The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #5) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,27

say he’s removing himself from the conversation.

It’s with fascination that I see a flicker of remorse shadow Zora’s face, and she adds gently, “It wasn’t much of a secret, Amell. She contacted me a couple of times through some weird twin bond we have, but I pushed her away both times. I never thought she’d just show up here.”

That seems to appease Amell, who manages a curt nod of acceptance, but during the exchange, the important thing is that she kept our magical powers a secret. I mean, he may already know she has magic, but she didn’t rat me out—except about our ability to communicate telepathically—and that means something.

Zora turns to me, crossing her arms defensively. “Which begs the question… what are you doing here? I told you I didn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Technically,” I drawl with a sheepish look. “I asked if I could come to see you, but you never answered me.”

“That would have been a no,” she snaps.

“I took it as a maybe,” I reply.

“Who are they?” she asks, her gaze moving over to my crew near the door. All big, imposing men, but she’s not cowed in the slightest.

“My friends.” I decide on the simple explanation because I sense time is of the essence. I can explain my posse in more depth if she comes with me. “They journeyed here with me for protection.”

“Not much protection in a world filled with hundreds of thousands of Dark Fae and demons,” she sneers.

My instinct is to defend Carrick, Maddox, and Boral and their prowess, but I hold my tongue. “I was hoping this would be but a short visit, and we’d leave before we drew trouble upon ourselves.”

“Why exactly are you here?” Zora asks, cutting her gaze to Amell. He’s shifted his body to stare out her window.

“I want you to come to the Earth realm with me.” It’s a simple request, but it feels like my happiness is riding on it.

“There’s nothing for me there,” Zora replies, her eyes still focused on Amell as if she wants him to be part of this conversation.

“I’m there for you.” She jolts slightly before her attention shifts back to me. “I’m your twin. I love you.”

“You don’t know me,” she retorts.

I want to insist I do know her because she’s my identical twin and we’re bonded. But the truth is that she grew up in horrendous conditions. My life was charmed compared to hers. I don’t know her at all other than what I’ve learned—that she’s stubborn, mistrustful, and grumpy.

“I want to learn about you, Zora. I want to be your sister and your friend. I want to take you out of the Underworld and show you a much more beautiful way to live. I guess my question would be, why wouldn’t you want to give it a try?”

That seems to touch something as her expression saddens a bit, but then she nods toward Amell. “He’s going to bring me to the Earth realm when Kymaris lowers the veil.”

“I’m going to stop Kymaris from doing that,” I assert with confidence. But then I ask Amell my own question, taking a few steps his way so he has to acknowledge me. “But let’s say I fail—do you know what Kymaris is going to do to the humans in the Earth realm? Awful, horrible, evil things. You’d let Zora be subjected to that?”

“I’d protect her,” he insists.

“Will Kymaris let you protect her?” I counter, and I learn all I need to know when Amell’s gaze falls away and he doesn’t answer me.

He can’t.

Because he knows he has no sway with Kymaris if she gains control and subjugates humankind.

I turn back to Zora, walking resolutely to her until she backs into the table again to get away from me. My hands shoot out, taking hers, and I squeeze. “Look… we have eighteen days before the new moon when Kymaris will attempt to shred the veil. Give me that time. Come to my world and get to know me. Let me show you sunshine, autumn flowers, and the way the rain smells on spruce trees. Let me buy you the best cup of coffee you’ll ever have, and we’ll dine on fresh seafood. Come with me, Zora, and let me show you the life you could have.”

And then I stop talking—aloud anyway. I continue conversing with Zora in my head. Focusing on that dark space she had me in, I try to project my words to her mentally, which is how