Page 86 of Vengeance Becomes Her

Rhiannon was happy to see Samara so strong and free. It was a remarkable difference from when they first met. She only hoped the secret of her father’s disappearance remained just that—while she was happy to save her, she meant what she said about not taking the blame. Fortunately, for both of them, she didn’t think it would come to that.

When they returned to the inn, they were all famished. Rhiannon was eager to sit and get food as soon as possible, but Tristain had other plans for her, dragging her by the wrist to the corner of the dining hall. Kyra gave them a confused look but left them to it.

“What the hell?” She gritted out as she ripped her arm out of his grasp.

“I could ask you the same thing. Why did your eyes glow green earlier? Please tell me you’re not wrapped up with whatever Silas got himself into.” His features were tense, but his eyes were pools of sadness. She could see the loss written all over his face.

“No! Of course not.” She ran a hand through her long hair, working through the tangles that had formed while sparring. “You just need to trust me. I can’t explain it, but it’s not something you need to worry about. All I can tell you is that it’s something that’sprotecting me.”

He searched her gaze, pleading with her for honesty. She wasn’t going to budge,not right now.

“Of course I trust you, but we’re not finished with this conversation.” He gave her a sharp look before heading to the table Kyra had secured near the fire.

Going back to ignoring Rhiannon, Tristain took his food up to his room, leaving Rhiannon andKyra together.

They were still feeling each other out, but she was curious about her. Rhiannon didn’t know anything about the other woman except that she was from up north and that Silas had tried to harm her too. She figured this could be a good opportunity to try to get to know her.

She cleared her throat. “I know we’ve come together due to unfortunate circumstances, but we’re stuck together until we return to your village. Not to mention, we have a lot in common. Would it be so bad to try to get to know each other? We haven’t tried to kill each other again, so we can let our guard downa bit, right?”

Kyra eyed her closely. “What does it matter? There’s a chance we both only have a few more weeks to live.” Cynicism laced her voice.

“If you really believed there was no chance against Silas, you wouldn’t have stayed.”

“I won’t say that there’s not a small part of me that hopes. But I don’t believe.” She sighed. “Silas is something else. He isn’t going to be easy to overcome. But if I’m being honest, I don’t have it in me to kill you anymore, not when you’ve alreadysurvived him.”

Before Rhiannon could respond, the waitress had arrived to take their orders. “Tonight’s special and four fireales please.”

Kyra interjected. “I don’treally drink.”

“If we’re going to talk about Silas, you’re going to need it.” She gave her a questioning look.

Kyra accepted begrudgingly.

When their order arrived, they sipped and ate the warm pot pie in silence for several minutes.

When the drinks were set on the table, both women sipped in silence for several moments.

“What is he?” Kyraasked abruptly.

“He…” Rhiannon had no idea where to start. “Well first, tell me what you remember.”

“I don’t think I imagined it, but I don’t have an explanation that makes sense for it either.” She bit her lip, looking around to make sure no one could hear her. “It was like he fed off my energy when I was unconscious. It was completely dark, but I felt something tightening and tightening in the shadows, draining me. It was like I could feel my life slipping from me.” She shook her head, taking a deep pullfrom her drink.

Rhiannon listened nodding her head.

“You’re not imagining it. That’s how his magic works. He siphoned your life force from you. Obviously not very successfully, but still.”

“I don’t understand. How is that possible? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always wanted magic to be real, but not like this.” She shuddered.

Rhiannon started chugging her second glass of fireale, pushing Kyra’s glass into her handto follow suit.

“You didn’t see anything? Just darkness?” Her brow furrowed in confusion, the memories of Silas’ decomposing face and the large shadow snakes swimming to the front of her mind.

Kyra nodded.

“That’s not what happened with me. When he siphoned me, I didn’t just feel it, I saw it all. He looked like he was partially decomposing, the muscle and tissue beneath his skin exposed on half his face. He looked like a monster. It wasn’t just that though, he commanded these two large shadow-snakes—that’s what was tightening around you. You’re lucky you couldn’t see them. They’re monstrous.” A chill ran up her spine just thinking about it.

“It sounds terrifying.”

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