“I know,” I hissed when Viljan opened his mouth. “I know I shouldn’t rile him up.”
“You really fucking shouldn’t,” my guard said as he stormed the few steps up until he reached the deck. “He wants you dead, Elvara.”
I turned my faux smile to my guard instead. “He’ll need to get in line.”
Shaking his head, Viljan stalked off. My sigh rumbled through my chest, and instead of joining the initiates standing around the fighting ring, I walked up to the railing.
“I can’t seem to get anything right,” I whispered as I spread my hands over the railing, where the wood was so dark it could have been stained with the blood of Darcke’s enemies.
The wood pressed against my palms.
“I’m sorry I stole you,” I said. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Even if she was the one who’d technically taken us out to sea, she’d only done it because of how desperate I’d been. A soft chatter filled my ears, almost like a child’s laugh on the wind.
“I had fun too,” I whispered.
Beneath me the warriors were still dividing the initiates into groups of five, and Fedic and Ivren raised their hands when they noticed me watching. After waving back at them and waiting until they each walked up a brow to different ships, I was about to spin around when someone sidled up next to me.
Kilia towered over me, and somehow his distant gaze was more threatening than when he’d been intent on snapping my neck.
“Why did you not save him?” he asked roughly.
“What do you mean?” I searched the ship for Viljan, and when he noticed, he shoved several initiates out of the way to get to me. He was on the far side of the ship, though, so I needed to distract this man, who was so angry the air around him grew stifling.
“I keep going back to it,” Kilia said. “You wanted to save him. You could have used your strength to take down those wolves. I’ve heard all about your family—your father’s rune makes you stronger than anyone here. You could have easily killed those wolves and saved his life, so why didn’t you?”
“I—”
Kilia stepped into my space, his body pressing against mine as he pinned me to the railing. Viljan still had about half the ship, and although he was rushing now, the ship was too packed, and initiates kept holding him up.
“Kilia, I”—I shook my head—“I tried everything.”
“You’re lying,” he hissed so that spit landed on my face. “You didn’t use your magic.”
Fuck. I moved my hand to the back of my neck.
“I did,” I said. “I did everything I could.”
His face leveled with mine, his amber eyes narrowing. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not,” I said, trying to soften my voice. “I promise you, I did.”
Something flickered behind his gaze, and my heart leaped.
“Are we all good here?” Fedic came skipping up the brow, moving leisurely but with an intention that got him to my side in seconds.
Kilia’s hand wrapped around my arm. “We’re having a conversation.”
A crooked smile brightened Fedic’s face as he slid a knife out of his sleeve, moving it so swiftly I realized he’d cut Kilia’s wrist only when blood dripped down onto the worn deck of the ship.
“Conversation over,” Fedic said with a sweet smile.
“You—”
Fedic moved the knife so it poked into Kilia’s ribs. “Leave.”
“You wouldn’t,” the twin snarled.
