Page 37 of Beneath the Flames
“I wasn’t aware your questioning would involve a dive into my lineage.”
I crossed my arms.“It’s an innocent question.”
“Is it, though?”
His gold-ringed eyes were locked on mine for a beat too long, and I squirmed in my seat across from him.The air was chilly despite the fire burning next to us, but a sweat broke out on the back of my neck anyway.
Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, his low voice broke the silence.
“My parents are dead, and my only brother is gone.I am all that’s left of the Malathar line.”
“What happened to them?”
His brows dropped low over his eyes.“Next question.”
“But—”
“Next.Question.”
There was no room for arguing with that tone.Was it toopainful of a memory that he couldn’t bear to talk about it?
Knowing he could choose to leave and quit giving me answers at any time, I asked the one thing I’d been dying to know for certain.
“Were you telling the truth when you said there’s no way for me to leave this place?No way for me to get back to my world?”
“No human has ever escaped Eroth.”
“That’s not quite an answer though.Maybe no one has—but is it possible?Is there a way?”
Rhydian crossed his arms.“Even if there was, I wouldn’t tell you about it.I told you, you can’t return—not when you’ve seen what I can do.”
“Even if I swore to never tell a soul about what I saw?About this place?”
“Believe me, Maren.If it were up to me, we never would have crossed paths and you’d be at home, comfortable and warm.”
Comfortable?Yeah, that sounds right.
But…
“It’s not up to you?”
“No.”
“Then—”
“Let it go.”
I blew a hair out of my face, frustrated.“You’re not being very helpful.”
All he did was shrug.“Maybe you’re not asking the right questions.”
Prick.
“So I’m stuck in a world of death for good then?”
Something flashed across his expression at those words, but it was too quick to discern.His head bobbed in a nod.
“And why is it that you and Nico are stuck here in Eroth?If everyone else has left, if this place is falling into ruin, why haven’t you?”
