Cora pulled up short. His expression told her that perhaps the silence had only been comfortable on her end. She frowned. “What is it?”
“We should leave this area tonight.”
“What? Why would we do that?”
He folded his arms, shoulders tense. “The hunters will know someone knocked out their guard and freed the unicorns. They might try to track us. If not tonight, then tomorrow.”
Cora’s eyes widened, all of her pleasant feelings evaporating. “You’re the one who wanted to avoid bloodshed. You only just now realize your plan has put us at a greater risk?”
“I’m sorry,” he rushed to say. “Let’s leave at once. Go…far from here.”
She backed up a step, eyes narrowing. “My mission isn’t done. You saw the map. There are still numerous other hunting parties. I can’t let them continue to hunt unicorns.”
“What are you planning to do? Poison all of them? What about when they’re replaced with new recruits? These men are mercenaries and convicted criminals. There’s no shortage of more like them.”
Cora felt a crushing weight fall over her. He was right. It was too much. Still, she shook the overwhelming feeling from her heart and lifted her chin. “I will do whatever I can.”
“To what end? You can’t poison them all. Sooner or later, they’ll catch on. They’ll be waiting for you. This…this isn’t sustainable. You can’t do this on your own.”
She threw her hands in the air. “You knew that when you asked to come with me. Is that not the very reason you begged to aid my efforts?”
He clenched his jaw, giving no answer.
She rolled her eyes with a scoff. “We ran into one close call and now you realize this isn’t all fun and games. You should have known from the start that this wouldn’t be some glamorous quest where you save the damsel in distress and come home the shining hero, bearing not a single scratch. I meant it when I said that I don’t need you, but…” Her throat went dry. She tried to swallow her next words down, but they burst from her lips before she could stop them. “I liked having you around today.”
His expression softened, eyes turning down at the corners, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Cora…” His voice was soft, strained.
She took a step closer, her heart pounding in her chest. With a slow exhale, she lowered her shields just long enough to feel his turmoil. His emotions were too jumbled to untangle completely, but she identified guilt. Shame. Fear. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. “What is it, Teryn? What aren’t you telling me?”
Slowly, he lifted his eyes and met hers, his expression pure agony. “Did you kill Queen Linette and Princess Aveline?”
Her breath left her lungs. She was more stunned than if he’d slapped her. For several moments, all she could do was stare. Suspicion crawled up her spine, raking claws through her heart. “How long have you known?”
He paled. “You did it then.”
She took a step back, a spike of fury sending heat to her cheeks. “No, of course I didn’t.”
His eyes narrowed as he watched her, his arms stiff at his side. Berol too stared from her perch on his shoulder, wings slightly lifted. Teryn’s fingers flinched, a subtle movement toward his sheathed sword. She went to reach for her bow only to realize she’d already wrapped her hand around it. When had she done that? Suddenly she understoodthatwas why his posture was suddenly defensive—becauseshe’dreached for a weapon first. And yet he kept his hand open at his side, ready to fight should it come to that, but not willing to make the first move.
It was almost painful to force her hand away from her bow, to ball her fingers into fists. As soon as she did, Teryn visibly relaxed. Berol ruffled her feathers and nestled back down.
“I was framed,” she said, voice quavering with restraint, “by Duke Morkai.”
His eyes went wide. “The man orchestrating the hunt for unicorns? He framed you for murder?”
She nodded.
“So, what you’re doing with the unicorns, with the hunters. It’s…personal.”
Another nod.
He studied her again, and she could feel the doubt pouring off of him. Of course he wouldn’t believe her. How could anyone take the word of a poison-wielding witch over one of the most powerful men in Khero?
She waited for him to react. To ask her to prove her innocence. To sneer, argue, or condemn.
But he didn’t.
“All right,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Then once more, clearer, louder. “All right. Then it’s even more important that we leave at once.” Without another word, he stormed off.
