Page 74 of The Arrow and the Alder

“I’m not one to be governed by feelings,” Seph said through her teeth. “I will never forgive you for how you used my brother, but for my family, I vow to do whatever needs to be done to save this world, even if it means setting aside my hatred toward you for a few days.”

Her words were met with silence, and Alder stood perfectly still. Emotion churned in his eyes, and though Seph couldn’t determine his feelings, the intensity made her feel flush all over.

“We leave at dawn.” He turned away from her and strode out of the training yard, and he didn’t glance back. Not once.

Alder was playing with fire, and he bloody well knew it. He’d thought being away from Josephine would help him forget. That between the ambushes and raids and attacks from depraved, his mind would finally be free from her. He’d almost believed it’d worked.

Until today.

Until he’d gazed across the expanse and locked eyes with those soulful blues. She was like a creature from the stars, a bolt of color in the dark and fathomless depths of Velentis. Ambient light brushed her hair, making her look as though she were positively glowing, like some veritable goddess of war with her pearlescent bow strapped across her back and her thick silvery locks tamed into braids. And though he’d intended to introduce his rescued prisoners to the rest of Velentis’s citizens, he’d gone after the little goddess instead.

Damned fool.

And he’d known he was being a damned fool with every step he’d taken, but he’d ignored the voice that warned him to go the other way. To leave her alone. That he was a terrible danger to her. That watering this soil would not end in flowers but in brambles and star thistle, and yet he went to her anyway.

Great-granddaughter of the enchantress, indeed. She might not have inherited Abecka’s particular gifting, but she had unequivocally succeeded in enchantinghim. There was a light in her soul, and he could not keep away from it.

Which was why Josephine was here with him now, riding with the coat to Callant to see if the batty old collector had any idea what to do with it. Alder led their small company along an old road that no one used anymore, which meant that large pieces were missing and sometimes the road vanished altogether. It took their combined efforts to keep track of it—Evora was indispensable here—but the benefit was that they hadn’t passed another soul. They did meet depraved along the way, but only a few—thanks to Abecka’s powerful concealing enchantments—and those they dispatched quickly.

Josephine had shot down the last two on her own, before anyone else had even noticed them—including him.

He could still see her face, the determination in her eyes and the blush in her cheeks as she lowered the bow, her bosom heaving beneath that glorious, fitted bodice. She’d met his gaze, and her unspoken words had risen between them, as if to say, See? I told you I could set aside my hatred for a few days.

“This seems like a waste,” Evora said, yanking Alder from the thoughts he shouldn’t be having. His cousin murmured low so Abecka could not overhear. “We should be rescuing more of our kin instead of visiting that old kook.”

Alder didn’t disagree. “It won’t matter how many we rescue if Massie gets ahold of the power within this coat.”

Evora was quiet, then: “Do you really think Basrain will have any ideas?”

“I don’t know,” Alder said after a moment, “but Idoknow that we’re quickly running out of options.”

“We could just burn the coat. See if the light comes out of it.”

“Abecka tried that.”

“Maybe she should try again.”

“They’ve used every form of kithflame imaginable.”

Evora’s expression dimmed. “Slice it through with a sword?”

“Tried that too.”

Evora sighed, looking both frustrated and slightly defeated. “Are you certainshehas something to do with it?”

Evora didn’t need to specify.

Alder’s gaze settled upon the head of thick white hair that never quite left his periphery. It was like a beacon, always lighting the way forward, always luring him near. “I’m sure,” he said, and he was. He couldn’t explain it other than this bone-deep feeling that her brilliant thread of life was woven into the fibers of the coat. Abecka believed it too.

“I must say,” Evora continued, “I’m impressed with how she’s taken to hereloit. She may even be a better shot than Kestrel. Last night, while you were…wherever you went off to…” She glanced sideways at him. “Wheredidyou go after we returned?”

Alder kept his expression carefully neutral. “I retired early.”

Evora raised her brows. “The Alder I remember never missed an opportunity to celebrate.”

“And I intend to, once all of this is over, but anyway, what about last night?”

Her gaze lingered on him. “Well, I overheard some of Tavi’s lot placing bets on your little mortal friend. They were planning a small tourney to see…where are you going?” she asked, but Alder didn’t answer.

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