“He’s my uncle,” Eira admitted. “In many ways, he was like a father to me. He leads the Tower of Sorcerers back in Solaris—the academy all sorcerers are trained within for the empire. I went to the Tower when I was just a girl, following my brother.” Mentions of Marcus hurt less, she discovered. It was still a painful ache deep between her ribs, but his memory no longer held the same agonizing sharpness. Not since the pit. “Fritz, my mother’s brother, looked after us as a teacher, as an uncle, and as a surrogate parent in many ways.”
Olivin’s pace slowed. He stared at the ground. “I suppose, if we’re being honest…”
Eira also came to a stop, looking up at the elfin. She had yet to release him and something told her she shouldn’t—that she was helping stabilize him in this moment with her touch. There was history between him and Yonlin. She’d begun to see the edges of it with Olivin’s worry yesterday.
“Yonlin is my younger brother. He’s all I have left.” Olivin met her eyes. “The Pillars know I’m working against them and I’m afraid they’ve done something to him.”
“I know your fear too well,” Eira said softly. “I tried to send my uncle away.”
“I didn’t know what was worse—having Yonlin here where I could keep an eye on him, but have him be at greater risk by being in the thick of it… Or sending him far, far away, and then always wondering if he was all right.”
“It’s an impossible choice.” Eira looked down, but he summoned her attention with the conviction he spoke with.
“Help me look after Yonlin, and I’ll help keep your uncle safe?”
“I’d be a fool not to agree.” Eira scanned the gardens again. “I’ll see if I can find my uncle once more before this gathering ends—if I can get any extra information.” She didn’t know how many times she’d have an opportunity to have time with Fritz. She might as well make use of it.
“Thank you,” Olivin said sincerely.
Eira nodded. “Though, I do have something else I want to ask you.”
“Of course you do.” He grinned slightly.
She returned the expression. “You can’t dodge this question, either.”
He laughed. “All right, fine.”
“Do you really trust me?” She needed to know just how far this new alliance extended. Eira felt like she and Ducot had been through enough that she could depend on him. Olivin was still a vast unknown.
“If I did completely, so quickly, I wouldn’t be a good shadow.” Olivin turned his gaze to the coliseum that loomed overhead. “I learned long, long ago not to trust anyone.”
“And that has no doubt helped keep you alive.”
“While also keeping everyone else at arm’s length, at best.” And, yet, her fingers were still tucked in the crook of his elbow. Olivin slowly met her eyes and held her gaze long enough that she could almost feel the unspoken pain that originated from within him.
“We do what we must,” she said softly. She knew that pain, and was learning its depths more and more with each passing day.
“Is that what you’re doing with Cullen? Pushing him away because you ‘must’?”
“Cullen and I aren’t any of your business,” Eira said sharply. Here she was, beginning to think Olivin wasn’t so bad.
He smirked slightly at that. “But it could be amusing to make you my business.”
“I’m not sure if I should take that as a threat.”
“Why would you?” He seemed surprised.
“Well, you said you can’t completely trust me. And now you’re making it clear that you could inflict personal pain if you so desired.” Eira tilted her head slightly. “So I should also let you know not to waste your time. Cullen means nothing to me. If you’re going to try to attack me, spend your effort elsewhere.”
“How is it that you’re becoming a better shadow the more time that passes while you’re out of the court, rather than when you were in it?”
“I’m making an effort,” Eira readily admitted. “Now, I’m going to track down my uncle.” She released him, but he moved for her.
Olivin stopped her with a feather-light touch on her arm, just above her elbow, as she went to leave. “Thank you,” he said with sincerity. “For what it’s worth, I’m actually glad you’re not in the court.”
“Oh?”
“We’re still on the same side against the Pillars. And, since you’re no longer a shadow, you can move in ways I can’t. You can do things I can’t. Take the information I give you and be your reckless self. Flush out the Pillars so I can strike them down where they stand. I think we will be better partners like this than we could’ve ever hoped for otherwise.”
