Page 117 of Thorns & Fire
‘I thought so,’ Wren replied, reaching out to squeeze Thea’s arm.‘None of us could have seen this coming.’
Thea snorted.‘For all the prophecies floating around the midrealms, you’d think one would come in handy every now and then.’
‘You’d think,’ Wren agreed, a wry smile tugging at her lips.
Thea patted her hand and started to pace, footsteps echoing in the cavernous space.‘The question is...if not a true heir of Delmira, then who?Like you said, if Delmira itself falls to someone false, what happens?What will become of the midrealms?Of the peace we nearly died for?’
Wren watched her sister, noting the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides.‘I don’t know,’ she admitted.‘Do you believe it’s true?That our parents and ancestors hoarded resources?Refused to share their agricultural secrets to keep power in their favour?’
‘I’m not sure we’ll ever know.’Thea rubbed the back of her neck.‘There are written accounts and histories, of course, but we’ve already seen how they can be skewed with an agenda.Do you know how many times I’ve had to correct someone about Anya?About the fact that she was a hero, not the Daughter of Darkness?’
Wren nodded.‘It’s been the same here.A place of learning still intent on creating a false narrative.’
‘So if this is what things are like now, what will they become if we don’t take control?’
‘What does Wilder say?’Wren asked, knowing there was no way her sister hadn’t discussed this with the Hand of Death.
Thea’s steps faltered at the mention of Wilder’s name.‘He says he’ll be by my side, no matter what...’She sighed, and Wren feltthe weight of it in her own heart.‘For the sake of the midrealms, I’d do it,’ she said softly.‘I would take the throne, stake my claim.’
Her words broke Wren apart.For she had known them already – had known that the moment there was a greater threat to the midrealms, her sister wouldn’t stand for it, no matter what her own heart desired.Wren wished that she could be so noble, so ready to set aside her own path, to put duty before all else – but she pushed the thought away, the taste of injustice bitter on her tongue.
‘I know.’She grabbed Thea’s hand.‘What do we do now?’
‘We take the time we’ve been given, and we tell no one.You show me what you found in Delmira and we’ll see if we can make sense of it.But right now?’Thea squeezed her hand back.‘Right now, we spar.Elbows up, feet apart, sister.’
CHAPTER 47
Torj
‘The wisest defence is the one that need not ever be used’
– Mastering the Craft of Close Protection
THE LAST THINGTorj wanted to do was talk shit with Wilder all night.He knew it was only a matter of time until his fellow Warsword started interrogating him about Wren.The thought made his chest tighten, a mixture of anticipation and dread settling in his gut.
The only good news was that Wilder was happy to set up camp in his rooms rather than drag him down to the Mortar and Pestle.Small mercies, Torj thought, grateful to avoid the prying eyes and roaring noise of the tavern.
With a resigned sigh, he stoked the fire back to life in the hearth.The flames crackled and danced, casting flickering shadows across the stone walls of his quarters.The warm glow did little to ease the tension in his shoulders as he returned to his chair.
Wilder, lounging in the chair opposite, pushed a cup of wine towards him.The scratching of metal against the rough wooden table between them seemed unnaturally loud in the quiet room.
‘Marise had this imported,’ Wilder said, taking a long appreciative sip from his own cup.
Torj raised an eyebrow, peering at the dark ruby liquid.The rich aroma wafted up: hints of dark fruit and oak.‘How in the midrealms have you managed to see Marise amid all this madness?’Marise was a wine merchant from Harenth they’d all known for years, who had a reputation for the best wine connections in the midrealms and his infamous ‘Dead Red’ parties – all three of which Torj had attended, but had no recollection of.
‘He was visiting Aveum,’ Wilder replied, settling back in his chair.The leather creaked softly under his weight.‘Apparently he regularly provides Queen Reyna with consultations on her cellar.’
A hint of amusement broke through Torj’s sombre mood.‘Of course he does.’Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked, ‘How is the queen?Has her magic returned?’
Wilder swirled his cup, the wine catching the firelight.His expression grew serious, brow furrowing slightly.‘From what Thea tells me, Reyna hasn’t had a full vision since the attack.She says that her magic is muted...Still there, but as though there is some sort of blanket over it.’
‘She told you all that?’Torj was surprised.During their travels, the queen hadn’t seemed like one to open up.
‘Thea wrangled it from her, eventually.’There was a note of pride in Wilder’s voice.‘She can be very persuasive.’
‘No shit,’ Torj said.He’d seen Thea’s tenacity in action many a time.‘You’ve both been in Aveum all this time, then?Guarding the queen?’
Wilder shook his head.‘One of the newer Warswords took over after I was injured.I’ve been tracking the enemy across the midrealms.’
