Page 120 of The Sundered Realms

“Chaeheen studied at Embhullor too,” Vhannor said, and nodded in the direction of some of their surrounders. “So have several other casters here. Theiraosian rebels have never lacked for spellcraft talent.”

Liris lifted her brows in inquiry, not breaking her line of sight on Chaeheen, who was frowning.

“Yes, you and I might still win,” Vhannor said, which caused Chaeheen to do a double take. “But not without cost, Liris.”

Cost they couldn’t afford if they were going to be in any condition to face whatever Jadrhun had planned.

“Being in good shape doesn’t help us if we don’t get there,“ Liris said.

“I know,” Vhannor said. “Will you trust me?”

That should have made everything harder. She’d been betrayed before—recently even—and it had left a deep mark.

To her surprise, though, trusting Vhannor made everything simple.

She lifted her pen off the pad.

Vhannor stepped in front of Liris, blocking her gaze of Chaeheen, and kissed her.

“We’ll make it,” he vowed before dispelling the protection sphere.

Chaeheen gaped for a moment before motioning two of her teams forward to restrain them.

“I know.” Liris half-smiled at Vhannor. “No pressure, right?”

Chapter 17

Theiraos, despite the persistence of rebellion and policies other realms blanch at, has always retained access to the echelons of power. They play as though they might consider changing values after their children study abroad, and this works as well as toothless politicians prefer. Those children generally become enmeshed in the system, and their foreign friends then help them uphold it.

Probably that makes it more infuriating for those who truly don’t want the status quo. But the very possibility of having peers around the world in different specialties who could all learn from each other! Of course Serenthuar would never allow their students to be educated elsewhere.

After all, what if people really can change?

The Theiraosian rebels stripped them of their spell pads and pens first and immobilized their fingers behind their backs to prevent them from spellcasting easily.

They took her cloak, too, given how many spells Vhann had embedded into it, which wrenched at Liris. She knew her expression hadn’t revealed her, but Vhannor still murmured in her ear before they were separated so they couldn’t collaborate, “I can make you a new one.”

He was right, and impossibly sweet. It was just a thing. But it was hers, and she had so little that had come to matter.

Liris and Vhannor still walked, but since the party never stopped, their feet couldn’t help them on that front either.

Yet, anyway.

That was all, though, and Liris surmised these rebels, despite their rejection of the law, did not consider themselves villains. Well, and small wonder—their government’s policies were amazingly awful. Rebelling here might not be safe, but it wasn’t in any way irrational. That seemed like something she ought to be able to use, and yet, they were—now, anyway—on opposing sides. Liris wondered what they’d failed to understand.

Or what she had.

As the rebels led them to their destination, Chaeheen leafed through Liris’ spell pad, not Vhannor’s, presumably to familiarize herself with the abilities of this unknown threat. Liris was torn between a feeling of obscure violation—it wasn’t all that different than Serenthuar springing a surprise test, but maybe that was the problem—and vicious pride as the leader’s visage darkened as she read.

Chaeheen glanced over, and Liris returned the look archly as if to say, That’s right. Vhannor’s not the only one you need to watch out for.

Through the window of soldiers in his separately guarded bubble, Vhannor’s lips twitched, and Liris shrugged back at him. If she was going to lose the advantage of surprise, she didn’t mind being appreciated.

She wasn’t going to wait for Chaeheen to finish drawing conclusions, though.

She trusted Vhannor, but she had waited enough without acting for a lifetime. She never would again.

Liris surveyed the people around her, considered openings. Lots of serious countenances, which was flattering but not useful. Hmm. “I don’t know much about Theiraos,” she tried.

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