Page 148 of Spark of the Everflame

“Then just don’t go,” I joined in. “They can’t conscript you, not unless war is declared.”

“Warhasbeen declared.” Father’s eyes flashed angrily as they returned to me. “Last night’s attack was not an isolated incident. There have been bombings in several of the realms. The Crowns wish to stamp it out before it becomes anything worse.”

Fight.

“So you’re going to kill them?” I spat out, unable to conceal my withering judgment. “You’re going to kill our own people because the Descended told you to?”

“I am trying to keep the peace. If this goes on much longer, more of the realms may ban mortals from their borders. Thousands will die, and the restrictions we live under will get worse. If stopping a handful of rebels means preventing the destruction of our people entirely, then I’ll happily do it.”

His words sounded so similar to Henri’s that it roiled my stomach. Each side was convinced they were fighting for good, each of them believing that the killings they committed were righteous and justified to prevent the deaths of innocents. How was it possible for me to love people so deeply on both sides of this war?

And what choices would we each be forced to make before it all ended?

Father gave a drawn-out sigh, slumping as the fight flooded out of him. He clamped a hand on Teller’s shoulder, then did the same to me.

“I know you’re both worried, but they only want me there because it will look better to have their orders coming from a mortal commander. I’ll be far from any real danger.”

Teller looked at me with brows raised, as if asking for permission to believe him, but my head was too crowded to offer much reassurance, the call of thevoicenow a constant, demanding rumble in my thoughts.

Fight.

Father gave Teller a good-natured jostle. “Focus on your schooling, son. I’ll be back before you know it. And you...” He looked at me and placed his palm on my cheek. “I know you feel I do not trust you, my Diem, but nothing could be further from the truth. I know you’ll take good care of your brother while I’m away. You’ll have to take on more work at the healers’ center to make ends meet in my absence, but once—”

I froze. I tried to rein in my features, but I knew from the gleam in his eyes that he’d caught on to my alarm.

“What is it?” he asked.

I stepped back until his hand fell from my face. His eyebrows sank into a deep slope.

“Diem...”

“I quit the healers’ center.”

Teller’s mouth dropped open, and even he retreated out of Father’s grasp.

Father closed his eyes, his chest expanding in a slow, controlled inhale. My muscles stiffened, as if anticipating a blow.

“Then you will go back,” he said quietly, “and you will tell Maura to reinstate you.”

Fight.

I steeled my jaw.

“No.”

His eyelids flew open. “Yes.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be a healer now. Iwon’t. I did it for Mother, because it was expected of me, but... I can’t. Not anymore.”

The shaking in his fists radiated to his shoulders as he visibly struggled to contain his wrath. “Then you will marry Henri,” he gritted out. “His family can provide for you both.”

I gasped, or maybe Teller did. It was getting harder to separate what was happening in front of me from the chaos brewing inside.

Fight.

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