“Weallhelp people,” I said.
“We do,” she agreed. “In different ways. But some of us focus on the bigger picture. Thewhybehind it all. I’m not saying you don’t,” she rushed out when I opened my mouth. “But you takeevery individual person, every family, every night one by one, and you make it your personal responsibility to save them. It’s beautiful, Leo, how much you care for each and every one. It can make you forget to watch out for yourself, though. And as much as I love you, you’re just like our father in that regard—you make rash, stupid decisions.”
My exhale came out as a huff. “Tell me how you really feel.”
But she wasn’t wrong. And she didn’t even know of all the rash decisions I’d made for the sake of safety.Hersafety.
“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t involve you in the details from the beginning. I promise to keep you updated from now on, though,” she said.
I nodded. “We’re a team. You should use us, Rissa. We all bring something to the table that could help. If you called a meeting where weallknew the relevant information, we could make this work. We could help Rose.”
My sister eyed me. “I’m surprised you want to be in the same room as her again after how today went. Whatisit with you two?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When she continued to stare at me, I said the first thing that came to my mind. “She stole my horse,” I grumbled.
“Emperor’s tits, Leo,” Rissa said with a laugh. “How many times have you met, anyway?”
I sighed. “The night before the Decemvirate started, her carriage was attacked by a couple of Shifters. I was patrolling the west sector that night.”
“Oh, so you were there when her uncle was cursed?”
Her uncle. That must have been the man fighting with her. “I assume he was the original Alchemist Lark had found to work with?” I asked, and Rissa nodded. “I saw her again in the palace this morning, as you heard. She was running from something and we hid together in a hallway. I had no idea who she was.”
She gave me a sharp look. “Yes,aboutthat?—”
“Trust me, I know. You don’t approve of my palace visits.” I scrubbed a hand down my face.
“Then why do you keep doing it?”
“Why doyou?” I shot back, recalling her bruised eye and hurt leg from the other night.
Her mouth snapped shut. “Fine. We’re both reckless idiots.”
“At least I didn’t get caught.”
This earned me a laugh, albeit an annoyed one. She fell back onto the blanket and stared up at the stars. “We have to be careful, Leo,” she said softly. “There’s no telling what Gayl will do if he catches us sneaking around. That’s why we have Rose. We have to trust her.”
I rested my head near hers. “What if Lark was wrong about her? What if we’re making a mistake?”
“She’s done nothing to make us think she’s not capable. So what if she got stumped at the first trial? She’s going up against five other challengers who have had much more time to get ready, plus many with far stronger magic than hers.” Rissa propped herself up on her side and faced me. “You have to give her a chance. You’re so quick to expect the worst in others, little brother. Sometimes you have to look harder to find their best.”
I swallowed hard. “It’s not as if I want her to fail.”
“Then don’t act like you expect her to. Don’t act like you don’tbelievein her.”
Her perceptiveness always surprised me, no matter how often she showed it. “When did you get so wise?”
She patted me on the arm. “You’ll get there one day.”
We laid there for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the forest buzz around us. “I’ll try to do better. I understand she’s our best shot, and I’ll do what I can to make this mission successful.”Even if she’s the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met, I thought with a sigh.
“I know you will,” Rissa said. “You always do.” She grabbed my hand sitting between us and gave it a quick squeeze. “I couldn’t do any of this without you, Leo.”
“Yes, you could,” I insisted. “But if there’s one thing Icanpromise, it’s that you’ll never have to.”
We stayed there until the first rays of golden light began to peek through the trees, the way we used to as teenagers. When it was the two of us against the world, with the sun chasing our shadows away beam by beam.
If only they could truly disappear that easily.
