Page 29 of A Curse of Breath and Blood

I bit my lip, wrapping my hands around my lean body. My anger was an integral part of me. I no longer knew myself without it.

I lit a cigarette.

As we carried our catch back to camp, my mind drifted to Baylis. Guilt thickened my throat at the thought of my innocent sister, who lived a pious life, served the goddess Ammenafaithfully, and loved her family. She must be so afraid. I should have protected her.

Back at camp, Amolie and I cleaned the fish while Roderick took a small harmonica out of his pocket and struck a tune. Caiden and Lucius joined in.

The sylph loved their tragedies almost as much as they loved to sing and dance about them. I tapped my foot to the beat as we roasted the fish.

They were risking everything to save Baylis. Just as they had done so for me five years prior, I owed it to them to try my best to get clean. More than Baylis’s life hung in the balance. I swallowed hard at the thought.

Caiden approached me when the song was through, tugging at his ear nervously. “Take a walk with me?”

“Now?”I looked around. The others were engaged in a heated conversation over the merits of each of the goddesses of the Trinity.

“Yes, it’s important.” He cleared his throat. “The others won’t notice or care.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

Caiden offered me a gloved hand before I could protest any further.

We tramped through the snowy woods to a small clearing near a pond covered by ice. “Why are we out here, Caiden?”

Caiden rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m hesitant to tell you…”

I took out my cigarettes, tapping them on the palm of my hand. “That bad?” I said, lighting one with a match and taking a long drag.

Caiden swallowed hard, gazing out over the frozen water.

I blew a smoke ring. “Just tell me. You’ve seen the worst of me. It can’t be worse than anything I’ve done.”

Caiden kicked the snow. Moonlight streamed across his face,illuminating his rugged features. He scratched at the stubble on his chin.

“My wife is dead.”

My breath hitched, nearly choking on the smoke from my cigarette.

“I… Uh… I’m sorry.” Those two words echoed throughout my life. They were the last words my father had said to me before he took his own life. It’s what Gideon would say after he hurt me. Two paltry words you said when you didn’t know what else to say.

Caiden hurt as much as I did.

“I don’t need your pity. I need your help.” Caiden stood with his back to me, the moonlight casting shadows on his muscular build.

“What do you mean?” I asked, pulling my cloak tighter around myself—the winter air cut at my sleek figure.

“Gideon killed my wife. I cannot prove it, but I know he did. We found a piece of iron ore on her pillow.”

The Highlands were known for their deposits of iron ore. Almost every piece of steel in Morina came from iron in their mines, making the country prosperous and the men cruel.

I winced. “He did it to punish you for helping me. Didn’t he?”

He did not have to answer. Gideon had always been jealous of Caiden.

Caiden stared straight ahead, biting on the inside of his cheek.

I wanted to comfort him, but a chasm of hurt lay between us. Slowly, I slid my hand over the top of his. A single tear trickled down his cheek.

We sat in silence for a moment. Each of us unsure of what to say.

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