower,” Eres snaps at the male stalking down the hall ahead of us. “Fucking hell, Kae.”
Kaestops. Turns, and we pause as he raises his finger to point at Eres. “You are pushing on my last damn nerve. You brought one of them—aLightbringer, into the castle without telling me. You put yourself an—at risk, Eres. No more. Do not test myfucking patienceanymore today.”
“There wasn’t time.” Eres stands his ground. “I told you.”
Silver eyes sweep over my body. “Itseemed more than warm enough when I walked in on the three of you.”
Oh.Oh.
Eres chokes. “You can’t think—”
“I’m not thinking anything.” Duskbane turns once more, striding away. “But I’m telling you that I am done talking.”
Eres sighs, but he doesn’t say anything else as he takes my arm again. My thoughts churn.
Kaelen Duskbane and the healer. That’s a complication I hadn’t considered. It wasn’t in any of the notes I received on him. Not that there were many, aside from physical details and his gifts on the battlefield.
We follow Kaelen Duskbane down a long, dark passage. Each side holds tall, intricately carved pillars that stretch to the ceiling, leading to similarly carved arches that appear at regular intervals above our heads. Torches set against the wall flicker with light every few feet in between narrow, arched windowsthat blast cold air across my face and let in just a little of the grey, murky light from outside.
“Damn it,” Eres mutters. “Kae, wait a minute. And take that gag out.”
