A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) - V.E Schwab Page 0,104
the way his gaze hung on Tieren, as if willing the priest to say something. But the priest kept his mouth shut and his eyes ahead, and eventually Kell’s step began to trail, until he and Lila were side by side in the head priest’s wake.
“The clothing suits you,” he said quietly. “Do I want to know how you came by it?”
Lila tilted her head. “I didn’t steal it, if that’s what you’re asking. I bought it from a woman in the market named Calla.”
Kell smiled faintly at the name. “And how did you pay for it?”
“I haven’t yet,” retorted Lila. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t.” Her gaze dropped away. “Though I don’t know when I’ll have the chance …”
“You will,” said Kell. “Because you’re staying here.”
“Like hell I am,” shot Lila.
“The sanctuary will keep you safe.”
“I will not be left behind.”
Kell shook his head. “You were never meant to go farther. When I said yes, I did so with the intent to leave you here, in my city, to deliver word of my fate to the king and queen.” Lila drew a breath, but he held up his uninjured hand. “And to keep you safe. White London is no place for a Grey-worlder. It’s no place for anyone.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” she said. “I’m going with you.”
“Lila, this isn’t some game. Enough people have died, and I—”
“You’re right, it’s not a game,” pressed Lila. “It’s strategy. I heard what the queen said about the stone being broken in two. You need to dispose of both pieces, and as of right now, you only have one. The White king has the other, right? Which means we have our work cut out for us. And it is we, Kell. Two of them means there should be two of us as well. You can take the king, and I’ll handle the queen.”
“You’re no match for Astrid Dane.”
“Tell me, do you underestimate everyone, or just me? Is it because I’m a girl?”
“It’s because you’re a human,” he snapped. “Because you may be the bravest, boldest soul I’ve ever met, but you’re still too much flesh and blood and too little power. Astrid Dane is made of magic and malice.”
“Yes, well, that’s all well and good for her, but she’s not even in her body, is she? She’s here, having a grand time in Red London. Which means she should make an easy target.” Lila gave him the sharpest edge of a grin. “And I may be human, but I’ve made it this far.”
Kell frowned deeply.
It is amazing, thought Lila, that he doesn’t have more wrinkles.
“You have,” he said. “But no farther.”
“The girl has power in her,” offered Tieren without looking back.
Lila brightened. “See?” she preened. “I’ve been telling you that all along.”
“What kind of power?” asked Kell, raising a brow.
“Don’t sound so skeptical,” Lila shot back.
“Unnurtured,” said Tieren. “Untended. Unawakened.”
“Well, come on then, onase aven,” she said, holding out her hands. “Wake it up.”
Tieren glanced back and offered her a ghost of a smile. “It shall awake on its own, Delilah Bard. And if you nurture it, it will grow.”
“She comes from the other London,” said Kell. Tieren showed no surprise. “The one without magic.”
“No London is truly without magic,” observed the priest.
“And human or not,” added Lila sharply, “I’d like to remind you that you’re still alive because of me. I’m the reason that White queen’s not wearing you like a coat. And I’ve got something you need.”
“What’s that?”
Lila pulled the white rook from her pocket. “The key.”
Kell’s eyes widened a fraction in surprise, and then narrowed. “Do you honestly think you could keep it from me, if I wished to take it?”
In an instant, Lila had the rook in one hand and her knife in the other. The brass knuckles of the handle glinted in the candlelight while the stone hummed low and steady, as if whispering to Kell.
“Try it,” she sneered.
Kell stopped walking and looked at her. “What is wrong with you?” he asked, sounding honestly baffled. “Do you care so little about your life that you would throw it all away for a few hours of adventure and a violent death?”
Lila frowned. She’d admit that, in the beginning, all she wanted was an adventure, but that wasn’t why she was insisting now. The truth was, she’d seen the change in Kell, seen the shadow sweep across his eyes when he summoned that clever cursed magic, seen how hard it was for him to return to his