The Hunter and the Mage (The Raven and the Dove #2) - Kaitlyn Davis Page 0,63

he could, leaving little time for everything else. Da'Kin flourished, its people happy and healthy and in debt to their savior king. But in his neglect for his other responsibilities, the other cities, especially those farthest away, deteriorated. People grew resentful of his seeming favoritism, grew jealous of this thriving city, grew bitter at their own misfortune, until finally, they led an attack and overthrew him. After that, very few kings spent their days in the infirmaries. It was better to use their healing magic as a blessing on rare occasions, making it a wondrous gift instead of a dangerous expectation. We cannot save them all, as my father used to tell me, so sometimes it is better to save none."

"But—" Lyana shook her head. That can't possibly be right. I don't believe it. I won't. "Even if we can’t save them all, we should do what we can. Surely one is better than none."

"To that one, maybe." He dropped his gaze to the boy asleep on the bed, then shifted it to the wall separating them from all the other desperate souls housed within this place. "But if you're not that one, if your child or your sibling or your friend is not that one…" He shrugged, meeting her eyes, the rough look of choppy seas back in his. "Then I'm not so sure."

As he led her to the courtyard and through the tunnel, across the drawbridge and to the inconspicuous boat waiting to return them to the castle, his words followed her. She wasn't sure if she believed them, but she was consumed by them—so consumed she didn't notice the tingle at the back of her neck urging her to turn around, whispering that something else chased her through the night.

20

Brighty

"Rafe, this is madness."

"You're the one who said, and I quote, 'Anyone can take you to the king. His castle is on a towering isle in the middle of the city. It's sort of hard to miss.’”

"One, I do not sound like that," she said, digging in her heels, or at least attempting to, but the man had about a foot on her and magic knew how many pounds, so the effect was completely lost as he continued to pull her along. "Two, I was being facetious."

Rafe snorted.

"You can't sneak up on the king. Did you feel his magic?"

"I have no intention of sneaking up on him," Rafe growled, a venom in his voice that made her wince. His hands curled into fists. "What I'd like to do to him requires that we meet face to face."

Brighty rolled her eyes. Why were men so quick to jump to violence? Especially when confronted with impossible odds? If he showed even a bit of sense, she might have been willing to tell him he was going the wrong way, and had been for quite some time, but not when he was in a mood like this. "Rafe—"

"Gods alive!" he snapped as they reached a street that opened into the canal, no bridge, just water, and no royal boat in sight. "Where did they go?"

While he scowled, she sighed, wishing, and not for the first time that day, to get back to the ship. Da'Kin was her city, but it was also her past, littered with memories she'd rather not face and people she'd rather not find.

This is what I get for breaking Captain's orders.

Her intentions had been to see the queen, wander through the market, and perhaps make a quick stop at the gambling hall, then return to the ship. Instead, Rafe had chased the king and queen across the city, and she had chased him. They'd spent hours standing outside the infirmary—well, Rafe had been standing, his arms crossed while he stared daggers at the raised drawbridge. Brighty had scaled a building to take a leisurely nap on the roof. Still, not her ideal afternoon. When the king and queen had finally emerged, she'd watched from above as Rafe sprinted down the street like a lovesick fool, only to freeze in his tracks as a golden power wrapped around his limbs. It would have been comical if it weren't so sad.

Like she'd said, it was impossible to sneak up on the king.

Cursing the dead end, Rafe picked a direction, seemingly at random, and started running. Brighty followed. She almost wished she could say jealousy led her to chase after, as it was a much easier emotion than the one stirring in her chest, but he was decidedly not her