Page 57

But she was alive. And I was coming.

We walked in silence. The only noise came from the angry crash of waves and the frantic fluttering of Aldric’s fear-filled heart. A sound that was already grating against the last of my patience.

We were nearing the base of the mountain, increasing the danger of being sprayed by the waves with every step. It would not kill me, but Solas and Aldric would meet a painful end.

“This is as far as you can go on foot,” I said, masking the wince as a sharp pain tore through my ribs.

“How far to the cave?” Solas asked sceptically, his gaze piercing through me as if he could see straight through my facade.

“Not far. Two steps beyond the next ridge,” I said, lifting a brow in challenge. “The distance is not the problem.”

Their attention shifted as a wave slammed against the rockface ahead, exploding in an angry spray of white and swelling before rolling back into the sea. The only path forward.

“I will need to shadow jump you both,” I said evenly, trying to hide the exhaustion from my voice.

“If we time it right, we can make it,” Aldric said, rolling up the sleeves of his button down in perfectly even folds. Not even the wind could muss the prince’s hair out of place.

Stupid Mortal.

“You will die,” I stated plainly.

Painfully. “Which would make things easier for me, but it will not help your sister.”

“No offence, Commander,” Aldric said, voice tight but steady, “but I assume shadow-jumping requires you to use your power.” His brown eyes dragged over me, a sneer twisting his mouth.

“With all due respect, you look like you’re inches from death yourself,” he added with condescension that only a royal could hold.

I bared my teeth and snarled, “I command death, you patronising prick.” I took one step towards him, shadows bleeding from my skin like poison, snaking across the ground towards him. “I can end your life faster than any fucking wave.”

Darkness ebbed through my vision, devouring my senses as something feral clawed its way to the surface.

Kill.

The word echoed over and over again in my mind, growing louder and more consuming until it was no longer a thought, but a command.

Solas’s laugh cut cleanly through the tension, a warm, genuine sound that made me pause. He doubled over slightly, clutching his stomach as laughter shook through him. He wiped at the stray strands of auburn hair whipping widely in the vicious wind that had come free from his top knot. “Oh,” he gasped. “I love Mortals.”

Solas straightened and slapped his palm down on Aldric’s shoulder, who did his best to hide his wince.

Weakling.

“We are wasting time,” Solas said more seriously, adjusting the bag he was lugging on his back.

I took a deep breath of salt infused air, holding it in my lungs and closing my eyes.

One. I can step away from the darkness.

Two. I am Rythos Draven.

Three. I am more than the monster within me.

I repeated the mantra, slowly exhaling until the darkness ebbed from my vision.

“Okay,” I said, holding out my hand towards Solas. “Keep your hand on Aldric’s shoulder.”

His hand gripped my forearm, mine wrapping around his in a firm grip.

“You are going to love this,” Solas said sarcastically, grinning towards the pale princeling.