The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1)(72)
The thought of his parents hurt, and the four walls of the tent felt like they were shrinking around him. He needed wide, cool spaces and the endless starry sky. Careful not to jostle Gabril—last time he’d done that, he’d nearly lost an eye; skies only knew how that man slept with a sword in his hand without cutting off something he’d rather keep—Kol eased his way off his borrowed blanket and out of the tent.
They were camped in a small copse of ebony trees just north of the intersection that brought the main roads of Ravenspire together. Kol climbed the closest tree, swinging himself up the widely spaced branches with ease, until he reached the upper cradle. Settling in with his back against the trunk, he stared up at the sky and thought of Eldr, safe now because of Lorelai. Brig waiting for him to return. Trugg and Jyn, who were skies knew where after being thrown out of Irina’s castle.
The collar whispered, and pain throbbed in his chest. Something dark and vicious crouched in the corner of his mind, but he focused on the stars, on holding fast to the person he wanted to be, until the pain lessened and the whispers were nothing but background noise.
You’re getting better at that.
He looked down to see Lorelai standing at the base of the tree, her thick sweater wrapped around her to ward off the chill. Why are you up?
She looked toward the intersection, which was currently hidden from view by the gently twisting limbs of the ebony trees. A myriad of responses ran through her mind—anxious, ready to get started, scared that you’d left us, wishing Leo were here—but all she said was, I couldn’t sleep. And I figured it was best to destroy the intersection and the roads that lead to it during the night when the chance of hurting an innocent traveler is small.
Why didn’t you wake Gabril, then? We’ll need to flee as soon as you do the magic or risk another nightmare like those statues coming to life when Irina retaliates.
I . . . wanted to check on you first. There was more behind her words—warmth and shyness and something deeper that Kol didn’t know how to identify without pushing for things she was trying not to share with him.
I’m glad you did. He climbed down the tree and gestured toward a patch of grass that lay gleaming in the starlight between two trees. She followed him, and they sat side by side. Her thoughts raced, a rapid counterpoint to the slow, steady ache of missing Eldr that filled his.
You’ll be able to go home soon. She clasped her hands in her lap and looked up at the sky. I bet your sister really misses you. Leo’s face flashed across her mind.
He bumped her shoulder with his to take the sting of loneliness out of her thoughts. You’ll like Brig.
I’m sure I would love her. She showed him everything she’d seen of Brig in his thoughts—her freckled nose and laughing eyes, her boundless curiosity and steadfast loyalty, and the firm belief she’d always had in Kol. But you’ll be going home, Kol, where you belong. I’ll be here, where I belong. We’re closing in on the capital. I’ll destroy the intersection and the roads that lead to it tonight and then, as we enter the Hinderlinde Forest, I’ll ruin the communication towers and armories that surround the capital until all Irina’s resources are gone. Once we’re through the Hinderlinde, the capital will be in front of us, and then it’s just Irina and me.
And me. His dragon heart pounded viciously at the thought of seeing Irina again.
Don’t worry, I won’t forget about finding your human heart and restoring it to you before you go.
I wasn’t worried about that. I meant you aren’t facing Irina alone. I’ll be at your side. I may not be able to shift, but I can still call on my dragon’s fire and speed. I’m still faster and stronger than a human, and Irina will have a hard time defeating both of us at once.
What do you mean you can call on your dragon’s fire? She turned to face him, a tiny frown etched between her eyes. Why didn’t you use that against me when you tried to kill me?
I live for the day when we can stop bringing that up in our conversations. He gave her a little smile. I can’t breathe fire anymore, but I can use it to heat my blood to a degree that would cause burns on humans.
When did you figure this out?
When the statue fell on top of you in the water. Everything in me wanted to shift so I could smash it to pieces and rescue you. I was so . . . Terrified. Furious. He couldn’t quite find the right word for how it had felt to watch Lorelai go under the water and not come back up. My dragon’s fire raged, and when I stepped into the river, the water sizzled against me.
You didn’t burn me when you took my hands.
I backed away from the dragon’s fire. I won’t hurt you, Lorelai. I’d die first.
You’re willing to sacrifice yourself for everyone you care about.
He held her gaze and tried not to think about how much the understanding and admiration in her thoughts eased the sharp edge of disappointment he remembered in his father’s eyes.
Her eyes reflected the starlight as she looked at him, her shoulder leaning against his. And to think that you said you weren’t even a very good prince.
I . . . what? When? He looked at the images in her thoughts and saw himself standing before her after he’d nearly killed her in his dragon form, begging for her mercy for Eldr.
You think you’re a poor substitute for your older brother. That no matter what you do, you’ll still be a disappointment to your father. Compassion softened her voice, but there was iron beneath it. I think you’re blind. You’re a natural leader. All those pranks you somehow convinced the academy’s top students to pull with you? All those friends of yours willing to follow you into the jaws of death without you even asking them to? It’s because they know what I know—that you have the kind of bottomless strength and loyalty that will always put others first at the expense of yourself. You are exactly the kind of king Eldr needs right now.