Knox leers at my lie, eating it up and spitting it out at my feet. I know there are more than a few details that Vivi left out. My father does, too.
“Don’t talk around me, girl; you won’t make it far. While Vivi knew of the why, she claimed to not know of the how.” He reaches down, allowing his fingers to press against the burned mark on Aras’ back. Aras jumps against Hammel’s hold, a low hiss of agony escaping his lips. Ian’s hand darts out, pinching the back of my tunic to keep me from flying across the small space between us and mauling my father to death. Knox’s eyes bore into mine, searching for the threat he longs to find there, but I hold steady, determined to unnerve him, just as he tries to unnerve me.
I will not give in, but I will negotiate.
Crossing my arms, I raise my chin, daring him to press me again. “Do you mean how did your lowly daughter manage to break what may be your strongest curse? The answer is a simple one, but first you must give something to me.”
He laughs, caught off guard by my daring words. “Give something to you? After I’ve been given word that you plan to betray me?”
“Considered betrayal,” I correct, unaffected by his words. “But then again, I wouldn’t be your daughter if I didn’t.”
Knox looks up to the sky, clouded over and warning of rain, as if it knows the world is about to explode into fire and it needs to be there to salvage what it can. He runs his free hand across his beard, wiping away the sudden seeds of indecision. When he has his answer, he looks to me once more. “Fine. What is it that could be so important, you’d risk the life of the very boy you tried to protect? Tell me, Brave, what is it that you so desperately need?”
I swallow my fear, knowing this may be my only chance. Beside him, Vivi looks taken aback, unsure of my request. I don’t know how much she wanted me to resist, and I have a feeling I’m pushing the limit. But if this is the last opportunity I get before I try to burn my father alive, there is one thing I must do.
“I want to talk to Aras. Alone.”
Knox chokes on my words, astonishment lining his tone. “You want to speak with Aras? Don’t you think that’s a strange request for a girl who is about to marry a prince?” His eyes skip to Ian who stands stoically at my back, watching the scene play out as if he’s not invested in the outcome either way. “And what, may I ask, do you plan to say?”
“Goodbye.” My answer hangs in silence, the gang of promised men exchanging glances while my father’s jaw works to respond. “No matter what happens next, it’s the least you could give me.”
And there it is, the unpredictable challenge Lo so praised and Vivi fought so hard to create. The goodbye could infer a variety of endings, and my final words hint of a betrayal come undone. The only trouble for Knox is he doesn’t know which one.
“Fine,” he says, shocking me with his answer. “Two minutes, within ten paces, and three of my men standing at the ready. Those are my terms. Take it or consider your goodbye the very day he stepped foot back in my borders.”
I bound forward, nearly tripping on my boots to get to Aras’ side. Hammel tugs him away from me, acting as if he plans on dragging Aras the ten paces himself, but I stop him before he has the chance to move.
“I’ll take it from here,” I snarl, draping Aras’ arm over my shoulders and walking him off the road and into the grass. When my ten paces are up, Knox whistles, and I drop us both to the ground as easily as I can. Turning my back to our audience, I cradle his cheeks in my hands.
“Yes,” I whisper, pushing his sweaty hair back from his eyes. The once vibrant blue, like the sky on the clearest of days, has faded, clouded with fever. Panic settles in, fueling my desire to protect him. Love him. I rush on, a mess of words that have no clear beginning and no clear end. “Yes! A hundred times over, yes. Do you hear me, Aras? I could look upon every star in the sky, but they’d all just lead me back to you. My answer is yes. Yesterday, tomorrow, today. It’s always been yes.”
What’s left of my resolve begins to crumble, and I wipe at the tears forming on my lashes, determined to catch them before they fall. Aras stares at me, a dreamy state of oblivion overtaking his thoughts. Skies above. I’m finally here, given my one last chance to make myself clear and determine our path, and he doesn’t even know what I’m talking about. This can’t be our ending. It was never supposed to be this way. In a few minutes, I was supposed to destroy my father’s reign, and Aras was going to waltz through those gates to be greeted by the best healers in all the land. And things would be perfect. Right. And we would be okay.
