to let him kill Aileen, then I took one of his greatest assets, causing a whole load of chaos in my wake as we escaped. That doesn’t take away the pain the accusations cause though, or the slight wariness in Grayson’s eyes as he explains.
Taking a deep breath, he scrubs a hand over his face, his expression turning serious. “The magicians have pulled away from Arhaven. We can’t follow a king that was killing so many of his subjects.”
My eyes widen, and I suddenly understand why he looks so exhausted. The magicians have always followed the Kings of Arhaven and fought for our people against the elves on the battlefield. They have been the only thing that has stopped the humans from being wiped out by the elves, their magic holding them back. To have made that decision…
“But the people…” I whisper, a deep sadness tearing through me at the thought of what this will mean, the gravity of this decision…and I’m at the root of it all. I may not have been the reason the magicians pulled their assistance away from the king, but I was the catalyst. “They will be slaughtered—” I protest, but I’m cut off by Grayson shaking his head.
“The high mages have erected a magical wall around the human lands and are continually monitoring it. It will keep the elves out, so the humans will be safe,” he informs me, disapproval lining his tone as he frowns at me. “We wouldn’t leave our people defenceless, even if we didn’t follow their king, Clarissa.”
Rebuked, I nod my head in acceptance. I never should have doubted that Grayson would leave innocents in danger, but is that a slight accusation in his words? No, he just told me that he believes I was kidnapped by Vaeril, that he’s putting all of the blame on the elf. Or is that just what he wants to believe? There’s a tightness around his eyes that suggests I may be right, and a vice constricts around my heart at that thought, that he might feel that way about me, that I abandoned my people. He’s right though, I did. When I had my opportunity, I escaped with Vaeril, leaving everyone else behind. But I’m not like Grayson, I wasn’t a high magician or someone in a position of power, I was just a woman who was desperate for a normal life.
He’s still waiting for my response, and I can feel the weight of the guys’ eyes from behind the magical barrier. The atmosphere is tense, and I know that if I make the wrong move, say the wrong thing, I could ruin things with Grayson permanently, and I’m not sure I could survive that. “I didn’t kill anyone,” I promise, keeping my eyes locked with his so he can read my honesty. His shoulders relax, and his eyes close in relief as my words sink in, and I know he thinks he was right. “But,” I start, and he frowns, his body instantly stiffening at the tension in my voice, “I did help Vaeril escape. I wasn’t forced, I did it on purpose.” Silence greets my admission as he stares at me. “We escaped together.”
He stares at me like he’s never seen me before, like he’s staring at a stranger, and it hurts in a way I’ve never felt before. But I’m not going to beg for forgiveness. I don’t regret my decision, I just wish the circumstances had been different. The king was going to kill me, and I believe that was my only chance to escape.
Grayson takes a step back from me, a pained look crossing his face. “You let the elf escape?” he asks with disbelief, and his magic seems to shimmer around him. “Our enemy?” The more frustrated he gets, the more his magic reacts, and I can hear the elves behind the barrier responding, but I don’t take my eyes from Grayson.
“Yes. We are not all that different,” I reason, trying to keep my voice calm and even, wishing he knew them like I did, but years of hatred make people blind.
“They kill our people, Clarissa!” Grayson roars, taking a menacing step towards me, his magic flaring out with his temper, so unlike the mage that rescued me at Arhaven. His magic doesn’t touch me, and I know he’s not angry at me. This is his frustration and hatred of the elves, but Vaeril doesn’t know that. Thanks to the bond, I feel the moment he loses