Thorne’s gaze flicked to me, steady. “It names you the lateking’s assassin and a traitor to the Autumn crown. The bounty is impressively high. Dead or alive.”
Amanti swore softly.
My pulse thudded in my throat, too fast, too loud. “So, I have the Autumn Court on one side,” I said, voice strangely unruffled, “and Heliconia on the other.”
“And us in the middle,” Thorne said.
“Lucky us,” Keres said.
“Does that mean…” I swallowed the emotion that wanted to rise. “Will Rydian be ordered to look for me? As the king’s soldier, won’t he be tasked with retrieving the bounty?—”
“Rydian will not return to this place,” Thorne said, and the finality in his words suggested something more than just an assurance I wouldn’t be hunted down for my crime.
Daegel’s tone gentled. “There’s more.” He tipped his chin toward my hands. “Autumn’s proclamation named the weapon that killed Duron as your furyfire. The realm knows what you are now. And where your gifts come from.”
A laugh scraped out of me, ugly and small. “Great. I’m sure I’ll be welcomed anywhere I go now that all of Menryth knows I’m Hel’s Chosen One.”
So much for torturing me for secrets. It seemed they were all out in the open now, thanks to my recklessness.
Keres stepped closer. Not coddling. Braced. “So, embrace it. Become what they fear.”
“Easy for you to say,” I said in a hard voice. This female, whom Amanti seemed so fond of, had been less than welcoming since the moment she’d walked in. I wasn’t in the mood for any more of her snarky comments. “You don’t have the weight of the realm on your shoulders. Nor are you being hunted by an entire army made from the dark queen’s stolen power.”
“No, instead, we’re risking our own necks by offering you refuge. If you’re caught, we’ll be targeted now too.”
I scowled. “No one asked you to do that.”
“Rydian asked,” she snapped. The way she’d said his name—like she knew him well, maybe even intimately—grated on parts of me I didn’t want to admit. “Apparently, he cares about you. Maybe more than you care about yourself. Or the realm you were chosen to protect.”
“How dare you?” I said. “You don’t know anything about me or what I care about. And despite what Rydian says, I can take care of myself.”
“Prove it,” she said, smirking in a way that had me wanting to rip the expression off her pretty, scarred face.
“Don’t tempt me,” I snarled.
“Keres,” Thorne said with a sigh. “This isn’t the time.”
“I’m serious,” Keres said. She nodded toward the front door. “You want to be free of us? This is how. Train. Learn to wield your magic. Control it. When you don’t need our protection anymore, we’ll go our separate ways.”
“Keres,” Daegel warned, but a look from her cut him off.
“She has to stand on her own,” Keres said, pinning me with a measuring look.
Daegel hesitated but then nodded.
“What do you say?” Amanti asked quietly. “Will you stay and train with us?”
No one said anything, all of them waiting for my response. Part of me wanted to refuse. They’d taken me against my will—kidnapped, not rescued, I didn’t care what they tried to call it—and drugged me for days. Keres obviously hated me and, in this moment, the feeling was mutual. But I couldn’t walk away from Amanti. Not after losing Lesha and Sonoma. For better or worse, she was the only family I had left.
Besides, the entire realm knew I wielded the power of the Furiosities. Where could I go that was safe now?
“I’ll stay,” I said at last, the words rough as gravel. “For you, Amanti. Not for your queen.” I didn’t even let myselflook at Keres as I added, “Not for any of them. For you, I’ll stay. For now.”
Daegel breathed an audiblesigh.
Thorne slapped Daegel’s shoulder and said, “See, Keres? And you thought we’d have to tie her up.”
Chapter Five
