They’d been consistent with his training, holding them in one of Dauphine’s extra rooms, the one full of stacks of books and odd knickknacks that she’d threatened to slit their throats over if they’d damaged them.
The warning seemed to have provided Aidon with proper motivation to control his flame.
Something had changed between the mercenary and the king. They seemed almost…cordial.
Dauphine had made herself scarce the last several days asshe assembled their team, but in the moments she was present in the safe house, she and Aidon kept up an easy banter that had Liam raising a knowing brow when their backs were turned.
Will didn’t bother to involve himself. He had one focus, and it wasn’t telling Aidon to be careful with his heart.
He rechecked his blades, ensuring they were all securely strapped beneath the cloak Dauphine had lent him. Night had settled over Colmur. It was finally time.
Will tugged his hood over his head as he joined Liam and Aidon in the safe house entryway.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t wait for daylight?” Liam asked as Dauphine came trotting down the stairs. One of the Visya for hire had offered his space to meet.
“We could,” Dauphine hedged, securing a curved dagger at her hip. “But time is of the essence, is it not?” She tugged her own hood up. “I didn’t realize the Dyminara were afraid of the dark.”
“I don’t trust you when I can’t see you fully,” Liam muttered.
“Only when you can’t see her fully?” Aidon asked, his grin bright in the dark of the entryway.
Dauphine pouted. “And here I thought we were starting to like each other, Your Majesty.” She pushed her way between them, opening the door a crack as she peered out.
“Are you sure about this?” Liam asked Will under his breath.
Will’s jaw shifted. Of course he wasn’t sure about this. But he couldn’t afford to wait for certainty. “If you have doubts,” he replied, his voice tight, “you can stay behind.”
Dauphine opened the door and slipped out, Aidon behind her. But Liam’s hand fell to the crook of Will’s arm, holding him back.
“By my blood,” Liam said solemnly. “That’s what I swore. If you go forward, so do I.”
Will swallowed hard. He didn’t have the heart to tell him Aya had erased his oath per his request—that he’d taken another one, not to a kingdom or a group, but to a woman.
“By my blood,” he murmured with a dip of his chin.
And then he followed Dauphine into the night.
***
Aya had nearly forgotten the pain. That’s how long it had been since they’d chained her to that godsforsaken iron table.
Once, she might have found it a mercy from her mind—a way to help her survive what she had endured.
But now, with those heavy shackles anchoring her chest and her thighs and her calves…
A Diaforaté stood over her, his hands cupped around her ribs, just above where the iron held her tight. His touch was hot as a brand through the thin material of her shift, a brutal contrast to the cold of the room and the ice of the table.
And yet…tears dripped from his face, even as his power wrenched at her own. Aya’s body arched with it, the chains pressing against her so tightly, she was sure her body would snap.
He’s one of the human prisoners they turned.
Aya wasn’t sure how she knew it so certainly, but she did. None of the others had ever shown a hint of reluctance toward what they were doing to her. Only one who’d had power forced on them would understand this affront.
Evie stood to the man’s right, and the Vaguer—the same one who had led Aya through the ritual in the desert—stood to his left, his black irises so large, Aya could hardly see the whites of his eyes.
The Vaguerwouldfind pleasure in her pain.
Aya’s voice had remained a broken rasp from disuse, but her vocal cords had clearly rested enough. With every tug of power, a high-pitched, cracked scream ripped from her throat.
