Page 51 of The Midnight Arrow
“I never said there weren’t,” Veras replied. “But Severs protect their world because it’sbetter. Their magic runs freely, an untapped well of magic in the Below.”
My lips parted, understanding dawning. Lorik was powerful indeed. Was that why?
“And they don’t want the Above dwellers to know. As our magic fades from the land, as our crops fail and our talents begin to wither.”
“That’s not true,” I whispered, though my voice held no true conviction. “They aren’t taking it from us. We’ve just…forgotten how to channel it.”
Veras smiled. “Is that what your lover told you? And tell me, Marion, what’s in his best interest?”
I went quiet, my heart pounding in my chest with this influx of new information. Things I didn’t want to believe because that meant that Lorik had lied about a lot more than I even imagined to believe.
“How do you know all this?” I asked.
“Power, like I told you,” Veras told me. “Lorik is dangerous, Marion. He’s the right hand of the Below King—a powerful position. A hunter. A mercenary. And they’re up to something, something even my spies cannot discern because it is kept closeto the royal court. Don’t let him keep you in the dark. In fact, it’s better if you stay away from him entirely.”
Veras came to stand in front of me. He tilted my chin up so that I met his eyes. I was reeling, so shocked that I didn’t even react to his touch. I was frozen in place, and I felt…betrayed. I felt like a fool.
“I never had a sister,” he said quietly. “I told you before—we are bound by our love forher, Marion. For Aysia. Forever. And so you are the closest thing to a sister I will ever have.”
I swallowed hard, overwhelmed by everything. This was too much. It wastoo much.
“I know you don’t want me to look after you, but I promised Aysia that I would.”
“You…you did?” I whispered.
He nodded, his expression solemn. “So take my words to heart. This is not a path you want to travel. They are infinitely more powerful than us…and they have a lot more to lose. He hasn’t told you anything else, has he?”
I jerked my chin back and took a step away. “I’m not one of your spies, Veras,” I said, keeping my voice even, letting him know I knew what he was doing. “But no, he hasn’t.”
His sister,I thought. Or had that been a lie?
Either way, I wouldn’t tell Veras that. Some habits died hard, despite his pretty words about Aysia. I still didn’t trust him. And after this conversation, I certainly didn’t trust Lorik.
“You’re…you’re absolutely certain of Lorik?” I asked. I couldn’t help it. “I meanabsolutelycertain?”
Veras tilted his chin back. “On Aysia, I swear it.”
So, it was the truth. Or at least a truth that Veras believed, and I knew that Veras wasn’t a blundering fool. He was smart, cunning.
I said nothing else. There was nothing elsetosay.
Instead, I turned in the direction of my cottage as thoughts raced through my mind. And I kept on walking…because I wasn’t sure what else I could do.
Twenty-One
The next night, it was Peek’s sudden, warbling hiss that had me standing from my chair. His back was arched, fur standing on end, ears pricked forward.
It had been storming all day, a torrential downpour of icy rain that stung my skin, but right then it was a light pattering on my roof. For a moment I thought there might be a Shade outside. Peek never reacted like that unless there was danger near.
But when I went to my window and glimpsed out, my heart stopped in my chest.
Lorik.
Standing on the edge of my property, his clothing soaked, hair plastered to his skull.
He saw me looking through the window, but he didn’t make a step toward the cottage. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my heaviest shawl from the peg near the door and stuffed my feet into my boots.
I’d been in a daze since my talk with Veras yesterday evening. I’d run through nearly every interaction I’d ever had with Lorik, starting from the beginning, analyzing every conversation we’d had. What he’d said about the Below, about Severs, about Shades, about Allavari.