“There are many who would consider me to be one of the moremonstrous of our kind,” he explained, his smile falling with each word like the labels applied to him were hurtful. “So if you thinkI’vemaintained my humanity, I think you’ll be happily surprised with the other residents of the Hive.”
“Hm.” I narrowed my gaze, reading his expression and posture. He fluctuated so frequently from open and playful to broody and sad, like he swung between identities. Who he really was and who he was told to be. I knew the feeling all too well.
“Any other questions?” he asked, leaning his elbows onto his knees.
“Many,” I admitted.
“I’ll answer three.” He wiggled the same number of fingers at me and my many questions stood at attention, hoping to be selected.
“The family portrait upstairs. The young boy looks like you. Was this your home?”
“I’d assumed you’d noticed. Yes, it was.” Dommik produced the familiar canteen and took a deep drink.
I raised my brows at the short answer.
He pushed the cork back into place and said, “Two more.”
I rolled my tongue behind my teeth. If he was only going to answer the questions exactly as they were asked without embellishment, I would need to be careful and creative in how I worded them.
“Why didn’t the Veilbreaker want me to travel with you?”
One by one, knuckles cracked beneath Dommik’s grip. “I have theories, but don’t know for sure.”
I wanted to hear them, his theories, but a different question forced its way past my lips.
“Who do I remind you of?”
Dommik went rigid. “What are you talking about?”
Something about the way he looked at me made me feel the need to conjure as much bravery as possible to forge ahead with this question. “Last night, before you fell asleep, you said I reminded you?—”
“That’s off limits.” He stood, carrying his chair to the side of the bed.
I narrowed my gaze at him. I didn’t remind him ofsomething. It wassomeone.
“Who is she?” I pressed.
“I’m going to sleep, Reyva,” Dommik gritted.
I was momentarily possessed by insatiable curiosity. “Why won’t you answer?”
“Who was the stable-hand standing front row at your execution?” hefired back with daring eyes. “The one tearing up and whispering to you from the crowd?”
I pressed my lips into a thin line, silenced by my shame.
“Hm?” He shrugged and tipped his head to the side. “I see. He’s off-limits then? So is she.”
We didn’t speak again that night.
Chapter 9
A Few Drops
The next night, Asher carried us north.
The moon, less swollen now than two nights prior, illuminated the fast-approaching peaks of the Irriset mountain range, the barrier between the mortal lands to the south and immortal territory to the north. Only Travelers—like the one Dommik impersonated—held the privilege to come and go between kingdoms on official business without persecution or penalty.
Mere hours. That’s all it would take to travel to the place where I would carry out my sentence. I stiffened at the thought. Uncertainty gripped me with every stolen breath.
