Page 93 of Destiny Redeemed
I opened my mouth to deliver some snarky retort, to push him away and rebuild my walls, but nothing came out. Instead, a sob tore from my throat, followed by another.
His expression softened. Without a word, he pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me tightly.
“It’s alright. You’re safe now,” he murmured into my hair. After a pause, his voice softened even more. “It’s over. You’re here. It hasn’t happened—not yet. You’re not back there.”
The dam broke. I clutched at his cloak, burying my face against him as sobs wracked my body. All the grief, the fear, and the terrible memories I’d been holding back flooded out. I cried for Sebastian, for my mother, for the life we’d lost, and for the horrors we’d endured. I cried until my throat was raw and my eyes burned.
Through it all, Anderic held me steady, one hand stroking my hair, his warmth seeping into my frozen body.
“He killed them,” I finally choked out against his chest. “Maxwell—he ran his sword through both of them while I watched. Then he killed me too. Their blood was everywhere, and I couldn’t—I couldn’t save them—”
“Shh,” Anderic soothed, his arms tightening around me. “It didn’t happen. Not yet. And it won’t happen, I swear it.”
I pulled back slightly to look at his face, searching for any sign of mockery or disbelief. There was none—only determination and something softer I couldn’t name.
“You believe me?” I whispered.
His thumb gently wiped a tear from my cheek. “I don’t understand how it’s possible,” he admitted. “But yes, I believe you. The look in your eyes when you saw Maxwell… no one could fake that kind of terror.”
Fresh tears spilled over. “I’m sorry. I thought I could handle it, but seeing him there, alive, while my family is—”
“Don’t apologize.” His voice was firm. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, Ilyana. Anyone else would have broken long before now.”
After what felt like an eternity, I pulled away from Anderic’s embrace, embarrassed by my breakdown. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and cleared my throat.
“Sorry about that,” I muttered. “Not exactly the fearsome, reckless woman you’re used to, am I?”
A hint of a smile touched his lips. “I think I prefer this version.”
I snorted. “The sobbing mess? How gallant of you.”
“The honest one,” he corrected, his eyes serious. “The one who actually feels something beyond ambition.”
I looked away, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
I led him through the snow-covered underbrush, following a path only I could see. The cold air bit at my cheeks, but after my breakdown, I felt oddly cleansed. Empty, but in a way that made room for something new.
“This is where our hut stood,” I said finally, stopping in a small clearing. Nothing marked the spot—no foundation, no ashes, not even a hint that anyone had ever lived here. “In my past life, this is where we died.”
Anderic surveyed the empty space, his expression solemn. “Tell me what happened.”
I crossed my arms, the memories rising like ghosts. “We were exiled after Father’s execution. Sebastian, Mother, and I lived in this tiny, one-room hut. We had nothing—barely enough food, always cold, always afraid.”
“Sebastian,” Anderic said quietly. “But he was my friend. I offered him a way out, didn’t I?”
I nodded. “He refused. Too honorable for his own good.” A bitter laugh escaped me. “We were all so hungry all the time. Sebastian worked in the mines until it nearly killed him. I even stole from the overseer to buy medicine for him. And then on that night—”
My voice caught. I gestured to the empty clearing.
“Commander Maxwell came with his soldiers. He accused us of being spies, of feeding information to the enemy. He killed Sebastian first, then Mother.” I touched my chest, right where Maxwell’s sword had pierced it. “Then me.”
Anderic’s gaze was intense. “Why would he think you were spying? What did he say exactly?”
I frowned, trying to recall Maxwell’s exact words through the haze of terror and grief. “He kept asking what information we’d passed to the enemies…” I shook my head. “He seemed convinced I’d betrayed our kingdom. Maybe he meant I had given something to Elenthar.”
“Elenthar?” Anderic’s eyes sharpened. “And Prince Callum is from there. The smuggling. It has to be connected somehow.”
My stomach plummeted as the pieces fell into place. “The gold,” I breathed, meeting his gaze. “Remember when I suggested Prince Callum might be after something specific? It’s the Aetherian steel. Gold is one of its core components.”