The tears begin to fall freely, too fast for me to catch. I pull on my tunic’s sleeve, ready to wipe the evidence away, when his hand reaches out to stop me. He slides his fingers across my cheeks, his thumbs moving in slow, easy swoops, drying the tears where they land. I look into his eyes, so close our noses almost touch. He breathes against me, the sweet smell of honey and fresh rain flooding the air, and I know, without a doubt, my Aras still lives.
“Watch it, poet. I think you might be stealing my lines.” His dry lips crack against his smile, and before I can think through all the repercussions, I collapse into his arms.
“Oh? Did I learn that from you? I thought it was Vivi.”
He chuckles against my neck, moving his lips close to my ear. “Our time is almost up, my Bravest. Remember to trust your sister; don’t make a move until she makes hers.”
I break away, unsure if I’ve heard him correctly or not. Because I think he said I should trust my sister, when it currently seems as if I should do anything but. “Aras?”
“All right, time’s up.” Hammel grabs Aras by the collar, drawing him away before he has the chance to answer. The promised fool sneers in my direction, unbridled hate steaming off him in waves. “Run along, Princess. I think it’s time you escort us to your new home.”
I close my eyes, willing the brewing magic beneath my skin to hold, even if for a second more. If Aras believes I should follow Vivi’s lead, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Standing to my feet, I straighten my shoulders, hitting Hammel with my most vicious glare.
If only he knew I never planned on any of them making it past the gates.
Thirty-Five
“That certainly seemed to be a heartfelt goodbye.” Knox watches as I make my way back to Ian’s side. My father still has my little sister’s hand clenched tightly in his own.
I shrug at his pointed jab, more interested in learning when my sister would like the real battle to begin. “Now that you’ve given me what I want, I suppose I owe you an answer. To take away Aras’ promise, I knew I couldn’t go head to head against your magic, or I’d lose every time. Instead, I nicked him with my dagger and put him to sleep. Once he was under and his will to fight was gone, the curse was mine for the taking.”
Knox rubs his hand along his chin, while the wheels of understanding turn violently in his head. He’s putting together the pieces, weighing the consequences of this news, and probably planning for how he can keep it from occurring again. “I see. You wanted him out of the way so you could concentrate when you needed to the most, and believe it or not, it is a decision I greatly admire. But here’s where we have a problem—I’m counting on Aras to play a crucial role in our kingdom’s future. In that case, I’m wondering, dear, what you would do if I were to curse him again?”
I go cold, a rush of fear climbing up my spine. Of course he would want Aras back to his more pliable state; he can’t control two kingdoms without him. And he can’t control Aras if he doesn’t have a good hold on me.
“I’d like to trust you, Brave,” he continues, taking note of my sudden loss for words. “But you can see why that might be rather difficult.” He turns toward one of the three men standing behind him, calling forward the one with brown hair I met when I first arrived in Orien. I don’t know his name, but I imagine his life before this was nothing like it is now. And if he could remember his family, he’d only feel remorse. “Eli, take care of him. Now.”
In a b
rilliant flash, Eli steps forward, strands of wildfire bursting from his palms. A ring of dark magic surrounds Ian, a thick wall of fire meant to slowly smother its victim one breath at a time. A feral scream unleashes into the air, and I dive toward Ian, showering him with every piece of ice I’ve got. The fire flickers, its strength waning against my magic. Together, we push against the man’s flames until Ian’s back is free and only the front wall remains.
“I’ve got it, Penelope,” Ian yells, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the fire’s roar. “Keep yourself safe, and I promise I will do the same.”
I curl the ice back into my fists, allowing the cold mist to slip through my knuckles—a warning for all to see. If Knox meant to test me, then the odds are back in my favor. I’ve only shown a tenth of what I can truly do.
“You’ve grown stronger.” Knox tightens his grip on Vivi’s hand. His confident mask begins to slip, and a cool spike of anger fights to take its place. “Your sister said you had been practicing, preparing yourself for when we met again.”
