Page 54 of War Of Fire and Fortune
With a sudden squirm and a little cry, Emeris announced she was officially sick of me, her tiny face scrunching up. Shay groaned and glanced down at her shirt. The fabric clung to her skin, darkened by the wet marks drenching the front of her breasts.
"She certainly has no problem making sure my body knows she's hungry." She gestured to the dampness spreading across her chest.
A chuckle escaped me. "This is the third top that's been ruined, and it's still morning." Shay cast a side glance toward the tent's entrance, an eyebrow raised in playful defiance. "I'd rather just walk around shirtless, but I think Baron's head might pop off if I did that."
The image of Baron ripping every male’s head off flashed through my mind, and our laughter mingled together.
“Males.” I huffed as Shay discarded her soiled shirt with a carefree shrug. I cradled Emeris gently and then handed her back.
"Here we go," Shay cooed softly as Emeris found her mother's breast. She suckled contentedly, a small hand flailing before resting against Shay's skin, anchoring herself.
"Kade is going to try and Hollow to Ember today to save Rhet." The words tumbled from my lips. He’d been recovering his strength the last few days and he didn’t want to wait any longer. "I just wanted you to know what our next moves are. He went to talk to Atreya about it as I was leaving our tent." My gazesearched hers for any glimmer of reassurance. "Have you heard anything from her? I haven't seen her since the attack."
"uhh—No, I haven't," she murmured, her attention flitting back to the bundle of joy in her arms. "I'm sure everything will work out. Kade's been sneaking around that palace his whole life. He'll find Rhet, and they'll both return safely." A small smile played on her lips. I wondered if she believed her own words. The silence that followed was a void, filled only by the soft sounds of Emeris's contentment.
I studied her face, feeling as though she was keeping something from me but I had no idea what it could be. I nodded because what else could I do or say?
"Do you need anything?"
"No," she said with a weary exhale, her voice tinged with a hint of a laugh. "We'll be okay. Baron has been fussing like a mother hen since she was born." Her eyes softened at the mention of his name. "I practically had to shove him out of this tent this morning, but with everything going on, the rebellion needed him to pick up the slack since Atreya and I were both down for a little while."
Why would Atreya have been down? I guessed that was a shitty thought to have after all the losses we’d experienced. She had essentially led her people to a slaughter she hadn’t been expecting. I was sure that would upset anyone. But knowing Atreya, it would only fuel her fire to be there for her people. Had she gotten injured? That was the only thing I could think of that would slow that woman down. I dropped it and stood.
"Alright, I'll be helping as much as I can today, so I'll be around if you need me."
"Thank you," Shay murmured softly, her fatigue etched into the lines of her face. With a final glance at Shay and the babe, I slipped outside.
I treaded the path back to my own tent. Pushing aside the entrance, I found Kade. He was a figure carved from the shadows, every movement deliberate as he secured his twin swords along the curve of his back. The sight sent a pang of pain through my heart that threatened to buckle my knees.
What if he didn't come back? The fear coiled tight around my ribs.
His hands were steady on the leather straps, the muscles of his arms taut. There was no hesitation in him.
I lingered in the doorway. Kade's back was to me, his movements precise as he fastened each buckle on his leathers, I only watched as his muscles shifted. The twin swords at his back gleamed dully.
"Mei wynsoara . . ."His voice was a caress inside my head. When I looked up, his gaze pierced through the dimness of the tent, a tether pulling taut between us. "No goodbyes today because I will always come back to you," he said, and I realized my mind was open like a floodgate. I hadn’t blocked him out since he’d woken up, so he was being pummeled by all of my emotions.
"Don't make promises you can't keep." My voice cracked.
Kade stepped to me now. His calloused palms cradled my face. He wiped away the tears with his thumbs, leaving behind a path of warmth on my skin. His breath danced across my lips.
"I don't. I’m a man of my word,” he murmured, and then he kissed me, gently at first, but soon we were breathless and holding onto each other as if we'd never see each other again. He pulled back, placing his forehead against mine. "I love you, and when I return, I'm going to show you." He kissed my jawline. "How much." My neck. "In every way." Then his mouth found the slope of my shoulder, leaving a small trail of kisses there. His eyes glowed a bright shade of amber when they met mine again. We hadn't been intimate since he’d woken, hell since I’dfound out the truth, because we’d both needed to heal and there hadn't been time for pleasures. But I could see the promise of it burning in his irises. He kissed me one last time before he began to fade, like the last rays of dusk surrendering to the night. Slowly at first, as though reluctant to go, his form shimmered and dissolved into darkness. And just like that, the space around me grew colder, emptier, and all I could do was hope he would come back to me.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kade
Slipping through the shadows, I glided unseen into the dungeons of the palace. Each cell I passed was a cold, empty chamber, the stench of rot and damp stone clinging to the air. Rhet should be here, shackled to the walls, but he wasn't. Uncertainty scraped at my insides, but I pushed it down, focusing on the task.
I moved quickly. Every empty cell was a silent scream that tightened the knot of dread inside me. He had to be somewhere. I Hollowed to his room.
But Rhet's chambers were also empty, the bed unslept in, the quiet almost mocking. I moved through the shadows again, trying to think of where he might be, when a groan from the hall caught my attention, a harsh sound that set my senses on edge.Shadows clung to me as I melted into the darkness once more, trailing after the noise.
Soldiers were escorting Valla. And between them, they were dragging Rhet along, his form limp, but I could tell he was conscious by the way he moved his head. Fury raced through me. They were taking him to the throne room, to our father. I wanted to get closer, but I didn’t want to be too close while Valla was leading them. So, I followed silently at a distance, a part of the darkness that blanketed the halls.
Everyone entered, and Rhet was flung before the throne, discarded at the feet of the man who’d sired us, who now looked upon his own blood with disgust.
"What a disgrace," Father spat, his teeth bared like a feral beast’s. His eyes, cold flames of malice, burned into Rhet. "Your sister has caught me up on all of your antics. I only want to know one thing. Have you and Kade been in on this together the whole time, or was Kade taken by the rebellion?"
