Page 15 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

You are in control.

She repeated the words to herself until the red hue tinting her vision dimmed.

Ignoring Ardow’s question, as she wasn’t sure how to respond, she turned to Venko. “What did the rebels promise you to get you on board with this… plan?”

Venko’s face turned crimson, and his eyes lingered on Ardow briefly before moving to the grayish substance in his bowl. “They promised me monopoly over the trade.”

The trade…

A bitter laugh escaped her. “Greed… is that what drives all males?”

“No, Lessia.” Ardow sought her eyes. “Venko might have initially had dubious intentions, but after we got to know each other, he understood—”

Venko’s hand slammed onto the table. “Stop! You didn’t tell me there would be bloodshed, Ardow! I thought you were on the good side. That the rebels were fighting for something better foreveryone! It’s the only reason I stayed when I realized what was happening. But you didn’t tell me you planned to kill Loche. Or innocent people, for that matter. It sounds to me like the rebels are as bad as those Oakgards’ Fae Merrick talked of. They want to take our lands by force, and so do your damned rebels.”

Ardow tried to reach out for him, but Venko sprang from his chair, taking the one beside Lessia instead.

Dragging his hands down his face, Ardow sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt both of you. But it was the only way. Please, you have to believe me. We are the good side.”

Lessia’s eyes locked with Venko’s uninjured one, and they shook their heads.

“You killed Stellia and her company,” she snarled quietly.

“We would never,” Ardow snapped. “Yes, we wanted to make it seem like she had some part in it—create mistrust within Ellow. But we didn’t kill her or her guards.”

“How can we trust that?” Venko still had his eyes glued on Lessia’s as he spoke. “Some of her own guards betrayed her. They tried to kill Craven before he left!”

Ardow remained silent for a moment, and Lessia’s eyes widened when guilt tugged at his face, pulling his dark brows down and emptying his gaze.

“Ardow?” she whispered, not certain if she wanted to know what thoughts swirled in his mind.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Venko’s voice jarred her, and she sliced her gaze to the side, finding him clenching the table so hard his knuckles drained of blood.

When Ardow dipped his chin, she sucked in a breath.

“Was it you?” Lessia got out.

His jaw flexed, but he raised his downcast eyes to hers. “He hurt you, Lessia! He would have killed you, from what Venko told me. He was a danger to the Ellow we want to build!”

When she started shaking her head, Ardow let out a choked sound before he urged, “Lessia, you know how it’s been for us! What the children we rescue have to face! Do you not want to give them a chance of a better life?”

Ardow’s eyes glossed, and she let out a huff when guilt constricted her throat.

Forcing it away, she growled, “Of course I do!”

She wanted nothing more than for them to live like humans and full Fae.

But not at the expense of thousands perishing.

Not even at the expense of someone as vile as Craven.

She’d made herself a promise when she thought she killed Frelina: that no more souls would taint her conscience.

And that included innocent people, whatever heritage they might bear.

“We are on the same side,” Ardow said quietly. “Perhaps the way I’ve gone about it is wrong, but if we work with them, we can figure out another way. I know Merrick seems to think we need to go to his gods-damned friend, but we should find the rebels. They will listen to me. I’m sure of it.”

“Like they listened to you when you told them Lessia was off limits?” Merrick prowled down the stairs, a thunderous look on his face. “We’re not going anywhere near them! Not until we have a plan. And my gods-damned friend is one of the most powerful Fae in our realm. You should count yourself lucky if we can get him to help.”

---