He nods his head, a silent command set in motion. Hammel lets go of Aras, joining the only remaining promised man as he steps forward and into my line of vision. Their hands are raised, palms out, as a sickly black smoke begins to pour from their skin. My eyes flick to Vivi, waiting for the sign that our battle is to begin, but she avoids my gaze, intent on staring up at our father instead.
Whatever her plan is, she better act now.
“I’m disappointed, Brave. Here I stand, the dutiful father who has given you the tools you need to rule the corner of our world, yet you wound me by trying to turn those tools against the very one who helped you the most.” He steps forward, barely contained rage seething from his pores. “How dare you even think you could defeat me. I held out hope that you’d be more like Viviana, but as it turns out, you’re exactly like your mother. A sad, worn-out shell of a girl who will never amount to anything.”
My chest begins to heave, the force of my magic begging to be released. I raise my palms, watching as the ice on my hands turns to steam where the fire comes to life against my skin. Hammel and Knox’s other promised soul split apart, circling my sides in preparation for a fight. His third man, still tied up with Ian, looks to Knox in question, wondering if he should drop his fire and concentrate on me. Knox shakes his head, and I grin.
He always has been a fool.
“As strange as it sounds, I actually think you’re right,” I say, pushing the flames higher into the air.
Knox raises his chin, looking down at me through hardened eyes. “Is that so? And which part do you find to be true?”
I start to open my mouth, declaring war on him once and for all, when Vivi tugs on his hand, stealing his attention and speaking for the first time. “The part about me, Father. You’re right; you’ve taught me everything I know. But I think we’re even more alike than you could ever imagine.”
Knox’s brows lift with confusion, a sudden doubt leeching the color from his skin. Vivi’s teeth flash white, a smug beam of happiness lighting her face. Her eyes find mine. Before she even opens her mouth, I already know what she is going to say.
“Thank you for trusting me, sister.”
Then, just like in my dream, the entire world is set aflame.
Thirty-Six
The scene before me is like a thick web of chaos.
Knox’s men drop their positions, confused as what to do now that their master is distracted and he no longer has control of their strings. Ian surges forward, using the opportunity to break through the remnants of the fire and pin his sword against Eli’s neck. Aras struggles to his feet, weakness seeming to claw at his chest as he tries to make his way to my side. The flames of my magic flicker against my palms, unsure whether to burn the two men who surround me or leave them be.
And Vivi? Well, she is a distraction of her own. The very kind of surprise she wished to be all along.
Growing up, I was always told that life is made up of different kinds of moments—ones that matter and ones that don’t. It was up to me to decide which of those moments mattered the most. Which ones I’d take with me forever and write down on my heart. The power of my memories always lay with me.
Today, I understand exactly what they meant, for there are few moments I will remember better than the sounds of my father’s screams as my little sister lights his arm up in flames.
“You,” Knox yells, agony pulling his mouth into a tight twist. “It can’t be. The second born never inherits the magic. Never. You can’t exist.”
“And yet, I do.” Vivi calls on her magic, building the flames with every breath.
The sleeve of Knox’s tunic is long gone, disappeared into the wind the second my sister surprised him with her fire. In its place, our father’s arm is alternate shades of red and black, the charred skin like oil to her flame. It’s not until the heat reaches his shoulder that his demeanor shifts.
No longer is he the doting father, proud of his youngest child for learning his ways. Not anymore. Now he seeks revenge.
“Then we’ll have to test the limits of your powers, won’t we?” Knox reaches out with his free hand, grabbing Vivi by the neck and throwing her from his arm. She lands with a sickening thud against the road, gasping as the air is knocked from her lungs. He moves to blast her with his fire, but I’ve already got her covered, surrounding her body with a thin shield of ice.
“Vivi,” I scream. “Protect yourself!”
Thankfully, Vivi heeds my advice, reinforcing my shield with one of her own.
