“We need her on our side. I thought she should see what her king has truly been up to. How he has brought destruction and destroyed a generation of girls. What he did to our mother…”
I swiped a lock of hair away from my brow, my eyes unseeing as my mind churned—creating scenarios, predicting outcomes, daring to hope. “Fine, I’ll speak with her. Please notify me as soon as she awakens.” I stood, gripping her shoulder. “Thank you, Xuri.”
“Of course. But…”
I glanced up at her, my focus sharpened at her cautionary tone.
“She’s been trained as an elite soldier, fully indoctrinated. The Liberation is depending on you to free us from Nolan’s power. My memories might help her to see the truth, or she might view them as a ploy to convince her to join our side. Stay on your guard with her. She might be the one to lead us to a cure, to getting rid of the veil, but she should be nothing more than that.”
I bristled at her directive. I could make up my own mind. Destroying the king, and thus the darkness, was my only focus. I offered a terse nod before turning on my heel.
She called herself Rue,an uncommon name and one I felt confident wasn’t her given name.
I curled my fingers inward, the comforting weight of my black titanium rings cutting into my circulation.
I scowled at the thought of her having gotten so close to Korin. But she had put herself in danger in order to protect the endearing land wielder. Shadows seeped out of my knuckles.Foka,I didn’t trust her at all, but if she could aid us in finding a cure… I shook my head at the mere idea of it. Ludicrous.
The thought chipped away at me. If there stood a glimmer of a chance…
I stalked my way across Aphellion, leaving the common areas behind. The bustle of the dining hall and elixist gardens faded. A breeze whispered down from the mountains to the west, colliding with the humid air from the Lyraean waterways.
The healers’ buildings came into view, their white limestone almost blinding in the afternoon sun. Without blemish, thehewn stone stood proudly, the healers’ magic mending even the rocks used to house them and their patients.
The door remained shut and I debated knocking. After a beat, I opted not to. Respect was earned, and I hadn’t decided if she leaned more prisoner or ally. The door swung open and I filled the threshold, hardening my gaze, even as my eyes adjusted from the blinding light of day to the dim glow of her room. My anger churned with suspicion, barely restrained.
Rue turned toward me, eyes widening. She lay ensconced in her bed. The light-blue coverlet scrunched haphazardly at her waist. The thin tunic provided by the healers barely concealed her small frame. Her white hair fell in ripples over one shoulder, exposing the area of her neck where the Surveille parasite was extracted, now nearly healed. Fading bruises diffused across her skin.
She adjusted her body in an attempt to sit upright. I watched her cover a wince with the movement, then brought up the blanket as if to shield herself from me.
Good. Let her feel fear.
As I drew closer, she subtly tensed, steeling herself. Her face remained carefully blank as she bored into me with arrestingly vibrant eyes. In expectation. In challenge. She lifted her chin, radiating a resolute strength. Well, damn. Her eyes were the strangest shade of blue, almost purple. Perhaps a trick of the low lighting? I released my shadows, banking my curiosity. A quiet threat.
Clearing my throat, I leaned against a dresser, its frame creaking in protest. “Seems you were in the right place at the right time.” My words emerged flat. A slight shrug her only response. “We keep running into each other. What brought you to Yarit?” I shrewdly assessed her every movement.
She tensed, but didn’t flinch, her expression unmoved. Her ongoing silence spurred me onward.
“Did you summon the drekis that entered this realm? The Scourge?” I stalked forward a step, letting my size fill the space, allowing my metal affinity to rattle the iron shutters on the walls.
Her shoulders slumped a notch, and she avoided my gaze. “Iwasa part of the Scourge. Obviously, I’m not anymore.” The last part came out as a whispered afterthought. She took in a deep breath, rallying her words, facing me again. “I was sent here to find the Crimson Wolf. Then I did…” Her breath hitched. “And I couldn’t do it. I’ve betrayed my realm.” Her hand absently drifted to her neck as she spoke. It wavered before she dropped it back in her lap.
I tapped my finger on my leg, my rings softlytingingat the movement. I sensed her heart beating rapidly. Her fingers clenched to stifle a tremor, but she spoke truthfully. My mouth opened to ask another question, but she beat me to it.
“I would like to make a bargain.” Those piercing eyes met mine, expectant. Her sharp edges called to my own, a honed warrior in both physique and spirit, and I had the sudden urge to spar. Or take a cold shower. Her gaze fixed like a bolt of electricity—magnetic and unflinching.
“You aren’t in much of a position to do such a thing. And right now, I don’t think you can be trusted. You had a change of heart after meeting Korin? Bravo. And now you’re aligned with the rebellion?” I scoffed. Waves of anger radiated off of me.
“I realize what this looks like,” she forged on. “Which is why I want to strike a deal with you. I’m an elite spy. I can see auras, and weed out traitors, dissenters, liars. I can proficiently wield water. I am willing to help you. King Nolan is not who I thought he was.” She stopped talking, seeking to control the tremble in her voice. Her breath heaved, “In exchange, I would like for me and my sister, Delah, to be given safe passage. Far away from here. Where we cannot be found. King Nolan won’t let melive. And after what Xuri showed me, I don’t want to return to Maripol anyway.”
Surprise warped my thoughts. Her boldness and fear equally prominent as she recognized her bleak situation. I chewed on her words, contemplating. Unconsciously, I resumed drumming the same finger against my leg. She glanced down at the movement and I abruptly stilled. “Thank you for letting Xuri observe your life threads. If it weren’t for that, I would gladly have killed you myself. The safety of my family and my people are paramount. But you might prove very useful to me. And for that, I’ll consider your bargain.”
She nodded once, a tinge of relief softening her brow.
“How do I know you aren’t truly spying for Haluma?”
Indignation prickled and she crossed her arms. “I guess you don’t. Unless you have someone who can pull memories. But I can assure you I am not a dreki. I have not made that trade. I have little else to offer beyond my word, and whatever your oracle saw.” She could throw daggers with that challenging stare. Not many would dare to respond so audaciously. I perked up at her defiance, swiftly chiding the curious beast inside.
But her magic. That’s what really gave me pause. The last water wielder had perished decades ago, and I had no means of reaching the underwater realms without one. But with Ruin, I could gain access to what I desperately needed.
