Page 149 of Of Stars and Lightning
The arena filled with unintelligible words and arguments until a flare of fire from Semmena’s throne silenced them. “I have not finished explaining the details.”
Sol tapped her thigh with her fingers. Something was wrong.
Something… Something.
“I have an additional incentive, tailored for the Prince of Shadows himself.” The King smiled, slow and wicked. “If the Princess wins, she may overwrite this tradition with whatever nonsense she sees fit. Casimir, if you win, I will grant your official pardon, and you may return to Eswin. Your family name will be slashed from the list of Rimemere traitors.” She shifted her gaze to Cas.
His expression changed so subtly Sol would have missed it had she not been looking. But it was clear, clear as day and night, light and shadow, when the words registered within him.
Sol’s breath hitched.
This wasn’t a duel.
It was her execution.
She glanced at her Court. All three of them stood motionless. Stunned. This was all Cas wanted after all. His home, his name, hispeople.
“Sol?”
Her attention snapped to him at the sound of her name, like honey and sugar when it came from his lips.
“Yes?”
He grazed her hand with his own as his entire body shone with violet flames. “I’m sorry.”
Forty Six
THE MAGIC OF LETTING GO
SOL RAN.She didn’t stop to decipher what he meant.
She just ran.
Wisps of lightning chased after her as she sprinted toward the other end of the arena. The ground was uneven and broken, forcing her to jump over holes while trying to not disintegrate into the air with regret.
With regret, disappointment, anger.
Sadness.
He swore he would die before placing her in danger, and she had so stupidly believed him. She shouldn’t have let her naivety get the best of her. Shouldn’t have let her feelings for a boy sway her logic, a boy she didn’t even know well.
Sol halted.
But she did know him.
For the overall good, huh?
She turned toward him. And as she did, the anger took hold like wildfire on the driest summer afternoon, bold and scorching, as it spread across her chest.
Cas wasn’t running toward her, merely walking with his Wards engulfing his wrists.
His eyes were pure violet.
“You’re a hypocrite,” Sol seethed. “You preach discipline in decisions, but you turn against me the second your emotional attachments are tugged.”
He stopped a few paces from her. “I will never get this mercy again.”
“I will give you this and more when I take the throne!” Her anger melted into despair with each passing second Cas didn’t look at her directly, with every foreign expression and movement he made. “Cas, please.”
