Page 133 of A City of Flames

I close my eyes and hug my abdomen for comfort. My words a soft timbre on my tongue. “I won’t.”

* * *

There’s a herd of trainees by the time I arrive through the cave passageways of the arena. A few are fastening weapons behind them, to their sheaths and across their chests. I didn’t have enough time to grab anything, the venators had arrived within hours since Lorcan left and tossed me the trainee attire.

Inhaling the stale and damp air, I jerk my arms away from the venators and glare at them as they walk off.

Freya squeezes past two trainees, a quiver of arrows hangs across her back as wide eyes take me in. She wraps an arm around my neck, pulling me in as she breathes out my name in such worry that it drills deep into my chest. “Thank Solaris, you’re okay,” she says and steps back to look at my face. Lines pinch at her forehead. “I didn’t know what to do once I’d heard where they took you, my father made sure I couldn’t go down there and then the trials were pushed for today—”

I shake my head to cut her off and clutch her hand. “My brothers? Are they…?” It’s too hard to even say it.

“They’re safe,” she replies, understanding what I meant, what I needed to hear. “I did what you asked me to.”

I nod, releasing a short breath when she scrunches her eyes in mild amusement. “Idris however—was furious.”

I imagined so, even the thought causes my lips to twitch. “I knew he would be. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried anything.” The last thing I expect is Idris to be calm.

“He wanted to until I managed to calm him down,” Freya says thoughtfully, her gaze lingering at a spot over my shoulder.

My eyes narrow, looking at her and more surprised than anything that Idris managed to listen to someone that isn’t his cranky self.

“Oh!” She snaps out of it, clicking her fingers as she reaches for something in her quiver. “Um—” In both her hands, she holds the blade Idris got me and extends it toward me. “I kept this safe for you.”

I take a deep breath, forgetting the sting prickling the back of my eyes and carefully grab it from her. Before anything else, I lock my arms around her and whisper my gratitude as I blink a few times, letting the thought of my brothers flutter away like flocks of birds.

When I let go, she opens her mouth, looking like she has something else to mention but Rydan appears from behind Freya’s shoulder and grins. “You’re still alive!”

I fix him a stern look as Freya turns to him and smacks the side of his upper arm. “Rydan!”

“What?” He frowns looking from Freya over to me. “I was worried.”

A breath escapes me before I roll my eyes and stand on my toes to hug him.

“It’s beginning to get rather odd that you keep embracing me, Ambrose,” he says, and I shake my head in mirth over his ability to annoy me into smiling.

“How do you know I’m not—”

“Miss Ambrose…”

My shoulders tense at Lorcan’s voice coming from my right side and hesitantly I pull back from Rydan. I don’t look, I don’t turn to face him, I just don’t want to.

He awkwardly clears his throat as I don’t respond. “I hope you are all ready for the trials.”

This time I can’t help snapping my head toward him. My gaze cuts through his exterior as I clench my fist around my blade. “It’s not like I have a choice.”

His expression floods me with remorse as tightness engulfs my chest—a mixture of anger and remembrance of the times I thought he was genuine.

“I am ready Lorcy,” Rydan announces, and one can guess he is trying to help. “Far more ready than the rest of these trainees.”

Lorcan’s gaze pulls away from mine unwillingly as he looks at Rydan with a raised brow. “I’d believe that if you hadn’t fooled around during training.”

Rydan runs a hand over his chin, and the side of his lip creases into a flashy smile. “So, what I am hearing is that you were always watching me?”

Lorcan doesn’t say anything, he stares at Rydan with a stone face before shaking his head and strolling off to speak to other trainees. My eyes linger on the back of his armor and something unsettling flutters deep in my gut. Dread almost.

“Are you sure he betrayed her because—”

“Rydan?” Freya hisses. “Not helping! Besides how are you so calm right now?”

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