Page 174 of Scourged

“I know, Mariah. We understand. But we can’t just go now?—”

“Of course we can,” she interrupted. “I’ll go alone if I must. But I will not sit here, waiting in safety and comfort, while my family rots in a cell in that fucking castle.”

Silence answered her. A hand rested gently on her thigh, warm and familiar.

“Nio. Look at me.”

She slowly turned to Andrian. Shadows danced in his blue eyes, twined down his shoulders, brushed against her cheeks. She leaned into them, just for a moment, before snapping herself back.

“We will get them back. As soon as we fucking can. But we can’t take down a whole castle without a plan.”

He was right, even though the beast in her gnashed its teeth and raked its claws across her soul.

Matheo and Feran burst into her rooms, followed closely by Ciana, Kiira, and Rylla. Their footsteps were tense and clipped as they strode through the foyer. Ciana pushed and shoved past Quentin and Drystan until she stood by Sebastian, her normally bright face tight. She dropped to her knees, resting a hand on Mariah’s forearm, amber eyes flickering.

Mariah hardly recognized the feeling of her friend’s hand on her arm, but she met Ciana’s gaze. Did her best to acknowledge her, to feel something other than her rage.

A memory tickled at the back of her mind, a reminder of something else that had happened that night.

“How is Delaynie?” Mariah croaked as her mind filled with images of her friend bent over the body of her father. Of her sobs echoing through the throne room.

Her rage greeted her guilt like an old friend, both settling in her chest.

Ciana’s hand tightened on Mariah’s arm. “She’ll be alright. They always knew this day would come.”

Mariah grimaced. “Knowing something is going to happen doesn’t make it any easier.”

“No, I suppose it doesn’t.” Ciana shook her head and inhaled a deep breath. “She’s going to stand vigil with her mother and Liliane. She hoped that would be okay with you.”

That guilt twisted tighter, wrapping around Mariah’s throat. Her anger suffocated, still itching and raging to leave for Khento. But she wasn’t the only one to lose someone tonight.

She didn’t even know if shehadlost anyone. Her family was only taken, if Finn’s message was to be believed. They were not dead.

Not like Steven, Delaynie’s father.

“Of course it’s okay.” Mariah felt tired. So very, very tired. She hung her head, her chin meeting her chest. “I’m sorry. I was selfish.”

“No, Mariah.” Andrian’s hand brushed her hair off her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. “You’re not selfish, and nobody here thinks you are.” There were nods around the room, but Mariah’s attention remained focused on him. On his tanzanite eyes and the bond of light and shadow stretching between them. “Your family was taken. And we’re going to figure out a way to get them back.Allof them.” He growled the last few words, shadows dancing between his eyes.

Mariah drew in a breath and let it out slowly between her teeth. She curled her hands into fists, nails digging into her palms.

“I need to get them back.” She turned to Ciana, still kneeling on the rug. “But … I also need to be here for Delaynie. For Ryenne. She deserves as much.”

Ciana nodded, tears forming behind her amber eyes as she gave Mariah a sad, heartbroken smile.

Mariah turned to Sebastian. “Is three days enough time?”

Hesitation flashed across Sebastian’s eyes, but he wasn’t who answered her.

“Yes,nio. Three days is more than enough.” Mariah nodded but kept her attention on Sebastian.

“Do you disagree, Sebastian?”

He pressed his mouth into a thin line. “No. I don’t. I just don’t want you going with us.”

Mariah’s rage came roaring back.

“I would rather die,” she whispered, venom on her tongue, “than stay here, in the comfort of this ridiculous fucking palace, while my family is held captive in an enemy’s castle. I will never let someone else fight my battles for me, especially when the fight is for people I love.”

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