Page 15 of Fortress of Ambrose
The truth shook her in the best way. It was actually refreshing to hear it spoken aloud. One less lie between them. She hooked her hands together and stood taller, picturing Red.
“And so what if I don’t?” She tried her best to look cavalier. Truth was, she didn’t care that she didn’t have magic. But it was nauseating for people to know. Protocol meant he should kill her now because Unmarked, the non-magical, couldn’t look upon magic and live.
She knew Yagrin. Revenge kept his heart beating. This new Yagrin was someone else entirely. She watched his hand. It didn’t move, just as she’d thought. He could never hurt her physically. Not when he could do much more damage with the truth.
“Since you’re not going to kill me, should we go?”
“You’ve been playing the whole Order?” His mouth bowed. He exhaled in wonder. “How’d you even pull that off? Your mother must be in on it? Or your brother.”
“It’s been my entire life’s practice to hide it.”
“You lie sowell.” The awe in his expression darkened. “You fit right in with the rest of the Order. Corrupt and dishonest.”
The world bled red. “You can take your opinion of me making sure I’m notkilledand shove it up your ass.”
“The mouse has a voice.”
She balled her fists.
“Let’s get on with this business. We need that Scroll for my brother.”
Hewas so bad at lying to her. She could always tell. This time his hand fiddled with his pocket. He could be grumpy and bitter, but Yagrin’s heart was made of mush. He cared deeply, and that’s why he hated the Order and everything it touched. She longed to go to him. To wrap her arms around him and tell him he didn’t need the Scroll. She was right there! Instead she stood watching as he stewed. She tried to look like her heart wasn’t ramming in her chest.
His mouth pulled sideways, and he laughed.
“What’s funny?”
“Nothing.” His hand pulled at his pocket harder.
“And you say I lie well.”
“Look, I don’t trust you. I can tell something about you is off. You’re terrible at pretending.”
She bit down the urge to guffaw. How wrong he was.
“But I don’t care what your story is or what you’re after. Just keep your word,” he said. “Find the Scroll, and we’re good.”
He dared judge her?
“Keep yours—once we find it, rescue my mother. And you have nothing to worry about.” As long as her mother was alive, Nore would never inherit Headship. And with the Scroll inNore’shands, her mother could liveforever.
The dead would kill Nore if they realized that her heart had no magic! That shecouldn’tfulfill the Pact. A shiver raced down her spine. Her magicless heart wouldneverbe shoved in the ancestors’ glass box, as had been done to her mother. If Yagrin tried to outsmart her before rescuing Isla Ambrose, Nore would just use the Scroll herself.
Either way, Nore wouldlive.
She refused to apologize for doing what was needed to stay alive. Everyone was loyal to themselves. She was no worse than the rest. That was why loving Yagrin in any pure way was utterly impossible. They were both liars.
The Order wouldn’t own her life anymore. Then she could find anotherfarm somewhere and make a life of her own. A place where she would wall herself in with trees. Picturing her future homestead tugged at her chest with a sharpness that felt more like pain than relief.
Her greatest hope was that at this new home, she’dfinallybe able to forget about Yagrin.
Eight
Yagrin
Yagrin wasn’t sure how to read Nore. She stood there in the alleyway, her eyes sparkling with mischief. He could smell the dishonesty on her even though he wasn’t sure where to pin it.She’s been living a lie her entire life.The girl had no magic. He blinked, really seeing her for the first time. And it stunned him.
“The journal is long gone,” he said, trying to move on, reminded they’d made no progress. If he’d known she didn’t have magic, he wouldn’t have put them in that situation. “We’ll have to think of something else.”
