Page 85 of The Second Death of Locke
“You were already Locke,” Kier said, understanding.
Grey nodded. “And Severin knew what we could do together. So he told me to pull as much power from the wells around me as I could, and from the Isle itself. He shielded me, and I let the power explode.It was the only way to save Locke: to submerge it entirely. All three of them, Severin, Mam, Pa; and my grandmother, too. They all died so I could live.”
Kier wiped the tears away before they could collect in her hair. “They did it because they loved you, Grey,” he said.
She looked up at his face, reaching to trace the line of his temple. “But that’s not the kind of love I want. I don’t want sacrifice. I don’t want anyone else to die for me.”
I don’t want you to die for me, she did not say.
He leaned in to kiss her, tender and sweet. “I’d happily perish for you any day of the week, Flynn,” he said, seeing right through her.
She moved her hand to the back of his neck, cradling his head. “You’re a fool,” she said very carefully, “but if you insist on putting yourself in danger for me… I don’t want you to be my mage.” His face immediately shifted into caution. “No—not like that.”
“Grey?”
She wriggled closer, throwing her leg over his hip. His hand immediately went to her thigh. “I want you as my commander, Kier. If we’re able to resurrect the Isle, I want to know that it will be safe again, and I want it to be you.”
He studied her face. “Any commander or master you want will come,” he said carefully. “If you would have them. You could take from Cleoc Strata, from Scaela—gods, even Nestria would offer, if it meant a treaty.”
She shook her head. “I don’t care. I don’t trust them. I don’t trust anyone in the world like I trust you.”
He leaned forward to kiss her. “I already have your name in my heart, Locke,” he said. “It would be the greatest honor to carry your banner.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to think about it?”
“No.”
She nuzzled into his chest, relishing the fact that she could just be here, against him, skin to skin as his arms folded around her. “It’s probably not the ideal retirement.”
He sighed, suffering as always, then rolled onto his back, tugging her along with him so she rested on his chest. “We both knew fromthe start that retirement would be short-lived.”
“A hero and a genius, Seward.”
“I have other talents besides my bravery and intellect, you know.”
Grey bit gently at his collarbone. “Oh? Can I get a demonstration?”
He paused as if thinking about it. “Can I get a raise?”
“You don’t even have a salary yet.”
His fingers traced down her hip. “Notyet.”
She snorted. “Bribery never suited you.” But she did not argue with his methods.
I’m sorry, my lord. We didn’t get there in time—they’d already found Lady Wren and slaughtered her, her boys and the entire household. Please find enclosed her cloak pin bearing her House’s seal. I will see her body safely delivered and laid to rest as her customs dictate.
Letter from Ikaaron Plides, Scaelan ambassador to Nestria, to Scaelas, 2 daysPD
twenty
IN THE SMALL HOURSof the morning, Grey was roughly awoken by something coarse and wet being pressed to her face. She inhaled sharply, pulling back, but there was a hand against her hair and something smelled awful, like bitter bile.
She knew the scent. It smelled like the death of the Isle, like screaming in her ears, like the end of everything.
“Kier?” she tried to say.
There was a sound across the room, a muffled shout—she couldn’t see anything but shapes in the dark, one holding a cloth over her mouth, and the smell made something animal and furious rise up within her. She struggled, but was held fast by strong hands. She bit down, her teeth sinking through the towel into something fleshy that swore and drew back. She sat up swinging, groping for her knife under the pillow until her fingers closed on the hilt, mad and feral.
