Page 18 of Fate and Flame
“Deal.”
“I wasn’t lying when I told you I was a shallow person. I went to tea with ladies that weren’t my friends. I got my hair done to impress people I didn’t care about. I worked in my mother’s shop to make her happy. I lived my life for everyone else, always.”
“That makes you a giving person.” I finished the last of the bread and leaned my head against the wall feeling better than I had in a long time.
“No, I was still selfish. I think I had one friend in the entire world that wasn’t afraid to tell me how ridiculous I was, and I don’t even know where she is anymore.”
“When we leave this place, we will find her, if that’s your wish.”
“I don’t know what my wish is. The only thing that matters to me right now is you, Temir. I just want something normal.”
Those words made the world brighter. “Do you mean it?”
“I’m not going to be a good mate for you. I’m sorry about that. But my heart is here with you. At first, I thought I couldn’t accept the bond. But now, I can’t deny it.”
“I promise you, I will get us out of this.”
“We can do it together.”
I wanted to reach for her. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her I knew exactly how she felt. I wanted so many things I couldn’t have. We were far from happiness, but we had each other, and something about that felt right. We fell asleep that night inches apart.
Our hearts began to heal our shared soul.
She snuck out the next morning when the guard brought us another poor excuse for food. The moment he’d opened the doors, she slipped behind him, as we’d planned. She sent wave after blissful wave of confidence as she traveled through the castle, so I knew she was all right. I felt the delight she sent when she succeeded in securing food from the kitchens and then calmness as she stood outside of the door, waiting for someone else to come back down. We’d agreed she shouldn’t open it, even if she thought no one was looking, just to be safe.
The door above opened and heavy feet marched down the stairs. I held my breath as the soldiers approached. “You’ve been summoned.”
They opened the cage door and dragged me out of the musty dungeons. Pure fear radiated down the bond, and I hoped Nadra hadn’t followed them down and gotten stuck down there. If I was about to die, at least she could still get out of the castle.
The light from above burned my eyes. I’d grown accustomed to pure darkness. I expected to be taken to the throne room. Humiliated in front of the entire court. Instead, I was dropped onto the stone floor of the empty council room, practically naked with shredded clothing and covered in dried blood from head to toe.
“I am with you,” Nadra whispered. “Until the end, Temir. I am here.”
My heart wrenched. We both knew what was about to happen.
“Go now. Do not let them catch you. Find your friend.”
“Until the end.” Her voice was hard as steel. My mate.
Chapter Five
Ara
Fen crawled into the bed just before sunrise. He was asleep before I could reach for him. I slipped out, threw his shirt over my head, and pulled out the riding pants from my bag. I’d probably never get away with wearing them again once Friar discovered I had them, so I enjoyed every last second of it.
I snuck out as quietly as I could and began my memorization of the castle. I could get to the kitchens, Tolero’s room, and the entrance. From there, I had no idea. I passed a sleepy worker here and there, but none who paid too much attention to me as I went. Empty rooms with doors propped open and sheets covering the furnishings told me one thing: Tolero liked his privacy and didn’t have a lot of guests.
The halls were designed with delicate, feminine touches of the same jeweled color palette that was in Fen’s room. His mother, Efi, must have spent a large amount of time turning this enormous castle into a cozy home. I found stairs that led down below the castle and a hoard of guards keeping them secure. I didn’t bother going any farther. I knew who they guarded.
“You’re up early.” Greeve appeared beside me in a gust of wind that nearly knocked me over.
“You’re fucking sneaky when you want to be.” I punched his arm. “Next time cough or something first.”
“You’re such a pleasure in the morning, Ara.”
“Wait, why areyouup so early?”
A vacant smile crossed his face as he slid a hand into his pocket. “Something about being in the south makes me want to go home. I get restless here in the castle.”
