I’m not sure if it’s a good idea, but before I can argue, Lidiane points at him. “Yes! I have enough capes. Just wait. Gather what you need, and I’ll get them ready.”
I suppose it’s one more way for them to assure I won’t betray them, except that we have no guarantee that the human prince won’t do that. “He can’t make a deal,” I say. “He won’t be bound to keep anything secret.”
Ziven tilts his head. “But I can lie if I’m captured. Also, if you know the secret passages, we’ll be in and out, or you’ll be in and out. I could just wait for you outside the castle or something.”
“Ziven won’t betray us,” Astra says as if her word was law. “And his magic could help you and Tarlia. In case things go wrong.”
I glance at the ridiculous necklace the human prince wears with the stone that grants him magic he shouldn’t have. Humans with magic are odd and unnatural, and I don’t think their powers are stable, but I don’t wish to argue or seem like I want to do anything sneaky or suspicious.
I shrug. “Great, then.”
The human prince then smirks. “Thanks for the trust.”
I wish I could wipe that smugness out of his face. Instead, I’ll have to bring him along to what might be a dangerous mission.
At the same time, it means I’ll get to rescue Tarlia. I know I can do it. What hurts is having to wait another hour or minute or second. That said, at least I’ll get to the castle much faster with Lidiane’s help.
I just hope Tarlia isn’t hurt—and that it’s not too late.
MARLAK
Perhaps I might be able to understand the language of the giant’s too. We’ve been running north for three hours now, under the scalding sun. My companion is a young giant named Kratnolvil. I decided to call him Krat, and he doesn’t mind.
I tried to ask him some questions, but he either doesn’t understand much of what’s going on or he’s being cagey with information. All he told me is that he’ll only take me up to a certain point. Still, he’ll wait there for me until the sun is almost down. If I’m not back by then, he’ll return to his village.
We sit in the rare shade offered by a small hill. I eat the bread and drink the water I brought, while the giant watches.
“Water? You?” I point at him. The idea of sharing my small portions with a giant doesn’t sound appealing, but I don’t want Krat to faint or something.
He shakes his head.
“You don’t eat?” I ask.
The giant stares at me and grunts something. Perhaps he doesn’t understand what I’m saying. I point at my food, my mouth, then at him.
“Food? For you?”
For some reason he laughs, perhaps because he thinks I’m offering my bread, which must seem tiny for him. It would be like a rodent offering me one single nut, I suppose.
When I finish, he takes me again in his hand, places me on his shoulder, and starts running. The ground rumbles under his heavy steps as we get closer and closer to the north. Closer and closer to the Witch King. Closer and closer to the end.
I won’t fail. I won’t.
RENEL
My chest is heavy like a boulder and every second waiting is agony. I hate this, having to ask for authorization to leave, needing help to get to the castle, and being shadowed by a human. More than anything, I hate that Tarlia pledged her alliance to Zorwal, that she decided to ruin her life to save mine. It’s a horrible unfairness that needs to be undone.
I stand near the edge of the island, ready to cross to the riverbank, from where Lidiane will transcend us. Azur is going to blow us across, and as much as I trust his magic, I have the horrible feeling that we’ll be tossed into the water.
Astra and Ziven are also at the edge, and she passes me a dagger with a black blade and three clear opus stones on either side. It’s a stunning relic that I’ve never seen before, and yet I know what it is: the Sundering Dagger.
I touch the encrusted stones, taken by the craftsmanship of the object, then look at Astra, still stunned that she’s lending it to me. “Are you sure?”
“It’s for Tarlia.” She exhales. “Let’s hope it works.”
I place it carefully in one of the holsters on my belt.
Lidiane and Azur approach us. She’s carrying a bag, which I assume has the capes, and turns to him. “I’ll be back soon.”
