Page 49 of Owned By the Fae
‘Yes and,’ he hesitates, faltering for the first time, ‘he ordered for me to do it today, Harbinger.’
‘But … I didn't even mean to come to you,’ I say plaintively. ‘I just needed to get out of the room because he was going to?—’
‘I know, Lia,’ he interrupts, but his tone is much softer.
‘It can’t be you,’ I say, shaking my head.
‘It’s already done. There’s no going back.’ Dane’s tone is final.
‘But you don't want me!’ The words come out of my mouth before I realize that I've said them.
He rolls his eyes. ‘Out of everything that happened last night, of course, you’d remember that,’ he mutters, but I see his face soften. ‘Rest. The healer will come soon.’
‘But—’
‘Would you rather it was Rikoth? Vern?’ he growls, running a hand roughly over his stubbled chin.
I look down at the floor and shake my head.
‘If you like …’ he lets out a breath. ‘If you would feel more comfortable, I could ask Kal to be here too.’
‘Why not Grey as well?’ I say, my tone biting. ‘It’ll be just like Rondorai!’
He grimaces. ‘Grey can’t get past the wards.’
‘I wasn’t being serious.’ I scowl at him. ‘Are you really going to do what Varrik has ordered?’
‘Yes,’ Dane says, looking surprised. ‘It’s been ordered. You know as well as I do that Varrik’s edicts are followed.’
‘But … you don’t even like me.’
He looks away. ‘That isn’t true,’ he says so quietly I almost don’t hear him. ‘Besides, I’m one of his elites now. I'm not going to put my position in jeopardy by not doing what I'm told.’
‘But … what about Fiana?’ I ask, grasping at straws. ‘Doesn’t she have anything to say about this?’
He stiffens. ‘She isn’t here.’
I should have known that the reason she hasn’t been in to torment me was because she wasn’t even in the fold.
‘Where is she?’ I ask.
He sits down at the table and doesn’t answer, so I content myself with trying to come up with more escape plans. I glance at the window, wondering if I’ll be able to get out that way again, but new bars have already been fitted, and they look very solid. Back to square one.
I sink down on the bed. I think I dreamed of the Black Lake while I was drugged, but I can't really remember. I can hardly feel the Harbinger at the moment.
‘Are you there?’ I ask silently, but I can't hear it either, and I’m worried.
What if it just fades away? There was a time when I’d have been overjoyed if it had disappeared, but I can see the truth now. The Harbinger isn’t evil any more than the Dark Realms are evil. It’s dangerous, yes, but if Varrik hadn’t been able to find a vessel for it in me, he would have found another way to kill his enemies. Of that, I’m sure.
Good and evil aren’t in a sword, only the hands that wield it.
My door bursts open, and I gasp. Dane is on his feet as if he’s going to save me and I can’t help the snort that leaves my lips at that image.
But it’s Jak standing at the threshold, not an enemy.
His eyes locate me, and he looks as if a heavy weight has been lifted off him. His shoulders sag as he comes in without a wordand closes the door much more softly. He eyes Dane with a bit of trepidation and open suspicion but doesn’t speak to him.
‘I’ve been told to heal you.Finally,’ he bites out with a sigh.
