I stay frozen for a second, then I blink, crouching down to grab my pack. But when I look up Beth and Ryven are already standing over me. A tremor runs through me.
Fuck.
Alone in the Innerlands, in a narrow alley and these two look hungry.
Beth shifts toward me, eyes bright,cruel. Curious. Like she wants to see what I'll do. I scan for exits, fast.
“You know.” Ryven says, rolling the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other with lazy precision. “I still can’t decide if what you did in our Demonstrations was skill, or if it was just luck. My bet?” A cold smile. “You’re a mess. One that’s just waiting to blow...”
My mouth goes dry. Because, fuck, he’s not wrong. I don’t know how I did it, and Idefinitelydon’t know if I could do itagain. I am a mess. And if it wasn't for this fucking duck, I would have probably exploded five times today already.
But I’ll be damned if he gets to see that. So I force a breath, hold his gaze and keep my voice steady. “Mess or not, you’re still the one who hit the floor.”
His jaw twitches, just once, but I see it. Beth too, that pointed smile of hers flashes, but not at me—at him. He blinks, tries to shrug it off like it’s nothing.
“You know that girl you nearly crushed?” he adds, voice tighter now. “She happens to be Elijah’s sister. How does that even happen? You must be really fucked up inside.” He leans in slightly, quieter now, meaner. “Then again... I’ve heard madness runs in those inbred Outerlander bloodlines.”
Fury sparks fast. Fists curl before I can stop them, the urge to lash out rising hard. Normally, my Threads would be biting by now, wild and ready to burn through skin, but they hold, just, thanks to the duck top-up earlier.
Jaw tight, I shift, ready to throw something verbal back?—
But Beth gets there first. And that look she’s been throwing at me all day? It lands on him now.
“Careful, Ryven.” Her scar flashes as she turns to face him. “You’re sweating so hard I’d almost think you were scared of Lyra. And as for inbreeding?” She mocks. “We all know your dirty Fire Realm parents are cousins.”
“Second cousins,” he snaps, face red. “And one of them was adopted!”
Laughter spills from her lips; Ryven stiffens but Beth doesn’t slow.
She’s not defending me, she’s just enjoying this. Messing with Ryven, watching his jaw tighten, throat twitch. And I shouldn’t smile, I don’t mean to, but the corner of my mouth lifts anyway.
Whatever she says next hits harder than before, edged enough to drag a flush up his neck. They keep going. Snapping, spitting, closing the gap like they’ve both been waiting for an excuse to blow.
But I’ve stopped listening; doesn’t matter what they’re saying. They’re too locked in to notice anything else. So I look around.
It’s just us.
Outside the Citadel. No officers.
And for the first time in days?—
I could run.
Ryven’s blocking the alley, but the square’s still open... Left, left, right, straight ahead, over the wall, and I’m home before sunset. Back to Bren.
But, shit, I don’t know how fast they are. If I bolt and they catch me—or worse, ifTalendoes—then what? Merrin’s deal goes up in smoke, journals gone, answers gone. I’ll be carted out to Dragon country before dinner.
Butnotrunning? If I don’t even try? What does that say about me...
Wood cracks as Ryven stumbles back, Beth’s shoving him hard enough to rattle the door behind him.
Fuck it, no time. Future Lyra can deal with the fallout, so I pivot hard and run, fast.
Lungs burning,I keep going, down the alley to the square, each step slamming through my legs like my body’s punishing me for deciding too late.
Footsteps slam behind me, closing in fast. A shout, maybe two. But I don’t look back, I don’t even blink. I just have to get across the square, past the stalls, cut left and vanish into the alleys, before they catch me, or worse, before Talen does.
But I can lose them, ten minutes to the wall, twenty and I’m home to Bren.
