The thought reassured me.
I felt even more secure in my choice as I walked toward Hart. I lifted my hand, holding it almost outstretched toward him as I came to his side. I was desperate for a point of contact. If he realized, he didn’t make me beg. He wrapped his large hand around mine, squeezing.
“So, you only have one emotion left?” Alysa asked.
“We do.” I hesitated. “Then the … final trial. Which we frankly know little about.”
How did I challenge what was known in a trial? What else could Eris ask of me? I feared that with what we wanted to do—free Hart from Themis, change the fate of Kavios—we’d need to be in the throne room.
My stomach churned.
The conversation moved on without me. Alysa’s attention was decidedly on Hart. “Are your Feared ready to move?”
“They think they are,” he said. “Ember and I still have some details to work out.”
Alysa’s eyes lit up. She seemed pleased with his response. Her focus returned to me. “I won’t force everyone, but those who want to fight, we’ll help.”
A breath escaped my lips as I realized she included herself in that count. “You’ll work with us?”
She rolled her eyes. “I was always going to help you. I guess I can work with him if you’re sure.”
I shook my head as she gestured to Hart. “You worked with him for years without me.”
Reid tilted his head from side to side. “She acknowledged he had value, and there was little risk to her if he stopped showing up.”
“Gee, thanks, Reid,” Hart said dryly. “Can we continue?”
Alysa spoke again. “Before Ember, I would have said that I didn’t truly believe in the goddesses’ game.”
Hart ran his hand through his hair in what looked like frustration. “What’s your point?”
“I’m so glad you asked.” Her lips curled into a smile. “I believe in the game now. If I have one conviction, it’s that it would be bad news if you took the throne unless Ember was successful in freeing you from Themis.”
“Great,” Hart said through gritted teeth. “That means we’re in agreement.”
“Agreement isn’t good enough.” Alysa took a step forward. She was small, barely coming up to Hart’s shoulders, but she squared off against him, tilting her chin to ensure their eyes locked before she spoke. “Enough of my people want this that I’ll support it. If the Feared want to make a move on the king, we’re in. But we want to be part of the strategy. We need solid agreement on what happens once Rodric is gone for this to work.”
I didn’t disagree with her. “What if we didn’t need a king or queen at all? In Linia, they have a council to?—”
“Changes may be necessary, but they won’t happen overnight,” Alysa said. “You said we’re out of time. We may need to act before you’ve finished your trials. We have to prepare for any reality. And if we’re planning an attack, I can’t be expected to babysit Hart. I understand you’ll have to continue your cryptic trials, but I need someone I trust to ensure that Themis’s Champion doesn’t take the throne.” She pointed at Hart again. “Spoiler alert. I don’t trust him.”
Hart chuckled as though he might find her comment amusing but the situation itself wore on him.
Alysa continued with a final glance at me. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she begged for forgiveness for what she’d say next. Then she rounded on Hart. “I want a guarantee that you won’t stay if her plan fails. If you’re not free of Themis, I don’t want you anywhere near the throne.”
Hart froze. He looked like a caged animal. Like his every instinct wanted to fight, but he knew there was no villain in this tent. His gaze met mine. “That’s not a choice I’ll make on my own.”
Alysa’s smile was that of a predator cornering her prey. “Look at that. It seems you can teach an old dog new tricks.”
“Leave him alone, Alysa,” I said. “I believe this will work. And if it doesn’t, we’ll figure that out, too.”
But her words were reasonable—I’d had many of the same thoughts myself. So where did that leave me? In order to stop Themis from finding another pawn like Rodric to sit on the throne, I needed to win. Sure, Eris didn’t care if she won or lost, but I suspected she cared about the citizens’ freedom to choose. Rodric had stolen that.
Hart’s worry was bitter on my tongue. I turned to him. “I’m not ignorant of the risk. I simply refuse to assume the worst. We’ll free you from Themis’s hold. And as I said, if we don’t, we’ll figure that out together.”
He gritted his teeth but nodded.
“You won’t contradict me for the same reason you didn’t answer on your own.” My lips curved into a smile. “We’re better together, Hart. We already figured that out. But we do need to discuss this with the Feared. We’d need resources from both sides, and I know they’re not my biggest fans.”
