An ugly silence stretched between them, tension crackling in the air.
Sorsha’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears, and her bottom lip quivered. “I never asked him to —”
“Maybe not. But you’re his sister. There is nothing he wouldn’t do for you. Wouldn’t do foranyof us.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”
Adriel scoffed. “What a selfless princess you are, coming with us to the Great Oak. You didn’t come along to save Kaden or the realm. You were bored with your life at the fort.”
“That’s not true.”
But Adriel jabbed a finger at her chest, his face a mask of angry lines. “You couldn’twaitto get off that island. But you have no fucking clue what’s been going on in your own godsdamned kingdom. No idea what we’re up against.”
Sorsha blinked rapidly, trying not to cry.
“But you don’t care that you’re completely unequipped. That it would be safer for everyone if you stayed behind. You can’t stand to be toldno.”
The princess stared at Adriel as though he’d slapped her, and I suddenly wished that I could be anywhere else.
Part of me wanted to defend Sorsha, but this felt like a private battle between her and the male she’d known all her life.
“Safer?” she hissed, nostrils flaring. “You want to talk about keeping Kadensafe? You’re supposed to be his royal guard. You’re supposed to protect him, and you let him get captured.”
Violence danced in Adriel’s eyes at her accusation, and I braced myself for the storm.
“What good is being my brother’s constant shadow if you can’t even do your job?”
“You think Iwantedto leave him behind?” Adriel hissed, taking another step toward her. “You think I wouldn’t lay down my life for his in a second? It fuckingkilledme to fly out of there without him. But I — was following — orders.”
“Following orders,” Sorsha huffed. “Right. I’m not sure what more I’d expect from theliving statue.”
She spat the last two words at him with such vitriol that I winced.
Adriel just stared at her, fists clenched at his sides. His breathing was low and ragged, and he vibrated with such fury that, for a moment, I thought he might strike her.
But then he loosed a breath, and I watched the fight drain out of him. Hurt flickered behind the mask of rage, and I could tell that her words had broken something inside him.
He pivoted as if he meant to walk away, but the royal guard stopped dead in his tracks. His head lifted, and the corner of his mouth tugged up as he turned back toward the princess.
“What are you smirking at?” Sorsha grumbled, looking unsettled by their argument.
Adriel didn’t answer right away, but a flicker of understanding lit his gaze. He glanced around, taking in the tall trees, the fine silvery mist that hung over the ground, and the lush blanket of moss covering the forest floor. “They’ve found us.”
“Who’s found us?” Sorsha asked as I drew my twin swords.
“The Scolendra. They’re said to sow discord among travelers in the Demon Woods. Destroy camaraderie in a group and fracture trust to make it easier to lure fae from rival courts away from their party.”
“Are you certain?” the princess asked, tossing her blood-crusted braid over one shoulder. “I’m quite sure it was you who said all those vile things.”
“Don’t you understand?” He took a step toward her, bending to bring his head close to hers and pitching his voice low. “The Scolendra cansenseemotions like anger and resentment. The most powerful among them can magnify those feelings and use them to their advantage.”
Sorsha glanced around. “If that’s true, why haven’t they made themselves known?”
“They favor the element of surprise. To drive individuals away from a group and stalk their prey from the shadows.”
“Should we split up?” I asked.
Adriel tilted his head, grimacing as he considered the possibility.
