Page 116 of The Blood Traitor

Tor opened his mouth, but Kiva got in first to say, “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”

His emerald eyes were solemn, but there was a hint of mirth there too as he replied, “Define stupid.”

“I’m serious,” Kiva said. “Ashlyn says you’re going to try and rally the rebels. But if it doesn’t work, if they won’t listen, if Zuleeka comes after you —”

“I promise,” Tor said softly. “As long as you promise, too.”

“I’m not the one riding into danger,” Kiva said, tacking on a silentyet. “Ignoring Zuleeka, if Navok’s anomalies attack, you’ll be fighting against elemental magic. That’s a battle not even you have faced.”

“We’ve been training for this,” Tor reminded her. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“You’re my brother. I’llalwaysworry about you.”

There was nothing Tor could say to that, so he just opened his arms, pulling her into his strong embrace. She wanted to keep holding on, to keep him safe where she could always see him, but they were both aware that everyone was waiting, so they quickly broke apart and returned to the group.

Once there, Torell looked straight at Jaren and said, “Protect her.”

More serious than Kiva had ever seen him, Jaren replied, “With my life.”

Kiva would have huffed and reminded them that she’d survived for a decade in a death prison, if not for the meaningful look that was being shared between them, something that made her heart ache and feel full at the same time. When they finally nodded to each other, it wasn’t just as two people who cared deeply for her, it was also as two leaders, two warriors, two princes. They had each earned the other’s respect. Maybe even more than that — because after everything they’d been through, there was friendship there, too.

Tears burned Kiva’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall.

“Love you, Mouse,” Tor said, mounting his horse and backing away. “We’ll be together again before you know it.”

With that, he signaled to Ashlyn, and she summoned her magic, windfunneling the three of them out of sight.

Kiva released a slow breath and then looked to what remained of their group.

“Our turn,” Naari declared, leading Zephyr and Nightshade over to Kiva and Jaren. “Everyone ready?”

At their confirmation, Galdric stepped forward, and Kiva tightened her grip on Zephyr’s reins. The magic still hit her like a wall before lifting her into the air, the unpleasantness of the wind-travel never diminishing.

Unlike the trip down from the mountain, the distance between Lyras and Arden was considerable enough that when they finally landed outside the forest city, Kiva had to lean against Zephyr until her head stopped spinning. For the first time ever, he didn’t try to bite her. She would have crowed with glee if their circumstances hadn’t been so dire, and instead turned her attention to their final destination.

Nerine was a kingdom known for its lush forests, so it was unsurprising to see its capital surrounded by enough vegetation that it was difficult to tell where the woods ended and the city began. Even the buildings looked as if they were carved out of nature, with cylindrical bases meeting round rooftops, the heights and widths differing, all colored in earthy greens and browns and yellows.

Marveling at the view, Kiva thought there was something otherworldly, almost magical about Arden, especially with the luminium orbs threaded along the moss-lined streets, like fireflies among the trees. And then there was the enchanting palace itself, rising high over everything, like a multi-leveled golden mushroom glinting in the fading afternoon light.

“It looks like a f-fairy-tale city,” Tipp breathed.

Kiva nodded, sharing his wonder. More than any other place they had visited, she was eager to venture forth along the woodsy paths twisting toward the palace. But neither she nor her companions had thechance to so much as mount their horses before a group of greenarmored guards rode out through a large timber gate to intercept them.

And it wasn’t just guards — at their center was a matronly woman with a flower crown braided into her gray hair, her eyes a startling amethyst, her gown a pure, shining white, her bearing making her seem just as ethereal as the forest city she had come from.

“Queen Lorah,” Jaren said, bowing deep. It was the first time in all their travels that he’d used an honorific for any of the foreign rulers, as if he was deliberately trying to keep a polite distance between them.

“Jaren, dearest,” she said, her voice like chimes in the wind, “I’ve known you since you were a babe. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Aunt Lorie?”

Caldon coughed into his hand, but was unable to fully hide his mirth. Even Kiva had trouble repressing hers when she saw Jaren’s discomfort, remembering how Ashlyn had said the queen adored him. Kiva had envisioned something very different — and from someone much younger.

Queen Lorah didn’t wait for his response before she went on, “I was out riding with my guards when I saw you arrive in a — what was that? A whirlwind?” Her wrinkled forehead creased with uncertainty, but she shrugged, as if it hadn’t been the strangest thing she had ever seen, and continued, “My curiosity was too piqued for me to wait. I simply had to come and see what brought you to me so unexpectedly.” She turned to Caldon. “You must have grown at least three inches since I last saw you, young man. You never come visit me anymore.”

“Allergies,” Caldon said with a straight face.

This time, it was Kiva who had to cough, unintentionally drawing the queen’s gaze. But her amethyst eyes only lingered briefly before she peered around the rest of the group, from Naari, who she likely already knew, to Tipp, Cresta, and Galdric. Only then did she look back at Jaren and ask, “Would you care to explain your presence? Or would you andyour friends prefer to ride back with me and we can catch up properly over tea?”

Since Lorah was still atop her horse, Jaren had to continue looking up at her from beside Nightshade as he answered, “Unfortunately, this isn’t a social call — we have to return to Vallenia as quickly as possible.” He didn’t ask if she’d heard any rumors about Evalon in recent weeks — or recentdays— and only said, “We came for Sarana’s ring. Do you have it?”

---