Page 19 of Soul Forge

“Do you hear that, Battle-born?” Irileth asked. “Someone besides myself thinks you are an ass.”

“You say that like I’m supposed to care,” he retorted irritably. “Can we get on with this?”

“Patience,” the Spirit tutted, her frozen brows pulling together in disapproval before she returned her attention to Elda. “My wielder. I have chosen you to bond with me against something terrible. There are two tasks we must complete, both of which will ensure the safety of this world.”

“What tasks?” Elda asked reluctantly.

“I don’t know the specifics yet, but I can tell you this. First, we must fix what is broken. Then we must expose the lies. Only by completing the first task can we achieve the second.”

“What could be so broken that the entire continent is at risk?” Sypher asked.

Irileth shot him a pointed look, something unspoken passing between them. “I can’t say for sure until Elda’s purpose becomes clear to me.” Her eyes narrowed. “But I have my suspicions.”

“Point taken,” he muttered, retreating further into his black mood.

Elda looked between them. “What?”

“You will learn when I do,” Irileth promised, smiling. “If I voice my assumptions now and they turn out to be incorrect, I’m certain your betrothed will stab me in the eyes. Time will tell me why we have been chosen. For now, I have a question for you.” She straightened and placed a hand over her heart. “Princess Elda Gild of Eden, do you accept your role as wielderof my vestige and bind yourself to me to ensure our purpose is fulfilled?”

Elda looked at Sypher, at the way his eyes narrowed and his shoulders tensed. She knew he didn’t like her. Even though it was what he’d tracked her down for, she knew that saying yes to Irileth’s question would only worsen their relationship.

But the alternative was refusing their alliance and being forced into Horthan’s bed. It was turning her back on the people of Valerus when they needed her. It was defying the very Spirits that created her. Her choice was already made, whether she liked it or not.

She glared right back at him, squaring her shoulders. “Yes. I accept.”

“Are you ready to go yet?” Sypher griped. The dark circles under his eyes were accentuated by his permanent scowl. He’d shown up at Elda’s door with an unfamiliar handmaid in tow not long after sunrise, demanding that she pack some clothes ready to leave. The woman stood six feet away from him, wide-eyed, staring like he was some sort of mythical creature. It took a second for Elda to remember that was exactly what he was.

“You’re not a morning person, are you?” she quipped, earning a withering glare. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going,” she prodded when he didn’t reply.

“Saeryn. One of the other wielders lives there.”

“And we’re getting therehow?” she pressed, frowning at him.

He leaned against her bedpost and flashed a smile that made her wonder if she’d have been safer with the Falkrynian. “It’s a surprise.” His elongated incisors looked sharp enough to tear out her throat. “Hurry up. We still need to tell your father we’re leaving.”

She paused to stare at him, her stomach flipping uncomfortably. “You haven’t told him yet? How do you knowhe’ll let me go with you?” At his blank look, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a breath to quell the irritation. “You realise there are rules you have to follow before whisking me away somewhere, don’t you?”

The Soul Forge frowned. “Why would he say no?”

“Spirits, you really don’t know anything beyond swinging a sword.” She set her hands on her hips, abandoning the bootlace she was tying to scowl at him.

“Enlighten me,” he ground out.

“If we leave before the wedding, Horthan will assume we don’t intend to stick to the arrangement. I’m willing to bet Falmyr would take offence too.”

“And?”

“And if we leave without completing our union, we might as well be spitting in their faces. We wanted toavoida war, remember? The whole continent is expecting us to marrybeforewe leave,” she explained, fighting to keep her temper out of her tone. Something about him made her so quick to anger.

“I miss being a bachelor,” Sypher muttered, glowering at the ground. “Life was so much simpler without you in it.”

“Being the next wielder isn’t exactly a picnic for me either,” she snapped back. He looked like he might respond, then thought better of it, and stepped backwards into a swathe of shadows. The handmaid squeaked and staggered back a step. Elda blinked when he disappeared, not expecting him to sgàil.

“Ass,” she growled, reaching back down to finish fastening her boot lace.

“He can be like that sometimes,” said a new voice. When Irileth materialised out of thin air, Elda jumped so hard she almost pitched herself backwards over the chaise longue, a scream sticking in her throat. The poor handmaid looked ready to faint. “Sorry!” Irileth apologised quickly. “I forget that not everyone can just appear wherever they choose.” She turned tothe maid. “You can leave, dear. I’ll be present if the future prince returns.”

“Do all immortal creatures just pop up out of nowhere?” Elda asked, one hand pressed to her chest over her thundering heart as she watched the chaperone hurry away.

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