Page 12 of Chorus of Ashes
“If you need anything, just knock on the door, and I’ll be here to help.”
“What we need is the freedom to walk around. If Rian says we can’t transport from the island, what’s the point in keeping us locked up?” Bianca demanded, hands on her hips.
“I’ll take it up with him.” Callahan ducked his head through the low doorframe and shut the door quietly behind him.
“I like him,” Terra said, dropping onto one of the benches next to the small table where Callahan had placed a tray of food. “I feel like he’s on our side.”
“Did you catch how disappointed he seemed in Rian? There’s definitely something amiss there. The evil overlord usually has evil henchmen, and I’m not getting that vibe from Callahan either,” Bianca agreed. She sat as well and picked up the pot of tea. “Tea?”
“Please.”
“So, give me all the details. I see Rian healed you. What’s that about?” Bianca picked up a biscuit from the tray and nibbled on it as she eyed Terra’s healed wrists.
“He … it was like he was a different man. As soon as he saw the marks on my wrists, he turned all angry and protective.” Terra touched her lips, and Bianca perked up.
“This sounds promising … go on,” Bianca encouraged.
“He kissed me.”
“Yes!” Bianca fist pumped the air. “The man does have a heart.”
“A well-guarded one at that.” Terra took a biscuit from the tray and nibbled on it absentmindedly while she tried to puzzle out what to do about Rian. “He seemed angrier about the kiss than pleased, though it lit me up all the way down to my toes. He was upset with himself that his magick hadn’t been enough to protect me from the iron cuffs.”
“So he’s protective of you… That’s not a bad thing. It’s confusing, isn’t it? What he’s doing with us here?” Bianca tapped a finger to her lips as she thought about it. “I can’t help but think it’s because of you. Otherwise, wouldn’t he have just stolen the dagger off of you while you were cuffed and called it a day?”
“I did note that we weren’t disarmed when we were put in our rooms.” The amulet was still strapped to her thigh, gently pulsing with power, a constant reminder of just who she was and the people that she represented. It would do her well to remember who she stood for and temper any impulsive choices she may have when she was around Rian. Until she could understand the game he was playing, her safest bet was to err on the side of being a leader and to continue to stand for her people.
“That’s also strange. Like … you could have stabbed him when he was kissing you, and we’d be on our way, right?” Bianca mused. Terra winced at the thought of stabbing her fated mate. It wouldn’t be an ideal position, no, but she’d do it if she had no choice. She hoped their circumstances wouldn’t bring her to having to make such a difficult decision. Hers was but one life, Terra reminded herself. Her people were of the thousands. Not to mention the generations to come. No, it wouldn’t do to be selfish. Matters of the heart often faded in the background of war.
“I sense some confusion from him.”
“You know what we need to do?” Bianca snapped her fingers, bouncing on the bench so that the teacups rattled on the table. Terra grabbed hers before tea could slosh over the edge.
“What’s that?”
“We need to make him fall in love with you.” Bianca beamed at her like she’d solved all their problems.
“You say it like it would be so easy.” Terra laughed at Bianca’s excited expression.
“Itwouldbe though. Listen … there are a lot of unanswered questions about Rian, right? And he’s just … well, I think he must be fighting some sort of internal battle here. Based on what you told me about being exiled when his mother died, and how he’s claimed his innocence, I’m guessing he’s just really, really angry. Maybe he’s locked down his emotions, maybe he’s focused on revenge for so long, and that’s all he knows. But!” Bianca held a finger in the air. “That doesn’t mean that a fair maiden can’t come along and be a ray of sunshine that pierces the darkness of his stormy soul. That’s where you come in.You’rethe ray of sunshine. We just need to wear him down until he has no choice but to fall in love with the awesomeness of you. I mean … just look at yourself. It shouldn’t be all that hard to do. I give it a week, tops.”
Terra laughed, amused by Bianca’s enthusiasm.
“Thank you for the compliment, my friend, but I don’t think it is possible to force anyone to love me.”
“Maybe not, but we have a winning card, don’t we? We already know he’s your fated mate. Doesn’t that mean he’ll automatically have an affinity for you? Like you’re catnip, and he’s a cat who can’t resist?”
“Um…” Terra wasn’t sure what catnip was, but she could grasp the meaning. Sometimes Bianca’s human-world references confused her. “While a fated mate connection will make the feelings more powerful, it’s not always destined to be. Both mates must also choose to claim the other.”
“That’s right. Can you just claim him then?”
“It’s a touch more involved than that. You don’t just go up to him and declare him yours. He’s not a plaything,” Terra said.
“I mean, hecouldbe a plaything.”
Terra remembered how his lips had felt on hers, and the way his kiss had illuminated her insides like the first kiss of sun in the early dawn.
“I do think your idea has merit. Unlike men, who tend to come to war and battle with brute force, perhaps figuring out how we can get Rian to align with us will better serve our people.”