Page 7 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

But from an entire other realm.

And Loche…

If Rioner believed he was behind it all…

He was in the most peril of all.

“Is he… is Loche aware?” she made herself ask, even as the mention of his name made her rib cage feel as if it would cave in.

When Merrick’s gaze fell and he shook his head, she couldn’t stand being another minute in the musty cabin.

Shooting upright, she stumbled toward the latch, a cry rising up her throat when she couldn’t get it open right away.

ChapterTwo

As she gripped the wooden railing and stared out over the furious waves crashing against the port, she struggled to hold back the scream building inside her from the emotions pressing against her chest, threatening to boil over like a pot left too long on the stove.

And when the faces of her loved ones—Amalise, her parents, Frelina, Kalia, Fiona and all the other children, and finally… Loche—consumed her thoughts, the sensation continued to mount until it felt as if she would break apart into a million tiny pieces if she didn’t let some of it out.

So, with her eyes on the gray horizon, she did.

Lessia let every ounce of guilt and fear and frustration fuel the piercing cry as it drifted across the ripples of water.

She screamed for the family she’d left behind in Vastala, for the friends she’d abandoned in Ellow, for the regent she’d betrayed, for the king she’d been too weak to fight, for the contradictory emotions churning inside as she took in what Ardow had told her.

But most of all, she screamed for the helplessness she felt as Merrick’s warning of war lodged itself in her throat.

She didn’t doubt he’d spoken true.

That Havlands and those she loved in it were in danger.

And with her being banished and traveling with three fugitives…

There was little she could do to get King Rioner and Loche to believe it.

A sound from the upper deck startled her as she caught her breath, and she whirled around to find one of the men in the crew operating the ship staring at her with wide eyes.

Smoothing out the hair blowing around her face, she hissed, “Can I help you?”

The man nearly tripped as he backed away, the color of his face fading with every step, and she realized her eyes must have shifted into gold when a soft glow broke through the mist traveling across the wooden deck.

Sighing, she turned back toward the water, clutching the worn wood so hard splinters bit into her palms.

But she welcomed the pain.

Welcomed anything that could distract her from the crippling powerlessness that lay heavy on her chest.

A warm hand touched her lower back, and the smell of salt and wet wood mixed with Merrick’s untamed scent as he took up the spot to her right.

When she glanced at him, the sheen of her eyes illuminated his hard features and the pearly hair trailing over his shoulders.

His eyes met hers briefly before they shifted out over the sea. “Did that make you feel better?”

She was nearly overcome by the urge to slap him, but as she lifted her hand, he moved faster than she’d ever seen anyone do, his fingers locking around her wrist before she had time to blink.

Pulling her against him, he glared at her. “Have you learned nothing of what I tried to teach you? You need to be in control. Of your movements. Of your emotions. Of your magic. Of yourself. If you’re planning to take out your anger on me, do it right!”

When Merrick released her, she took a step back from his rumbling chest.

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