Page 40 of War Of Fire and Fortune
"Are you sure?" His voice was a low rumble, threaded with emotion. In the flickering shadows, I caught the merest glint of silver tracing the rims of his eyes.
"Yes," I breathed. Kade's hesitation vanished as he moved toward me. He crawled onto the bed, an expanse of muscle and warmth encircling me in an embrace that felt like coming home.
I nestled into him, inhaling deeply, drawing in his scent. My ear pressed against his chest, the steady thump of his heart resonating within me. It was like a song calling to the wildness I had tried so hard to tame without him.
When I lifted my gaze to meet his, a torrent of emotions threatened to break the walls I'd built around my heart. His eyes held me captive, and for a heartbeat, we were lost in a world where only the two of us existed.
I rose slightly, my lips tentatively brushing against his before I pulled back. He stilled beneath me. Then, as if granting absolution, his hand came up to cradle my cheek, thumb tracing the line of my jaw with tenderness that undid me. Our lips met again, this time in a slow dance that was both an apology and a promise.
His kiss deepened and enveloped me, a gentle flame kindling the embers of a fire I’d thought extinguished.
Too soon, he pulled away, his breath a warm caress against my skin as he laid my head back upon his chest. "Sleep,my love, youneed the rest," he murmured. I almost wanted to argue, but then he continued, “I will not rush your forgiveness."
I understood as I nestled deeper into Kade's chest, the steady drum of his heart a grounding force in the whirlwind of my thoughts. I had kept my guard up since I’d found out the truth. The knowledge that he understood my unspoken needs, that he offered solace without demanding recompense, chipped away at the icy resolve I had clung to. It was becoming more difficult to resist the pull of his presence, the rightness of being enveloped by his shadows.
“Sleep,” he murmured again, his voice a low thrum that vibrated through my mind. His beautiful darkness teased at the edges of my consciousness. And as I lay there, curled against the solid warmth of his body, I allowed myself to be seduced by it. It reached out, brushing against the raw spaces within me, and I surrendered to it. I let his beautiful darkness claim my mind, carrying me away on a current of oblivion, where for once, I wasn't a healer, a warrior, or a broken-hearted lover—I was simply his, adrift in the serene embrace ofmy mate.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Rhet
The flutter of wings broke the silence in Kade’s quarters, drawing my attention to the small porthole where a raven had squeezed through. It perched on the edge of the wooden desk, its black feathers glistening with an unnatural silver sheen, an enchantment of some sort. This missive must have been urgent for it to be enchanted.
With deft fingers, I untied the leather strap around its leg, freeing the rolled parchment. The raven ruffled its feathers impatiently as if urging me to move faster. I unraveling the letter, and the script danced before my eyes. It was a battle plan to go up against Woodhaven.
My father's hand was clear in the meticulously detailed assault, aimed to cripple Woodhaven before delivering a deathblow with a final battle in a few weeks’ time. He wanted to catch them off guard first, to weaken them before coming back with a second, bigger regiment.
I snatched maps from beneath a pile of scattered papers on Kade’s desk, their edges worn from frequent study these past few weeks. My gaze darted across the terrain depicted in the letter. There was an opening—a vulnerability the rebellion could use to their advantage. My heart pounded with a mix of dread and determination as I traced our potential counterstrike. If we made the trek, we could cut him off before they ever made it to the capital city. We could stop some of my father’s armies before they ever made it to the final battle. I’d take any advantage to help us win this.
Black ink spilled across the paper as I charted the plans on my own map. I needed to show this to Atreya. The raven squawked, jolting me, reminding me time was a luxury we couldn't afford.
"Patience," I muttered, scribbling a terse response that I’d be waiting and ready to move whenever my father was. Securing it to the bird, I watched as it launched itself back through the tiny window, disappearing into the brine-scented air. The missive would reach my father, and he would remain none the wiser of my true allegiance.
I threw on a fae glamour of my brother, something I’d done countless times over the years of our sneaking around. The salty scent of the sea clung to my skin as I strode onto the deck, where soldiers busied themselves with the ceaseless tasks of the day. My boots thudded against the metal, a dull rhythm that matched the drumming of my thoughts. "Hear me!" My voice cut through the din of rattling chains and the shoveling of coal. Weathered faces turned to look at me. "In one week, we converge with Valos’s soldiers on Woodhaven. Sharpen your steel and harden your hearts. We will be going to battle.” Murmurs rippled through their ranks. But I didn’t have time to say more. I neededto get to Atreya with this new information now. I retreated from their fervor, slipping back into Kade's quarters. The door closed with a click, sealing away the world. I fixed my gaze upon the shadows gathered in the corner of the room. Releasing my glamour, I stepped forward and let darkness swallow me whole.
The Hollow embraced me and spit me out quickly. I didn’t have much time before I needed to be back on the ship. The shadows receded, spilling me into a tent dimly lit by flickering candlelight. Parchment rustled as Atreya lifted her head and her eyes met mine. She pushed aside scrolls etched with strategies. Her brow furrowed as she looked at me. She knew I had something.
“Everhet, what’s wrong?” she asked. I extended the crinkled letter toward Atreya. "News from Father," I said, my voice a low growl of warning. “It was enchanted so I do not know if you’ll be able to read it without it turning to ash, but—” She snatched it with calloused fingers, eyes narrowing as she scanned the words. I thought it odd that she’d been able to take it. I thought the message would’ve only been able to be read by me, but I guessed maybe it was just to keep anyone from reading it before it got to whom it was addressed to. Her gaze flickered to mine as if wanting me to continue with whatever plan I had conjured, and I left thoughts about the enchantment alone.
I pulled out the map I had drawn on and laid it over everything else on her table, pointing to where we could intercept them. “If we march for three days, we can catch them a day before they reach the capital city and take down whatever attack they have planned before it even begins. How many men do you think could be ready in three days?”
“I could spare three hundred. I want to ensure we take all of them out. Did your father mention anything about numbers? How many troops he’s sending?”
“It only says a small force. By my understanding, this is just to weaken Woodhaven, keep them on their toes before the final battle he has planned.”
“Do you know when that is? It might be unwise to go after them right now if this is all just a show that your father is putting on. Gods, how he loves hisshows.” She mumbled that last bit under her breath.
“But it’s an opportunity to take down some of his forces right under their noses. I think we should take advantage of it.”
Atreya walked the length of her desk and then stopped at the end and leaned her body weight against the wood. Her mind spun before she finally spoke.
“I’ll ready the rebellion. We will see you there in six days.”
Baron walked in through the tent flap then as if she’d summoned him. She conveyed the plan before sending him off. After her nod of approval, I Hollowed back to the ship.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Kade
