“I think it’s something I might be able to do. And before you tell me why it’s not possible, I—”
“If you think it’s something you can do, I have no reason not to believe you.” He smiled encouragingly. Though he undercut the sentiment some when he said next, “However, I’ve never heard of anything like that, and if such a power were to exist, I imagine sorcerers would’ve long since been using it.”
“Right, of course.” Eira nodded. The conversation was brought to a sudden halt as Deneya and the royals approached.
“You’re certain you can look after him?” Vi asked.
“I am. And I won’t hesitate to request assistance from you if needed.”
“Good.” Vi gave him a squeeze on the shoulder. Her expression was warm, open. It was how Marcus had looked at their uncle. Eira knew Fritz was close with the empress but it had somehow never occurred to her that it extended to Vhalla’s family as well. Fritz would’ve been there when Vi and her brother were born. “I will make sure there’s a plan for him if he hasn’t woken by the end of the tournament in a few days. I’m making this my personal responsibility.”
“We’re going to be changing your responsibilities as a cleric as well,” Deneya said. “We don’t want you engaging as much with the competitors for your own safety. To that end, for the rest of the tournament, we’d like for you to keep to your room as much as possible. Just focus on Yonlin.”
“Have I done something wrong?” Fritz was notably concerned.
“No. But the key to the room Yonlin was found in was kept in your drawer,” Deneya said gravely. “We suspect the Pillars might have intended to frame you, should Yonlin have been found.”
“Frame me? Why me?”
“I told you, they are after me and will hurt you to get to me.” Maybe her uncle would believe her now that it was the princessand head of Lumeria’s knights telling him as much. “So it’s my turn to say listen to the people in charge, trust them, andbe careful.”
He nodded and Eira pulled him in for one more tight embrace. This time she returned it with equal vigor because, for all Eira knew, it could well be the last time she’d ever see him.
37
Deneya escorted Eira and Olivin back to the door they’d entered in through. Vi and Taavin broke off halfway with minimal goodbyes and without fanfare. Olivin was understandably quiet the entire way back and Eira was in her own state of numbed sensations until they were once more in Champion Village. Just standing. Side by side. Unmoving.
“I’m sorry.” She broke the silence.
“What are you sorry for?” He seemed startled. Not that she blamed him. She had been a bit sudden.
“I was the one who said we should take the key. And it ended up being where Yonlin was kept and… It was because—”
Olivin grabbed both her shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. He somehow knew what she was going to say before she said it. “No. What happened to him wasn’t because of you.” His hands went slack. Arms swaying limply at his sides, Olivin staggered away two steps. He’d never looked so weak or lost. “If that was because of anyone…it was my sister.”
“What?” Eira breathed.
“My sister is a Pillar.”
Any sign of her?Ducot’s words in the tunnel echoed in her mind.Herwas his sister. A Pillar.
Olivin continued, “I became a shadow to hunt her down.”
“To save her,” Eira said with confidence.
He slowly shook his head and dragged his haunted eyes back to hers. “No…I became a shadow to kill her.”
The words rang in her ears.Olivin wanted to kill his sister… His eyes were filled with icy rage. If he was lying, then he was the best liar the court had. She felt his conviction in her bones—so deeply that it nearly made her sick to her stomach.
She and Marcus had fought. They’d been on opposite sides of arguments and opinions. But she had never,neverwanted to hurt him. Even though the circumstances were far from the same, she couldn’t resist putting herself in Olivin’s shoes and trying to imagine Marcus in Olivin’s sister’s shoes. Nothing in the world would make her want to turn against her own brother.
Olivin couldn’t do it, Eira decided then and there. He might believe he could. He certainly told himself that he wanted to. But she’d seen how worried he’d been for Yonlin. Eira genuinely believed that when the option presented itself, he wouldn’t be able to deal the killing blow. It was his sister, after all.
He couldn’t really be serious…could he?
But he was unmoving. Unflinching.
“I’m from a very old, and very noble family.” He started walking as he spoke. Eira fell into his pace at his side. The courtyard was almost completely empty, save for Varren and Lop, who still sat outside on the front stoop of their house. But they were so engrossed in their own conversation they’d hardly even reacted to Eira and Olivin’s return. “When Ulvarth was in power, my father was closely aligned with him. No one knew the depths of Ulvarth’s depravity then, just how evil he was. So I don’t fault him much.”
