Yes. Yes, it was. And the confession came as such a relief that she nearly wept.
She understood her challenge now. It wasn’t figuring out how to protect Noah. It wasn’t refusing to leave his side. It certainly wasn’t turning away from herself. It wastrustingherself. Putting all her faith in her own abilities. Not the abilities she wanted to have, but the ones she already possessed. She didn’t need to go against her nature; she needed to dig deeper into it and use it for all it was worth. Salinda and Ailan had been right all along, but only now did she see the truth.
Mareleau was a scheming liar.
A breaker of hearts.
A destroyer of men.
She’d pull off her greatest, most devastating lie yet.
She dropped her gaze to the collar in Larylis’ hand. Placing her fingers over his, she squeezed his palm. Wordlessly, he released the collar into her care.
She held his gaze and asked, “Do you trust me?”
His eyes searched hers, swimming with fear. Then he steeled his expression and gave her a nod. “With my life, my death, and everything in between.”
Her throat tightened. “Do you trust me withmylife, death, and everything in between?”
Another flash of fear. Then a sheen of sorrow. But again, he gave her a solemn nod. “Yes.”
59
Larylis didn’t know the full details of what his wife was planning, but he had to trust her. He did, with his whole heart, even as he feared where that trust would lead. Despite his reservations, this was not the time to balk. Their enemy was near. He could arrive at any second. If Mareleau knew how to stop Darius, who was he to doubt her? Who was he but the other half of her heart? They would beat in tandem until the end.
He stood inside the cave, not far from its entrance, where the only light came from the blue-green luminescence coating the walls. Mareleau was deeper inside the cave system, and her distance somehow felt too near and too far at once. There wasn’t a depth she could go to that would ease his worry over her safety. Yet he hated that he wasn’t by her side. He hoped the semi-darkness would hamper Darius’ ability to visualize locations ahead to worldwalk to, but that was only a gamble. Did Darius’ half-Elvyn heritage give him better eyesight? The communications Larylis had received from Teryn and Cora detailed his keen hearing.
Larylis rolled his shoulders and his neck, his muscles screaming in protest. Now that he was standing still, every wound and strain blared, every limb begged to lock up. He shifted his feet and splayed his hands, one then the other, refusing to succumb to inertia.
Then the shouts began.
From just outside the mouth of the cave, a clash of steel rang out. Garot had been right. Darius hadn’t come alone. Larylis unsheathed his sword, his pulse quickening. In his mind, he began to recite famous kings of history who’d found victory during great fatigue, but he stopped himself. He didn’t need to rely on those great kings anymore. He had himself. He had this moment. He would do this.
Larylis, the bastard.
Larylis, the crownless king.
Larylis, the husband and father.
Larylis, the man who preferred silence and books over parties and warfare.
Hewould do this.
Hewould help take down a tyrant.
The sounds of fighting cut off by half, but they continued to ring from outside. Then came footsteps. The aqua glow dappling the walls reflected off a trio of figures approaching. At the center was Darius, whom he’d only seen from afar until now. Even though his form was cast in shades of teal and shadow, Larylis could tell he was coated in blood. It slicked his hair, dripped from the cut on his cheek, painted his clothing and what little remained of his armor.
Yet despite the wounds he’d sustained, Darius was still standing. Still walking with ease and poise.
His fae healing was enviable.
Darius’ expression darkened as he spotted Larylis. He motioned for his two guards to charge forward. They were much worse for wear than their master, both devoid of helms. One had a cut across his forehead while the other had use of only one eye, the other swollen shut. They charged past Darius, but before they could reach Larylis, a yellow dragon—half the size of Ferrah—slithered from a cavity in the wall and blasted a ball of golden flame at their legs. Two more dragons, these ones merely the size of large canines, climbed down the stalactites, gnashing their small yet terrifying teeth. Thankfully, none had eyes for Larylis, just the three intruders.
Or…not three.
Only two.
Larylis whirled around to see Darius already several steps ahead. There went Larylis’ hope that he wouldn’t be able to see well enough to worldwalk. He paid no heed to Larylis, as if he wasn’t worth his time. Larylis clenched his jaw and charged after him.
