Page 246 of Heat of the Everflame

“Vance is not a good man, Henri. All he cares about is hate and violence. I know you—you’re a better man than that.”

His eyes shadowed. “Maybe I’m not anymore. Maybe hate and violence are all I have left.”

I walked toward him, my heart aching at the way he bristled. Slowly, tentatively, I reached for his hand. He went rigid at my touch, but as I laid my other hand on his, tension loosened from his shoulders.

“I would never ask you to leave the Guardians,” I said. “I know how much you want justice for the mortals, and so do I. But I am begging you, Henri—don’t follow Vance. His brand of hate will destroy you, and I care about you too much to see that happen.”

He stared at our joined hands with a deep frown. “Vance is our leader.”

“My mother is your leader.”

“Your mother’s in prison. She can’t lead us from there.”

“That’s why I’m breaking her out.”

His head snapped up. “You are?”

I nodded. “Today. But when I do, things could get worse here. The Regent’s new High General is a friend—she promised to help the mortals, but the army doesn’t answer to her, and there’s no telling what they’ll do.”

He perked up with sudden excitement. “I’ll warn the others. We’ll be ready. Whatever happens, it’s worth it—the Guardians need Auralie back. Without her, everything has fallen apart. The cells are fractured, no one can agree on what we should do. She kept us united. Under her, we were strong.”

His face glowed as he gushed over my mother’s leadership. The way he spoke about her with such admiration sparked a light in him I thought had died forever.

“With Auralie, we really might win this war. When Vance told me she had gone to the island, I—”

He froze. Stiffened.

It took me a moment to realize why.

“You knew,” I breathed, understanding dawning. “This whole time, you knew where she was.”

He pulled his hand free and edged away. “You weren’t a Guardian then. You know the rules. I couldn’t say anything.”

My godhood raised its mighty head, sensing a brewing storm.

“I cried in your arms formonths.”

“I told you the Old Gods had showed me she was alive. I thought it would give you hope.”

“Hope?” I shouted. “Hope?”

My temper flared sun-bright. I wanted to rage at his deceit—but the memory of Teller’s voice, thick with scorn over my similar betrayal, still played in my ears.

My skin lit with a glittering radiance, light and shadow rising to my palms. In the sky, Sorae let out a piercing snarl.

Henri’s face went pale.

“Tell the Guardians the blood Vance stole from me won’t work,” I growled. “And if they attack the palace again, I’ll kill them myself.”

“Diem—”

“I wish you and Lana happiness. I hope she gives you everything I couldn’t.”

His expression shuttered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tightened his jaw. “I hope he does for you, too.”

“I’ll see you on the battlefield, Henri. I pray we’ll still be fighting on the same side.”

I turned and walked away, feeling like a cave was collapsing at my back. Every step was a falling boulder, cutting off that path forever and obliterating the treasured moments we’d never share again.

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