Last Stand (The Black Mage #4)(84)



Ella and I took turns casting heat—there was no wood nearby for a fire as the top of the mountain and its passage were treeless—as Alex set to work treating our skin. My twin did the best he could with the supplies he had in his pack—birch leaf and the remains of valerian—but he was holding off magic. For now.

We were sore, hungry, and tired.

The one thing I wasn’t? Thirsty. Thanks to the abundance of snow.

Once again, we shared a meal of boiled water, only, this time, there wasn’t even an old bone to give it the semblance of broth.

My stomach felt like a ravenous pack of dogs. Every step took twice the energy as that morning. A part of me wondered what it would have been like if I had succumbed to a night of rest.

“How much further?” Ella cupped the steam from her mug so that it heated her face.

I squinted at the map. The wind was blocked from where we stood; jagged walls of granite and ice kept the worst of it at bay.

“If this boulder is the one indicated here”—I pointed to a little dot on the scroll—“then we are close. A half-mile from the overlook. We’ll have to keep a lookout for—”

The sound of ice splintering behind me was all the warning I needed.

I spun. Two balls of flame hovered above my palms as I faced the sentry head on. Alex had a broadsword, and Ella provided a glowing sphere to shield the three of us. I thanked the gods we had taken the time to talk through an attack earlier on.

Then I saw who it was.

“Ian?” My casting vanished immediately.

Our friend was pale as a ghost. His lips cracked as he strode forward, and his arms wrapped around his cloak.

“Y-you can’t d-do this.” His teeth chattered as he spoke, but his eyes were livid.

Alex put his weapon back in its sheath and Ella lowered her casting.

“It’s my choice.” I was fighting hard to remain calm. Now that Ian was here, we were in trouble. How much, I wasn’t sure. Were there others? “You told me that the day you arrived, remember?”

“That was when I thought you would be smart enough to walk away.” His eyes flashed. “You have the right to not play a part in Darren’s death, Ryiah, but you don’t have a right to save him. That stopped being your choice the moment he took the throne. You can’t put the others at risk.”

Alex studied our friend’s face. “How did you know? The broth—”

“I’ve been watching Ryiah all week.” Ian’s words were steeped in resentment. “By the time she tossed her portion, it was too late. I was the only one who had waited for her to eat.” His brows knit together. “I tried to warn Quinn that day at the border, but he seemed to think we could handle her.”

“So he wasn’t going to uphold his promise!”

“Neither were you.” Ian glowered at me. “Both of you were just saying what the other wanted to hear. I, at least, was honest that day he recruited you to our mission.”

“I’m sorry.” And I was—to a point. “But it was the only way, Ian.”

“They’ll freeze to death overnight. Did you ever think about that?”

“They will only sleep for three hours.” I bristled. “And we made sure they were warm, but you already know that. You were there.”

“Am I supposed to thank you?” Ian’s expression was incredulous. “Ryiah, please. Think about everyone else. Think about what will happen if you fail.”

“Then the rest of you can finish the job.” I refused to consider the implication. “I just need to try it my way first.”

“Ryiah—”

“No.” My voice rose. “You don’t understand what you are asking me, Ian. I’ve given everything to this damned cause. Give me a gods’ forsaken chance to save him!”

His voice was so quiet. “And if you can’t?”

“He was your friend once.” My voice was as hard as steel. “Are you so willing to condemn the boy you once knew? Tell me, Ian, if Darren was willing to call off his men and rescind his claim to the throne, if he left Jerar to spend the rest of his life repenting his crimes, would you call his murder justice?”

Ian stared at me, his jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond.

“All I want is a chance.” I met his hard gaze with my own. “Alex and Ella will hold you off here, or you can come with us. But I’d rather have my friend’s support.”

“Ryiah won’t tell Darren there are others.” Alex came forward to press a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “The three of us can keep guard at the front of the cave… We will still have the element of surprise. Darren won’t know we are there, and he won’t know the rebels are coming.”

“If she fails…” Ian locked eyes with my brother. “…you know what that means, Alex.”

“I do.” My twin was doing his best not to look at me, so was Ella. They supported me, but that didn’t make them unafraid. “But it’s still Ryiah’s choice.”

“Three hours.” Ian looked to the sky. “I promise you three hours, Ryiah, and not a second more. If you still haven’t convinced him by the time the rebels arrive…”

We all knew the answer.



*

For a moment, I could pretend this was the apprenticeship and we had never actually left. Ian, Alex, Ella, and I were scaling the side of a mountain as we prepared for a mock battle ahead.

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