Page 87 of Of Empires and Dust

“I want to.” She ran her tongue across her lips, then pulled her legs to her chest, mimicking Dayne’s posture. “Ever since you returned, I’ve treated you like?—”

“Shit.”

Alina snorted, a smile spreading from ear to ear. She hung her head between her knees. “Yes. Like shit.” A few seconds passed, and the mirth drained. “I had been so angry at you for so long… Angry at you for dying and leaving me and Baren to rot here, leaving me to live in a world without you. I know it wasn’t your fault, but it was easier to be angry with you. And then when you came back, all I could think was why hadn’t you come back sooner?” Alina stared off at the sky. “Why had it taken Aeson’s letter – the man who left our parents to die – for you to finally come home? Did we meanthatlittle to you?”

Dayne started to speak but thought better of it.

Alina lifted her head, meeting his gaze. “I fought every day of my life after our parents died. I lost my love, my child, my family. Baren treated me like a thing to be traded. Had it not been for Rynvar hatching and for the rebellion… I don’t know. Every morning I woke plotting vengeance, and every night I went to sleep with blood on my hands. Everyone looked at me as though I was forever the little girl who sobbed in the plaza while her parents’ bodies swung. Iearnedtheir loyalty, their respect. I earned it in blood and sacrifice. It took years. And then you come back, and I saw everything I’d built slip away in my mind. The eldest child of Arkin and Ilya Ateres, returned from the dead. By birthright, House Ateres is yours. You don’t have to earn it, or kill for it, or sacrifice for it. It is simply… yours.”

“Alina, I would never…”

Alina’s glare caused Dayne to cut himself short. “It’s taken me this long to say all this. Are you going to let me finish?”

Dayne smiled and flicked his hand upwards for Alina to continue.

“You could have taken it with ease. Turik would have handed it to you on a silver platter. Gods’ know there were enough who would have supported your claim, especially after the way you fought at Lostwren and Myrefall. You weren’t just a returned son of House Ateres, you were a hero – their champion. You could have taken it all… but you didn’t. When you killed Turik, my anger was born of you keeping me in the dark, nothing more. I’ve spent years with everyone lying to me, everyone trying to play me for a fool, and then you didn’t trust me enough to tell me what you were planning.”

“I trust you with my life.”

“I know…” Alina nodded absently. “Over the years, I’ve learned to think the worst of people. That way none of them can surprise me. It’s something that’s kept me alive. So when you came back, talking of Aeson and rebellion, I just…” She took a breath, settling herself. “I didn’t know what to do. For the first time in a long time, I felt like that little girl again: helpless and scared. All you have done is stand by my side, and I’m sorry for not standing by yours. I’m sorry, Dayne. And I promise to be better.”

“Apology accepted.”

“That’s all you’re going to say?”

“Well, a wise woman once told me ‘Actions. Not words.’”

She sniffled, but no tears fell as a soft smile brightened her face. “I deserved that.”

“You did.” Dayne reached over and rested his hand atop his sister’s, squeezing for just a moment. “What brought all this on? Mera made you say it, didn’t she?”

Alina pulled her hand away from Dayne’s, then stood, her gaze passing over the flickering torches of the camp.

Dayne stood with her. “Alina?”

“With Myrefall back under our control, all that’s left is Achyron’s Keep. At last count, Loren’s forces were fifty thousand strong. We have just over half that number, and our mages are Alamants – nothing compared to the imperials. I’d wait them out, but they’re better stocked than we are. They hold the Hot Gates and bring supplies through from Varsund. With so many of our farms and stores damaged in the fighting, they can keep their forces fed a lot longer than we can. If we want a free Valtara, then we have to hit them with everything we have. We must burn out the Lorian roots and raze Achyron’s Keep to the ground. I didn’t want all this hanging over us. I didn’t want to die without…”

“Alina… I know what you’re going to say, but we don’t have to do this alone. Just reach out to Aeson. Please, I beg of you. Just talk to him. With him by our side, we can take the keep. We can free our home.”

“I already have. I sent word to Aeson while you were marching from the Lost Hills. You were right. You’ve always been right. I let my pride and my anger blind me. But no more. After Marlin’s death… I… He was like a father to me all these years. He begged me to listen to you, and I shut him out. And if I learn nothing from his death, then what am I? I won’t do that again. I won’t. But Dayne, if Aeson abandons us like he did our parents, I will let Rynvar rip him to pieces.”

“He won’t.”

“You’re always so sure… I wish I could be.”

Footsteps sounded behind Dayne, and both he and Alina turned to see the towering figure of Olivian marching towards them, the Angan, Crokus, at her side. True to its word, thecreature had remained with the camp since the day it had brought Aeson’s message.

The Angan moved with a loping grace, its long legs matching Olivian stride for stride, its fur-covered chest and arms dense with muscle. It was the face that unsettled Dayne: both human and wolf, its teeth sharp, its nose flat and black, its eyes the colour of molten gold.

“My queen.” Olivian bowed at the waist, her right hand gripping the shaft of her valyna, her left hand resting on the pommel of the short sword at her hip. “Crokus of the Fenryr Angan.”

“Thank you, Olivian. You may leave us.”

The woman’s eyes widened, and she looked as though she were going to object, but instead she bowed more deeply. “As you wish, my queen.”

“Well met, Crokus.” Alina inclined her head, showing the Angan far more respect than she had the first time they’d spoken. “Aeson has sent an answer?”

Crokus returned Alina’s gesture, resting a clawed hand on its chest as it did. “Blessings of Fenryr upon you, Queen Alina of House Ateres. Aeson Virandr wishes you to know that he will honour the vow he swore to your family. He will fight with you, and he will not come alone.”

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