Page 5 of Forged in Flame and Shadow

Chapter 2

Leon

Damn it.

I subtly roll my aching shoulder as I ride on ahead of the group. I don’t want the others to notice it’s paining me even a little. If they realized I managed to get hurt during a fight that was entirely my idea, I’d never hear the end of it.

But how was I supposed to know she was going to throw a whole damn tree at me?

I dodged the biggest bit of it, of course, but one of the branches still clipped me as it flew past me at top speed. I don’t think anyone saw, but I’ll probably be picking splinters out of my shoulder for days.

“Feeling a little stiff, are we?” Alastor says with a grin as he rides up beside me.

“I must’ve slept funny,” I grunt.

“Sure.” He eyes me knowingly. Sometimes he doesn’t need to use magic to know when someone’s lying.

“How’s Stratton?” I ask.

“Groggy, but not much worse off for his nap.”

I shake my head, begrudgingly admiring the sneakiness of Ana and Tira’s plan. Humans—you must admit they’re resourceful.

“And Ana?”

I don’t think I left any bruises on her from the fight, but I want to be sure.

Alastor pauses before answering.

“Wiping the floor with her isn’t going to make her forgive you anytime soon, if that’s what you’re asking.”

I grimace. Every time I’m reminded of what exactly Ana needs to forgive mefor,I get a nasty twist in my stomach. It might be guilt, though I’m not particularly familiar with the sensation. Whatever it is, I know I don’t like it.

“It doesn’t matter if she hates me,” I say, keeping my voice low. Ana and her friend are too far back to hear us, but I’m still being cautious. “There are other things that are more important.”

“Like keeping her safe?” Alastor asks, a hint of doubt in his voice.

“Yes,” I say, annoyed he doesn’t seem to share my opinion. “No matter how much power she has buried within her, it’s useless without more training. She needs to build stamina and learn how to ration her magic, for one thing. Did you see how quickly she burned out today?”

“True, but why is it our job to teach her if she doesn’t want to learn? I thought she was here because we need her help. Because Filusia needs her.”

“It’s both,” I say firmly. “The stronger she is, the more able she’ll be to help us.” And the more able she’ll be to helpherself, because only an idiot would think the danger she faces is anywhere near over.

I just wishshewould see that—and understand that I’m her best chance at getting her the training she needs to survive.

Still, I have to make peace with the idea that she might never understand. That she might never know that the closer we got to the border in Trova, the more I came to realize I’d do anything to keep her safe and close to me. Everything else is negotiable. I’m not afraid to fight dirty to keep her where she needs to be.

Even if she throws a whole forest at me for it.

Morgana

I squint at the structure rising out of the hills ahead of us. A few hours ago, I could’ve sworn there were bright patches of sky lurking beneath the line of white clouds on the horizon. Now I realize those flashes of blue were a series of roofs, the swooping tops of buildings all painted a deep cerulean, held up by bell-shaped towers and broad arches.

“That doesn’t look big enough to be a city,” Tira murmurs to me.

She’s on the back of Hyllus’s horse, positively tiny behind the huge fae. Meanwhile, I’m riding with Phaia. The pair of soldiers are at least considerate enough to stay close to each other while we ride so Tira and I can hold a conversation.

My best friend frowns at me. “I thought they’d be taking us to the capital?”

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