“So we allow the rebels?” I pulled myself up into the saddle.
“Rebels, no… malcontents, yes.”
I pointed over my shoulder. “So those were rebels.”
“They didn’t want to listen to the magic, so yes. Rebels.”
“And the ones who tried to kidnap me?”
“Malcontents. Challengers. Good for S’Kir.” He legged up onto his horse. “Good for us, too.”
“What about the rest of these rebels?”
Rilen chewed on his lip. “They’ll be dealt with.”
“Beheaded?”
Rilen gripped the reins of the horse. “That’s not for me to decide.”
With a flick of his wrist, his mount took off following the low light he’d created to lead us out of the woods.
I followed, not nearly as fast or as enthusiastic as his horse.
I looked down at the beautiful sword clanging against my leg. It had never been sullied by blood. A thousand years. No one in the Raven family had pulled it to make use of it. Symbolic, dangerous, cold…and clean.
Now, at the temple, if I were charged with bringing down and silencing dangerous rebels, it would taste blood.
Its first taste could very well be that of Elex’s.
* * *
Roran and Tymon stood in front of the apartment door, arms folded.
I hissed, and grumped, and folded my arms as well. “I’m deliriously tired, you two. Please, just let me in to sleep.”
Tymon shook his head. “No. These are no longer your apartments. You’re being moved.”
“Everything I own is in there.”
Lunella stepped out of the rooms and smiled at me.
The smile had too much pity in it. I snarled and whirled away from the three of them. I stomped down the hall to the stairs. I didn’t know if I was going up or down yet, but I was going.
Lunella leapt in front of me.
“I’m sorry.” She grabbed my forearm and pulled me to a stop. “Please, Kimber. I was grabbing your most important things while Rilen and Sona set up the move. I shouldn’t have…”
“Don’t ever lend me pity,” I snapped. Softening in the next second, I could feel the tears in my eyes. “Just, please. My nightgown and a bed. That’s all I ask at this point.”
Guiding me back with her hand still on my arm, Tymon was holding out a bag. “Mistress Kimber, my lady assures me this is full of your most critical pieces of personal items. As soon as Rilen and Sona are back, we’ll have all of your personal effects moved.”
“Why are we moving me? I need some stability right now since I feel like I’m losing my mind and climbing out of my skin.”
“This is where Elex knows you live,” Tymon said. “And we can’t allow him near you again, just in case he knows that we have discovered his betrayal.”
“Where am I moving?”
“You will be sharing the hall with Master Dorian,” Roran said. “The apartments next to his.”
