The Rise of Fortune and Fury (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #5) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,28

we communicated the last two times.

Zora… you might be able to help me stop Kymaris. If she succeeds, humans will be tortured and killed while the world turns extremely ugly. Our combined powers might be enough.

She stares at me blankly, and I’m not sure if she heard me, but then her voice rings inside my head. Amell says it’s impossible to stop her. She has everything she needs.

She has what she needs, I reply. But she doesn’t know I have powers. She doesn’t know my twin has powers. Does Amell know?

Her expression never deviates from bland disinterest in me. He knows I have powers, but not you.

I smile. Thank you for not telling him my secret.

That tells me that while Zora may have an attachment to Amell and she trusts him somewhat, she doesn’t trust him completely.

“If you’re done having a private conversation,” Amell says dryly, and Zora and I jerk apart. “I suggest Zora make her decision. Your group should not be in the Underworld.”

“Do you care if she comes with us?” I ask Amell.

He doesn’t answer me, but instead moves across the small room to Zora. I take a few steps back to give them space. I’m stunned by the show of affection when he puts his hands to her cheeks and bends to peer into her eyes. “I think you should go with them.”

Zora’s eyes flare wide. I’m so shocked by this that my heart nearly leaps out of my chest. “You do?” she asks incredulously.

“You should experience something beautiful while you can. The one thing your sister is right about is that when Kymaris takes over the Earth realm, it’s not going to be much different than your life here. Maybe even worse.”

Twisting slightly to study me, Zora considers her possibilities. Her gaze goes back to Amell, whose hands fall away from her face as if he doesn’t want to cause undue influence on her. She looks around her tiny drab house of mud.

When her attention goes back to Amell, she asks, “Will I see you again?”

“I’ll find you,” he promises. “Until then, you stay out of Kymaris’ way.”

Amell pivots and moves toward her door. Without looking back, he says, “Get packed.”

He’s silent as he leaves her home, and Carrick, Maddox, and Boral follow him out. She stares at the closed door for a moment before turning to me, looking equally scared and determined.

“Do you need help packing?” I ask.

She shakes her head.

“I’ll wait outside with the others.” I get the feeling she might want some alone time in her house to say goodbye to this life. There’s no way she’s coming back.

Outside, I find Amell with his back turned to Carrick, Maddox, and Boral, who quietly watch the foot traffic at the intersecting street.

I move to Amell, clearing my throat to get his attention. He turns to face me, his expression guarded.

“Will you tell Kymaris we were here?” I ask bluntly. “I know you warned Zora to stay away from her, but that doesn’t mean you won’t tell her about me being here. About us being sisters.”

Amell’s features harden, his voice goes low. “If you were returning without Zora, I’d tell Kymaris in a heartbeat. Actually, I probably would just kill you to save my queen the trouble.”

I swallow hard because there’s no levity in his tone.

He glances at Zora’s house, and then back to me. “As it stands, Zora is going with you and I won’t risk her life.”

I frown because he’s a conundrum that I bet I couldn’t figure out in a million years. “How can you serve Kymaris with such devotion and still care for Zora?”

Amell seems surprised by the question. “They are two very different things, and, so far, they have not conflicted.”

“And if they do conflict at some point,” I ask pointedly. “Where would your loyalty lie?”

He doesn’t even bother to consider the merits or ethics of my question. He merely inclines his head and rumbles, “Let’s hope it never comes to that.”

The door to Zora’s house opens and she steps onto the short stoop, a brown burlap bag that can’t hold more than one change of clothes slung over her shoulder. She pulls the door shut before walking toward Amell. I move toward Carrick to give them some space.

I can’t hear their conversation, and I refuse to use my super-hearing to eavesdrop. Amell bends his head near Zora’s, and they carry on in hushed murmurs. I have no clue what they’re saying, but Amell’s expression is concerned and there’s