keep watch for him. Every passing moment brought them closer to when he would regain his strength and come hunting. Hours, Ludivine had guessed, and only a few of those.
Eliana burrowed against Navi’s side, greedy for her warmth. She thought of how Navi had kissed the sharp-eyed, sharper-mouthed woman, Ysabet, before retreating to Eliana’s room. How their fingers had interwoven, a lingering touch, before moving apart. It should have brought her nothing but joy to know her friend had found a lover. But it only made her think of how little time she herself had had with Navi, and Zahra, and everyone she so fiercely loved, and how all of that time had been while they were at war.
At last, Navi blew out a sharp breath. Her left hand stroked Eliana’s hair.
“Well,” she said, and then said nothing else. Eliana looked up at her, studied her face. The fine cut of her jawline, her thick black lashes. She fiddled with the hem of Navi’s sleeve, glad she was saying nothing else. She didn’t need to; Eliana could see everything she felt on her face.
She asked quietly, “Are you ashamed of me?”
“Because you pity him?” Navi’s voice was gentle. “Of course not. I admit I pity him myself. But I pity you far more, and I am glad that I nor any of my people have seen him today. He is wise to keep himself hidden away. I’m not sure I could have restrained Ysabet, and she’s never even met the man.”
Eliana smiled a little. Silence fell between them, a long, unhurried pull of peace.
“I’m angry that I have to do this,” she whispered into the quiet.
Navi’s fingers were tender in her hair. “As am I, my darling.”
“I’m angry that I want to.” Eliana pushed on before Navi could respond, “I shouldn’t want to let him in again, to accept him, to allow him his power. For months, I’ve guarded myself against memories of him. I’ve wanted to hurt him. I’ve tried many times. But now, when I think of what’s been done to him, I hate him less. When I think of seeing him again, knowing what I now know, I feel this awful relief. He has suffered, and so have I. All those weeks of pain in Corien’s palace… He has lived through years of that. He understands.” She drew a quaking breath. “And then I hate myself for thinking about this when there is so much else to think about, so much else to—”
She swallowed against the hard ache in her throat. The words danced on her tongue. If I do this, Navi, if I manage it, we will never have met. Maybe you will never have been born.
Or maybe Navi would be born to her lovely family in Astavar. She would grow up in Vintervok without a dark future on the horizon. No war, no spy work, no suffering in the Orline maidensfold.
“There is too much hate in the world already,” Navi replied after a moment. “Why direct more of it at yourself?”
Then Navi shifted until they were both on their sides, facing each other. She pressed her brow to Eliana’s.
“We don’t have much time,” Eliana whispered. It could have been said about any of them, about any part of this, but she knew Navi would understand her meaning. “I don’t have to forgive him, she said. I just have to open my heart to him again.” She laughed a little, tears on her lashes. “What little of it there is left.”
“Then go to him,” Navi said quietly. “And be kind to my friend. Her heart is stronger than she thinks, no matter what evil tries to break it.”
Eliana kissed Navi’s cheek. She closed her eyes and lingered there against Navi’s soft skin. Then she rose from the bed and did not look back.
• • •
She found him in a small chamber situated far from the others. Her steps carried her there on fluttering wings of nerves, and when she knocked and heard his summons, every muscle in her body tensed. Panic splintered swiftly inside her, a widening crack in thin ice. She considered turning away, leaving him, demanding of Ludivine another solution. How could she accept or even face this man who had hurt her?
This man who had suffered just as she had. This man who, like her, knew very well the true breadth of Corien’s cruelty.
She did not turn away.
She entered the room, found Simon sitting at the edge of a tiny bed that looked
<<Previous page Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 1 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 2 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 3 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 4 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 5 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 6 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 7 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 8 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 9 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 10 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 11 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 12 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 13 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 14 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 15 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 16 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 17 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 18 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 19 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 20 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 21 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 22 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 23 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 24 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 25 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 26 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 27 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 28 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 29 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 30 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 31 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 32 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 33 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 34 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 35 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 36 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 37 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 38 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 39 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 40 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 41 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 42 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 43 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 44 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 45 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 46 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 47 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 48 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 49 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 50 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 51 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 52 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 53 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 54 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 55 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 56 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 57 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 58 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 59 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 60 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 61 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 62 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 63 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 64 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 65 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 66 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 67 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 68 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 69 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 70 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 71 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 72 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 73 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 74 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 75 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 76 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 77 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 78 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 79 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 80 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 81 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 82 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 83 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 84 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 85 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 86 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 87 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 88 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 89 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 90 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 91 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 92 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 93 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 94 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 95 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 96 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 97 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 98 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 99 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 100 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 101 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 102 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 103 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 104 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 105 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 106 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 107 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 108 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 109 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 110 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 111 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 112 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 113 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 114 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 115 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 116 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 117 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 118 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 119 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 120 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 121 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 122 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 123 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 124 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 125 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 126 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 127 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 128 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 129 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 130 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 131 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 132 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 133 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 134 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 135 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 136 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 137 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 138 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 139 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 140 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 141 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 142 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 143 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 144 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 145 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 146 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 147 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 148 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 149 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 150 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 151 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 152 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 153 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 154 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 155 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 156 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 157 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 158 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 159 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 160 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 161 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 162 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 163 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 164 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 165 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 166 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 167 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 168 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 169 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 170 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 171 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 172 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 173 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 174 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 175 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 176 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 177 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 178 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 179 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 180 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 181 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 182 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 183 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 184 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 185 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 186 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 187 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 188 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 189 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 190 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 191 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 192 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 193 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 194 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 195 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 196 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 197 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 198 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 199 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 200 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 201 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 202 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 203 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 204 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 205 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 206 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 207 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 208 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 209 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 210 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 211 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 212 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 213 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 214 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 215 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 216 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 217 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 218 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 219 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 220 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 221 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 222 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 223 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 224 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 225 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 226 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 227 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 228 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 229 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 230 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 231 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 232 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 233 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 234 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 235 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 236 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 237 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 238 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 239 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 240 Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand - Page 241
Next page>>