honest, I find it impossible to ever be upset with you, regardless of the reason. Kalon, on the other hand… We go way back. He’s like a brother to me. He should’ve told me. It was his operation, his friend infiltrating the Darklings, his duty to tell me.”
Her response was so ample, so multifaceted, that I didn’t immediately catch on to the first part about me. When the words came through, and I understood what Valaine was telling me, a peculiar heat expanded inside my chest, hugging my heart and tightening its grip on my throat as I looked at her.
“You don’t think you’d ever be upset with me?” I asked. “I find that hard to believe. I am perfectly capable of doing things stupid or reckless enough to annoy you.”
The touch of her hand sent ripples through my skin, and when she tried to pull back, I caught it, keeping it as a warm frame for my cheek. Her gaze softened, and for a moment, only the two of us were left in this world.
“I’d rather you didn’t,” Valaine replied, slightly amused. “I get that enough from Kalon. My brother from another mother.”
She made me laugh, maybe a little too hard, but it was enough to break the last layer of tension left between us. Valaine threw her arms around me in a long hug, and I had no choice but to lose myself in this embrace.
“Thank you, Tristan,” she whispered in my ear.
Her heart thudded against mine. I wanted this moment to last forever, so I could never be without her scent tickling my senses—night-queen and lily blossoms…
“For what?” I asked, closing my eyes for a moment.
“For giving me a reason to keep pushing. For being truthful and kind. For being you. Frankly, it’s refreshing in this day and age,” she replied.
There wasn’t much else I could say to her, so I settled for holding her close, welcoming her affection, and hoping I’d done enough to lift her spirits. It killed me to see Valaine sad. It was as if her emotions echoed all around, infecting those in her vicinity—including myself.
I, for one, preferred her smiling and determined to keep fighting. She was infinitely more beautiful that way, both inside and out. And if the Darklings were still trying to kill her, they would have to go through me first.
Esme
It was midnight, and Kalon and I were due to meet with Trev outside the palace, on a small and narrow side street. He’d managed to send a message to Kalon, advising him on his success in infiltrating the lower circles of the Darklings. They had accepted his candidacy, not at all surprised that a former Rimian was interested in joining their ranks. They only recruited Aeternae, yet many Naloreans and Rimians had tried to enter, thinking it was a good opportunity to throw a wrench into the empire’s wheels—little did they know that the Darklings weren’t anarchists at all…
We settled in the darkness, away from the solitary streetlamp flickering at the corner of the street. The local residents were likely sleeping, their shutters pulled and the lights out. I listened carefully, counting the jingling steps of nearby gold guards that patrolled around the palace. They couldn’t see us from the main alley.
I’d had some time to think about everything, and I had come to believe that I could not let Trev do any of this alone anymore. Kalon didn’t know about our invisibility potion, and the crew and I had agreed to keep it to ourselves—our safety hatch, in case anything went wrong.
“How are the white-haired twins coming along?” Kalon asked, drawing me from my deep thoughts. He stood close to me, one shoulder leaning against the wall of a house. “I still can’t get over how identical they look. The mirror image of one another. Gorgeous, but spooky.”
I smiled. “They’re getting there. I think we’ll get something soon on both fronts. Today, they were rushing around from one study room to another. I’ve got a feeling they’re about to make a breakthrough. Frankly, I’m just glad the Lord and Lady Supreme allowed Amane to come over. Amal is brilliant, but together they’re unstoppable.”
“I hope so. We’re coming up to ten infected Aeternae now,” Kalon said darkly, his brow furrowed. He’d lost his father to the disease, so I could only imagine how he was feeling about all this.
“I’m not saying we’re going to save you all. But we will try. That much I can promise.”
Kalon stilled for