She’d never forget the look on Talon’s face when he had returned from the battlefield. She couldn’t forget the blood either, or the bodies—Arianna reached for her head. No—bodies? Where had she seen bodies? She couldn’t recall, but they were so clear. So—
Shadows spun through her mind, revealing glimpses of things she thought might be memories. But they were empty. Cold. So different from the ones filled with childhood moments between her, Talon, and Ellie.
But of course they were cold. It was war and death, and destruction. Nothing about it would be warm and inviting.
Her teeth ground together, the thrum in the back of her head threatening to resurface.
“Are you all right?” Zylah’s gentle voice startled Arianna away from her thoughts, slamming her back into the present.
“Fine.”
“You know I can smell a lie just like everyone else.”
“So what?” Arianna bit out, instantly regretting her tone. Zylah just wanted to help, but … did she? Or was this just another ploy meant to waste time? Everyone around her felt like an enemy, like her entire world had been turned upside down.
“What are they doing?” Arianna tried. She imagined the males plotting. Conspiring all the ways they might use her for their own agendas. But … Talon wouldn’t do that. He’d never done that. Right? She gripped her head again. He might now. Everyone had a price. Everyone could be bought.
Zylah waved one hand, unfazed by Arianna’s earlier tone. “Drowning in another bottle of whiskey. Discussing all the horrible shit options we have right now.”
Arianna scrunched her nose in disapproval. “Not sure drinking is going to solve our problems.”
“Not sure it’s going to hurt either,” Zylah countered. “Especially considering our situation.”
“What is our situation?”
Zylah stood and helped Arianna rearrange her pillows so she could sit upright comfortably. “That’s a good question. First things first, you need to finish healing.”
“How long is that going to take?”
Zylah paused. “If it were up to me, you wouldn’t leave this bed for a week, but seeing as it’s you, I’ll relent and let you up in two more days. We need to get those headaches under control and rule out any further head trauma.”
“And then?” Arianna pushed.
“We’ve discussed waking your sister. Talon hopes she’ll be able to travel with us. Raevina is doubtful.”
“I’m not leaving her here.”
Zylah smiled down at her, almost as if Arianna were a child defying the inevitable. “That’s one of the things Talon wants to talk to you about. And before you bite his head off, he’s adamant about not leaving her behind either.”
“And you? What’s your stance?”
Zylah looked away, staring at the floor. “Everything is dangerous for us now. Leaving her is dangerous. She could very well end up right back in Vairik’s hands and create even more of a problem in the long run.” Zylah met her gaze again. “But we also can’t take her kicking and screaming across the continent. We could keep her unconscious, but that carries its own problems, unless, of course you’d allow Rion to—”
“Stop saying his name!” Arianna hadn’t meant to yell. The voices downstairs that had developed into a whispered frenzy all fell silent. She waited, tense, wondering what she might hear next, but she was so tired of hearing that name.
It did something to her, pulled at a raw cord deep in her soul. It grated against her bones, her nerves, setting her teeth on edge. The pain was beyond measure.
The dull thrum returned to her temples, and she rubbed them, trying to keep her head from splitting all over again. She could feel Zylah’s piercing stare. The judgement.
Zylah’s voice was softer when she spoke again. “I have just as much reason to hate him as you. Him and Brónach’s entire people.”
Arianna clenched her teeth, trying to rein in her emotions. Anger quickly turned to despair. “So why don’t you?”
Zylah adjusted the spare blanket at the end of the bed, tugging at the corners. “Actions speak far louder than words,” she began. “And their actions have spoken volumes.”
“Their?”
Zylah shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You can trust every single person down those stairs. I would probably start with your best friend.”
