“Do you think this is funny?” he demanded. “Do you think it a game?”
“Not in the slightest,” she said with a sniffle.
Gods, but Rey hated her tears. His hands fisted tightly around the reins.
“You knew I’d come after you, as I did in Kopa,” he said with quiet violence, as Horse stepped over a fallen tree.
Her shoulders sagged. “I just wanted chickens.”
“You cannot run into danger! This is bigger than your wants.”
Her entire body stiffened. “What do you meanbigger than my wants?”
Rey had planned to be gentle with the subject—perhaps coax answers from her gradually—but her attempt to flee had rattled him. She’d tried to put herself inharm’s way, and he felt himself coming unhinged.
“I know who you are,” he heard himself say.
She went stone still.
“I know why the queen is hunting you.”
She tensed, as though bracing for the words to come.
“Your scar. I was with you when you got it, Eisa.”
Rey’s wordssliced into Silla’s skin. Her breath seized in her lungs as she realized she’d been right to trust her instincts—Reyknewwho she was. And now she’d missed her opportunity to flee.
Your scar. I was with you when you got it, Eisa.
Her body trembled. He knew who she was, and Silla knew what came next. Jonas hadn’t even taken a day to turn on her. How long would it take Rey to do the same?
Now panic climbed through her limbs.Run, her instincts told her once more. But some sliver of logic reminded her Rey would only chase her down.
“You were trying to flee,” he growled.
“Please,” begged Silla, gazing longingly into the forest. “Let me slip into thewilds…let me vanish. I’ll take a ship south somewhere, and when I have the coin, I’ll ensure you get your reward…I swear it to you.”
Rey stiffened behind her. “You’reEisa-gods-damned-Volsik, and you want to abandon Íseldur?”
The air between them vibrated with his fury, leaving Silla disoriented. Shouldn’t he be happy? He’d just stumbled upon the kingdom’s biggest bounty. Why was he so angry?
“You’re aVolsik!” continued Rey. “Don’t you understand what that means?”
Manacles, she thought. Another cell. Her choices taken from her.
“Please,” begged Silla. “You said you would not turn me in. You are nothing if not a man of honor.”
“This is bigger than my honor,” he grumbled. “And if you are incapable of making smart choices, I will have you bound to the saddle and carried to Kalasgarde by force.”
“Kalasgarde?” Surprise furrowed through her. “You don’t want a reward?”
Rey did not reply.
“Kalasgarde,” Silla repeated. She shook with relief. Not a cell. She wasn’t going back to a cell. Silla drew in a long breath. Let it flow slowly out of her. The trembling eased a touch, but the rest of his words finally sank into her. “You’llforceme to go to Kalasgarde?”
He was tense as a bowstring behind her. “I’ve done many unsavory things for this kingdom, and I shall do many more.”
“I can’t be Eisa,” she whimpered. It wasn’t a cell in Kopa, wasn’t Kommandor Valf, but he wasn’t listening to her, wouldn’t let her explain… “Icannot be her; don’t you understand?”
