“It’s not every day the parents of Chaos’s Champion are in residence,” Alysa said as she approached, hooking her arm with Reid’s.
Ember winced. “Does everyone know everything?”
“I heard you tried to kill the king with nightmare magic. Orwas that him?” She pointed at me and shrugged. “Either way, we should have this conversation elsewhere.”
We followed them into the camp. Last time we’d been here together, Alysa and Ember had disappeared into her tent, and I was left outside to wait. It annoyed me to no end, and I was sure that was why Alysa had done it. This time, with my identity confirmed, she had even more reason to hate me. So I was a little surprised when she held open a tent flap and ushered me in along with Ember.
“I didn’t expect you to return,” Alysa said to Ember. “With all the revelations about goddesses and Champions, I figured you’d be long gone.”
She gave Ember a meaningful look, then her gaze slid slowly in my direction. I wondered if she silently asked Ember if she needed help to be free of me. Alysa had her faults, but in this moment, I was more than happy she’d taken to Ember.
I attempted to look occupied, but Ember didn’t seem fooled. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then her gaze landed on me as she responded. “I have more to do here, and he is required to accomplish my goals.”
The tent was crowded with the four of us. As Ember spoke, I moved to her side, next to the mess of blankets that had to be Alysa and Reid’s bed. Alysa sat on the trunk on the opposite wall, crossing her arms over her chest. “What are your goals?”
“I made a commitment to this kingdom,” Ember said. “I intend to see it through.”
She spoke with the most confidence I’d seen from her since we left. I knew Charon had been right about her return. She’d ignored too much, buried too much, when we were in Linia. The state of Kavios had yet to be revealed, and already she seemed to understand that things had gone from bad to worse.
“And what commitment was that? From where I’m sitting,things have only gone downhill since you were unmasked,” Alysa said.
I gritted my teeth as I waited to see how Ember would reply. Whatever my father had done in our absence, it wasn’t fair to blame her. Unfortunately, she only ducked her chin as if to accept the criticism.
Every part of me itched to put myself between Alysa’s words and Ember. “She isn’t responsible for my father’s actions. Tell us what’s happening in Kavios so we can make it right.”
Reid’s brow pinched at my tone, but he didn’t say anything. He’d never tried to get between my and Alysa’s disagreements.
I was unsurprised that Alysa rounded on me then. “Ah, yes, let’s talk aboutyour father, Hart.” Her hands were on her hips now. “Seems you left out some information over the years, too.”
“I don’t think that’s our biggest concern right now.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You’re right, of course, but I want you to know that I didn’t trust you then, and I certainly don’t trust you now.” She glanced at Ember. “What use he has to you is beyond me.”
Ember sighed, but I swear there was a brightness in her brown eyes that wasn’t there before. “He’s right, Alysa. We need information before we enter the city. Anything you can tell us will help.”
Alysa laughed loudly. On her shoulder, her bird flapped its wings in discomfort at the sound. “You two can’t enter the city. You’ll be found immediately.”
At least now we were getting somewhere. “How bad is it?”
She shook her head. “There’s a reward for both of you. At least you’re wanted alive.”
It was as I’d expected, if unfortunate to hear. I knew they’dnever make it past me to get to Ember, but the salty taste of her nerves hit my tongue.
“What are you two doing here? What are you planning? There has only been more taking, more draining since the attempted Blessing Ceremony. We used to only pull maybe two or three humans a year from the city. We’ve pulled that many in the, what, ten days? you’ve been gone. The Blessed have increased their magic intake.”
Ember sucked in a breath. I unfortunately also found this news unsurprising.
“Hart and I…” Ember started, then stopped. I didn’t help her because I honestly didn’t know what she wanted to tell Alysa. “Things are complicated.”
Harrow shook his wings in agitation, causing Reid to open the tent flap and let him fly away. She glared at me, like all of this was my fault. I guessed it was.
“Why not just take the throne for yourself and give your goddess what she wants?” she asked.
Ember massaged her temples as if she’d had this conversation with herself already a thousand times. “He’s had hundreds of years to do that, Alysa. He hasn’t. Think what you want of him—truly, I don’t care—but he’s resisted Themis’s summons this long, I think we can safely assume that pattern will continue.”
Something warmed in my chest at her defense. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time anyone had stood up for me, let alone Ember.
“Why not make him, though?” Alysa pressed. “Surely, he’s proven that he wouldn’t let the Blessed take unchecked.”
