Page 110 of Burn of the Everflame

I felt a sudden urge to engulf it in white-hot light and let it melt to a useless lump, where it could never hurt anyone again. The feeling was so visceral, I almost gave in—until my focus was stolen by someone calling my sister’s name.

“Lily! Lily, please, just wait!”

On the other side of camp, Lily walked in a huff while Teller stumbled behind her, a stack of books piled awkwardly in his arms.

“We have nothing to discuss,” she called out.

“At least take the books,” he begged.

Lily spotted me and shifted course my way, prompting Teller to lurch to a stop. He shot me a desperate look. I shook my head, and he deflated, head hanging.

“Brother,” Lily said with a bad imitation of her usual brightness, “what perfect timing.”

“Lilian, why are you in the Guardians’ camp?”

She frowned at my disapproving tone. “I saw some of the mortal children sneezing and wiping their noses. I made them a honey tonic that Maura taught me and checked them for a fever. Then a woman stopped me to ask for a salve to treat a rash from a plant she brushed in the forest.” Her brow wrinkled thoughtfully. “Prickle vine, I think. Then another woman needed something to ease her cycle, so I went to the palace kitchens and got her an herbal brew. Oh, and some chocolate.” She cracked a smile. “Maura told me that Diem always treated women’s ailments with a drop of chocolate.”

“You know how to do all that, make the tonics and salves?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Oh, those are easy. I make them all the time at the center.”

“I thought you’ve only been training for a few months.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she shyly ducked her head. “Maura says I’m a fast learner.”

A rush of pride ran through me. Few could truly understand how monumental this was, not just for a Descended princess, but my sister specifically. Lilian Corbois, our father’s perfect, obedient porcelain doll. She’d never dared to do anything that might disappoint him, aside from rejecting the betrothals he’d arranged. I strongly suspected my Queen had something to do with that. I suspected she had much to do with this, too. For both, I could never repay her.

“Is Diem alright?” Lily asked. “She seems . . .” She glanced at Diem’s tent. “ . . . not herself.”

I hesitated. “Diem needs our support. She’s been through something very difficult.”

“Of course!”

“And so has her brother.”

Lily scowled. “That’s not the same. I heard what happened to Diem. She was trapped on the island. That wasn’t her choice. What Teller did was.” Her bottom lip wobbled. “He didn’t even say goodbye. He left me a note.”

My brotherly reflexes twitched with a very strong desire to toss Teller Bellator straight into the campfire for the pain he’d caused her. But, over the weeks we’d spent together, Teller had unexpectedly become like a sibling to me, too. He reminded me of the boy I’d been after my mother’s death, hurting deeply yet never allowing myself to let it show.

And I knew he loved my sister. I wasn’t pleased with how he’d shown it, but after how I treated Diem when I was dying of godstone, I had little high ground to cast blame.

“I suppose you noticed Perthe did not return with us,” I said.

Her head lowered. “I did. Is he . . . ?”

I nodded. “The Sophos Crown kidnapped Teller and used him to trap Diem on the island. Perthe and I tried to rescue them, but Perthe didn’t make it.”

“How awful,” she whispered.

“It should have been me, Lily. Teller had to make a horrible choice and sacrifice Perthe to save my life. He and I had to watch Perthe die, knowing we were to blame. We both have to live with that forever.” Lily looked horrified, her lashes growing wet. “You have no duty to take him back out of pity. I only want you to know that he is paying a price for his choices. Even if you cannot forgive him . . . be gentle, sister. He is hurting, too, and he could sorely use a friend.”

She turned quiet. Her gaze drifted back to the auburn-haired man sitting in a defeated slump by the campfire.

I tugged her into my side. “But if he hurts you again, say the word and I’ll feed him to Tybold.”

She let out a half-hearted laugh. “I’ll think about it.”

We embraced, and she slowly walked the path to the palace. At the edge of the camp, she paused and looked back toward the fire, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. Finally, she reversed course and went to stand in front of Teller. Though she said nothing, her chin indignantly high, she looked at the books and held out her hands.