Dorian's eyes landed on Reverie again. "Do you have a horse?"
Reverie grabbed her cloak from the ground. "Of course."
Dorian glanced around for any sign of a steed. "Where?"
"With yours."
Dorian and Corbin exchanged a look as she pushed past them towards the hills. Corbin paused and waited for Dorian to catch up.
"You're sure about this?" Corbin asked.
"Seems better than getting hauled into Scindo right now, doesn't it?" Dorian replied quietly.
Corbin gave him a sideways stare as they started walking, but Dorian only felt his gaze on him as his own eyes were fixated on the determined and confident stride of the Dreamer, whom he was sure was going to be the death of him.
"Something tells me you're enjoying this a little too much," Corbin accused.
"What— a dangerously trained Dreamer assassin kicking your ass and mine? A being more stunning than I've ever seen threatening to end my life by tying me up and hauling me in front of the people that betrayed us?No. Why would I be enjoying that?"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“YOU KNOW, I'VE never had a stalker before,” Dorian said as they settled in for the night at the entrance of the caves. His eyes flittered to Reverie sitting across from him. Her annoyed gaze lifted to his as she sharpened her longsword.
“Now I’ve my own bounty hunter, an exiled band of rebels after my head, companies of Belwarks wanting to take me in, possible beheading by mountaineers, boats onshore, a kingdom in ruin…" Dorian glanced to Corbin, who was shaking his head. "Corbin, I do believe it might be my birth moons day."
"You should thank your older sister for the late present," Corbin said as he turned the rabbits over the fire.
Dorian gaped at him, his heart breaking. Corbin must have sensed it, for he paused and looked at Dorian.
"Too soon?" Corbin asked.
"A bit, yeah," Dorian replied.
Corbin turned back to the fire, not saying another word as he tended the meat. Reverie continued sharpening her blade. Only the noise of her striking the whetstone against the iron was louder than the crackling embers.
"What other news from my home, lady?" Dorian asked as he pulled his pipe from his bag. "What madness has my brother brought upon our people?"
"Your brother is the only reason an army hasn't marched into your beloved Venari's home," Reverie informed them.
Dorian went rigid. His eyes cut in Corbin’s direction, who had the same confused look upon his face.
"Sorry, what?" Dorian asked.
"Your brother, Rhaif… He demanded the Council not send an army to the south. Insisted on us finding you and your sister instead to bring you to stand trial. The Council tried to push him, but he had Bard behead Councilman Engle as an example."
Dorian didn't know what to say.
He didn't know what to think.
But his fists curled, and he had to stifle the flames threatening his body. "He would rather send soldiers out to find us, to hurt his... Hisfamily... Than—“ He had to pause his words at the thought of him, sitting on that throne. Weak and mutilated. Spewing demands and barking orders to a world he created.
"Sounds like he's making sure to take you two out first," Corbin uttered.
The words made Dorian cringe. “That is what he told Nys,” he said, shaking as he continued to try and stifle his fire. "Secure his place on the throne without the threat of another coming to take it. Send an army out to the rest of the world after." His gaze lifted to Corbin. "You should have let me take his head that night," he said, referring to the night he'd come home and learned Rhaif had hurt Nyssa. "You should have let me end it."
"And you'd have died with Aydra,” Corbin argued.
"He's right," Reverie interjected. "If you think the Council would have allowed her to have that child or for you to take the throne, you're wrong."
