Page 45 of A Heart of Crimson Flames
I pinned her with a defiant look, feeling a growing promise building within me. “I’m yours even in darkness. Iwillprove that to you.”
She pushed away from me and wiped a single stray tear from her eyes. “Then so be it,” she said and stormed away.
Sadie
I TRUDGED THROUGH THE DAMP MORNING FOREST WITH MYshoulders bunched around my ears. Navin followed a pace behind me like an early morning shadow. Clearly he had no respect for the hours that Wolves kept because this was the most cursed time of day to be awake. I didn’t know if I was angry at him or Nero or the Gods... all I knew was I was angry.
We hiked out toward the sea, Haestas trailing us like a ruby in the cloudless sky. We headed straight east from the temple in the hopes of tracking down a water monster to practice Navin’s magic on. This time, I insisted no one else join us. The last thing we needed was to die because of a poorly timed sneeze.
“We are wasting precious hours with this nonsense,” I muttered. “Need I remind you Highwick is a landlocked capital. What use is a water monster?”
“It’s to practice,” Navin said just as tightly.
“You can practice on me.”
“No.”
I threw up my hands in exasperation. “We should be packing up the wagon with the others,” I snapped. “The sooner we get out of this place the better. We’ve gotten what we’ve come for and one of our attackers escaped.”
“Even on four paws, your brother won’t make it to Highwick before we move camp,” Navin assured me.
The thought stung. I knew Hector had saved my life during the attack from my father and uncles, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t betrayed us before... or wouldn’t do so again. But to who and to what end? Whatever his loyalty, it was still unknown. Maybe he would tuck tail and run, roaming the edges of the forest as a lone Wolf forever.
My father spoke of Hector being strung up by Nero, tortured by him. Surely Hector wouldn’t return to Highwick to face more of Nero’s wrath? But maybe he saw that as his only means of survival now...
It was all so up in the air. I’d thought I’d known my brother’s motives before. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to think he wouldn’t make another bad decision and turn himself back in to Nero for more punishments. It was what we were raised to do after all. And while I tried to only hate my brother, I feared for the punishments Nero would mete out upon him if he made such a foolish choice.
“And how long before Nero realizes they haven’t returned?”
“Long enough for our wagon to be far away,” Navin replied. “Our songs will keep us hidden and cover our trail.”
“When they attacked,” I said, unable to call our attackers by their names. They weren’t my family now. “I almost lost you. When my father pinned me, that left you alone and outnumbered. You had a more powerful weapon than a single knife. You should’ve used the songs.”
“No.” I was getting real sick of these monosyllabic responses.
“No?” I whirled on him. “This isn’t funny, Navin.”
His dark eyes pierced into me. “I’m not laughing, Sadie.”
Sweet Moon, why did he have to be so attractive when he was angry? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to throttle him or fuck him... or both at the same time.Now that would be interesting.
I balled my fists and turned, storming faster through the forest, hating the feeling of the morning dew clinging to myboots and trouser legs. It was doing nothing to help my mood. I lifted a low hanging branch, and instead of releasing it gently, I pulled it farther so that it would snap back like a whip. Navin’s grunt was the only confirmation I needed that I’d hit my target.
“Listen,” I grumbled, “you might be strong and skilled for a human, but—”
“But?” I heard him take a decided step forward, closing the distance between us until his chest was at my back. I turned to look at his tight expression. “I killed them, without the aid of the songs,” he pointed out. “If I had used the songs, it would’ve controlled you, too.”
“It would’ve been worth it to save your life,” I hissed. His anger softened a little at that. There was no way for him to go toe to toe with me when it came to anger and we both knew it. “I can handle it. Promise me if there is another Wolf attack, you will use the songs to protect yourself.”
I waited for a long time, but Navin didn’t respond. “Sweet motherfucking Moon,” I gritted out, spinning and pushing through the last of the trees to the sloping pebbled shoreline.
The gradient was steep, the dark water beyond choppy and roiling with angry white foam. Sea mist sprayed the air, coating my already damp skin, and I let out another grumble. I folded my arms and sat on a lichen-covered rock.
“Go on,” I muttered. “Sing your bloody songs.”
Navin strolled around to face me, hands in pockets. “We have to wait for one to come.”
“You brought me here at dawn towaitfor a monster?” Oh, I was really going to kill him now.
