Page 36 of A Sword of Ice
Shula scoffed in the prince’s direction, making him frown. “What do you plan on telling this Fae?” she asked, pressing her hands to her hips. “‘We are the Resistance!’” she mimicked, then snorted.
It finally caught Clay’s attention. He shot her a look and she shrugged apologetically.
“Sorry, Clay, but that was so idiotic. Nothing any of you could have said at the time would have convinced me.”
Valerio’s eyes narrowed. “But convince you we did.”
“By kidnapping me? You have no idea who you are dealing with or if this Elemental will kill you before you try. And you didn’t convince me. I convinced myself.”
There was silence, and Shula counted the heartbeats before Valerio answered.
“You do not follow orders. I cannot risk it.”
She gritted her teeth. “I’m an Elemental. The Fae will believe me over you.”
“No, Shula.” His tone spoke of finality and she knew that it didn’t matter what she said. He wasn’t going to agree.
It seemed hopeless to argue at this point. Valerio was set on his decision, and as much as she wanted to fight it, it was futile. Shula believed she was right, that she could convince the Elemental to join them, just like she knew the prince was underestimating her.
There wasn’t going to be another opportunity to slip past them to do it herself, so she turned and settled in for the night. Resigned to do what the prince ordered, she let her eyes drift closed as they spoke in hushed whispers around her, words she couldn’t quite make out and didn’t care to anyway. She seethed in her own anger, tugging at the end of her hair and curtaining them over her ears while they talked.
Then she felt a presence beside hers. Not Ryker’s. She turned and was faced with the bloody side of Clay’s head.
“Fire Dancer,” he began softly. “Talk to me.”
She sighed, shoving her hair away. “I’m sorry, Clay.”
His bright eyes were searching and hurt, and she hated herself for that. She didn’t want him to doubt their friendship. She didn’t want him to think that she took joy out of putting her hands on him, out of hurting him, but she’d seen no other way. It made her feel like scum.
“Why?” he asked. “Are you just trying to prove something? Because you don’t have to.”
“Maybe a part of me is, but there’s something else, too. Finding out you’re the last of your kind isbig.Finding out the Emperor of Illyk is searching for you and wants touseyou? That’s even worse. This Fae, whoever she or he is, is like me. I feel a connection here, and I know they will too, because Mana binds us. It’s just… nice to feel like you aren’t alone. And I thought I could connect with this Elemental. At least in that.”
Clay sighed and gripped her knee, squeezing it. “Get some sleep, Fire Dancer,” he urged. “We’ll talk more in the morning.” He started to stand, paused. “Oh, and no hard feelings about knocking me out. Just… don’t do it again, yeah?”
That’s how Shula fell asleep.
With a smile on her face.
19
Cut From the Same Cloth
“You need to let her go.”
Valerio’s arms were crossed against his chest, and the low timbre of his whispering voice suddenly halted as Clay approached them. Uric cut a glare in Clay’s direction, which he ignored, and Julius didn’t acknowledge him save for the slightest tilting of his lips.
Clay waited impatiently for a response, his brows pulling tightly over his eyes.
Valerio resumed his whispering as if Clay hadn’t even spoken.
“Did you hear me?” he interrupted again. “I said you need—”
“How silly of me to forget that you had been crowned a prince and are now the leader of this group. What other explanation, since you presume to command me so?”
“Cut the shit, cousin.”
Valerio blinked and turned slowly. That had gotten his attention because it wasn’t always that Clay actually acknowledged the relation between them. While he held his cousin in high esteem, he wasn’t as close to the prince as Uric was. They were just too different—blood of their mothers be damned.
