Page 32 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
“No. It isn’t.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t want me here, then. I nearly got shipped off to fae prison today. I suppose it’s only a matter of time.”
“You act remarkably brave for a fragile human. And you’re wrong. Thisisnew.” Daemon’s eyes burn into mine, heat laced into his tone. “You may have been hunted before, but not by fae. Don’t underestimate the danger you’re in here. You haven’t the slightest clue what you’re up against.”
“And what exactly am I supposed to do about any of this?” I snap. “It wasn’t my choice to come here. And I’m not allowed to leave, either.”
“Well, if you hadn’t come here, you’d be dead.” His words hit with nearly physical force.
“So, you admit it, then. Youdidbring me here.”
Daemon lets out a growl and spins away from me, stalking off deeper into the garden. I hesitate a moment, and then I follow him.
“Why? Why did you do it, Daemon? You at least owe me that much.” I jog after him, afraid I’m going to lose him in the dark. “My whole life is nothing but a big tangle of secrets. I want the truth for once.”
He spins so abruptly that I nearly run right into him. His face flashes with a mix of emotions. “The truth? I don’t know the truth any more than you do, Embyr.”
“Just tell me why you did it,” I whisper, my voice weighted with desperation.
Daemon’s whole body is rigid, like an arrow quivering in a bow, ready to snap at any moment. His gaze searches mine as if I’m the one with the answers. “Because I couldn’t let you die,” he says at last, his words like a storm breaking.
Then he turns, and he leaves me, stunned and alone, in the darkness.
It’s only later, when I return to the castle, that I realize my bruise is inexplicably gone.
Chapter Fifteen
“Here, drink this,”says Yenna, handing me a steaming mug of dark liquid.
My brow wrinkles. “What is it?”
“It’s willow bark tea. It’ll help with your sore muscles.”
I’m sitting in the kitchen with Carmeline and the others, which has become a tradition of mine in the two months I’ve been at Shadow’s Keep. As often as I can, I sneak away here to spend time with… well, anyone but fae.
I take a sip of the tea and try, unsuccessfully, to hide my grimace at its bitter taste. Carmeline and Brasa giggle, and Yenna shoots me a look that tells me I’m being a baby.
“You really should tell Professor Julian about how Toryn’s treating you during sparring,” Carmeline says, her laughter abruptly shifting into a concerned frown.
I sigh. Ever since the night in the garden, Toryn has been absolutely brutal in our lessons, taking every opportunity toembarrass me in front of the other trainees, and coming just short of thrashing the hell out of me in front of everyone. My mind flashes through the multiple times he’d slammed me into the ground during practice today.
“I won’t give him the satisfaction,” I say with a shake of my head. “Plus, that’ll make it worse. They all despise me already, and think I’m a weakling.”
“Well, you are a weakling, compared to the fae,” Yenna says.
I roll my eyes. “Gee, thanks.”
“There’s no shame in the simple truth.” She shrugs. “Julian should know better than to have you in classes with fae warriors.”
“Well, Julian seems to think his precious Guardians are all heaven-sent.” Another sigh. “But hey, my sparring skills are getting pretty good. And they weren’t half-bad before. If I ever get out of here and need to kick another human’s ass, it’s going to be easy.”
A short silence falls between us, and I sip my tea as Yenna stirs a huge pot on the stove, smoke curling up around her. The others sit on stools around me, weaving flowers together into what looks like crowns. No one says anything because we all know I’m not getting out of here unless Julian deigns to give me my freedom. In the time I’ve been here, I’ve been tested dozens upon dozens of times, and have yet to show any affinity toward magic whatsoever. But Julian seems unperturbed, his determination growing if anything.
I’m no closer to finding the truth of my past than I was the first time I walked through the gates of Shadow’s Keep.
And I’m also no closer to finding out why I was brought here.
Since the night Daemon protected me in the garden, I’ve only seen him a couple of times from a distance. I’m certain he’s avoiding me. He’d finally admitted that he did save me that night from the hunters. But that only brings up more questions. Whycouldn’t he let me die, a mere human after all? Why bring me here? And why pretend he didn’t know me?
