Page 76 of The Sacred and the Tormented

She shrugged. The silence stretched. Water trickled down from somewhere nearby then she finally said. “Would it be so outlandish if I were a touch concerned for your welfare? We’re in unfamiliar territory and after all that nonsense about you being one of them—” She waved a hand.

“It’s true.”

Raevina didn’t lift her head. “Were a few parlor tricks all it took to convince you?”

“I felt the difference in my magic.”

She scoffed again. “I thought you and your companions were smarter than that.” She lifted her head and Talon could see the fire in her eyes. “Trust no one, no matter what they tell you.”

“Is that why you don’t domore?” Talon asked. “Because you don’t trust anyone?”

The flame in her gaze flickered and for a split second, Talon thought he saw shadows cloud in her deep golden eyes. They disappeared as fast as an extinguished flame. “I’ve learned many lessons the hard way.”

He opened his mouth to push but stopped himself when she sank her shoulders into the water and rested her head against the rock. Talon changed the subject instead. “I trust that these people despise Niall and Vairik as much as we do.”

“And how far do you think they’re willing to go to destroy him? Do you believe, even for a second, that they care about Evelyn’s fate? Do you think they wouldn’t leave her to be tormented if it meant getting what they want?”

“Would you?” The question slipped out. Raevina had given her loyalty to Arianna, claiming to do whatever it took to protect her. She was the wild card in their group. The new comer. The only one they knew absolutely nothing about.

Raevina was silent for a time, breathing deep before she said, “I would find the best solution for whatever situation arises.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means none of us know what we’re walking into. If young Evelyn can be saved, then I’ll save her but if I’m presented with an opportunity to kill Vairik and free this entire continent, then I’m willing to sacrifice a few lives to make it happen.”

“Arianna won’t like that.”

She shrugged. “Most don’t like tough decisions but they still have to be made. I swore to protect The Divine and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

“So that’s your loophole? You’d go against her—”

“I’m not against her,” Raevina interrupted. “I’m here to ensure she lives, which is more than can be said of my predecessors. If they had done their jobs, we wouldn’t even be here.”

“You mean those who guarded the previous Divine?” She nodded. “That was centuries ago. We don’t even know what really happened.”

“They made a mistake and she died. That’s all I need to know. I don’t intend to do the same. We’ve waited centuries for her, who’s to say we won’t have to wait centuries more for the next one? What happens if we’re not given that kind of time? Vairik is hell bent on revenge and that kind of rage is unpredictable. I won’t see this land destroyed.”

Talon’s lips parted, then closed again. He’d never heard her say so much in one breath and as much as he was loathe to admit it, Raevina was right. If they failed. If Arianna or Rion died, Vairik could decide to do away with the continent altogether.

Talon clenched his fists. But if he had to lose Ellie in the process. He knew he wouldn’t make the same decision. If it came down to Ellie or Arianna or any of them, he’d choose his friends first.

“Consider your own values and prepare yourself for the hard decisions.” Her voice shifted to a whisper. “Others have died trying to be noble only for it to mean absolutely nothing in the end.”

“You sound like you speak from experience.” Raevina stared at the water for a long moment, then stood. Talon looked away, trying in vain to keep his heart from spiking all over again. “Where are you going?”

“To one of the smaller pools. Turns out they might be more pleasant after all.”

She grabbed her robe and walked out without even bothering to put it on.

Chapter Twenty-One

Ellie

Ellie’s eyes fluttered open in the dim lighting and for a fleeting moment she feared she might still be trapped within that small room just waiting for that wretched male’s next strike.

Her chest rose and fell evenly, but the racing of her heartbeat betrayed her. Ellie refused to move until she was certain she no longer felt his oily presence.

Seconds ticked by. Minutes.

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