I sense her irritation, but I do not care. I do not answer to the Royal Stars.
The flavor of salted honey blooms on my tongue, and I quell the instant clamor of the darkness humming a thunderous chant in my veins. My shadows might crave the star in their night sky, but I cannot afford to be weak... not now.
Not ever.
Chapter Ten
My breaths come in shallow bursts, the feeling of sentience crawling beneath my skin almost too strange to bear. Has it been inside of me all this time? Slumbering like the crone had said? Though the creature has calmed—thank the stars, or perhaps not, since they are to blame for all of this magic in the first place—I can still feel its power swirling like a restless tide.
Watching and waiting...
“We’re on your side,” I hear Roshan say, once he’s sure that I have myself under control. He gestures to his uniform and the rank stripe on his arm. “New cadets who got separated from our unit.”
“Which unit?” the man behind me says.
“Redpoint,” Roshan says confidently, and I frown at the ready reply. How does he know what to say? The answer is immediate: he’s a prince with an army of intelligence behind him—of course he would be familiar with the crown’s biggest enemy.
“Under Captain Swift?”
Roshan lifts his brows with cool composure. “Captain Sattari, actually.”
After a moment, the man beside him spits and lowers his weapon. “Good. You can explain what happened to the rest of your unit to him. And if you’re lying... well, we’ll be in the middle of the Dustlands, and the Scavs love fresh meat...” His smile is ugly as he trails off, his meaning clear: if we aren’t who we say we are, we’re Scav food.
He gestures for Roshan to join me, and I exhale in relief while the man behind me disappears into the stables to procure a horse. Once the mare is bridled and hitched, the carriage jerks forward at a rough pace, and soon the smoking citadel disappears from view.
Roshan and I sit on the back bench under the watchful eye of one of the men while the other drives. They might believe us—but they’re not stupid enough to take chances.
I have to admit, the uniforms had been a lucky touch. Without them, it would have been a lot harder to convince the men we’re with the rebellion. It’s a good cover, one that will hopefully keep us from being separated if our captors don’t decide to kill and dump us in the Scav-ridden Dustlands.
Roshan reaches over and briefly squeezes my hand as we sit in silence. “What do you think is going to happen to us?” I whisper.
Shadowed brown eyes meet mine. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Will they execute us? Or leave us out here?” My heart pounds as my throat tightens. Whatever is inside me hasn’t abated; it’s only biding its time. I clench my fists together as I feel my palms tingle. “I’m scared. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Roshan sidles closer on the seat. “You won’t. I’m here. We’ll get through this together.” I stare at him. Something flashes across his face that looks strangely like contrition, or maybe it’s regret that we’re now trapped here. He glances up. Neither of the men is looking at us.
Gentle fingers lift to brush the hair out of my face. The touch is oddly tender, and I lean into it, desperate for anything to counter my internal paralysis. The soft strokes over my hair soothe my fear.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
“I feel like I can’t breathe,” I whisper. “Like I can’t get any air into my lungs no matter what I do.”
“You’re in delayed shock. Here, let me.”
To my surprise, he shifts noiselessly and pulls me between the bands of his arms, nearly wrapping his whole upper body around me. My body tenses at the feel of him enveloping me, but after a moment, I relax, my face resting against his firm chest. Roshan is all sinewy planes and sculpted contours, and I fit perfectly against him, my softer curves melting into his harder angles. His heartbeat is slow and steady beneath my cheek.
Solid. Comforting.
“Slow your breathing,” he instructs. “Start at your toes and connect to each muscle in your body as you work your way up.”
My hands lift to steal around his waist as I do as he says. The rhythmic pulse beneath me accelerates, and his arms cinch tighter, his head dropping down to rest on mine until I’m practically blanketed by him. Cocooned in safety. My heart is battering my rib cage so hard, I’m surprised he can’t feel it. Or maybe he can.
After what seems like an eternity, Roshan tips my chin up, his thumb brushing my jaw. “Better?”
Breaking the connection, I sigh softly. “Much. Thank you. I needed that.”
“You’re welcome.” With an indecipherable look, he shifts away to sit alongside me once more, and I miss the loss of his strength more than I care to admit. “Try to meditate if you can. Calm your mind. If they were going to kill us, they would have already. We’re safe for now, I promise. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”
