Page 127 of Between Wrath and Mercy

“Is he who gave you your task?”

“No, I went to Lamera for mine. That’s why I was gone so long.”

“Why did you go all the way to the Seat? Wait, how did you get back last night?”

“A day and night full of rifting. I’m sorry for not waking you; I was exhausted and had an early morning today.”

“Why didn’t you just go to the temple in Astana?”

“As the future king, it is expected of me to go to Lamera. They would’ve given one at the temple in the city, but if I didn’t meet with the Supreme, it might have looked like a snub. I was only going to go to the temple in Ardian for Keeva because I didn’t care if it fell through, and I’d been staying at Crown Cottage, so it was convenient. I only went to the Supreme because I wanted everything to go as smoothly as possible for us, dear heart.”

My heart warmed a bit before the ice in my veins held it in its grip once again. “I take it your visit went smoother than mine?” I was still marching a path in the dirt, full of nervous energy.

“He chastised me a bit for Keeva,” I gaped at him in horror. How could they already know? “For notchoosingKeeva,” he corrected, and I let out a sigh of relief. “But he seemed relieved I was finally there, finally ready.”

“Did he seem interested in my divinity?”

“Nothing more than curiosity. He knew you’re Lucia’s sister. He even said he was surprised we hadn’t performed the ritual sooner since I’d known you so long.”

“Did he ask where I’ve been this whole time?” I watched his mouth pitch up into a slow, crooked smile.

“I told him we lost touch, and you married another man but finally came to your senses.”

I glared at him. “That does not make me sound particularly loyal.” Rain shrugged, his grin fading.

“I couldn’t exactly tell them the truth, could I? I’m especially glad I didn’t, after what happened here. He will eventually learn Elora is the Beloved, though. And he’ll know you were hiding her. But we’ll handle that when we have to.”

I nodded in agreement. “What are we going to do?”

“Nothing, yet. Not until Elora is safe. One problem at a time, Em.” He strode toward me, determined, and hugged me tight against his body. I was surprised he was so calm. I wanted to act. I wanted to throw Filenti in a cellar and help Rain torture him until he explained everything. I imagined doing to him what I did to Miriam but succeeding in what he’d asked of me, restarting his heart instead. Doing it over and over until he begged for mercy. He had made me kill that woman. But Rain was right, of course. Elora was our priority. She had always been the most important thing, and we were getting so close. I grew anxious thinking about the days ahead. I’d be performing the ritual, learning Rain’s divinity, and then rescuing my daughter in a handful of days. I couldn’t let myself ponder what would happen after.

“Does Dewalt know why you raced him back here like a screaming demon from the pits of hell?”

I snorted. “No, but he didn’t question me.” For which I was grateful.

“Of course, he didn’t. Let us go explain, or he will worry.”

Rain started back through the trees toward his home, and I tried to keep up but my leg was starting to ache. The better of the two seemed to be holding up fine, but my left leg was giving me trouble. No longer running on anger and adrenaline, the trek back seemed endless. Glancing over his shoulder when he realized I’d fallen behind, Rain stopped to glower at me as I caught up.

“You’re limping. Why didn’t you tell me you were hurting?”

“I’m fine. I’ll rest when we get there.” He shook his head and scooped me up like a sack of potatoes, tossing me over his shoulder.

“Rainier!” I slapped his back, not pleased at all. He responded by smacking my bottom hard enough to make me yelp, and I beat at his back even harder.

“Stop it, or I’ll do it again.” I let out a sigh of frustration but stopped wiggling and fighting against him. He laughed, low and seductive, before rubbing where he smacked, easing the sting of it. “I’ll kiss it better later.” I snorted and then pushed up a bit, so my head was upright, growing dizzy watching the ground below us.

“Are we dragging her back to the temple for her task?” Dewalt’s voice called out, amused. So much for worrying.

“No, her task is complete. Did you truly not tell him anything?” Rain chuckled and carried me up the porch steps, refusing to put me down.

“All I know is she came running out of there and pulled me out with her. She had some colorful words about riding side-saddle, though.”

AftertalkingtoDewaltduring dinner—a decadent meal of roasted duck with red currant jelly served with roasted potatoes and glazed carrots—Rain left once again, quieting me with ravenous kisses as he explained why. With King Soren comatose, Rain was having to take over some responsibilities, and he wanted to check in on his sister. It took everything in me not to whine about it considering I was the reason anyone was there having to do those things in the first place. I treated myself to a bath and a book by the fire, but I struggled to focus, worrying about my daughter. Though the threat of the assassin from Soren was no more, she was not safe by any means. The new moon was quickly approaching, and I was growing ever eager, anxious to speak to Elora, to hold her in my arms, to bring her home. Thinking about bringing her here to this beautiful home full of wonderful people with whom I had reconnected was overwhelming, and it brought me such intense joy I was overcome with grief when I realized she might not want to stay. She might hate it, might resent me. What if she didn’t like Rain? I thought about how she’d asked me if I was going to marry him and fought a smile when I remembered my response. Only hours later, he immediately proved me wrong by throwing himself on his knees before me. I didn’t recall a negative tone in her voice when she asked, in fact, I recalled a sly smile gracing her lips when she asked me if I loved him. She’d seemed more curious than anything else. With a start, I realized it had been one week exactly and that Cyran might see fit to invade my dreams. We hadn’t made a plan for this, but all the same, I supposed I should at least try to rest just in case. Climbing into bed, I set my book down and willed sleep to claim me.

But sleep would not come. My legs were aching, even with flooding my divinity downward, not bothering to ration it, and I couldn’t help but think about Miriam. I wondered if I could have brought her back like they’d wanted me to. As I had wanted to. Could I have started her heart again? Could I have started Sam’s after the tírrúil attack? I had tried, willing it to begin beating under Rain’s pumping hands, but I’d been using my healing gifts rather than my harrowing. The moments leading up to his death echoed in my mind. He had been dead by the time I got there, his heart no longer beating, but I’d tried anyway. Maybe if I had gone there a moment sooner, chased them the minute I knew they were hurt, maybe then he would’ve lived. Maybe I would’ve been able to heal him enough and keep his heart going or start it again if it stopped.

They think you are more than you appear.

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