Page 142 of A City of Flames

That breaks the solemn atmosphere as we chuckle, and then the door creaks open with Freya popping her head through. “Oh,” she says. “Sorry, I thought you were alone—”

“We were just leaving,” Idris goes back to his stern self, and Freya opens the door wider. Her curls skim past the purple tunic she has on as she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth with a nod.

I don’t miss the strange averting of her eyes as Idris walks past her along with Illias and Iker.

She takes a breath and smiles at me once they all exit the room. Freya was the first I saw as soon as I came here with Darius. She’d grinned with excitement at how they’d freed Adriel and the others.

It broke me to see that smile vanish as I told her of Erion. But her way of grieving differed from mine. She involved herself with others, came by my room each day while I tried to isolate myself from the rest.

Sighing, I ask, “How are you?” It’s always the worst question to ask.

“Better,” she says, taking the plate from my hands and placing it on the bed as she sits on it. “Leira told me more stories of my mother when they were young though it’s rather odd, isn’t it?”

I quirk my head to the side, sitting beside her. She takes in my questioning silence and glances around the thick wooden walls, a basin in the corner, and a chest of drawers by the door.

“That we’ve ended up here,” she answers.

It’s truly ironic, but... “We can’t stay here forever.”

Her eyes find the bruises on my neck, and she looks away with a painful wince. “I know that,” she breathes, running her hands along her thighs. “I actually came here to tell you that Gus informed me he’ll be speaking to all of us at noon. He’s counting on you to be there.”

I nod slowly, but my thoughts go to Darius, wondering if he’ll be there. According to Freya, he hadn’t left his room either, only Tibith came to check on me as he was still intent on being my second sworn protector.

We hadn’t discussed Lorcan, we hadn’t discussed what happened that night before his capture...nothing and perhaps it should stay that way. Perhaps he regrets it and I should too.

It was a moment of weakness, that is all.

Breathing out a thoughtful sigh, I place my hand over Freya’s, and her gaze snaps at me. “I’ll be there,” I say, and she smiles.

“Why can’t we just attack the castle?” One of the shifters shouts across the tavern. “We’ve built enough resistance against steel, the arena is destroyed, and the queen’s army have weakened in numbers. We can easily end her.”

A few agree, raising their tankards in unison. My eyes shift to Illias and Link sitting beside each other on some of the barrels. Link rests his shoulder upon Illias’s while Rydan sits next to them, drawing circles with his finger against the bar top rather solemnly.

I frown, understanding that this is all so new to him. Lorcan’s death had taken a toll on him more than we’d all expected.

And Darius? He never came down from his room.

My expression smooths out, however, as Gus paces across the middle of the tavern, answering to the previous shifter. “And what is that going to do for the rest of the mortals? It will only make them despise us more.”

That quietens most of us down, and I cross my arms over my chest, thinking it through.

“Sarilyn has rebuilt this kingdom to have everyone at her disposal,” Gus continues. “With or without magic, she is still the most powerful person.”

She also fled the arena as soon as the shifters attacked.

“Then she has to be afraid of something,” Leira gathers from one of the tables. She’s not wrong. I saw when the queen’s cold façade cracked beneath my words the day I was sent to the dungeons. There is more to her that not even the shifter I’d spoken to knew.

“Or someone,” I say, thinking I was whispering it to myself until everyone’s gazes land on me, and I glower.

Clearing my throat, Gus smiles at me in a way that reminds me of my father, encouraging and attentive.

I speak up, “a shifter in the dungeons told me not long ago of how Sarilyn managed to gain entrance to the Isle of Elements. She obtained the northern blade and whatever happened with the Elves led to the king creating that forest.”

A few exchange wary looks, and others mutter something about how I am the mortal Darius brought over.

I ignore it and close my eyes for a decisive minute. “I was told—” I puff a breath “—that seers predicted a battle against many that could destroy Zerathion.” A future I want to change. “What if... what if we can get help, fix it, or prevent it?”

Gus’s brows draw together. “What are you implying, Nara?”

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