But Vhalla didn’t move as Vi had hoped. Instead, she gripped the handle of the axe and freed it with a tug.
Vi covered her mouth to conceal a groan. The noise was part frustration and part the uneasy sensation of all the magic that had seeped out of the axe over the centuries returning eagerly to its origin. The crystals around them went dark as the blade briefly shone brighter. Without magic to support them, the stones began to crack and shatter.
Vhalla Yarl sprinted past them, axe in hand, into the dark night as dormant crystals fell.
Deneya held her arms over Vi’s head, shielding her from the rain of glass-like stone. She watched as Vhalla sprinted by them, axe in hand. Vi nearly lashed out to tackle the woman for the weapon.
When the stones were done falling, Vi went to the opening and looked around. There was no sign of Vhalla or her companion.
“Now what?” Deneya said gravely, emerging to stand at Vi’s side.
“I’m not sure exactly,” Vi said thoughtfully. “But this means we can’t rely on anything from here on to be as we expect. We’re done playing by Taavin’s rules.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Think about this,”Taavin pleaded as Vi stormed out of their tent. Deneya gladly stayed behind to pack their things. She clearly wanted nothing to do with the heated debate between Vi and Taavin over their next steps. “It makes a lot more sense to try to get into the fortress after the war is over, when they’re negotiating the terms of surrender.”
“IfTiberus negotiates those,” Vi retorted.
“He negotiated for the West and that was after a ten-year siege. There was much more bad blood then to prevent such talks.”
“He had brides to pick from, and he was a different man then.”
“Fine, you’re not wrong,” Taavin mumbled.
“No, I’m not.” Vi spun, fighting to keep her voice down so she didn’t draw attention to them. “Who’s to say he won’t torch the fortress and all its sacred trees like he torched the rest of the North?”
“Are you doing this because you think it’s the right thing, or is it personal?”
“This has nothing to do with me!”
“It has everything to do with you. Ever since you first stepped foot on this world, you’ve been trying to circumvent what must be done. You’ve been pushing against me.”
“Maybe because you need to be pushed.”
“I’m not doing this. This is against every plan—”
“Forget the plans, Taavin. Vhalla was there tonight.She has the axe.” Even though it wasn’t the first time she’d told him, Taavin still looked shell-shocked by the words. “We don’t know what will happen next. We have to act. And, yes, the only thing that’s important tomeis getting that axe and seeing Raspian defeated by Yargen, whatever that takes.” She had to force the final words out. “But I know this matters to you. And out of love and respect for you—”
“For me? Not the world?” he blurted the interruption.
“Yes, foryou, you frustrating man.” Vi grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly. “I’m trying to honor your wishes because I love you. This is your one chance for me to continue setting up the life of a new Champion. Either we go to Sehra tonight and leave this place after, or we leave now and forget the next Champion entirely.”
“You infuriating woman,” he growled, taking a step closer to her. Taavin wrapped his arm around her waist, yanking her to him. “You have always made me act against my better sense. No matter the time, place, or world.”
“I’m not sorry,” she murmured with half a grin before his mouth crushed hers.
He kissed her like they were hidden away and not standing in the open among the moonlit tents of the Solaris army. He kissed her like it was their last chance to hold one another. She guessed every kiss from here on would be just the same.
“I know you’re not,” he muttered hot and low over her lips. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she whispered in reply, eyes darting from his mouth to his eyes. Vi didn’t dare tell him that there were one or two things he might tempt her with to prevent them from leaving tonight. She could already taste desperation on him for every moment they had left.
“Now, what’s your plan to get in?” Taavin took a step away, though their hands were still interlocked.
“I’ll need you to illusion us both—make us invisible in the darkness, or nearly so.”
He pulled her down behind a nearby tent. Taavin looked around, then said, “Durroe watt radia.” They stood, moving once more past the tents, this time with a glyph of invisibility swirling around them. “What next?”
