“Hmm,” Killian pondered aloud. “I was hoping it would bounce back, and we’d have a shot at Lazarus taking himself out.But I suppose it’s better if Manny and I are going to be inside the circle as well. Less chance of ricochet.”
He said it so casually. Elyse whirled to face him.
“You and Manny—inside the circle?”
“Of course,” Manny called. “What do you think all this training has been for? To sit in the stands and watch?”
“No, but—” Elyse sputtered, grasping at a way to tell Killian “No” without actually forbidding it. She couldn't fully protect him—or Manny—if they were inside the circle without her.
“Are you…” Killian began, cocking a brow and smirking. “Are you worried for me?”
“Of course I am, you nitwit!” she shouted back, slamming her hands into his chest. He was a wall that hardly moved. “The other day you let Manny knock you out.Manny,” she emphasized.
“To be fair, I was having a phenomenal day,” Manny added from behind her.
Killian’s smile was broad as he placed his hands on Elyse’s upper arms. “It’ll be okay. Let’s just step outside the circle—” He slid the toe of his boot across the salt, breaking the barrier. As soon as he did, a warmth floated through Elyse, and her fingers & toes began to tingle. “—and we'll calmly discuss it until we decide on a plan that makes everyone happy.” He held out his arm over the broken salt as if he were holding open a door, and continued to grin at her.
“Fine,” Elype huffed. She stepped directly onto the salt, its power now useless, and stomped over to the table where they’d been studying before.
With an enthusiasm that had been absent for weeks, their team sat down to form a plan. And no one, not once, commented on Elyse’s true heritage.
As Elyse watched her friends scheme ways to take down Lazarus, she realized she was blessed, not cursed. That was the truth of it.
33
Elyse
The carriage rattled as it crept up the enormous hill back to the estate, but Elyse hardly noticed. She was riding the high of visiting the library. She could still feel the tantalizing sensation of bound leather on her fingertips. Could still hear the gratifying whump that accompanied a stack of books landing on top of a table.
The stated purpose of the visit had been to return the stash of books they’d borrowed. Truthfully, it would’ve been easy for the servants to handle the task. For Elyse, and she suspected for the others, the journey to the library had been more than an errand. For the few hours they were there, she had experienced much-needed tranquility. The dusty scent of paper and leather had been therapeutic, helping to subtly erase the pain that still lingered. Something about watching the librarians going abouttheir work had soothed her as well. It was a reminder, harsh yet comforting, that life was going on without Privya.
It seemed that Corin and Nina had enjoyed the visit as well. Nina had been especially entranced by the grand skylight, while Corin had adored standing at the top of the mezzanine and watching the bustle below. They’d whispered to each other about various books that excited them. Camille had even let them borrow a few.
Reluctantly, they had all piled back in the carriages. Sera, Manny, and Camille had taken one carriage with plans to stick around town. Elyse had watched them drive away, grateful that Sera no longer seemed to be drowning in melancholy. Then she’d settled into the other carriage along with Killian, Nina, and Corin, and let her happiness wash over her. It was strange to do so, in the wake of Privya’s death, days away from facing a powerful demon who was determined to tear the continent apart. But if these were her last days with her friends, she would enjoy every moment of them.
Killian sat beside her with a hand resting on her knee. He’d been more doting the past few days, ever since her demonic heritage had been confirmed. To Elyse’s surprise, she liked the added affection. If it had been anyone else, she might have cut off their head—verbally or literally. But with Killian, she enjoyed how he stayed near her, ready to offer a listening ear or even a calming presence. And he’d been more than willing to let her blow off steam while training, allowing her to blast him with her magic.
“We’re slowing down,” Killian noted.
Indeed, the carriage had decelerated, but they were still roughly a mile from Sera’s parents’ house.
Corin peered out the slits of the window with furrowed brows. “What in the gods’ names?”
Nina, Killian, and Elyse scrambled to get a look, cramming together on the same side of the carriage. A group of people marched along the side of the road, all with rucksacks. They were still a good fifty yards ahead, but even from a distance Elyse could guess that they were related, or at least from the same region. Each had long dark hair and tanned skin, and the same lean frame.
“Where are they going?” Nina muttered. “Isn’t this road private?”
Elyse had been wondering the same thing. This far out, the road led to a handful of estates and then stopped. Whoever these nomads were, they had to be nearing their destination.
Suddenly, Killian was opening the door, unfazed as the carriage continued to move. The way he sprang into action had Elyse summoning her magic, ready to react to danger. But as Killian leapt from the carriage, his broad grin only confused her.
Killian took off at a run for the group, leaving Elyse to jog after him. The driver, having noticed he was missing a few passengers, rolled to a stop and let Corin and Nina out to follow along after.
“Hey!” Killian shouted, waving his arms.
A few of the group members glanced back at him, but they continued walking on. Elyse didn’t blame them—he looked crazed.
“Zubir!” Killian called.
