Page 41 of A Legacy of Storms and Starlight

Zylah looked out at the water again, at the dragonflies skimming above the surface. “My father. I won’t be seeing him for some time.” And there it was. The reminder that this, whateverthiswas, was temporary. That as soon as she had the means, she’d be leaving Virian for good and getting as far away from those wanted posters as possible, further away from her family, too.

“Ah, the starting over. So why the uprising? Why our cause, why not another?”

“Because no one should have to live in fear just because of who they are.”

Raif’s hand lightly touched her elbow, his calloused fingers brushing against the sleeve of her tunic. “And you know a little of that, do you?”

Zylah hadn’t noticed he’d pushed off the wall. She looked up at him, at the way his eyes darkened with that all too familiar glaze. He leaned into her, his hand trailing up her arm, and she fought against her warring emotions. Jesper had taken something from her, something she knew she could take back when she was ready, but Zylah hadn’t made her decision about Raif, not yet. She evanesced out of his touch, back towards the entrance of the grotto.

His eyes widened as he spun around to face her. “How—”

Jilah called out from somewhere in the second dome, and a muscle flickered in Raif’s jaw. “Don’t let anyone in the city see you do that. Ever.”

Zylah ignored his outburst, straining to listen. “Guard search, I’ll go back to work, they’re used to seeing me here now.”

Raif grabbed her elbow, pulling her away from the entrance, and Zylah shrugged out of his grasp.

“Wait here,” he said and stalked out of the grotto.

Zylah listened to his footsteps as he stormed away, debating whether to march out there after him. That would draw the guards’ attention, though. She paced, pausing every few steps to listen for any exchange between the guards. She’d evanesced in front of him. Saphi had warned her, and that look on his face, as if he was appalled by it, byher. Maybe she’d read the situation wrong. Maybe he wasn’t interested, and he was just overly flirtatious with everyone. And what would he do with that information, now that he knew she could evanesce? She still had no idea if she could trust him.

Kopi’s quiet hoot told Zylah Raif was returning, but she already recognised the sound of his gait upon the path.

“We should continue your training at the safe house. The wards are stronger.” He seemed completely at ease, as if the guards hadn’t just marched in for a check, but then Zylah supposed Raif wasn’t the type to baulk at anything.

She followed him out of the grotto, glancing up to Kopi’s favourite tree. He was still there. “I thought you hadn’t decided whether you trust me enough to train me.”

“I decided the moment you told me you wanted to help. Plus we could use someone with your knowledge of plants.”

“Ah, I see, so I’m a means to an end.” She tried to hide the elation from her voice, to keep her tone casual.

A smile tugged at his mouth. “Were you expecting a grand initiation ceremony?”

“I…” Zylah shook her head. She didn’t know what she’d expected. “What do you need to know?” They returned to the first dome. She wouldn’t be seen on the streets without her cloak, no matter who walked beside her.

“Healing poultices are difficult to come by in large quantities—the apothecaries’ inventories are monitored by Arnir’s men. Do you think you could make some for us, provide instructions for how to make more?” He watched her as she carefully shrugged into her cloak, the hint of a dimple appearing as his mouth twitched.

Gods, her body ached. “I find it difficult to believe you can’t all heal yourselves.”

“Not all Fae have powers like yours, Liss.”

She tugged up her hood as they reached the goods’ entrance. “I can’t heal,” she said, tilting her chin to look up at him.

He was already surveying the streets, but there was no sign of any guards. “Have you ever tried?”

The usual pedlars were working their regular spots outside the gardens, and Zylah gave them each a polite wave as she and Raif strode past. She caught Kopi’s silhouette darting off to the rooftops. “No. That’s where you come in, remember?” The aroma of frying meat hung in the crisp air from a relatively new addition to the street vendors. Zylah had taken one look at how much oil he used to cook the meat and decided it wasn’t for her.

“Fine. Seeing as your other training seems to be taking its toll, we can focus on your Fae abilities for now.”

Zylah paused to look up at him again. “You noticed.” Of course he had. These Fae didn’t miss a thing.

He took a step closer, the glazed look returning to his eyes, the one she’d seen enough times on Theo to know precisely where his thoughts had taken him. “Every wince and sigh. Oh, I noticed,” he said under his breath.

Her traitorous heart skipped a beat, and her thoughts were almost as bad. Zylah shook her head and took a step back from him, her gaze landing on a couple feverishly kissing outside a restaurant. Oh, there was no doubting Raif’s intentions, and she was grateful for the hood covering her face, certain she was unable to hide the inevitable flush creeping up her neck.

Up ahead, she could already make out the silhouette of the trees lining the bridge, Kopi’s tiny body swooping down amongst the branches. Zylah quietly drew in a breath. Something told her that how she chose to reply would set the tone for their training session. She waited until they reached the wall overlooking the river before she allowed herself a look up at him.

Raif’s hands were shoved deep in his pockets as he leaned back against the wall, his sleeves rolled up past his elbows, high enough that she could just glimpse a peek of the band tattooed around one of his biceps. A breeze blew a few wisps of midnight hair across his face, but he didn’t swipe it away, just held her gaze, waiting.

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