Page 32 of The Sundered Realms

Vhannor paused. “No.”

“If I don’t know how to get out,” Liris said flatly, “it’s a trap.”

He nodded slowly. “Then let’s teach you how to get out of them.”

Chapter 5

Transportation varies a lot between realms. In larger realms, or ones with great distance between their Gates, trains are common, though they can’t cross portals. Realms that are poor in spellcasters might have a train, but it will be poorly maintained. Serenthuar would benefit from a train, given the sheer quantity of imports to transport, but can’t afford to allocate materials or labor to building one. But at some point, everyone has to switch to something slower or less efficient.

Everyone except spellcasters, that is, who can navigate skimmers. I’ve envied them the ability to do magic for many reasons, but maybe that one most of all.

Just imagine: being able to fly free, wherever you wanted.

Right there in the deadened middle of a forest, alone on a mountain in a new realm, Vhannor, Lord of Embhullor, taught Liris how to escape from a detection sphere should she ever choose to.

Once she understood how it worked, she had a better idea why he hadn’t considered it a problem—it couldn’t harm her, and once it registered the change in ambient magic levels it dissipated on its own. But the fact that he had no qualms about teaching her anyway, with no judgment on the value of her concerns, went a long way toward her actually trusting him.

Even if he was still testing her, as she successfully finished dispelling the sphere on her first solo try and found him watching her pensively.

“Why do you look like that?”

His jaw worked. “Let’s get moving again. If we make good time, we might make it to a faster transport to the next Gate.”

Liris narrowed her eyes and followed, her fledgling increased trust dwindling, when he spoke again.

Apparently he wasn’t going to avoid the question and was actually just concerned with efficiency after all.

“There are a wide variety of paths available to a talented caster,” Vhannor said. “Inventing new standard spells. Casting the spells that rich merchants use and sell—I heard that snort, but those casters make huge amounts of money and can go anywhere they want. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t appeal to you.”

Liris subsided. He really had seen her clearly, and quickly.

She wasn’t sure that was good.

“I’m arguing with myself,” Vhannor said, “because given how fast you learn, the obvious spell track to encourage you toward is research.”

Maybe not so clearly.

“You’re very quiet all of a sudden,” he said.

Frozen like a prey animal that’s been spotted and doesn’t know which way to turn. “I’m listening.”

It was Vhannor’s turn to snort. “Convincing. What did I say?”

Liris let out a frustrated breath. “Remember when you told me I had no options, so it wasn’t fair to compel me?”

“Yes, and I remember you telling me you could make your own choices. Liris, I’m observant but not a mind reader, and I don’t want to fall prey to cultural misunderstandings unaware. I can’t give you options if I don’t know what you want.”

“You don’t get to just decide that it’s safe for me to expose myself to you,” Liris said.

Vhannor turned around and blocked their path, facing her. “I know. I am asking for you to give me a chance to prove my integrity to you.”

Liris held his gaze. “I’m not sure you understand what you’re asking.”

His expression tightened. “I know.”

Maybe he did. But the more she saw of him, the less certain Liris trusted her own judgment of him.

All she’d ever wanted was to use her talents for something that mattered, and for someone to help her rather than hold her back. That after multiple betrayals and only one month away from Serenthuar she should meet a man who seemed completely perfect seemed too good to be true. Liris was beginning to think she was stupid after all, to already trust him the way she thought she could.

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