“We both know it does,Lora.He wanted to remain anonymous, but I think you have a right to know. Let’s see, how to describe him…? Tall, dark, curly hair, haunting blue eyes…ring a bell?” Lora couldn’t help the shock crossing over her face as her head spun. “So you do know him. Betrayal hurts, doesn’t it? Who was he to you? A friend? Business partner?”
Lora met his eyes. A storm was brewing inside her. “Even if I did know whoever you’re talking about, he lied. I’m no one special.”
With a grin on his face, Saydren waved a hand as if her insistence was ridiculous. “None of the above, then? A lover’s quarrel?”
Lora shot to her feet. “I’m done here.”
Eyden couldn’t have done this. Hewouldn’t.But who else could have given Saydren her name? Eyden was the only one who knew she was coming here besides Elyssa.
The guards drew closer. The unknowing fae around them were taking notice now. Lora took a step back as she willed the fire in her to respond. She could feel her skin burning, but it was like an ember trying desperately to catch fire. Her panic was smothering the flames.
“I wasn’t aware I gave you an option. You’re coming to the palace, Lora. Willingly or not,” Saydren said, pushing back his chair as he nodded at the guards approaching them.
Lora sped through her options. There were three guards in front of her and one somewhere in the back. She was more than outnumbered. If they took her, would she become another name in Eyden’s notebook? Would she merely be another person who vanished in this town? Would her family ever know what happened to her?
Riding the adrenaline pumping in her veins, Lora turned to run. She barely made it one step before air magic dragged her feet backwards and then a firm hand squeezed her arm. She looked up into the violent eyes of the guard.
Anger won over fear and suddenly the fire in her veins took form. In a matter of seconds, flames travelled up the guard’s arm. As his hold broke, Lora scrambled back quickly, almost tripping over her own feet. She blindly threw fire behind her as she ran to the kitchen door. Fae were screaming around her. Lora ignored their surprised faces as she forced her way through the crowd. The wound on her stomach strained, but she pushed on anyway.
The kitchen door was unguarded now. Behind her, the sound of chaos followed on her heels. Lora looked over her shoulder, prepared to throw more fire, but the guards were still trying to get through the flames. She didn’t have much time, but enough to get out of here.
Relieved, Lora turned back to the door and stopped cold as she came face to face with the sharp end of a sword. The guard holding the weapon moved forward and his blade grazed her throat. “I wouldn’t move if I were you,” he said.
Something about him was familiar, but Lora couldn’t think much about it. All she could focus on was the cold, sharp steel against her skin. She needed to get the hell out of here. But could she act fast enough without getting her throat cut? The pressure of the blade spread through her, keeping at bay the fire that had been longing to come out only a second ago.
“Good job, Layken,” another guard said as he drew closer. Lora was still frozen in place, quietly panicking. The guard grabbed her arms and shackled her hands in front of her quicker than she could track. Only then did Layken lower his sword.
The constant simmer of power under her skin vanished almost completely, making it hard for her to breathe. She knew it was there, but it felt as if it was buried too deep to access. Lora took in the red glint of the silver shackles binding her.Almandine.This is what it felt like to have her power taken from her by force. Like a part of her was hollow, missing. She’d lived without it for most her life, yet the loss hit her surprisingly hard.
Lora had lost so much already. She didn’t face the fae world and unleash her own powers just to end up a forgotten face in history who accomplished nothing. This couldn’t be the end. Her family was still counting on her. She refused to let the fae win—let whoever had set her up win.
Maybe Elyssa was right again. Maybe vengeance was burnt into everyone. And maybe it served its purpose now, keeping Lora from falling apart.
“Well, that was quite a show,” Saydren said. “I’m sure Karwyn will be thrilled to hear about your talents.”
Lora met his gaze as the guards pushed her forward to the front door. All the anger and fire she couldn’t let out gathered in her eyes. When Saydren looked away, seeming unsettled by what he saw in her gaze, she almost smiled.
They might have captured her, but she refused to be another forgotten victim of the king.
Chapter58
Elyssa
Perched on the flat roof across the street from the bar, Elyssa kept her eyes on the entrance. Guards had followed Lora into the bar and Elyssa was on edge. But there could be many reasons for their presence. Elyssa didn’t want to make a scene and draw unnecessary attention. Her hand opened and closed around an arrow. Her bow was ready to strike. It took all her willpower to observe silently from afar.
She scanned her surroundings, making sure no other guards were approaching. It was getting darker, making it harder to see the street. Thankfully, the street lamps provided enough light to illuminate the entrance area of the bar. She couldn’t really see into the bar as she was too high up. There were few things Elyssa hated more than not being able to see. She relied heavily on sight since her hearing wasn’t strong.
She looked to the alley next to the building and her eyes landed on a cloaked figure. The person stood pressed against the wall, keeping to the shadows while peeking through the window on the side. Somehow, they had managed to stay out of Elyssa’s line of sight until now. Elyssa couldn’t see their face, as it was hidden by the hood of their cloak, but they seemed invested in whatever was happening inside.
Elyssa drew an arrow and pointed it straight at the person. Interest could be dangerous. If they showed their hands and appeared to be a danger to her friend, Elyssa would be ready.
Suddenly, the figure shifted from the window. The hurried step made her hood slip half from her head. Long dark locks of hair spilled out from her cloak. Her face appeared shocked, angered, yet it did nothing to diminish her beauty. The mystery girl moved forward, glancing around the alley. It was hard to tell from her place on the roof, but Elyssa could swear she saw fear take over the girl’s face.
Alarmed, Elyssa turned from the intriguing girl. A carriage was heading in their direction, steered by a fae dressed in a guard’s uniform. She could hear it now, the noise of the wheels against the ground as they neared the bar. She wouldn’t have been able to tell where the sound originated from if she didn’t have a clear view of the scene.
The carriage stopped in front of the bar and Elyssa held her breath. This was a very bad sign. First the guards and now this. She’d never seen Saydren take a carriage back to the palace. Why the hell was it here?
Before she could act, the door to the bar opened and two guards led Lora outside. She was shackled. A bag covered her face, but Elyssa recognised her friend. Saydren followed behind, commanding the guards. What in Liraen was going on?