Knox grins at me over his shoulder, his burned arm hanging limply by his side. “I was wondering when you’d join the fight.” He turns toward Hammel, who still stands with the other promised man, frozen and unsure now that their master has faltered during a command. “I think it’s time you and Alec finished what you started.”
The simple words are all it takes for the heavy glaze to slide back over their eyes, a manic threat building with every step they take in my direction. My heart thuds, a steady drum within my chest, and I try to calm the fears before they take control. I’m not scared to protect myself, and I know without a doubt that I am strong enough to win.
I am scared, however, of what I will have to do in order to gain the advantage.
While I knew there would come a time when I’d have to kill my father, fight him to the death, I never once imagined what it would be like to take down his men as well.
Innocent men, just like Aras. Men who have families, even if they don’t remember.
And I, more than anyone, know the consequences of being burned. I see it on my mother every day. How can I live with myself if I do the same to them? For now, the answer is simple, though it may cost me in the end.
I’ll go on the defense.
I throw up a shield of ice just as Hammel’s fist flies through the air, sending sparks of fire shooting from his palm. The flames hit my shield with a deafening shriek, causing hot spirals of fire to fly into the sky.
If the people of Theron didn’t know my father had arrived, they do now.
Shaken back into control, Eli grabs the blade of Ian’s sword, melting it with his grip. Ian jumps back, barely throwing up his own shield before Eli blasts him again. I start toward Ian, afraid to leave him on his own, but he shakes his head, determined to fight this battle alone.
I whip around toward my opponents, just in time to duck as Alec sends another blow of fire hurtling toward my shield. The force of their combined magic causes me to stumble. I fall to my knees, pushing back with all the ice I’ve got. Hammel flashes a wicked smirk as the two begin their slow approach to where I sit along the road, surrounded by a magic that’s getting weaker by the second.
Sooner or later, I’m going to have to fight back.
“Had enough, Brave?” Hammel jeers, lighting another flame on his hand and twirling the dark strands of smoke between his fingers. He and Alec stop only a few paces away, frightening masks of lust lining their features.
>
They aim to kill me, and they plan on enjoying it, too. Unfortunately for them, I have too much to live for.
Slowly, I stand to my feet, risking a glance over Alec’s shoulder to make sure Vivi’s shield is still holding strong. Satisfied she’ll be fine on her own, I raise my palms, readying myself from within. “I’m sorry to inform you, Hammel, but I’m just getting started.”
In an instant, my shield bursts, shards of ice flying like knives into the air. Hammel and Alec cover their eyes, blocking what they can from stealing their sight. I curve my flames into an arch, corralling them into my space and cutting off their view of the outside world. Above us, the sky is still a placid blue, but around us, the magic is angry. Alive.
Hammel falls to the side, banging into Alec’s shoulder. He shudders, taking in the violent hues of orange and red as they fight for his flesh. Alec tries to steady him, but his hand slips from Hammel’s arm, and his head lulls back, dizzy from the magic… or something else.
“Hammel?” he mumbles, but it’s all he gets out as he falls into a listless heap on the ground.
Hammel, lost without the lack of support, looks to me as if he’s had a change of heart and wants to reach out. Instead, he follows his friend’s lead, landing beside him on the road. Knocked out cold.
“Alec? Hammel?” Frightened, I drop my flames, rushing to their sides to check for their breaths. Even though they planned to kill me, it was never my intention to do the same to them. I only wanted to scare them off, hold them in a cage of flame while I took on Knox.
But now I fear I’ve done something worse.
“Brave!” Ian’s voice calls me out of the fog. My hand drops from Hammel’s neck as if I’ve been stung.
I look up to find him standing along the road, a circle of steam rising from his boots. Beside him, Eli lays passed out on the ground, the subtle rise and fall of his chest the only clue that tells me he’s alive. Ian raises his hands, just as unsure of what’s taken place as I am.
Catching sight of the commotion, Knox stops his fiery assault on Vivi, staring out at his men with similar confusion. Still keeping hold of her shield, Vivi grins.
The Reigning Star (The Orien Trilogy, Book 3) Page 19
