“No way. That’s a given. I’ll bet four silvers he says, ‘Don’t delay, just obey,’ five times.”
“You’re on. He’ll never say it five times. You’re so going to lose.”
The two soldiers continued their banter as they left. I wondered if Yelena referred to them when she had mentioned more names for my list. Remorse filled me as I thought of how I had started a friendship with Eve just to gain her confidence and gather information.
I huffed. Two sides to my relationship with Eve—one good and one bad. But I had the choice for next time, and I could atone for my deceit by being an honest friend.
This simple realization dispelled the crushing guilt I had carried with me since I had pricked Yelena with Curare over six years ago. It didn’t matter that she forgave me, I needed to forgive myself. To know there would be terrible times, but I could balance those out or even tip the scales by my actions.
It was all a part of being trustworthy—of being a piece of sea glass. High tides, low tides, storms, sand and mistakes all contributed to the polishing process. Though difficult to endure at the time, the demanding elements helped smooth the surface, transforming one into a better person, not worse. A person who learned from the harsh environment, who knew the storm would end, and who felt confident she would still be in one piece.
* * *
Janco swaggered through my door with his usual smug smile. “I’m not supposed to be here. Kade has you on a strict one-visitor-a-day diet.”
He settled into the chair with an athletic grace. No bruises or cuts marred his face. Even though the smile remained, a shadow lurked in his eyes.
“Janco, I’m sor—”
“Don’t you dare say it.” He poked my arm with a finger. “My choice to help you. My fault for being caught. No regrets. I’d do it again without thought.” He cocked his head to the side and scratched his scarred ear. “Which isn’t that big of a revelation. Ari says I do everything without thought.” He shrugged. “Thinking is overrated.”
“How about I throw myself at your feet and pledge my undying gratitude?”
“Better, but how about plain old gratitude? Undying sounds creepy. Like it would live on after you’re gone. Ghost gratitude. Too much like magic.” He grimaced. “Now I have another reason to hate magic.”
His gloominess lasted a second before he hopped to his feet. He bowed with mock formality. “If you should need aid again, send me a D-I-D call.”
“I will.”
* * *
Finally given permission to travel after a total of twenty-five days in Hubal, I packed my saddlebags. It was the first day of the cooling season. Kade needed to be on the coast and I needed to make a decision. Should I tell the Council about my immunity or not? What would I do if I didn’t tell them? How would I be useful if I did inform them? Questions without answers chased their tails in my mind.
A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts and I shouted, “Come in,” without checking who was on the other side, my confidence due to the knowledge everyone had been arrested.
However, there were gaps in my knowledge. Not everyone dwelled in a locked cell. The door swung open and Devlen entered my room.
Instinct caused me to reach for my sais, but I stopped when I met his gaze. Ulrick’s soul no longer lurked behind those blue eyes. Devlen had tied his long hair back. The dark features of his strong face held concern.
“I’m surprised you haven’t been arrested,” I said.
“Me, too.” Standing by the door, he kept his distance. “The Council is discussing my future.”
“And they didn’t incarcerate you while they debated?” A slight, peevish annoyance crept into my tone. He’d used blood magic and could again, yet he remained free. I calmed my ire with the reminder of Akako’s dishonest influence on the Councilors at the time of my trial.
“Yelena spoke for me.”
“Why?”
He smiled in self-deprecation. “Because I tortured her with pressure points.”
“Not funny.” I waited.
Devlen rubbed his arms as if warding off a sudden chill. “When she helped...transfer my soul, she examined me. I never felt so...vulnerable. Every facet of me—my desires, needs and beliefs were exposed. Helpless, I saw them all in their raw form. Not pretty.”
“Being helpless and in pain is never pretty.” From the distress on his face, I knew he realized how much I’d suffered at his hands.
He hugged his arms tighter. “She returned me to my body and—” he pushed one of his sleeves up “—purged the ink and blood from my skin.” He ran a finger along his muscle as if he still didn’t believe it belonged to him. “I expected to be arrested, but she claimed my efforts to help you and Zitora went in my favor. I will probably have to spend a few years in prison for my prior deeds.” He let his arms drop. “I plan to cooperate fully.”
“How did you help Zitora?”
Devlen shrugged. “It was not much. I was the only one conscious after you siphoned the others. I put pressure on Zitora’s wound to staunch the blood, but she struggled to heal herself and was close to losing the battle. I acted on instinct. Scooping up a handful of your diamonds, I poured them into her palm and held her fingers around them. Her powers are impressive.”
The diamonds were charged with magic. He saved her life. The effort must have sapped her strength. He could have escaped.
“Then what happened?” I asked.
“When I was sure she would live, I checked on you. No signs of life.” The memory of horror touched his eyes before fading. “When I did find a pulse it was barely there. I freed Janco, and we ran for help.”
He could have run away. I pushed away the dreadful memories of him and considered his deeds since we returned from Ixia. He’d had plenty of opportunities to disappear.
“Why did you stay?”
He shot me an incredulous look. “I told you before.”
To protect me. “But why?”
“To make amends.”
He had decided long ago what I just figured out. Not to let guilt rule him by atoning for his past actions.
“I know you will never forgive me, but this way I can live with myself.”
I gaped at him. A response bubbled and popped in my throat. Could I forgive him? It would take time and experience. “Never say never.”
He laughed. “A glimmer of hope.” With a hitch in his step, he walked toward me. “I have something for you.”
Pleased I didn’t flinch as he neared, I asked, “Did you get hurt?” I gestured to his leg.
