Page 72 of A Dance With Fire
Shula tried not to look at her battered body, at the blood covering her paling blue skin, the fingers twisted at odd angles, the burns of iron pressed to her skin in the shape of the bars of her cage.
Shula wanted to burn the whole thing to the ground. The whole camp, she wanted them toburn.
Her hair grazed across Orna’s body, and she knew her friend could no longer feel it.
She was dead.
Just like everyone else in Shula’s life ended up dead.
And perhaps this time hadn’t been her fault, but if there were any survivors in this camp, they’d tell the emperor that Shula was with them, and she would bring death upon them. That would be on her hands.
Pushing that aside, Shula bent and lifted Orna into her arms, cradling her to her chest. She was so still, so quiet that Shula could almost convince herself that she was sleeping, but that wasn’t the case.
The press of a hand against her shoulder tore her out of her sorrow. She turned and looked up into Valerio’s dark eyes.
He wasn’t staring at her with anger for disobeying his orders, but there was an infinite amount of sadness.
It broke her heart more.
“Let us leave this place,” he urged quietly. “Let us put your friend to rest.”
* * *
“What shouldwe do with him, Prince?”
Valerio pulled his attention from Ryker and Shula with great reluctance. The two were a conundrum, and while now was not the time to think about it, he did. Magic appeared in the subtlest of shapes and forms. It lived in Mana, in the Fae, and even in the bonds they made.
He would never tell his men this, but there had been a reason he agreed to rescue Shula Azzarh from the temple. A promise the seer had whispered into his ear that ran through his bones and touched the very edges of his tattered soul. Of bonds as ancient and powerful as Mana itself.
Like the seer had known exactly how to seduce him. Like she could see the desires of his heart, see what went beyond protection of the Fae, of saving his race from extinction. She didn’t just gently push past the surface but jumped into those darker parts with promises of forever.
But one look at Shula Azzarh and Valerio knew the seer had been lying to him. Now, Valerio had to contend with the fact that he’d lied to his comrades, even to Uric, who knew everything about him.
If they knew the real reason why he’d gone for her hadn’t been some selfless desire to save his race at all but something else, they would have him stripped of his imaginary crown and banished from what was left of their scattered court forever.
He’d not let that happen.
Lucky for him, the Emperor of Illyk wanted the Fire Dancer this badly, and so as long astheyhad her, the emperor would not. Unlucky for him, the emperor wanted her, and they had no idea why.
This soldier was the perfect way to finally find out.
Valerio turned to acknowledge Julius’ words. The big ginger Fae was now restraining the human with very little effort. He’d relieved Uric of that duty. Uric appeared to be struggling with the darker aspects of using his magic.
Flicking his gaze back to the human, Valerio strode up in confident, angry strides until he was face to face with the soldier.
The human was either exceptionally stupid or brave. He did not recoil in fear at the sight of Valerio, but the Seelie Prince did not mind. After all, he had schooled his expression into neutrality so that no one could see what really lay beneath.
The soldier was rather unimpressive. Tall as far as humans went, but not as tall as the Fae. The armor he wore gave him bulk, and the helmet on his head hid most of his features. With viscerally controlled movements, Valerio reached his hands out and plucked the helmet off the man’s head. The sting of iron brought with it a modicum of discomfort that he ignored.
The sound of the helmet hitting the earth at their feet made the man wince.
“What is your name?” Valerio’s fingers wrapped through those blond strands of hair to yank his head back uncomfortably. Hatred burned in this man’s eyes that didn’t even make Valerio flinch.
You didn’t live in this day and age without getting used to the humans’ vehemence towards the Fae. But unlike Ryker, Valerio didn’t let it cloud his judgment. He was perfectly aware that there were good humans just like there were evil Fae. No one was innately one thing or the other, but this man reeked of sin and blood.
He spat in Valerio’s face. A glob of vile spit clung to his cheekbone and dripped down. “Fuck you, Esses bastard,” he growled.
Uric’s body jerked forward and Valerio held up a hand to stop him. If he gave the word, Uric would have his blade striking from the asshole up to his skull.
