“Wait—“ Dorian interjected, now fully alert with the conversation. "You’re separating us?”
“You—” Bala affirmed to Dorian, blatantly ignoring the stretch of fear in his voice, “—are going to the mountains. To speak with Hagen and ensure they are still our allies should we need them.”
“That’s fine, but we go together,” Dorian said firmly.
“You can’t,” Bala argued.
“Why not?”
“Because I do not want the Venari rebels to find you both and kill you together.”
Nyssa and Dorian gawked at her.
“When you say Venari rebels…" Dorian began, "...You mean what exactly?"
“I mean a group of Venari that are followers of the old ways and who would see how Draven died as a sign that he wanted to take your castle. A group of followers that would heed little and not care that the two of you are in exile but would kill you on the spot if you were found.”
The news stilled Nyssa. It was no wonder Bala was so on edge with her people. If the rebels came in, there was no telling how many Venari still under her reign would join them in retaliation. Some might see what they wanted to do as a sign of vengeance for Draven.
Dorian tensed at Nyssa's side, and she looked over to see his fist gripping around the back of his neck.
“You expect me to leave my sister alone… when there are men out there who would have our heads simply because of what we are?” he asked in a low voice.
A shadow clouded over Bala’s features that hadn't been there a moment before. "Now you know how my kind have felt every time we've walked into your kingdom the last hundred years," she said darkly.
"Dorian, I’ll be fine,” Nyssa said.
His eyes blazed through her when he turned. “I won’t allow it.”
"Excuse me?"
“No, you are my sister, and I can’t—” He rose from the bed and began to pace, hands tugging on the roots of his hair.
“If this is what she needs us to do, then we must trust her.”
“It’s the only option,” Bala affirmed.
“I’m not going halfway around our land without you," Dorian said to Nyssa, his voice rising. "I will not leave you alone.”
“She won’t be alone,” Bala interjected. “She will have Lex, Nadir, the Honest army. I am but a few hours ride away. She’ll be fine.”
Nyssa watched him pace, noticing a fear in his eyes. “Do you not trust me?” she asked.
He held up a finger in her direction, still pacing. “That’s not fair.”
"It's a valid question," Nyssa said as she rose to her feet.
Dorian stiffened, and she saw the black threatening his fingertips. Nyssa knew he would never hurt her, but the fear exuding from him reminded her of the night their kingdom had burned. How he'd shoved that knife in the woman's face and nearly killed the Dreamer for touching her.
Bala rose too, and she started to step between them, but Nyssa shot her a look.
"Wait for us downstairs," Nyssa told her.
Bala didn't argue.
Nyssa didn't blink away from Dorian as she waited for Bala's footsteps to disappear down the stairs.
And once they did, Nyssa nearly wrung his neck.
