“Just a dream,” I mumbled, staring at our interlocked hands sitting on top of the blanket.
In a chair next to Riven, Orin’s long legs stretched out with his head tilted to the side, his mouth parted in the depth of sleep.
Then it hit me.
Memories invaded my head like the dead clawing their way out of a shallow grave, unwilling to stay buried. The sound of choking. Initiates drowning on dry land atmyhands. Did someone see me wield water? If they had, why was I not dead?
A merciless shudder tore through my body. I grabbed my aching head with my free hand.
Shame crawled up my throat, thick and bitter.I’m a monster.
But before I could drown in it, Riven cut through my internal panic. “It’s alright, Lyra.” His voice was soft, soothing.
My gaze remained ensnared on his fingers intertwined with mine, a strange feeling of familiarity settling into my stomach. If I met Riven’s gaze, I was certain disgust would meet me.
“It’s our little secret, okay?” he said in a hushed tone, sensing where my thoughts had gone.
“Why?” I asked cautiously. Why would he protect me? We had all been told the same thing. Anyone who wields water was too dangerous to be kept alive. I needed to be killed for the greater good. Because the estranged Gods deemed me a threat.
“I’m not going to let them kill you, Lyra.” His voice had turned darker, not one drop of amusement laced his tone. My eyes shot to him. His dark grey eyes were already watching me with an intensity I didn’t realise he was capable of. Those strange amber flecks seemed almost alive, like rays of sunshine tearing through storm clouds. He leant forward, his voice a soft whisper that sent a strange warmth through my stomach. “I can get you out of here, take you somewhere you can be safe.”
Did such a place even exist? We were on an island surrounded by cursed seas filled with vicious beasts. Running away was impossible.
“Aren’t we bound by the Ascension to be Iron Guards until we die?” I asked. The magic that had torn its way through me on that altar was binding.
He gave me a knowing half smirk. “I have a way around that.”
I considered it for a moment. They would kill me the moment they realised I could yield water, a fate I would have embraced a few days ago.
But a small, stubborn part of me wanted to live simply because the Gods had decided I should die, just to spite them.
I almost agreed. The words hovered on my tongue, heavy and tempting.
My gaze drifted to Orin. His red hair had fallen across his brow, his face unguarded in sleep, stripped of command and fury.
I wanted to believe that if it came to it, he would protect me. He would help me hide.
“I can’t,” I whispered. Riven gave me a mischievous smirk and squeezed my hand softly. “Tell lover boy over there that it was Roman and watch what happens. My guess is you will want to run away with me after that.”
The power inside me withered beneath my skin, threatening to spill free. I couldn’t tell if the uneasiness curling in my stomach wanted me to take Riven’s hand and run or stay.
Honestly, I didn’t know which fate frightened me more.
“Why try to help me? Riven, I’m a monster.”
He didn’t flinch at my words. Didn’t recoil.Instead, his face softened, a breathy chuckle escaped him as his usual amusement settled back into his eyes.
“You’re not a monster, Lyra.” He shook his head, eyelashes brushing his cheek as he looked down at me. “People have a nasty habit of fearing what they don’t understand.”
My breath stalled in my throat. He wasn’t afraid of me. My eyes flicked to his lips, inches from my face. Gods, all I had to do was lean forwards. One small movement and his lips would be against mine. He was offering to save me, even though I had almost killed him.
“Riven, I... I nearly… I wanted to…”
“Whatever it is you were going to do, you didn’t.” His expression shifted, darkening. “And even if you did…” He trailed off, eyes dipping to my lips and his voice dipped lower, huskier. “I was completely under your spell. You could have shoved a blade into my gut, and I would have thanked you for it and then kissed the ground you walked on.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. His fingers flexed in my hand as if fighting the urge to close the distance between us.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. He chuckled under his breath, letting go of my hand and sitting back in his chair.
Before I could protest, Orin stirred and sat up. His sleep blurred eyes scanned me for injuries. His gaze softened for a moment, reminding me of the guard I once loved before the hard lines of anger returned to his face. “I thought you were dead!”
