Page 19 of Shadows of Ruin

“Fates save us.” Jax ran a hand over his face.

Storm’s menacing gaze broke from mine, softening as a smile spread over his lips. “The princess says ‘tits and daggers’ when she curses.”

Jax whimpered, clasping his chest. “It’s perfect.”

“You’re not to train her,” Raya said, once again interrupting the two with a simmering anger. “She’ll kill him.”

Storm’s eyes flicked toward me. History told us all there would be no winning this battle tonight; Raya rarely backed down when she was in a good mood, let alone in her current state.

“It’s not up to you,” Storm said quietly before he rose, trudging back to his tent. He waved Raya off as she stood next to the fire, hands on her hip. I didn’t miss her bending down toward a pile of rocks.

Storm was right about one thing, Lana needed to train in order to survive here in Mysthaven. Selfishly, I wanted to be the one to train her. My shadows stretched taught, hovering toward my tent, demanding to be near her. They would want to train with her, too. Impossible to do if she wouldn’t talk to me. Which would clearly continue if I couldn’t find a way to tell her about her father.

“Have you been able to bolster the rebellion?” I asked Jax.

He grunted. “Without the Monster of Mysthaven around, people have seemed more willing to listen.”

I sighed, lowering my head. “They need to be willing to risk it, even upon my return if we have any hope of them being brave enough to stand up to the king.”

My questions ceased when Raya stilled, dropping the rockshe had picked up to throw in Storm’s direction. Her head hung low, and when she raised it once more, her eyes reflected a shimmering white hue.

“Fuck, not now,” I muttered.

Raya stiffened, her entire body frozen for a few moments more, before her eyes returned to their normal chestnut brown. Her gaze connected with my own.

“He knows you’ve returned.” She swallowed a deep breath before continuing. “He’s made the decision for us.”

Jax rose as well, nearing Raya’s side. “What do you mean, made the decision for us?”

“We’ve been ordered to go to Canyon City before returning to the palace. A group of traitors were discovered creating a plan to cross the void. The king wants the leader dealt with. Now.”

My mind spun, working the pieces together like we always had done when instructed to deal with traitors. I should have known coming back here would mean an immediate task. “We’ll go at dawn,” I said grimly.

Raya didn’t relax her gaze, appearing uncharacteristically nervous. “Publicly, Kade. He wants it done in the city square.”

Jax cursed under his breath before walking toward the tent we’d share. I closed my eyes, steeling my emotions, locking them away as Raya moved to her own space. The man I’d become in Brookmere couldn’t exist here. The man Lana allowed me to be wouldn’t help us.

I inhaled slowly, opening my eyes and snuffing out the campfire with my shadows, just like I’d smother the part of me that had sparked alive these past few months. It was the only way to allow me to unleash the side of me lying dormant so I could become the monster the king had created me to be.

The monster Illiana believed me to be.

The Monster of Mysthaven.

Chapter 6

Lana

Asliver of moonlight shone through the crack of the tent flap as I awoke several hours later from the truths haunting my dreams.

A scream threatened to escape my lips, but I bit down on the fleshy part of my hand to not wake the others. Tears streamed down my face in a waterfall of emotion.

The dreams of my father’s bloody chest weren’t nightmares at all. They were real.

I swallowed a sob. And now? I was alone.

The grief of that loneliness surrounded me like a dark inescapable pit, worse than my nightmares.

More horrific than the terrors of the dungeon all those years ago.

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