Page 28 of Courting War
“Yes.”
“Oh, holy pookas, this is bad.” Cecile bit her lip and sank against the volcanic wall.
Holy pookas?Theo snorted.
“What are you going to do?”
Theo rolled her shoulders back and forced ice into her veins. “I'm going to defy my mother and find a way to get my divinity back, and then I'm going to show her the wrath of War.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“I need to get a message to Destruction,” Theo said. Destruction had access to all of Theo’s spelled objects and books.
Cecile rubbed her skirt, thinking. “Well, you’ll have to make it through the first challenge and get to the Tribunal since we’re stuck in the Champion’s Quarters until then.”
“Right.” Theo scrunched her face, annoyed. The girl wasright, which meant Theo had to participate in the first challenge despite her utter reluctance. But she didn’t have to help her champion. If her mother wanted her to play the Sacrifice and respect it, Theo would do precisely the opposite, and since Nefeli wanted Theo to help her champion, she would outright refuse. There was nothing in the rules saying a priestess had to help.
Cecile ran a finger along a wrinkle in her dress, her face trapped between two emotions—emotions too hard to decipher. “I need you to help Kellyn.”
The girl had to be talking about her friend—the Theoden Champion. The rude boy from the pier. The odious—far too attractive—boy bursting with arrogance and pride. Just like every other man in existence.
“Who?” Theo asked cavalierly.
Cecile stifled a gasp before trying to compose herself. “Your champion. You need to help him.”
“Ineedto?” Theo hissed.
“Yes,you need to.” Fire stirred in Cecile’s voice, and a smile widened on Theo’s face. She liked it when people stood up for themselves. Cecile visibly swallowed and continued in a slightly softer tone, “He’ll die if you don’t help him.”
Theo shrugged. “Vile men deserve to die.”
“He’s not vile. He’s a good man, Theo. One of the best I’ve ever known.”
“There are no good men.”
Cecile’s forehead wrinkled, and her eyes darkened—literally darkened. “What man hurt you so much to make you think that?”
“How dare you, girl,” Theo snapped, her blood turning to ash, a fire consuming her insides. Cecile had no right to say something like that. No right.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have said it.” Cecile softened. “But please help him. Do it because I care about him.” She sucked in a twisted breath. “If you care at all for me or this bond,” she held up her wrist with the tattoo, “please, I beg you, keep him alive.”
“I cannot.”
“What of your divine mercy?” Cecile switched tactics, appealing to Theo’s honor.
“My mercy doesn’t extend to men.”
Cecile shook her head, her eyes clouding with held-back tears. “I trust you with my life, and I respect you.” Cecile’s voice cracked. “I know how much you’ve done for me. You’ve saved my life on multiple occasions, so I'm begging you now, please save my friend.”
“He means that much to you?”
“He means everything to me.”
Theo angled her head like a raven. The girl truly cared about the boy. Deeply. Enough to beg. Was it love? It meant something, and maybe under any other circumstance, Theo would’ve complied with her Marked’s wishes, but she couldn’t. Not now. Not when her honor depended on defiance.
“I cannot aid your friend.”
“Why?”