“No. I have to get...used to this body again. I am taller than Ulrick.”
And the scar on his neck gave him a rugged, handsome appearance, adding to his lean and muscular build. With the tattoos gone, I wondered how he looked without a shirt. I berated myself for my thoughts. At one time, his visage haunted me.
He handed me a narrow box. “Go on. Open it.”
I lifted the lid, revealing a black leather holder. Inside the sheath was a pearl-handled switchblade. Palming the weapon, I pressed the button. The blade shot out with hardly a sound.
“It is crafted by the Bloodgoods using the finest steel,” Devlen said. “You can clip the holder to a belt or strap it around your arm or thigh.”
I examined the metal blade. Symbols had been etched into the steel. “What are these?”
He grinned with devious glee. “Ixian battle symbols. Janco helped me with them.”
“Janco? Are you friends now?”
He laughed. “Hardly. But he claimed he would suffer my presence since I no longer had magic.”
Sounded like Janco. I brandished the weapon. “What do they say?”
“I am not telling you. You will have to ask your annoying Ixian friend.” He turned serious for a moment. “If I am
going to be spending time in the Fulgor prison, I will not be around to help you. With your tendency to find trouble, I wanted you to have a sturdy blade.”
“I’ll ignore the trouble remark and just thank you for the gift. Besides, I’ve been training. I’m not so easy to beat anymore.”
He touched my arm. “You never were easy. Not even when you were fourteen.”
My mouth felt dry. When did he get so close?
“I had men sobbing in less than two hours. You lasted days. I admired your resistance and tenacity. Later in Ixia, I admired your intelligence and resourcefulness. Even disguised as Ulrick and with the addiction to blood magic burning inside me, I never pretended with you.”
“But—”
He pressed his fingertips to my mouth. The heat from them spread throughout my body. “My feelings toward you were genuine. Those days we were together as a couple were the happiest of my life.”
I swallowed a lump of dust. He replaced his hand with his lips and kissed me. Devlen stopped before I could...what? Kiss him back? Push him away?
“I have not made enough amends. So expect to see me again.” He trailed his fingers along my arm and squeezed my hand as if swearing an oath. Turning, he left without saying another word.
I groped for a chair. Sinking into the cushions, I struggled to understand my conflicting emotions. An epiphany failed to settle the questions. Time and experience would have to suffice for now. However, Kade’s arrival helped banish the confusion to another part of my mind where I could dwell on it later.
He glanced around. “You haven’t finished yet. Opal, I know you don’t like to pack, but—”
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and kissed him.
He smiled. “If you’re trying to avoid pack—”
I covered his mouth with mine and didn’t let him speak for a long long time.
He pulled away. “What was that for?”
“To thank you for saving my life.”
“Not me. Yelena—”
“Not exactly. Leif earns the credit for keeping me alive. You deserve a kiss for giving me a reason to eat.”
“How romantic. Is that how you’re going to introduce me? ‘Councilor Greenblade, I’d like you to meet the man who gives me a reason to eat.’”
“Sounds like a plan.” I sorted through my meager possessions, packing what I needed for the trip.
“Wait a minute. Did you say Leif gets the credit?”
“Yes.” I explained about my immunity.
He frowned, mulling over the information. “Zitora said you sacrificed your magic for her, but she didn’t mention anything else.”
“She’s letting me decide who to tell. Right now you, me, Yelena and Leif are the only ones.”
“Who else will you tell?” Kade asked.
“For now, no one.”
“What are you going to do next?”
Decide what to tell the Council, figure out my role in Sitia, deal with my mother and try to become comfortable with the idea of Devlen being one of the good guys.
Instead of listing all my future problems, I focused on the man in front of me.
“Next, I’m going surfing. I know this handsome Stormdancer, and he promised to teach me.”
Kade grinned. “I thought you were afraid of the water.”
“Not anymore.”
* * * * *
Acknowledgments
A big thank you to my husband, Rodney, and children, Luke and Jenna. Their love, support, patience, willingness to eat fast food and to manage without clean clothes has been invaluable.
Once again, my critique partner, Kimberley J. Howe, has bravely surfed the rough waters of my first draft and helped smooth the story. Thanks so much. This book wouldn’t have been finished if it wasn’t for my friend Judi Fleming. Our contest to see who could write the most words in two months was exactly what I needed to finish this book. Thanks for the incentive and the wine!
After visits to Harlequin’s Toronto and New York City offices, I was amazed to learn how many people touch my manuscript during its transformation into a published book. I don’t have room to list them all by name, but I want to thank them all for their hard work and effort on my books.
I would like to add a special thank you to my editor, Mary Theresa Hussey, who continues to guide me in improving my craft. Thanks to Elizabeth Mazer, a vital member of our team.
As always, a thank you to my excellent agent, Robert Mecoy, his cheerleading always makes me feel like I’m his only client. The art department has done another excellent job with this lovely cover. Many thanks to you all for your creative efforts.
And a huge thanks to my growing army of Book Commandos! Your efforts have helped in spreading the word about my books. Special mention to those who have gone above and beyond the call to duty: Elizabeth Earhart, Jane Gov, James Grogan, Jen Grzebien, Kate Ladd, Heather Lloyd, Heidi Ruby Miller, James Pellow, Kelly Plaia, Erica Rowe, Greg Schauer, Larry Smith, Jessica Stachowski and Sarah Weir. The Master Magicians would be proud.
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ISBN: 9781460318003
Copyright © 2009 by Maria V. Snyder
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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