Hart balled his hand into a fist. “They’ll get in line.”
I shook my head. “It needs to be a choice for them, too.”
“You’re all aboutchoicethese days,” he grumbled.
I squeezed his hand with satisfaction. The stark lines of his shoulders already softened. I knew he wouldn’t fight me further on this as he continued. “We can meet with the Feared tomorrow night. They can make the right decision then.”
30
I know you hate it, but don’t ignore the value of your skills with the adamas. It may save you yet.
— ALARIC SARE’S PAPERS FOR EMBERLINE ARKOVA
Entering the city would be a challenge this time. None of Hart’s smuggling partners were due to deliver goods before our meeting with the Feared. We had this afternoon and most of the day tomorrow to figure it out, but I knew our options were limited. Our path would take us back through the tunnel and past Eris’s altar.
“Under cover of darkness will be best,” I said.
Hart furrowed his brow, pretending he didn’t know of what option I spoke.
“You can try to find another way in, but we bothknow we have to return through the altar path. It’s the only one not monitored.”
After the meeting with Alysa, she’d pulled me aside. The altar path, frankly, was the least of my problems. She, like me, worried about the Feared. They still wanted me dead, and while Hart’s threats may have slowed any attempts on my life, it didn’t change their beliefs.
I had mere hours to win them over—to convince them I could lead our kingdom if they helped us free it from Rodric.
We had an idea, but I needed to convince Hart it was a good one. I had a feeling that might be my greatest challenge yet.
He glanced around the flat opening of the mountain pass where the Storm had resituated themselves. A gentle wind blew across the space. I stepped toward him, reaching again for his hand. The casual intimacy of the gesture was something I wouldn’t grow tired of. “Think on it, but we have other matters to discuss today.”
The way his brow arched almost made me wish I had better news for him. Our time in the woods had been too short. My desire for him was a near-constant thing, as was his for me, if the smoky taste in my mouth was an indicator. But we had too much to figure out. We still had the emotion of joy to worry about, as well as the unknown trial. And all of that was before planning a revolution.
“I know you think threatening the Feared will work,” I said. “It’s worked for you in the past, but what if there was another way?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“They still want me dead.”
A low growl rumbled from him, and I almost laughed. “We won’t let them kill me. I’m only suggesting we help them see my usefulness.”
One of his hands slipped free of mine, and he caressed my cheek. His touch was a delicious warmth compared to the cool mountain air. “You don’t have to be useful to anyone, Chaos. They’ll accept and respect you because of who you are.”
I sighed. “We don’t have time for them to get to know me. You won their trust over years of working together. I have hours.”
His brow furrowed with the realization that I wouldn’t let this go. “What are you suggesting?”
“They want me dead because of the power I granted the king. When I was his jeweler, I sourced his adamas. What if I could do the same for them? Show them what it’s like to have me on their side.”
His glare aimed for intimidating, but I could see by the slight tilt of his lip that he recognized it for the good idea it was. If we gave them more adamas, not only would it help them see my usefulness, but it would also arm them to better fight the Blessed.
“They don’t have to be pretty.” I wasn’t sure how much time or resources I could dedicate to cutting and setting them. We’d have to do just enough shaping to ensure the stone held magic, but not much else. “A few pieces of adamas would go a long way. I’d feel better if you and I each had one as well.”
I was glad for the conversation I’d had with Charon earlier. How quickly I’d accepted the idea of using adamas when Hart’s life was on the line. If Charon had begrudged my use of the stone, I wasn’t sure what I would have done, but he didn’t. He wanted me to have magic to defend myself. As long as the emotion was taken from someone who went in with eyes wide open about the risks, the magic of the adamas was better than nothing.
“You want to break into the mines again?”
I couldn’t read his expression. Bemused? Furious? It wasunclear. I wanted to study this man for years to learn every twitch of his lips, every arch of his brow.
Maybe if we succeeded in everything I dared hope for, I could.
