Ferris shot to his feet, hand pressed to his side. Lord Ishida burst through the door, dressed in his shatterblade armor, prepared for battle. He glanced between us all and drew his blade.
It made it halfway out of its sheath before rock burst from the ground and encased the weapon.
"You," Ferris spat. "You played nice, offering tea and pleasantries to lower our guards. Were you hoping to poison us?"
Ishida glared at Ferris with a familiar expression—the same he often gave me. Irritation. Indignation.
"You accuse me?" He spat, trying to wrest his blade free from Agendra's spell. "When you've broken into the commander's manor and assaulted him?"
"He attacked me," Ferris snapped. "So now he owes quite a fucking bit to my father."
I grabbed Ferris' hand, trying to wrest him back down before he got himself killed.
Memories flashed between us—another rethaite. I saw the ashen curls of a willowy woman, graceful and lithe. She tucked herself into a corner, sobbing. The skirt of her dress was torn.
She looked up and wiped the tears away, offering me a smile.
The freckles pooling in her dimples looked so much like Ferris'. Was this his real mother?
The memories snapped—and I knew what Ferris had seen, for the memories swirled in my mind, fresh.
Ishida brushing my leg, beneath the table, at all of Father's dinners. Mother warning me to hold my tongue and do as he said, the night of our engagement. The night I'd run away.
Did I subconsciously want Ferris to understand? Did I want someone else to know what I'd been through—to know I existed?
Snarling, Ferris thrust his palm forward. The emerald dragon erupted from his fingertips and rammed into Ishida, fracturing the stone pillar encasing his sword.
The lord I'd been meant to marry slammed into the broken door and slid to the ground.
"Enough," Agendra's voice boomed, bouncing off his earthen walls. “Diar,” he said quietly. “Did you come here to send a message?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
“Then, let it be sent.” Agendra turned back to Sejiro and stood. “You could not kill her because she is better than you. The Paragons are the best of us. Let the next fool try to fell one.”
The commander gritted his teeth, but said nothing. Breath hissed through his teeth, strained.
Agendra palmed his hammer as he regarded Alistair.
“Wait,” I called. “I need that one alive. Leave him.”
The Paragon stared at the Solheart for a long moment. Sheathing his hammer, he strode past me. “Get up. We need to go.”
The stone locking me in place crumbled away. Rising, I crossed the stone-encased room and looked down at Sejiro. My eyes fell to the blood streaming from the gash on his leg. Swiping a finger across the wound, I gathered a bead of blood on my finger.
Cold wind whistled through the air, and the blood froze. Stringing the bead onto my necklace, I returned to Ferris’ side.
“You need a healer,” I said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. I glared at Alistair. “And I need answers.”
Alistair rolled his shoulder, where the stone had restrained him. The corner of his mouth twisted up. “I gave you my word. And Sun Chasers always honor their word.”
Chapter 46
Diar
I’d never seen Solheart healing magic before. Gentle rays of light descended from the lantern, soaking Ferris’ wounds in their light.
The prince’s breathing came easier as the gash sewed up.
