“And what good is any of that if you can’t exercisebasic strategic patience?” I countered, stepping closer until we were face to face. “You constantly undermine our long-term plans with your need for immediate gratification.”
“And you undermine our power with your endless hesitation,” she hissed. “Those bastardsshouldfear us. Serafinashouldbe suffering right now. Instead, you’re up here, drinking and thinking and doing absolutely nothing.”
I didn’t raise my voice. I didn’t need to.
“When I strike, Eluned, I make sure my enemies fall. I don’t give them warning shots. I don’t alert them to my presence. And I certainly don’t rush into their stronghold when they’re at their most vigilant.”
“You’re not astrategist,” she said, her words dripping with contempt. “You’re just afraid. Afraid they’re stronger than you.”
“I’m observant. And you’re not brave. You’rereckless.” I felt my fingers curl into fists, nails biting into my palms. “How many times has Mother pulled you out of the fire recently? Three? Four? That incident with the fairies in Traverse City comes to mind.”
“Low blow.” Her cheeks flushed poppy-red.
“Accurateblow. You’d have us charge into battle because it tingles your nerves. I prefer victories that don’t end with your entrails decorating some backwoods tree.”
“At least I’m not still crying over losing Mother’s favorite—”
“Finish that sentence,” I whispered, “and I’ll sew your lips shut with spidergrim silk.”
The tension between us had never felt so palpable, an actual force pushing us apart even as we stood mere inches from each other. For eighteen years, we’d moved as paired blades, her flourish balancing my precision. Now her edge turned toward my throat.
“You didn’t use to hesitate,” she accused.
“You didn’t used to ignore plans. We had one task today. Test their defenses. Not indulge your theatrics.” My words died mid-snarl.
Our heads snapped toward the eastern window simultaneously, twin tuning forks vibrating to the same discordant note. The last of our curse had just unraveled.
W o r t h l e s s
That word.
Thatword!
One I hadn’t authorized.
One I’dexplicitly forbidden.
I went rigid as Eluned’s smirk bloomed like a bloodstain.
“What. Did. You. Do?” Each word fell from my lips like a stone.
“Whatyouwouldn’t. I made it personal. I wanted her to know exactly who was coming for her.”
“You idiot.Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” I stalked toward her. “If Serafina heard that, and she most likely did, sheknowsit was us now. Not some random attack, not some general threat. She knows we can reach her, even on Evermere’s grounds.”
“So what?” She shrugged. Actuallyshrugged.
“So what?” My voice was deadly quiet now. “We’re no longer striking from the shadows. We’re targets. We’ve revealed our hand before we’re ready to play it.”
“Let them come. We’ll melt their fangs into napkin rings.” She spread her arms wide. “I’m not afraid of them.”
“Your fearlessness would be admirable if it weren’t so profoundly stupid,” I seethed. “This isn’t aboutcourage. It’s aboutwinning. And you’ve just made that significantly harder.”
I clenched my fists, digging my nails deeper into my palms to keep from slapping her. Eluned had always been impulsive, but this was beyond impulsive. It was sabotage. Whether she realized it or not, she’d compromised everything we’d been working toward.
“You know what?” Her voice hardened. “I’m sick of your caution, your hesitation, your endless planning. While you’re still drawing maps,I’mtaking territory.”
“Territory you can’t hold!”
