Page 95 of The Cruel Dawn
“Do you know how much we all risked looking for you?” Jadon asks, his joy soured.
Olivia nods. “Idoknow, and I can never—”
“That’s right,” I interrupt. “You can never repay any of us. You can never make amends, nor repair what’s been broken. And you did all of this because you’re greedy. How much time did I waste chasing you across the realm? Veril died because of you.”
I touch my fingers to my vibrating amulet. “You can’t steal from others and think that your theft is harmless just because no one’s bleeding. And you can’t decide that because you’ve been hurt, you have the right to hurt someone else.”
Olivia lowers her head.
“Look at me,” I shout.
Somewhere, a wooden beam cracks and stones fall to the ground.
Olivia looks up at me.
“I only came here becauseshe”—I point to Philia—“asked me to, because I promisedherthat I would. Your decisions have cost lives. I’ve granted you life so that you may learn and do better. However…” I bend down until Olivia and I are nose to nose. “Touch something of someone else’s again and I’ll see that you regret it. Now,thatis a promise to you that Icertainly won’t forget. Do you understand me?”
Olivia whispers, “Yes.”
We return to the surface, to smoke and thick ash that stings our eyes. Shadows dance across the charred landscape as fires burn everywhere. In the distance, we hear the howls of bloodhounds anxious about the encroaching flames—and that’s where we head.
Daisy wags her tail to see us again, and so do her brothers.
“You came back for us!”
“It smells absolutely awful!”
“I told you that I’d be back,” I say to the hounds.
They howl, sniff my legs, and lick my hands.
Now, Elyn has questions for Olivia. “Why did you take the book?”
Olivia shrugs. “Because it looked expensive. Like I could get a lot of geld for it.”
“Did you ever hear Gileon or his father talk about the book?” she asks.
Olivia shakes her head. “Not once.”
We all peer at Jadon.
He shakes his head, too. “It was always just a book.”
Philia and Olivia decide to return to Caburh with Separi.
“We can do glasswork and tailoring there.” Philia blushes and grins at the Renrian. “That is, if we’re welcomed.”
Separi squints at the couple. “Will you listen to counsel? Not insist on forcing your way and forcing Caburh to be whatyouwant?”
The young women nod and say, “Yes, ma’am.”
Philia clasps Olivia’s hand. “We’ve learned a lot out here. I think… I think we’re ready to do things differently this time.”
Olivia kisses Philia’s hand and says, “We’ll earn all of your trust back, Kai, Separi. Promise.”
Separi studies the two women for a long moment, her expression vague. Finally, she exhales and nods.
Philia releases Olivia’s hand and comes over to hug me. “Promise me that you’ll visit.”
