Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1) - Emily A. Duncan Page 0,50

Rashid.”

“What about Anna?” Nadya asked.

“I’m not coming with you,” Anna said softly.

Nadya turned to her, speechless. Anna had to come with her. She couldn’t do this without her.

Anna’s smile was tinged with acute melancholy. She had clearly been thinking about this for some time. She looked at Malachiasz. “Tranavia will be focused on the Rawalyk, won’t it?”

“They’ve just pulled their prodigy tactician out of the war,” he said. “All of the country will have its eyes on Grazyk. There’s a good chance Tranavia is so confident victory is in sight that they will loosen their hold for the time it takes to see this ceremony through.”

“I’m going to Komyazalov,” she said. “Or, at the very least, the biggest military base I can reach on the way while you all deal with this.” She pressed her index finger down on the map over Tranavia. “I’ll make sure Kalyazin is ready for what happens next. Besides, the prince knew we fled the monastery together. It’s better for me not to even be present to arouse any kind of suspicion.”

Nadya leaned her head on Anna’s shoulder and willed herself to keep her tears at bay. She had thought at the very least she would have Anna beside her, but what Anna wanted to do was important—vital, even—so she wouldn’t argue against it.

“Don’t go alone,” Nadya said in Kalyazi. Malachiasz didn’t chastise her for switching languages. “Come with us for at least a little while. There’s still a military presence to the east, right?”

Rashid nodded.

“Don’t travel through the mountains alone.”

Anna cast her a long look. She didn’t want to make this harder, and it was already going to tear at them both to part. Anna was all Nadya had left of home, and now she was losing her, too. Finally, Anna nodded. Nadya relaxed, hooking her arm through the other girl’s.

“What are you planning to do?” Nadya asked Malachiasz.

He chewed on his thumbnail. It looked raw, the edges jagged and red. “I’ll get you into Grazyk, into the palace, whatever. We’ll figure it out from there.”

That wouldn’t work. Every part of this needed to be spotless or they would be caught. She stared at him. Nadya knew she shouldn’t care about this Tranavian abomination sitting across from her. He was doomed in his fate just like the rest of the Tranavians—even more so, as he was a Vulture, one of the worst. But she stared anyway, at this boy—this strange boy with his tangled black hair and tattooed forehead—and half of her wanted to help him.

The other half wanted to destroy him, but that half was strangely quiet.

* * *

Nadya sat outside in the cold gray mist of early morning, Malachiasz’s jacket around her shoulders. Though the Vulture attack had been only yesterday, it felt like years had passed. They would leave later in the morning. Anna had dyed Nadya’s hair a dark red, and she could feel the strands freezing against her neck. She tugged her necklace over her head and wrapped it around her hand.

She had an idea—probably a very bad one—definitely one that would take a lot of effort on her part to keep Malachiasz safe in Tranavia.

“You are asking me to shield a heretic,” Veceslav said. “Not only that, but one who has forfeited his soul for evil.”

Now, that seems a touch melodramatic.

“Nadezhda.” Veceslav’s tone was a warning. He thought Nadya was being utterly mortal, utterly petulant, utterly unlike how someone chosen by the gods should act.

Nadya tugged Malachiasz’s jacket tighter around her shoulders. She hadn’t meant to keep it, but when she left to go outside she couldn’t find anything else.

Yes. I am asking you to shield a Tranavian. If this is going to work—if you want the High King dead—then I need him to be protected.

“You cannot presume to know our will,” Veceslav replied.

Then what am I to do? If my methods are not right by you, I understand, but I cannot work miracles. I can only work magic. I am human. I am mortal. I am doing the best I can. I’m scared, Veceslav. All the time. I don’t know what’s going on or what I’m supposed to do. I’m just doing my best with the circumstance I have been given, with the power I’ve been given.

He was silent. Nadya was discomfited by how cold he was being with her. He was one of the gods she could usually count on to be kind.

“What are you proposing?” Veceslav’s voice was a welcome nudge at the back