Page 28 of A Reign of Roses
“She blames me. And you. For Arwen.”
My blood turned with the mention of her name. “You had nothing to do with…what happened that day.”
“I told her I knew about Hemlock. And that I let you both go alone. She has every right to hate me.”
Guilt slammed into me like a hammer across an anvil.Iwas the only person who had allowed Arwen to jump from that platform. I’d regret it every day of my now stunted, mortal life. Griffin didn’t deserve that same fate.
I opened my mouth to tell him as much, but his flat look told me he wasn’t interested in my pity. Changing course, I lilted, “When you saynot excellent—”
“No substantial magic, last I heard.”
“It’s been almost two months.”
Griffin’s jaw went rigid. “She’s terrified.”
“Of what?”
“Failing everyone, I think,” he said, eyes on his knuckles, stretched white across his chairback.
“And what of the little seer’s father?”
It’d been a promise we’d made to Beth, the girl who could divine the future, back in Crag’s Hollow. To rescue her father, Vaughn, from Amber’s clutches, if he was still alive.
“We found him, actually. He was being kept in the same encampment Halden and his men brought Arwen to, back in Peridot.”
Again with her name—ice shards against my heart. My fingers curled around the edge of the table.
“On her parents’ urging we brought Beth back to Shadowhold for her safety.” His mouth twisted into a knot. “She’s a little…”
“Yeah. Any visions?”
“Nothing yet.”
The sun flecked through the half-moon-shaped window above the stony kitchen, turning the clean marble table between us into a glowing sprawl of light.
“You know I’m coming with you,” my commander said after a minute.
“No, you’ll stay here. Ready the troops for war in case I fail.”
“In case you fail? You mean in case you, a mortal, are killed in Lumera? You will be.”
“It’s nice to feel so supported.”
“I’m not fucking kidding, Kane.” A muscle feathered in Griffin’s jaw. “You should have six armies backing you. Or thirty.”
My blood simmered. “We don’t have six armies, do we? Unless there’s been any word from Citrine? Or the traitor?”
“Yeah,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “A few things have transpired.”
I readied myself. “Wonderful news only, I’m sure.”
“Amber Kingdom is no longer stationed in Peridot. Amelia was reinstated as the rightful queen. She’s rebuilding Siren’s Bay, and sent you a letter saying her army won’t fight alongside us. I don’t think they’ll fight at all.”
“She sent a fuckingletter?” If I had my lighte I might’ve obliterated Griffin’s spotless kitchen.
“She did.”
“Queen of the Peridot Provinces…” I hummed to myself. “Is Eryx furious? Usurped by his own daughter?” I could only imagine the look on the vainglorious bastard’s face.
