Page 103 of A Storm of Fire and Ash
When we reached the heavy door leading down to the dungeons, Eryn stepped in front of me. “I’ll stay with her,” she said to Zayn and Gavrin. “You two go back to your rooms.”
Zayn hesitated, eyes locked with mine, like he didn’t want to leave me for even a breath.
“She will be safe, Zayn. She and I have done this nearly every single day. We have a system locked in place,” she said as she grasped his shoulder.
Gavrin lightly nudged Zayn, “Come on, Cousin. Let’s let the ladies be.”
Zayn exhaled, clenched his jaw. “Be careful,” he said to me.
“Always,” I whispered.
Zayn and Gavrin disappeared into the shadows, and Eryn and I descended.
The stairwell to the dungeons was cold, the air damp and metallic. My footsteps echoed against the stone as we reached the base.
“I’ll wait here,” Eryn said softly, leaning against the wall by the torch. “You know what to do if something goes wrong.”
I nodded and moved quickly, heart pounding louder with every step toward the last cell. When I reached it, my breath caught in my throat.
“Father,” I whispered.
He looked up slowly. Gaunt. Pale. Eyes sunken from darkness and isolation. Even though I brought food and water every day, the cell was draining him in ways I couldn’t heal. But he smiled, barely, the edges of his mouth twitching with effort.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he rasped. “But wow… look at how beautiful you look, Sweet-Pie,”
“I had to see you,” I said, stepping closer, wrapping my fingers around the bars. “They showed us something tonight. A silver neck cuff—something to bind Fae magic. And then kill them.”
His eyes went wide, all color draining from his face. “I didn’t make that,” he whispered. “Elara, the day you came to me—I stopped adding silver to the weapons.”
“You did?”
He nodded.
“What if the King finds out?!”
“Well, then I suppose I’ll be dead.”
I shook my head, fury rising inside me like a storm. “I can get you out.” I raised my hand, fire curling around my palm, and then my fingers—the fire burned hotter than it had in days.
Father smiled. “Impressive.”
I stepped closer, about to melt the lock—
“Elara?!”
I froze, my breath caught in my throat.
Fintan’s voice, shocked and betrayed, echoed down the corridor like a dagger through my spine. He stepped into the torchlight, eyes wide, filled with disbelief. His chest rose and fell in rapid, shallow breaths.
“You lied to me!” he said, voice low and shaking. “This whole time! A fucking Fae… are you kidding me right now? Did you lie just to free your father? Was that all thatthisever was?”
“No,” I gasped, spinning toward him. “Fintan, please—I swear. I really did love you. I didn’t lie aboutus.”
“Don’t,” he snapped, stepping closer. “Don’t stand there with magic still on your hands and tell me this wasn’t a fucking lie.” His voice cracked, raw with pain.
Fire no longer in my palms, I reached out to touch him but he moved with disgust. Like I was the plague.
“I trusted you Elara!” he shouted, stepping closer. “I defended you when everyone else doubted. And you—” He looked at the cell behind me, then back to me. “You were using me!” He raked his hands through his hair. “I bore a flame that burned a thousand suns for you, Elara, but it just died. You lied to me. This whole time.”
