Page 149 of A Reign of Embers

Marc sucks in a breath, but the worry that shadows his face is only for me. “If the gods decide we’re asking too much—you shouldn’t risk yourself.”

I meet his gray gaze steadily, the ache of my grief welling up in my throat. “I’m already risking myself just being here. I might have died minutes ago—like Kassun, like Pierus.” My voice catches, and I pause to gather myself. “I’m only tryingto find the path that means fewer of our people follow them. Please. No one else’s gift can guide mine like yours might.”

He swallows with a bob of his throat. “All right. You focus on the ‘patient’ when you’re devising a cure, don’t you? We’ll aim our gifts at Valerisse’s forces together.”

His agreement doesn’t settle my nerves. If anything, my pulse thuds faster. I don’t know what the consequences of our appeal might be.

I do know I won’t like the consequences if we don’t give this battle our all.

Beyond Marc, Raul bumps his shoulder against Lorenzo’s. His arms still dangle limp at his sides, but his voice is clear enough. “Focus on me, brother. We’re going to collaborate, just a little differently than we did before. I need you to be my arms. Are you with me?”

His warm but firm cadence appears to penetrate Lorenzo’s daze of shock. The prince of Rione blinks hard and gives his head a little shake. He still sways with apparent dizziness, but he steps closer to Raul so they can support each other.

The larger man casts his gaze toward me as if asking my permission. I nod, ignoring the lump that’s choking me.

None of us is going to surrender without pulling out every tactic we can.

I twine my fingers with Marc’s, but I don’t bother setting a rhythm. For all the wretchedness we’ve put each other through, we know one another as well as any two humans can.

Our hearts are already in sync. I trust that our gifts will follow our lead.

We stare out over the fields now churning with fighting men. An arrow whistles toward me only to be smacked aside by one of my other guard’s gifts. The host of them has shifted to follow me to my new position.

If they can buy us enough time to see this gambit through…

I let my attention slide over the thousands of uniformed bodies surging across the grassy terrain. I need to cure this moment of their violence. Neutralize the contagion of their hostility. Heal my country of the havoc they’ve been wreaking.

A tingle spreads over my skin from where my hand and Marc’s are joined.

Please, I think to Elox,let me see the best way to stop them. A way that’s fast and true. For the safety of all the realms. For the peace I’ll bring. Please.

A pinching sensation pricks at my gut. A chill washes over me that some part of my innards might be dissolving with this massive act of magic, but I hold firm, repeating my plea, concentrating on my intent.

Marc sucks in a sharp breath—and then I see it.

An array of herbs and powders flickers before my eyes. All of them must go into the cauldron—this one first, then that. Ten minutes for them to properly steep once they’re at a boil.

We have time. Wemusthave enough time.

I release Marc to snatch at my stockpile. My hands tremble with the leaves I scatter across the frothing water, the bits of root and flecks of crystalline mineral that follow it.

My first husband watches from behind me, silent until I’ve stirred and stepped back from the mixture.

“Do you know what it’ll do?” he asks.

I open my mouth and close it again. I didn’t ask that specifically. My intent was so broad.

I glance at him. “Doyou?”

A thin smile curves Marc’s lips. “I think Elox may be trying to make a point about the value of peacemaking. You should at least be glad that I don’t get the impressionit’s going to burn anyone’s skin off or dissolve their organs.”

“Ah.” A strangled laugh lurches out of me. “Well, I suppose that’s good news.”

“How are we going to get it onto them, though?”

A shout amid the fray draws my attention. New tendrils of shadow are whipping through the enemy ranks, lashing at ankles and tangling feet.

Raul smirks where he’s poised next to Lorenzo, keeping up a low murmur to steady his foster brother’s focus. Lorenzo is still blinking more than usual, but he maneuvers the shadows that stretch across Raul’s hands without hesitation.

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