Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen #1)(91)

“We were with her for a while, looking for you on the way.” Danial reaches to heal the cut on my arm, and I’m relieved it’s not as deep as I thought. His light touch warms my skin as the cut pulls itself shut, leaving only a faint white scar that should fade within days.

“We got separated when one of the Shades chased the crowd across Market Square,” Danial adds, distracted. He gazes off into the distance as he whispers, “If we make it through this, if he’s still alive, I’m going to ask Simeon to marry me.”

I give him a long look. “What if Si still wants to be a necromancer after this?”

Danial smiles, grimly determined. “Then I’ll learn how to be the warrior he needs, so I can protect him. So I can be strong even when he’s in the Deadlands.”

“I hate to interrupt, but—there are fires all over the city,” Meredy says urgently, kneeling beside us. “One of the Shades is dead, but two others are still roaming around, terrifying everyone and feeding on anyone they can grab.” She laughs bitterly. “I heard some of Hadrien’s shouts from inside the palace. His archers aren’t controlling the monsters as well as he’d planned. He’s worried all the deaths will keep him from winning over his new subjects.”

“Then you’ve got to go after Valoria. Now. Make sure she stays safe.” I grip Meredy’s arms, grateful as always for her steadying presence. “Karthia will need her when this is all over. After I kill Hadrien.”

Her green eyes widen. “You tried that once before. It didn’t work out so well, remember?” She points to the shackles on the ground.

“I’ll be more careful this time.”

She leans closer, her breath damp against my lips, reminding me of our earlier kiss. “Not good enough. I don’t think you know the meaning of that word.”

My heart threatens to beat out of my chest as I meet her gaze. “Maybe my version of careful just looks different from everyone else’s. Don’t go getting yourself killed either, all right?”

Beside us, Danial clears his throat, ushering us back to our senses. “Remember Valoria?” he murmurs softly. “That princess we need to find?”

My face is hot as I turn to him. “Danial, will you go with Meredy to the harbor?” I sound stupidly breathless and hope that he doesn’t notice.

Danial nods, tying his long raven hair back from his face. He leans over the dead man I tripped on when I first stumbled into the alley and rifles through his belongings. When he straightens, he’s clutching a handsome dagger. “This time, I want to try stabbing them with something bigger than a steak knife.”

I bite my lip, taking a moment to study him as I get to my feet. I never knew there was a fighter hiding beneath Danial’s pristine healer’s robes and gentle smile. I clearly wasn’t looking hard enough.

“Where’d you learn how to wield one of those?” Meredy asks him, fighting back a grin that surfaces despite the weary look in her eyes. “They teach you how to kill people during your healer’s training?”

“It’s just healing in reverse,” Danial says quickly. It’s the kind of joke Simeon would make, and perhaps he realizes it, because as soon as he utters the words, his face falls. “Actually,” he murmurs to his boots, “I didn’t know I could handle any kind of weapon until today. I always thought I’d be the one in need of rescuing in a fight. But . . .” He shrugs. “When someone I knew was in danger, instinct took over. And it turns out my instincts are almost as good at hurting people as they are curing them.”

I wrap my arms around him, stealing his breath. “You’re stronger than you think, Danial. I’ll come find you and Meredy after . . .”

“Hadrien,” Meredy finishes. “He’s locked himself in the throne room with some of his guards, last we heard. He didn’t want to take any chances until the Shades were all gone.” She rolls her eyes, then grows solemn again. “I’m sending Lysander with you, so you won’t have to fight him alone.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” I take both her hands, remembering what happened after she possessed Lysander during our fight against the Shade-baiters.

She squeezes my fingers. “Good idea or not, you can’t talk me out of it. I can split my attention between my body and Lysander’s,” Meredy says confidently. Her voice wavers slightly as she adds, “At least, I think I can . . . I’ve only tried it once before, and that was over a year ago.”

There’s no way I’m letting her experiment at a time like this. “Meredy—”

“If it’s too much, I’ll pop out of Lysander’s mind like that.” She snaps her fingers and raises her head, looking determined. Her eyes linger on my face. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.” I sigh. She’s too stubborn, too much like me once she’s made up her mind. “Just be careful. I need you.” Cringing at how that sounded, I hurry to add, “I mean, I need you to have your wits about you for whatever happens next.”

Mustering a grin, Meredy nudges my shoulder with hers. “Surely you forget who you’re dealing with, master necromancer. I’m the youngest beast master in almost a century.”

“I could never forget anything about you, Master Crowther.” I grin back. “Even if I wanted to.”