Page 89 of Ashes of Honor

There was a beat of silence as Miller and I shared a glance—her face twisted with confusion, mine probably not far off. I cleared my throat. I had no interest in giving orders I didn’t understand.

“Most healers,” Memphis explained, “draw their power from water. Hunter, for example.”

I gave her a slow nod, piecing it together best I could. Miller appeared less convinced, muttering something along the lines ofwhat does that even mean?

“Butherpower,” Memphis continued, with a small tilt of her head toward the girl. “Feeds on the magic of others—preferably the dead before their energy fades completely. It’s … more comfortable that way.”

Sedona didn’t look very comfortable to me. She looked like she spent a lot of time with the dead.

“Oh, Reina would’ve had a field day with this lot,” Miller chided slyly to herself.

Denver’s face flashed with interest as she stepped closer. “Reina Moore? I’m shocked.”

There was no indication of that being true with the skepticism laced in her tone. I flicked the tip of my nose and sighed, giving Miller the nod of approval to carry out the orders.

Miller nodded sharply, already turning to bark orders at the others. I kept my attention on the oldest girl, but something shifted. Her focus shifted, moving past my shoulder to the others.

I followed her gaze.

This one was far younger than the others—younger than Elie but older than Emma—her face ringed with dark blue circles. Her eyes were hollow, like someone who’d seen too much and didn’t have the desire to ever forget the tragedies of life. The oldest turned her body, circling me to put the girl out of sight and tucked behind her. Protective in a way that set something uneasy in my gut.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Memphis,” she replied. “That’s Eden,” she nodded toward her.

Eden’s steel colored eyes were unsettling as they flickered to me, hard, sharp, and unreadable. I turned back to Memphis. “How did you say Alexiares helped you out again?”

“We didn’t,” she leveled. “We owed him a favor. I had hoped to be able to see my family. He offered us safe harbor. However, is it a correct assumption to say once we cross through those gates we won’t be allowed out?”

I sighed, “That is correct. Yes.”

Memphis nodded solemnly, her hands trembling as she clenched and unclenched, stuck in a pattern. My gaze drifted to the soldiers who’d accompanied Miller. They were all women.

It sent a pang through my chest.

Memphis straightened again, her voice quieter now. “Eden is thankful for your honesty,” she said, nodding back to the onewith the hollowed out eyes. “The taste of lies is rather repulsive to her.”

Eden blinked at me. The girls gathered around her, nodding in unison before they turned to leave as abruptly as they arrived.

“Thank you. All of you,” I called after them. Keeping them out seemed right, but sending young women into this world alone was a neglect of the authority I wielded. “If I were to let you enter, we could not let you leave until this war is over. A security risk. I hope you understand.”

Memphis paused then glanced over her shoulder at me with an unreadable expression. Eden stiffened, her head shifting toward Memphis who awaited her confirmation. She offered a small tick of her head.

“At least let us get you some food, weapons. A change of clothes,” I said.

Denver and Memphis barely moved, but something passed between them—silent, decided.

“Okay,” Denver agreed.

“Abel,” I called, the single word clipped and sharp, enough to carry the weight of the order.

“Already on it,” he replied, moving swiftly, his boots scuffing against the debris-strewn ground.

Memphis broke from the group, her steps deliberate as she made her way to my side, settling into the spot Abel had vacated seconds ago. She didn’t look at me. “You’re not ready for what’s coming,” she said softly.

“We know.”

Alexiares

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