“Heliconia has already done that. And now, the Furiosities are the only gods left to protect us. They chose her.”
“They don’t choose for me,” he sneered, and I considered letting my shadows loose after all.
Eirnan snapped an order for him to walk away, and Brist reluctantly obeyed, muttering something under his breath about demons and fools. The rest of the men dispersed in his wake, the tension bleeding into the shadows.
Slade rose as I stalked back to my own fire.
“Well,” he said quietly, “that went better than I thought. No bloodshed. Barely even yelling. Proud of you.”
“Keep an eye on them,” I said. “If they start whispering again, I want to know.”
“On it,” Slade said. “You want Daegel with me?”
I nodded. “His shadows will keep you out of sight while you listen.”
Slade grinned. “And he’s less likely to kill one of these fools for insulting our queen.”
Our queen.
I jolted at that.
Slade winked knowingly. Then he clapped my shoulder and wandered off.
I turned to Thorne, who’d been keeping his distance, sharpening a blade but not missing a word, where he leaned against the stone wall. He was stronger here, closer to the land and its powerful ley lines. That strength was what we needed now.
“Stay close to Aurelia the next few days,” I said. “Don’t tell her about this—not yet.”
He nodded once. “If they try anything?”
“They won’t.” I met his eyes. “But if they do, better you stop them before I do.”
He inclined his head and disappeared down the passage.
I stayed where I was, watching the shadows shift and breathe around the firelight. My pulse still hadn’t slowed.
I’d nearly lost her once today—saw the blood on her arm, the way her knees buckled when the poison hit. For a heartbeat, I’d believed she was dying, and it had hollowed me out.
Then I’d felt her take in the life force of the dying serpent, healing her wounds in the process. And all I could feel was relief. Relief that she was alive, that her gods-given power had saved her when mine hadn’t been quick enough.
The Withered saw darkness in her. I saw the only light left in this realm.
The flames guttered, shrinking low. I stared into them and whispered to the fire, to the gods, to whoever might still be listening.
“Let them doubt her,” I murmured. “But if they touch her, I’ll kill them all.”
The shadows around me shifted, almost likean answer.
And somewhere in the distance, I felt her flame pulse—warm and steady as a heartbeat.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Aurelia
The fresh spring was small, hidden behind a split in the rock that most of the others had passed without noticing. I’d only found it because I’d gone looking for a discreet place to relieve myself. Instead, I’d found a rounded pool big enough for two, filled with crystal clear water.
Keres stood behind me, torchlight painting her in amber. “Do we need to worry about serpents?”
“I think it’s safe to say it’s just us,” I said. “Look. You can see all the way to the bottom.”
