“I will not break,” she repeated.
“You should think about this and consider the risks. Come back tomorrow, or better, two or three days from now, and make sure this is what you want.” Allun eased away from the table and returned to her shelves along the back wall of the room. She began rummaging through the various boxes as if Eira and Olivin weren’t even there. Eira knew an act when she saw one.
“I leave with the dawn.”
“All the more reason not to.” Allun shook her head. “We wouldn’t want to disrupt your channel or magic before you continue along on yourimportant work, whatever that might be.”
Eira refrained from allowing herself to be offended. Allun no doubt saw her as nothing more than a pirate, out for her own. Perhaps that’s all Eira was. To herself, quietly, she could admit that she wasn’t killing Ulvarth to get revenge for his actions against Solaris or Meru. Liberating the peoples was a fringe benefit, but not even remotely the driving force of her motivation…
She wanted to kill him for herself. To end him because he had crossed her—taken from her. And that, she could not abide.
She didn’t work for all this strength to sit idly by as the people she loved most were hurt.
“It is because of my ‘important work’ that I will do this.”
“Eira, are you sure about this?” Olivin whispered, taking a half step closer. “You’ve only just been healed.”
“Alyss’s magic is impeccable. I was completely healed back in Carsovia.” She tilted her head, speaking only to him. “I’ve thought it through.”
“You are strong enough without any rune.” Even though she knew he meant well, his encouragement felt hollow.
Eira knew better. “I’m not strong enough to take on Ulvarth. Not yet. But with this I will be.”
Olivin shifted, positioning himself fully between her and Allun, consuming her vision. “This might impact you forever.”
“I hope so.”
“It could have implications you don’t intend down the road.”
“I’ll cross that bridge when—ifit comes.” Eira rested her fingertips lightly on his forearm. “Olivin, thinking of the future is all well and good, but it’s daydreams until we’ve killed him.”
He took her hand in both of his. “Don’t risk everything to gain only a little.” His caution had shades of Cullen from the other evening. Strange how they could be so different at times and yet so similar.
“I’m risking everything so that I have the power to kill any who would stand in my way, defend those I love, and take what is mine.”
Olivin’s eyes darted over her face, searching. “I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”
“No.”
With a sigh that betrayed a breaking point, he rested his forehead on hers. “Please, be safe. I can’t lose you.”
“I will be fine,” she reassured him one last time and then stepped around him. Her mind made up, she strode to the table, resting her palms on it.
“Youwilldo this for me.” Eira locked eyes with Allun. “Because you owe me a life debt, twice over.”
A long pause. Finally, a soft “That I do.” When Allun turned, she didn’t look upset in the slightest. In fact, if anything, she looked excited. Her hands were already laden with various supplies—knives, jars, chisels, ink. “Get on the table.”
Olivin’s hand closed around her own. “I’m here.” Those two words were all the reassurance she needed.
“Good, because I suspect you’ll need to carry her back.” Allun began to set out her supplies. Despite his initial reservations, Drogol fell into line, sorting various implements for Allun so they’d be in their places before she even needed them.
“Carry her?” A worried note crept into Olivin’s question.
“A suspicion. But we’ll see how she takes to it.” Allun looked to Eira as she settled herself on the table. “Where do you want it?”
Eira stared at the back of her hand where Allun had drawn the rune in her blood. It’d be a fitting location for it, symbolic. And the marking would likely become a calling card that could strike fear into the hearts of her enemies and inspire her allies alike.
But…it was also likely to inspire others to try and imitate her. An inevitability, likely. The progression of magic’s endless evolution was impossible to stop. More were likely to be seen emerging from Qwint with runes upon them, just as the lutenz had on the ship all those months ago. But Eira wanted to keep her edge as long as possible.
