Page 179 of Unrivaled
Terror exploded in my heart.I knew it was a risk.
I held my own against Chay.
Chayobliteratedevery man on that field.
Would I?
“My uncle wants to meet you,” they said, eventually.“If not now, later.I told him you would.”
The urge to promise Elnyta anything was strong.The desire to tie myself to them in a way no one could cut was there, burning behind my ribs.“I’m not going to die,” I told them, but I shook my head.I couldn’t promise that.“I’ll do everything in my power to keep myself safe.”
“Except flee.”
My heart twisted.I pulled back to look at their face, their gorgeous, tattooed, scarred, weathered face.“I’m done running from him, Elnyta.I can’t keep doing it.No—Iwon’t.”
I imagined I could see when the last little bit of their resistance crumbled.“I’m sorry I ever called you princess,” they whispered, half naked and entirely vulnerable.“I’m sorry.I’m a selfish bastard, and a coward, too.Can you forgive me, my Queen?”
CHAPTERSIXTY-THREE
ISOLDE
Rotten fruit can grow strong trees.
—La’Angi saying
26thDay of Autumn’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, year 272
La’Angi Keep
Icould ignore a certain amount of conversation, but you didn’t survive as long as me in La’Angi and not become attuned to mentions of the Butcher’s name.
Audrey got what privacy I could muster.When I heard the pirate finally leave, I let myself out to find Audrey seated before the looking glass, working a broken comb through her hair.
“I haven’t killed him yet,” she said to me.“I think he’s fled La’Angi.”
It stung that her first words to me were of retribution.
I took a second comb and set to work on her other side.I didn’t feign ignorance.Kaelson would’ve talked to her.But it wasn’t all about the lordling.Her father was three days away.She had to finalize the tourney.She was in survival mode.It was better than her asking after me.Less uncomfortable.
“I could go after him.Catch him, and throw him in the dungeons and let my father deal with him,” she said, the words cold.“He’d be slower about it than I would.All of the benefit, and none of the effort.”
That coldness, it didn’t suit her.My bones ached with it.“How are you?”I asked her.
Her movements paused as she realized what she’d done.Her eyes went large and liquid.“I’m so sorry.”
I shook my head, a lump in my throat.“That’s not an answer,” I told her, and tugged a lock of hair gently.“Were you well, yesterday?”I hadn’t been there.I’d dragged myself out of bed to eat and bathe and wash the reek of stress and toxins off my skin.The pirate happened by when I’d been positioned close enough to the door that I’d taken pity on them.“I didn’t want to leave you alone,” I offered her, the words fragile as a butterfly’s wing.“After that.”
“Iwas fine,” she told me, with too much force.“Ashamed of myself, and furious with Luca, but fine.”
I kept my attention on her hair, but I saw her expression in the mirror.I didn’t ask why she’d done it.It didn’t matter to me.“Shame after a mistake is fine.It helps us learn.Just remember, you don’t get clean by wallowing in muck.”I reached for her ribbons, but my arms ached.I’d do half her hair, today.Enough to keep her comfortable.
“Kaelson told me he poisoned you,” she said.
“He did.”And her father was returning in mere days.“I suspect he poisoned Steward Daniel, too.I take it he’ll not be part of your inner circle anymore.”
Her mirthless laugh eased some of my discomfort.“Daniel?”She shook her head a little.“Did he expect me to be more malleable than my father’s man?”I didn’t answer.He wanted the city.He wanted the army.He wanted the country.The steward hampered her power, which hampered his.I couldn’t be sure of his motivations, but it made a certain sort of sense.“I didn’t order him arrested on sight yesterday simply because I don’t want a scene.”
