Page 77 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

“Merrick?” Stalking up to him instead, a snarl ripped from her lips when he didn’t immediately meet her eyes. “Merrick!”

When he finally tilted his head down and met them, a current whispered over her skin.

The inky black was impossibly darker, the silver flecks more pronounced, his cheeks flushed with color, and if she didn’t know better, she might have thought his hand shook as he gripped her arm—to keep her steady or to keep her from getting more into his face, she didn’t know.

“We’d need an army if we’re to take on Rioneranda fleet of Oakgards’ Fae. A much bigger army than those flimsy ships the humans call their navy.” Merrick pulled her closer, his breaths fanning over her face as he leaned in. “We’d all die, Lessia. We’d die for this. For…”

She heard the word he swallowed.

Him.

They’d die for Loche.

But it wasn’t about him.

At least not only him.

It was about every person who’d visited her tavern.

Every person who’d smiled at her during the election.

Every person who’d hoped for a better life under Loche.

Sure… they could try to get the children out and just take off—hide somewhere and wait this out.

But she’d made a vow that day she’d hurt Frelina.

And damned if she wouldn’t keep it.

She refused to break their stare off.

Refused to believe there was nothing they could do.

She’d made a choice.

And if that choice led to her death?

Well, then, so be it.

She was so tired of the gods.

So tired of fate.

So tired of being helpless.

No.

Fuck that.

“Then we find an army!” she hissed. “I thought you all had taken down companies of soldiers by yourselves!” Lessia threw her arm out toward where Raine and Kerym still grinned at each other as they refilled their drinks. “Did the stories lie?”

“They do not lie,” Merrick snarled back, his face an inch from hers, and she nearly stumbled back when his eyes flared. “If you want to fight… I’ll fight for you.”

“So will I.”

Both their heads whipped toward Raine when he spoke.

Raine winked at them. “Don’t look so surprised. I won’t fight for Rioner, but I’ll fight for the humans. If they’re all like those two”—he waved toward Venko and Ardow, who sat with their mouths open and stared at them all—“they can be quite amusing.”

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