Page 97 of The Flame and the Forsaken

Alessia turned her ire on Augustine. “Remy, aye, he’s too far up Mariel’s cunt to ever say a word crossways, butyou? Never said a feckin’ word about her saying what she said.”

“Mariel’s reasons are her own,” Augustine said into the forest. “Nothing came of it anyway.”

“Ye donnae ken this affects us all?”

“She’d never name any of us,” Remy stated. “Never.”

“’Cept, they know Auggie, aye? Sheworksfor the silver spoons. And it wouldnae be hard to tie you to her.” She pinched her finger, squinting. “Just aweebit of digging.”

“Then that’s our problem, Alessia.” Remy met her wild stare. “You were more concerned with saving your own ass. Remember?”

“And why has this nay reached everyone’s ears by now? Wouldnae the attempted capture of the Flame be news far and wide?” Alessia demanded.

Remy shook his head at the sky. “Maybe you should go back to your blacksmithing.”

“Aye, you’d like that! So I willnae keep showing ye all the holes in your story!”

Destin cleared his throat so Remy would ease off. “Listen, listen. These mates of his, they’re no more keen on the public, or the stewards, learning the truth than any of us are.”

Alessia burst into maniacal laughter.

“Imeanit. They love Erran. And Erran...” Destin clenched from head to toe, like a man expecting to be hit. “Loves Mariel.”

“Guardians on feckin’ high, you are nay serious!” Alessia flung her arms out, her mouth hanging wide. Magnur had given up trying to subdue her and just shook his head at the forest floor. “Nay, nay, nay, you’re telling tales, Des, because the Marielweknow?—”

“Loves him back.” Destin’s tension eased. The words were out. The truth was out. But the airless silence was almost worse than Alessia’s unhinged ranting. “Being stranded on an island you never expect to leave will do that, I ken.”

“Yeken?”Alessia was seething. Her nostrils flared as she whipped her gaze around at the others. “Are none of ye gonna say anything about it? Remy? Aug?”

Remy and Augustine wore identical looks. Dazed. Wounded. Heartbroken. Even with all the hours and days and years he’d lost to the drink, Destin hadn’t missed howbothPerevil siblings had been in love with Mariel. Mariel acted like maybe she was in love with them too, but Destin understood something about survivors that she perhaps did not.

It wasn’t surviving if the injuries were self-inflicted, over and over.

If a better way was never found.

A way out.

“Isthiswhy you asked us here early? Too much of a coward to tell us herself?” Alessia asked.

“She doesn’t know I’m telling you, and she’ll be plenty angry for it, I’m sure.” Destin scratched his head. He needed to hurry. Mariel would arrive soon, and he had somewhere to be before she got there. “She wanted to tell you herself, but I did it instead, because I knew how you’d react, and she doesn’t deserve that.”

“Deserve? She’s betrayed us! Betrayed herself!” Alessia elbowed Magnur, aghast. “Say something!”

“You want me to say something?” Magnur ran a hand along his beard. “I joined Obsidian Sky for the freedom ye all offered. If we’re free to come or go, free to be involved or nay, then either Mariel is free to love as she chooses or I ken you all have been lying to yourselves all along.” He grunted as he stood, towering over the group. “I’ll be retiring now. Give Mariel my love. I’m grateful she’s home.”

Alessia gaped at Destin for several intense seconds before leaping from her log and racing after Magnur. “Wait! Mag, wait!”

Destin slowly exhaled, taking his time. “I can’t tell if that went better or worse than I expected.”

“She’s... She’s pretending, right?” Remy was still lost to his fantasies. “An exceptionally long con?”

“I’ve seen them, Remy.” Augustine’s voice cracked and shattered. “At the Spires. Seen them myself.”

“What?”

“Before, she could hardly make herself be civil. A bairn could’ve seen through her act.”

“What are you saying?”

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