Fires of Ruin (War and Deceit #3) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,3

crossed kingdoms to find me. Vaeril watches him with an unreadable expression as Tor speaks, glancing over at me once before looking back at the tribesman.

“You came here for me?” I meant the words as a statement, but my insecurities made my voice tight, causing it to sound more like a question, one I really want to know the answer to.

“I came here for you,” he confirms, somehow knowing I needed to hear the words. Something hums within my chest, and I know it’s the link between us. “It helped that the chief wanted to create an alliance with the elves, so I volunteered for the role,” he continues, and I know this is aimed more at Vaeril than me. The elf shifts, and I know he’s going to start grilling the tribesman about his new role, pick it apart, but now is not the time for that. Instead, I frown at something he just said.

“Chief?” I echo, realising I know next to nothing about Tor or his life with the tribes. Until they were introduced at the castle by the king, I only had a vague knowledge that some people lived outside the reach of the kingdom, but that was all I knew.

Nodding, Tor leans back in the chair as he explains. “The high chief is the leader of my people. We live in small tribes and have our own leaders, but the high chief unites us.”

“And he sent you,” Vaeril questions sceptically, making it obvious that he doesn’t agree with the chief’s choice of ambassador.

“She sent me.” For some reason, Tor looks at me as he says this, and I get the impression there’s more he wants to say, but he holds his tongue.

She. Another female in a position of power. Arhavien’s believe they’re the most cultured and progressive race in the land with their riches and power, but I realise they’re stuck in the past. They still rely on slaves, and women are unable to rise to a position of power, only to be pawned off to the highest bidder. If only they could see what happens outside the strict views of the kingdom.

“Could I talk to you alone?” Tor shifts forward in his chair as he speaks, his eyes locked on me.

“Absolutely not,” Vaeril objects, finally leaving his post by the wall to sneer down at the tribesman.

“Vaeril,” I caution, frowning at his behaviour. Pushing up from my chair, I walk up to his side and gently place a hand on his arm. Instantly, he looks down at where my hand rests, his expression shocked, knowing I still struggle with casual touch. I’m not gripping him or pulling, merely resting my palm against his skin, but the contact seems to be more effective than if I had dragged him away. “I’ll be fine, I trust Tor,” I assure him, and he looks up from my hand to meet my gaze.

“But I don’t,” he replies clearly, his eyes narrowing as he ignores the tribesman who’s watching us with interest.

“You fought together at the castle the day we escaped. You trusted him to guard your back then, what’s changed?” The question has been bugging me since Tor arrived and Vaeril showed him nothing but thinly veiled disgust.

“You, that’s what’s changed,” he barks. I suppose his comment could be thought of as romantic, but he said it like a curse, like he’s in pain. Removing my hand from his arm, I clutch it to my chest and take a step back, needing some space between us as I frown at his words. His answer wounded me more than I care to admit. Staring, I wait for him to explain, to backtrack, but he doesn’t, he simply watches me with a scowl.

He starts to reach out as if to stop me, but when he realises what he’s doing, he shakes his head and lets his arm fall to his side. “We had to escape. He distracted the guards so we could leave. That’s it,” he explains, as if what Tor did was simple and expected of him, instead of being an act that could have gotten him killed.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I arch an eyebrow. “You make it sound so selfish.” I know I’m picking a fight with him, but I can’t seem to stop myself, his earlier comment making me feisty.

“Selfish? I had been enslaved for over a century. I waited for you—” His face contorts with anger as he takes a step towards me. The menacing