The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1)(80)

“Then if nothing is funny, you two can stop grinning at each other like village idiots and start eating your dinner. I imagine tomorrow will be another difficult day.”

And here I thought I was winning him over.

It would be easier if he could see into your thoughts like I can.

Oh, skies, no. That would be a disaster. A flurry of images raced through his head—Kol kissing girls in spacious bronze hallways, the wound his father’s disappointment had left in him, and the night he’d stared at Lorelai’s face while she was asleep. Lorelai’s cheeks warmed as he said, Don’t look at those.

Gabril gave them a look that said he knew something was going on and was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Lorelai shoved a spoonful of beans into her mouth. They were hot and tasteless. She swallowed quickly, and said, “Actually, I want to destroy the communication towers tonight. I can use the ground here to get to the ones in the capital and the surrounding area. Irina’s response will tell us a lot about her current state of health, and it will help me decide if I should enter the capital tomorrow or keep battling her from afar for a few more days.”

Gabril looked from her to Kol and back again before saying, “That’s a good idea. How much rest do you want to take before we leave the shack and try it?”

She almost asked how much rest he needed, but swallowed the words before they could pass her lips. He’d tell her he didn’t need any, and she wasn’t going to argue with him.

“A few hours,” she said, though the restless energy that filled her sent magic to her palms and made it hard to sit still.

Gabril nodded and kept a close eye on the two of them as they finished their dinner and spread their bedrolls out on the cots that lined the shack’s western wall.

Three hours later, Lorelai was surprised to find that she’d slept, and that she felt more focused as a result. She pulled on her boots, braided her hair, and shrugged into one of Leo’s thick sweaters—the closest thing she had to winter wear since she’d lost her coat in Nordenberg.

The sweater smelled like campfires and mountain air. She hugged her arms across her chest and imagined what Leo would say if he was with her.

He’d tell her they needed costumes before they entered the capital.

And that she needed to prepare a thunderous oration—heaven forbid he call it a simple speech—to deliver once she saw Irina.

And he’d laugh at the risk they were taking, a reckless gleam in his eyes as he stood beside her no matter what.

Her throat ached, and pressure built behind her eyes. For years she’d trained incessantly with one goal—to overthrow Irina and retake the throne. She’d never imagined doing it without Leo.

I would’ve liked him. Kol moved to her side and bumped her shoulder with his. He sounds like someone who would’ve joined me in sealing the headmaster into his toilet closet.

She surprised herself by laughing, though it came out sounding more like a sob. Yes, he would’ve. As long as you gave him an important role to play and let him play it with all the flair his heart desired.

I’m sorry he isn’t here with us to play a role tonight. Kol walked beside her to the door as Gabril strapped on his sword and gathered up the travel packs. We’ll do this one with flair. For Leo.

She smiled gratefully up at him, the hard knot of grief in her chest expanding into something softer. Something a little bit easier to accept. For Leo.

They left the shack and moved into the trees. Earlier in the day, Lorelai had noticed that while there were patches of rot, spots of crumbling bark, or soil that looked too pale, overall the forest was in much better condition that the Falkrains. Maybe Irina had pulled magic from the outer edges of the kingdom first, trying to protect the capital, and by extension herself, from the effects of the blight.

Or maybe the Hinderlinde Forest had never fully capitulated to Irina’s will.

Either way, Lorelai hoped it boded well for what she had planned next.

“How are you going to do this?” Gabril asked when they’d put enough distance between themselves and the shack to have a place to run back to if Irina’s counterattack required them to retreat.

Lorelai showed Kol her plan. Is that okay with you?

It’s fine, but are you sure you want that much pain again?

It will be temporary. Lorelai met Gabril’s eyes. “I’m going to use Kol’s dragon fire again. Only this time, I’m going to see if I can send it underground and have it target the watchtowers only.”

Gabril’s mouth tightened, and he looked at Kol. “I can’t see inside her head. If she’s getting overwhelmed by the pain, you do something about it.”

Tell him that was already my plan.

“He was planning on it,” Lorelai said. Gabril grunted.

Hunt? Travel? Eat? Sasha swooped down and perched on a nearby branch.

Not yet. I’m going to do magic.

Rather eat.

Lorelai laughed as she flexed her fingers and felt the tingle of magic run down her arms. Then go eat. I’ll call you if I need you.

Sasha flew away as Lorelai reached for Kol’s hand and braced herself for the pain. Once again, his dragon heart leaped toward her power the second she sent her magic into him. Heat poured out of him and filled her chest until pain was a living creature trapped beneath her skin, thrashing and biting with jagged teeth. She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming.