Page 60 of Kingdom of Tomorrow
I sat up straighter. That wasn’t a terrible idea.
“Well? What did you learn tonight?”
My gaze snapped up, my mind blanked, and my breath caught. Cyrus! He was alive. Relief propelled me to my feet. He towered before me, his arms crossed over his chest. Blood, dirt, and other things were splattered on him, and gashes marred his face and arms, but he wasn’t dead or hospitalized.
“Are you okay?” A bloodstained bandage covered his branded cheek.
“I told you there’d be an oral exam. What did you learn?” he asked again.
My pulse accelerated. “I learned you are incredibly skilled with a sword. And your fists. And guns, whips, and daggers.”
He rolled his eyes, drawing my attention to his long, long lashes. He motioned to the bench. We sat side by side, not touching but close, as if we were dating. Or at least building a friendship, what he’d claimed.
“Let’s hear what will help in your coming battles,” he said.
“For starters, you were right.”
“That admission was inevitable, but please, do continue. Tell me which of my wisdoms you found most accurate tonight.”
Easy. “Unless I get stronger, faster, and wiser, I’ll be a danger to myself and others. I need more practice, study, and practice. And yes, I mentioned practice twice, because it’s doubly important.”
A beat of silence lasted for an eternity. “Congratulations, Miss Roosa. Recognizing your weaknesses is necessary to overcoming them. Never take on a giant until you’ve defeated a bear.”
“I have no interest in taking on either, but I understand your metaphor. My weaknesses are the bear, and the maddened are the giant.”
“That works. For now.”
Hmm. What else could he have meant? “From this moment on, I will pour myself into improving.” I required lots and lots of seasoning. “You have my word.”
“Good. I’ll help you. You’ll spend your free time in special classes with me.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being. “And congratulations to you too. You survived a battle with the world’s most wanted criminal.”
He shrugged, as if the feat of the century were no big deal. “I captured him.”
Captured. Wow. “There was a girl in the garden with him.” Wait. “Please tell me you made it back with a berry.” The most important issue.
“Ember escaped,” he replied, and I ignored the little flicker of relief. “I didn’t arrive with a berry in hand. But I did lose my transmitters during the fight.”
Well, then. I had no use for mine. I removed both disks. He accepted them, and that was that. The last of our whispered conversations. And that was a good thing. Of course it was good. No longer would he clock every time he made my heart race. Which was far too often!
“I’m happy to say I held on to this.” He fished a small vial filled with soil from his pocket and passed it my way.
“For me?” I squealed, popping the cork and sniffing the earthy goodness. Pleasure unfurled. No sourness or metallic twang. Healthy. Excellent quality. Nowthiswas a treasure worth guarding! I could grow something in it, no problem. “You sack of sugar! This is one of the most incredible gifts I’ve ever received.” Maybe the HP and I werealreadyfriends.
He almost smiled. “Sack of sugar. Yes. That’s me.” His attention returned to the window, and it wasn’t long before strain overtook him all over again. Lines of tension branched from his eyes, and his lips pressed in a thin line. He looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and he could no longer hide it. I didn’t have to wonder if something extra bad had occurred during his fight with John Victors.
An ache ignited within me. Had Cyrus been anyone else, I would’ve taken his hand and—oh, screw it. He’d given me soil. I could risk my pride to offer comfort. I clasped his hand and squeezed, surprised when he laced his fingers through mine, not just accepting my gesture but welcoming it.
New flutters curled through my abdomen. This wasn’t just comfort. This was something more. I should pull away. For Shiloh’s sake, if not my own. But I didn’t pull away; like a fool, I held on tighter.
“Any questions for me?” Cyrus asked.
Countless. I settled for a statement. “I’m intrigued by the castle with lights.”
He flinched, clearly surprised by my chosen topic. “I can tell you someone lives in it, but you don’t have clearance to learn more, and this time I can’t give it.”
Well. Curiosity engaged. I might have just discovered the answer to Ember’s challenge.
