If possible, I stiffen further. “I have more honor than that.”
I may actively despise the witch, may not go out of my way to make it comfortable, but I’m not going to hurt it. “I thought that perhaps she could be a hostage, if she’s lying about her bloodline.”
Because if the witches care about anything, it’s that. And the witch bleeds light. It can’t hide who it is, any more than I can.
“Perhaps.” My mother rises from the blackstone throne. “Learn what you can. And get that erevas off her.”
She sweeps from the room before I can argue further. Sighing, I step up to the dark shadow encasing the witch and coax myerevas back into my hands, freeing its face. It takes a deep breath, fire eyes skittering around the room before they settle on my own.
We watch each other silently before Eres pushes into the room. He pauses, looking between us. “I’m going to take her back to my room—”
“You will not.” There’s no room for argument in my tone. “She’s going to the prison. Don’t fight me on this.”
“But—”
“Eres.”
He sighs. “My apologies, Lyra. He’s not always this boorish.”
I turn disbelieving eyes on him, but he’s already turning toward the door. Using my erevas to shackle the witch once more, I tow her behind me as we make our way down the corridor and through the great hall. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch her staring around, taking in the rows of tables.
“This is where we eat.” Eres, blatantly unimpressed by my scowl, falls back to walk beside her, his arm sweeping out. “We all take turns to help in the kitchens, which are through that door in the corner.”
Nother. Not in a hundred years would I have her anywhere near my damned fucking food. I’m pretty sure an audible snarl slips free as I tug the erevas with more vigor than I intended and hear her stumble. Eres snaps something at me, but I’m already storming ahead, forcing the two of them to keep up.
They’re going to be Bound.
He’s binding himself to one ofthem, and the thought of it only increases my rage as I cross the courtyard, heading for the small entrance beside the stables. For once, I’m grateful the castle is close to empty, only a few shocked faces turning to us as I almost rip the wooden door from its hinges and stamp through.
I manage to control myself on the mossy, damp stone steps enough to give her time to make her way down. Grabbing a lantern from the wall, I light it using the flickering candle on the side before making my way down into the chilled air, past two empty cells and slowly stopping in front of the third.
Fuck. We have nobody to watch her.
I’m going to have to pull someone from training. Two someones, to manage any trickery on her part. Eldritch won’t be impressed, but it can’t be helped.
I jerk my head. “Get in.”
“Please.” Eres almost follows her inside, and I yank him back with a tendril of shadow wrapped around his waist before I slam the door closed. He scowls, but we both turn to watch her inspect her surroundings through the bars. My erevas slips away, freeing her ankles, and the witch offers me a brief glare before pulling my fucking cloak tighter around her.
“It’s been empty for a while.” God, he even sounds apologetic. “We’ll get you some things to make it a little less…"
“Damp?” The witch has the audacity to glare at me again, and I feel my fingers tighten around the bars.
“You’re lucky you’re still breathing,” I snap at her. “Be grateful.”
I get an elbow directly to my ribs for the remark, but it’s true. If our fortunes were reversed and I had the audacity to stroll into Solvandyr and request sanctuary, Vaelion would have had me staked against his infamous Glass Dunes before I could even finish the request.
“It’s not for long,” Eres’s jaw is tight as he traces the drops of water trailing down the stone wall behind her. “We need to prepare for the Binding, but we’ll be back in a couple of hours. We’ll work something out.”
To my surprise, he doesn’t wait for her to respond before he turns. His hand slips around my bicep, tightening before he walks away, attempting to drag me with him. It would almost be amusing if it wasn’t for the anger rolling from him in waves.
“What,” he hisses as soon as we’re outside again, cool wind brushing our faces, “the fuck are you doing?”
“What amIdoing?” I stare at him, nonplussed. “What the fuck areyoudoing? She’s one ofthem. She’d kill you rather than help you, and I won’t let your bleeding heart make you a victim!”
“I made a choice.” His cheeks flush with anger as he steps closer, his finger jabbing into my leathers above my heart. “I couldn’t save any of them out there, Kaelen. Everywhere we went, there was only death. But I could save her, and you’re not going to kill her in a cold dungeon if I have any say in it. She’s injured. Am I your damned Healer ornot?”
I… may have mis-stepped. Lifting my hands, I attempt to wrestle some control of this discussion back. “Of course you are.”
