A lie. This was his fault. He had kept those godsdamn letters from her. He had ordered her from his room. He had let her think she was out of options, that she was desperate enough to do something likethis.
‘You forget yourself,’ Aidon hissed through gritted teeth.
Will let his affinity drop instantly, a hollow feeling ringing in the place where his power had raged. ‘You’re right,’ he muttered as Aidon stood.
The prince winced, his jaw tight with anger. But he took a steadying breath and said, ‘I’ll show you to the stables.’
62
Three days. Three days in this godsforsaken desert, and Aya had begun to believe that Natali had doomed her on purpose. She frowned down at the compass Natali had given her, her head aching in the blistering heat. Aya had found the second oasis last night, stopping long enough to let Fihr rest and to refill their canteens. And while, according to the map she’d drawn from Natali’s instructions, they should find the Vaguer’s oasis today … there was no sign of it. There was no sign of anything except mounds and mounds of sand, interrupted only by the skulls of the animals who’d found themselves lost in the never-ending stretch of beige that seemed to swallow the earth whole.
Her canteens were nearing dangerous levels, and though she’d rationed her food, the saddlebags were getting light. Aya took a deep breath, her lungs aching with the heat and the grit in the air. If she never saw sand again, it would be too soon.
She let Fihr’s reins fall from her hands. The horse had taken an easy pace today, and she couldn’t blame him. He was exhausted, and if she didn’t find a reprieve for them both, she doubted they’d last another day in the desert heat.
The horse’s ears twitched, his drooping head rising slightly as he beheld something in the distance. Aya followed his gaze, the brightness of the sun searing her eyes.
There, hazy and flickering, was what looked like trees. She gripped the horn of the saddle and leaned forward, trying to will her mind to stay strong against the tricks of the heat. ButFihr, it seemed, had no such hesitation. The horse picked up his pace, his breath coming in bellowing gusts as he worked himself into a gallop. Aya cursed, her hands fumbling for the reins, the outline of the trees becoming solid as they flew across the sands.
A sprawling, lush landscape took shape as they crested one of the dunes, and Aya let out a long breath of relief.
It was no mirage. They had found the oasis.
63
One day, Aidon, you will rule …
What type of king would he be? Aidon wondered.
He forced himself to remain relaxed as Dominic drummed his fingers on his mahogany desk, his green stare as calculating as ever as Aidon’s information settled between them.
Would he play the games of monarchs, and know exactly who to use and when?
The silence stretched on, each moment passing with a tap of the king’s fingers, but Aidon let it linger. He’d long since learned that he couldn’t push his uncle into conversation.
Would he dictate the lives of those closest to him in the name of his kingdom?
Dominic steepled his hands, his face stern as he surveyed his nephew.
Would he want something for himself and be ruthless in taking it?
One day, Aidon, you will rule …
‘I’ve always appreciated your loyalty, Aidon,’ his uncle finally drawled, the unexpected compliment causing Aidon’s brows to flick upward. ‘There are so few people it seems we can trust these days.’
Duty.
Responsibility.
Loyalty.
One day, Aidon, you will rule …
Aidon’s jaw flexed as he gripped the arms of his chair and met his uncle’s unwavering stare. ‘What do you need me to do?’
64
Aidon had warned Aya that the Vaguer were not to be trifled with. And as Aya sat with her hands bound in one of the small clay huts that dotted the oasis, she was starting to wonder if she hadn’t quite taken his warning to heart.
