I adjust the small barrel in my hands, bracing it partly on my hip bone, while I consider our options. Fighting our way inside would be problematic. Both because Alistair won’t be able to use his fire magic without the risk of the barrels blowing up, but also because all the humans we have with us are so fragile. If they get hurt, it takes them a very long time to recover, and some wounds don’t even heal properly for them.
“You can show people someone else’s memories,” I begin, glancing to Orion.
It’s more of a statement than a question, since I’veexperienced it more than once, but he still nods in confirmation. “As long as they’re physically close.”
“There must be lots of people here who have bad memories from…” I hesitate, casting a quick look at the rebels around us, “when the humans attacked the castle last year. Can you show those memories to the people up there now? Preferably in short but repeating flashes, so that they think it’s happening right now. And then I can amplify that with my magic.”
He stares at me, eyebrows raised. “That’s… actually very clever.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Wanna try that again without the tone of surprise?”
A short laugh rips from his throat before he snaps his mouth shut. Cocking his head, he levels a sly look on me and clicks his tongue. “Careful now, or I might actually start to think we’re friends.”
“I thought we already were friends.”
He blinks, looking genuinely caught off guard. I just look back at him with my eyebrows slightly creased in confusion, since I did mean that sincerely.
“Did you seriously think we’re not friends?” Alistair presses, a scowl on his face. “Now, I’m actually insulted. Why else do you think I’ve been giving you ridiculous nicknames likesqueamy? I don’t do that for just anyone, you know.”
“Uhm…” is all Orion manages to reply.
He looks from me to Alistair, and his black and silver eye is wide with both disbelief and a heartbreaking sense of hope. And I know why. I remember him telling me earlier that he has never had friends before. Since his goal was always to claim and then keep the title of Unseelie King, he has never been able to trust anyone.
Orion has never trusted anyone else before.
Isera has never trusted anyone else before.
Alistair has never trusted anyone else before.
And no one has ever trusted me before.
But after everything we’ve been through, we have somehow all come to trust each other.
“I hate to interrupt what sounds like a very heartfelt moment,” Kyler drawls in a voice that suggests that he isn’t really sorry at all. “But these barrels are getting heavy. You said you had a plan?”
Orion quickly wipes the expression off his face and clears his throat. Then he shoots Kyler a haughty look and declares, “One does not rush a king.” After clearing his throat yet again, he seems to finally compose himself fully. “But yes, we have a plan. I need to be closer, though.”
“Alright, so we start moving to the different underground tunnels you mentioned,” Kath picks up. “We need to split up anyway to reach them all.”
I nod. “Alistair and I will?—”
“No,” Orion interrupts. His gaze is hard as he sweeps it over me, Isera, and Alistair. “The four of us do not split up.”
“Why not?” I ask, perplexed.
“Because Draven begged me to keep you all safe.”
“You mean heorderedyou,” Isera adds, a sly smirk ghosting across her mouth.
“He saidplease.”
“No, he didn’t,” Alistair comments. “I was there too, remember?”
“Fine. But he did ask. Which, coming from Draven, is practically the same as begging.”
“Uhm…” Alistair tips his head from side to side. “Not sure he evenaskedeither.”
“Regardless,” the Unseelie King grinds out, and pinches the bridge of his nose for a second as if trying to hold on to his patience. “We do not split up.”
