Page 79 of Forged By Heart and Claws
Briar gave him a half-smile in return, the kind that could pass for confidence to anyone else. But I noticed her lips trembling at the edges. The bond between us stretched thinner than before, fraying like old thread.
Then chaos erupted.
“Why are you two here?” Rhielle’s voice cracked through the air like a whip.
Briar stiffened beside me.
“You know these women?” Veralt demanded, his tone edged with concern, as if he were evaluating what he was supposed to do.
Quen’s voice followed, sharper and angrier. “What in the fecking forsaken void areyoudoing here?”
“Sounds like we’ve missed the warm welcome,” Thalen muttered.
“We should’ve been faster,” I growled and picked up my pace.
“Please don’t worry about making me feel unwanted,” Kaylen said from within, voice layered in thorns.
“Youareunwanted,” Quen snapped. “After what you pulled, I’m shocked you’d actually show your face to us. Hold on. Siray? What are you doing here? What’s going on? You think I’ve forgotten whatyoudid? I’ve got fire for both of you!”
“Please stop,” Myantha said, her voice soft. “We can’t fight among ourselves. Briar must have a reason for bringing them here. We’ve lost too many friends to lose potential allies now.”
We stepped into the vesting chamber just as the argument heightened.
“You need to leave and go jump in the void now!” Quen stood with her arms crossed, feet planted wide, fury radiating off her in waves.
Kaylen tossed her hair back, the motion stiff with pride. “You’re acting like I knew I’d be made a fool of! Do you think I wanted to be Colm’s pawn?”
“Don’t you dare pretend you’re a victim,” Rhielle snapped. Her jaw ticked, and her eyes flashed. “Peoplediedbecause of you.”
Myantha pressed trembling hands to Quen’s shoulders, trying to hold her back. “We should talk?—”
“Stay out of this, peace lover. We can't all get along after what they did!” Quen barked.
I bit back a sigh and took in our resting place. The tension was thick enough to choke on, but the strangeness of the room settled over me. It looked far different from the last time we were here. The chamber’s mystical pulse was gone, with no more shimmering walls or swirling shadowlight. It was just cold stone and stale air. The crimson hue of the water had faded, and the only illumination came from the flickering oil lamps scattered throughout. A stark contrast to a couple of days ago when Vyraetos and those loyal to my family had vested the power of the Shadow Kingdom in me. The column and the orb in the center of the room remained, but the orb now rested on the top of the column instead of floating.
A dark wooden door stood partially ajar on the far side of the chamber, revealing a narrow closet-like space. Inside, shelves contained the ceremonial cloths, empty oil containers, chippedbowls, and worn linens for ceremonies performed by Vyraetos and the Shadow Council members that required items other than pure magic. The sink in the back corner trickled drops of clear water. Aside from lamp oil and water, the room held little of real use now that ceremony had given way to survival.
To my right loomed the main entrance, still hidden behind the heavy carved panel that had once required magic to reveal. Now, it was just another door connecting to the primary access points that led to the actual palace. The left exit led back into the caves, toward the narrow river that cut through a small embankment. If we needed to run, there were half a dozen tunnels we could take, assuming they hadn’t collapsed or been overrun.
Elara had done what she always did, finding order in chaos. Even with limited supplies and dragging wings, she’d made sure everyone would be as comfortable as possible here. A section of the circular room had been converted into sleeping quarters. Dark-blue wool blankets formed neat sleeping areas, buffering against the cold and rough stone floor. Elias lay curled under one, face hidden in the crook of his arm, chest rising steadily with sleep.
“Enough!” Siray lifted her hand. “We don’t have time for this.” She stepped forward, a scowl on her face. “You think I want to be here? I came because my family’s imprisoned, not to relive a bloody trial.”
Quen scoffed. “You expect sympathy from me after the stunt you pulled during the first trial?”
“Careful.” Siray narrowed her eyes. “We did what we needed to do in order to survive, and I don't have time for weaklings. I'd have let you back in the circle if you’d proved you were strong enough.”
Veralt loomed nearby, his red hair tousled and his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. Rhielle shifted closer to him,her shoulders stiff, while Myantha’s wide-eyed gaze darted helplessly between them.
Behind them, Vyraetos was using a mortar and pestle to grind something up. Several bottles of herbs and oils and some of the medicine sat beside him, as well as the vials with the glowing hairs. Near him, the boxes and crates from the closet and Finbar's supply drop-off had been stacked into a makeshift seating area surrounding a cracked basin filled with flickering lamp light. Bottles of salves, dried herbs, and strips of bandages sat nearby.
Briar moved around Myantha and stared Quen and Rhielle down. “We are not doing this. Not here. Not now.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it cut through the room like tempered steel.
Anger still simmered behind Quen’s glare, and Rhielle’s lips were pressed into a bloodless line, but both women hesitated.
“I brought them because we need answers,” Briar continued, her voice unwavering. “I understand you don’t like it.Believe me.Kaylen would’ve stolen Vad away if given an opportunity, but she isn’t a threat to us anymore. Right now, we have to not only survive what’s coming but win.”
My chest warmed with pride. Briar was such a fierce leader, and these women would listen to her more than they would me.
