My gaze slipped to Mother. I wondered how much she remembered about the trials, how much she’d told him. The ask was oddly specific, indicating he might know I no longer had access to my own magic. It was something only she could have shared.
Did I want Father’s anger? My first instinct was no, but we were heading into the mines. The adamas cavern would be locked. Hart had broken into it previously with anger-fueled strength.
I turned to Hart. His steady gaze told me this, too, would be my choice.
If anger was all my father could give me, I’d let him. He’d shown less emotion than I had since Mother’s accident. I, morethan most, knew the value of giving voice to my feelings. How much had I learned about myself by sharing it with Hart? If I wanted a change in my relationship with my father, this would be a simple step.
I nodded, but I couldn’t actually take from him. My curse was such that I could only take from Hart. And as of today’s trials, I couldn’t even take from him.
Reid seemed to understand, and he stepped forward. While most of those around the fire had the social grace to pretend they hadn’t listened to every word of our conversation, they stopped pretending now. Silence circled us as I handed my ring to Reid and he reached for Father’s offered hand.
It was a useless gesture, but I took Father’s hand as well. His skin was cool. And though I couldn’t feel his anger, the red flash of the gem matched the narrowing of his gaze, the pinching of his brow. Whatever memory or thought he fixated on, it pulsed anger through him.
He whispered low, words meant only for me. “It was never your fault—your mother’s accident. I’m so angry I ever let you think it was. It was easier to block out what happened. To care for Isabelle and not focus on regret.”
The strength of his anger shocked me. On Reid’s hand, my adamas ring flashed bright red as it absorbed what he gave.
“You were with Alaric and me before the festival,” Father continued. “You slipped away in the crowded street when you thought you saw Isabelle. It was my fault you were even in that Blessed’s house to begin with.”
I swallowed. Memories I’d done so much to repress filled my mind. The blond head of hair I chased. The grand house that the Blessed had walked me to when I told her who I searched for. Alaric entering to find me too late.
With a flinch, I released my father’s hand.Reid followed my gesture and wordlessly handed me the filled ring. “It wasn’t your fault, either, Father.”
Mother placed her hand on his and patted it in reassurance.
“The Blessed took,” I said. “They tried to take from me without my consent. The fault begins and ends there. We can’t keep wondering what we could have done differently. How could we have prevented it? There was nothing we could do when the kingdom was stacked against us in the first place.”
Father hung his head. I didn’t know if he heard me.
“Good luck tonight, baby,” Mother said. “Say goodbye before you return to Kavios.” It was almost reassuring to see her usher Father away. She hadn’t led in such a manner since her accident. Here, in the woods with the Storm, she had regained some lost part of herself.
I’d done what I could. That discussion was the most honest one we’d had in my lifetime. I didn’t regret it, though it left me unsettled. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Hart and I needed to get a head start to be in place when the Storm’s disruption occurred.
“Thank you, Reid.”
He shrugged it off.
“Where’s Alysa?” Hart asked, searching the group around the fire. Or maybe simply changing the subject for me. Alysa had missed the entire interaction with my parents. It was unlike her.
Reid glanced sidelong and shrugged. “Preparing.”
I didn’t love the sound of that, but I trusted Alysa to grant us the time we needed. This had been her idea after all. I’d pressed her on it. The Storm attacking the mines sounded like something that would bring Rodric’s wrath down on them. An attack like this pointed to the fact that there were those whoopposed him en masse in the Oldwood. Alysa had acknowledged my concerns, but her mind seemed to be set.
“She knows what she’s doing,” Reid reassured me.
I agreed. The planning and attention with which she cared for her people, I’d witnessed firsthand. It was no hardship to put my faith in her now as I prepared to enter the mines with Hart. We weren’t defenseless. Hart had his sword, and I had a little fear and a lot of anger in the adamas ring.
Hart’s conversation with Elias proved that Rodric knew we were here. While the use of magic would point with surety to everywhere we had been, remaining hidden was no longer an option.
With a final glance around the fire and a nod to the rest of the gathered Storm, Hart and I departed.
32
The path to replace a Champion requires proof of dedication.
— WHAT MAKES A CHAMPION OF ORDER
HART
