turned dark—or rather, darker. Sev doubted anyone but him would notice the subtle shift at the suggestion that he would turn against his fellows.
“He did,” Sev said, trying to shoot Kade an apologetic look while Rolan’s attention was on his papers. “But then we got separated in the chaos, and I didn’t know what had become of him.”
“How do you know he didn’t kill that bondservant to cover his own actions?”
Sev considered his words. “I don’t,” he said at last, shrugging. He had to be careful how he played this, else Rolan would know that there was more between them than Sev was letting on. That Sev was keenly invested in the outcome of this particular interrogation. “I just know he was nowhere near the food that night.”
“Indeed,” said Rolan, leaning back in his chair to consider Kade. He nodded, and the guard moved to escort Kade from the room.
Sev stared at the man. Was that it—was Kade off the hook?
As Kade was pulled to his feet, they shared a look—a bare instant in which so much needed to be said but couldn’t be—and then he was gone again, the heavy door swinging shut behind him.
We were not meant to orbit one another, or to pass in and
out of each other’s skies. We were always destined to collide,
leaving heartbreak and desolation in our wake.
- CHAPTER 8 - VERONYKA
SOMEHOW—POSSIBLY THANKS TO HIS new position as patrol leader, but more probably because of his guilt over their last combat match—Tristan managed to get Veronyka on his patrol for a visit to Vayle.
It was a temporary assignment. She wasn’t actually a part of their patrol or a Master Rider. She wasn’t approved for active duty, but she was apparently more than welcome to help with menial labor.
They were being sent to check in with the Vayle villagers and to survey damages. While Rushlea and Petratec had been the main targets during the empire’s diversionary attacks, when the soldiers had fled, they’d burned and pillaged on their way back down the mountain. A patrol of Riders had returned the next day to chase them off and force their retreat, but by that time most of the damage was done—not to mention the new damages inflicted by their pursuit.
Fallon’s patrol had been stationed in Rushlea for two weeks to oversee repairs, and even the commander’s patrol had spent several days in Petratec. Because Vayle was farthest—and had suffered the least damage—they’d been put last on the list.
“I know why he’s sending me,” Tristan said, smiling and shaking his head as he stuffed a few extra tunics inside his travel bag. They were in his Master Rider chambers, early-morning sunlight spilling in from the open door. The rest of his patrol would be meeting them atop the phoenix plinth in several moments, and Veronyka was already packed. “The people of Vayle aren’t happy. They’ve sent two messengers plus I don’t know how many pigeons requesting some face time. He doesn’t want to deal with it.”
He was obviously talking about his father, the commander. But while such a situation would have made Tristan angry just a few short weeks ago, now he seemed more… amused. He and his father were definitely on better terms than they had been when Veronyka arrived at the Eyrie, and she was glad for him. He had proved something to his father and to himself, and he deserved this newfound confidence. Now he could laugh at being made to do grunt work and not feel insulted or belittled by it.
“We’ll be there for two days tops, helping with cleanup and meeting with their leaders.” He closed his satchel and swung it over his shoulder, peering down at her. He looked a bit uneasy. “I know it’s not a real patrol,” he said, “but it’s something.”
“And I’m grateful,” Veronyka said. She was still disappointed in her current situation, but Tristan was right—this was real work out there in the real world. Maybe she’d be able to prove her worth outside the combat ring.
Veronyka had been working hard on what Morra had told her about shadow and animal magic, separating the two “rivers” in her mind and tightening the stones on the shadow magic side of her mental tower. It was difficult without actually using shadow magic to sense vulnerabilities, but Veronyka did the best she could. She hadn’t slipped into Tristan’s mind or sensed Val since she’d started doing it, but she knew her mind was far from airtight. Guarding herself constantly was