Page 61 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“Much more creative than just killing me and sending me to the bottom of the river.”
“You are…” He shook his head, never finishing the thought. Instead he became quiet and focused, following silent instructions that only he could hear.
She was pretty sure he didn’t know exactly what he was, but she’d guessed he was getting a grasp on his powers now that he’d finally had time to actually sit with them. Selection years were chaotic. It was when Fae were supposed to master their magic, but they were never truly given the chance to discovertheir depths. Their classes were kept to the basics, and even the advanced courses kept them busy mastering only specific skills. And once they were assigned to their kingdom and duties, they were kept busy in other ways. Why would the Legacy want a Fae to understand what they were truly capable of?
Only those who became sentinels were given that kind of training—other than Sources, of course—and the privilege of that training came with chains of its own. The average Fae didn’t know that sentinels were forced to bear loyalty Marks that gave a Legacy complete control over them. Not quite as extensive as a Source, but…
Lange had been destined for that life. Valter had already been planning it as soon as he’d learned of the male’s heritage. Corbin’s fate, on the other hand, hadn’t been decided yet. Valter had still been debating what to do with him.
But with days of sitting in the Raven Harbor house, the days in the car, the river, the tavern, she’d given them that time to let their magic breathe. She needed them to tap into all of that power to survive the Dreamlock Woods and what would come after, and if she had to push them to their limits to get them there, then that was what she would do.
Lange started to turn another corner before he was suddenly lurching back and shoving her hard into the wall. She swallowed her cry of surprise, glaring up at him, only to find him glaring at her.
“I am going to ask you this one time, Eviana,” he said, his words too controlled. “Did you sell Corbin out to the Serafina Kingdom?”
Shock and dread slithered down her spine, but she showed none of it when she asked, “What?”
“There are Serafina sentinels up and down this entire street,” he hissed. “And if I’m right, Corbin is in one of the transportunits. So I’m asking you again: Did you sell him out to the Serafina Kingdom?”
“You said you were only going to ask once.”
“I swear to every one of the fucking gods?—”
“No, I did not sell him out to them,” she snapped. “Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know, Eviana,” he drawled. “I don’t know what we’re doing, why we’re here, or anything else that goes on in that fucked up head of yours.”
“This was not what was supposed to happen,” she said, ignoring his barbed words. “I paid the male at the tavern to kidnap him and take him to a truck that would take us farther into the kingdom. The coin should have been more than enough to buy his silence. I just needed you to find him so we could sneak into the truck too. None of us want to walk that far and getting the three of us in there would be noticed.”
Lange stared at her. He just…stared, and then he started laughing, pressing his lips tightly to keep the sound from slipping out.
“Why is this amusing?” she asked. “If Corbin is caught?—”
“If?” he said in disbelief around his huffs of silent laughter. “Hate to break it to you,bellana,but he’s already caught.”
That male at the tavern had sold them out.
“That fucker,” she snarled.
“Somehow, I know exactly how you’re feeling,” Lange replied dryly.
“This is not the time for your whining,” she replied, shoving up her sleeves. “I need you to take these off.”
Lange looked from her to the bands on her wrists, then back to her again. She watched him debate it. Could see him warring with himself.
“If we have any chance of saving Corbin, you have to take them off,” she said, lifting her hands a few inches higher.
“You’ve repeatedly told me not to trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” she agreed. “But you can trust the winds.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “You keep saying that like you know something, but the winds know everything and nothing.”
“The way I see it, you can leave these on me and know for sure you will never see Corbin again. Or you can take these off, perhaps have the same outcome, or maybe have another night with him by your side,” she said.
“I have a feeling I’m going to regret this,” he muttered, reaching for the band on her right wrist.
“Undoubtedly.”
