Page 42 of The Mirror in the Mountain

She had baited me on purpose. Offering herself up as a target for my anger. She had known how much I needed to work out my frustration, my fear, before it could break me.

I found myself winded far too soon, my side aching. Holding up a hand, I then pressed it into the stitch in my side, wincing as I pushed against the remnants of a bruise while trying to catch my breath.

Yael stepped back, though her sword was still raised. “If you’re going to be High Queen, the least I can do is help you stay in shape for the fight ahead.”

Lazily lifting my sword, I snorted derisively before I could stop myself. “Some High Queen.”

I felt too raw, too worked up from the hurt still shadowing Tobias’s face to guard what was coming out of my mouth.

Yael shot forward, her sword sweeping low. “What isthatsupposed to mean?”

I leapt backwards, barely managing to defend myself.

“Exactly what it sounds like,” I snapped, slashing downwards only for her to block me. “What is this, fight therapy day?”

Yael smirked as our swords clanged together once again. “Whatever works, Your Majesty.”

I sighed at the title, lowering my voice along with my sword. “What if the people of Agadot don’t want me? What if the Choosing rejects me, despite my magic?” My voice wavered as my fears tumbled out despite myself. “What if I’m just not good enough?”

Yael didn’t hesitate. “You are. You will be. And the fact that you’re worried about it instead of going straight to the overly entitled presumptiveness of most rulers speaks for itself about your worthiness.” She dropped her blade to her side as she stepped closer. “You may not know this land, but you are kind and smart and brave. And we’ll be here to teach you whatever you can’t learn. Whoever isn’t swayed by the magic of the land choosing you will learn to believe in you when you become the advocate I know you will be. The leader this realm deserves.”

She grabbed my hand, looking over her shoulder to glare at the others, and I heard the clang of swords as they resumed their battling. “Besides, nobody in this bloody band has their lives together, let alone the rest of the realm. So take a breath. You can withstand anything. Including becoming High Queen. Especiallywith your family by your side.” Her eyes narrowed. “And I’ll fight anyone who says a bad word about you.”

I cocked my head. “Including what I just said about myself?”

She raised her sword threateningly, an amused glint in her eye. “Square up then, let’s go.”

I chuckled quietly, somehow feeling better despite everything. With a smile, I raised my sword.

Yael lunged toward me with a sweeping strike that I barely managed to deflect. Sweat dripped down my back even as I felt a tingle of awareness on the nape of my neck. My blade met Yael’s in a clash of metal as I blatantly ignored the searing weight of my brother’s gaze, losing myself in the rhythm of our movements even as my arms started to shake. Refusing to look his way even as he waved Rivan off, wiping the sweat off his neck with his sleeve as he disappeared into what had once been our home.

Chapter 19

Bash

Quinn had yet to stop grinning at me as we settled in for dinner. I felt strangely proud to have gained Eva’s best friend’s immediate approval, especially after my disastrous start with her twin. Tucking a still-damp curl behind Eva’s ear, freshly washed after our training session, I suppressed a laugh as Quinn beamed at me in response.

I wasn’t sure whether to be happy that Eva had obviously never let anyone touch her like this or sad at how lonely she had been before we met. With the notable exception of her best friend. I caught Quinn’s gaze and grinned back; grateful they at least always had each other.

Rivan’s empty mug clunked down on the smooth planks of the cedar table, Thorin refilling it with ale before it even settled. He, Akeno, and Pari had joined us for dinner, dressed in formal clothes that reminded me once again of Eva’s station here. She and Tobias were Solearan royalty even without her being the future High Queen.

“So,” Pari drawled from where she sat by Yael. “I assume we’re here to talk about a plan.”

Rivan gave her a disgruntled look, and I raised an eyebrow. Had something happened between the two of them? It wasstrange to see him dislike anyone, let alone outwardly, when he tended to easily get along with everyone.

Eva nodded, her nails biting into the rose-shaped scar on her palm hard enough to leave a mark. “We know the False King’s next step is to go through the Choosing. To trick it somehow with the blood and the magic he stole from me.” She swallowed, looking faintly nauseous, and my fingers dug into the table. “But in order to stop him…”

“—we need to figure out where the Choosing takes place,” I continued.

“And find a way to get there first,” she finished.

“One impossible thing at a time, hellion,” I murmured, reaching out to take her hand, my thumbs rubbing against the crescent-shaped red marks she had left behind.

Yael slowly shook her head. “Queen Amerie’s old advisors have been systemically wiped out, taken by the False Prince to further his own agenda, then killed so they couldn’t share that information with anyone else. Marin tried to locate the rest of them after the one staying in Imyr disappeared not too long ago. She found that they’d either been stationed in Morehaven, whether or not they went willingly, or vanished without a trace.”

“So he likely already knows the location of the Choosing,” Pari mused. “Which means he has the advantage.”

“Right now, he’s returned to Morehaven after the search for Her Majesty failed,” Thorin said gravely, nodding at myanima.

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