Page 26 of Lies That Bind
“What about Thunder Cliff?” I asked her. “A badass base that gives you a better chance at survival.”
She shook her head. “We want to be with Kohenandhelp protect you,” she declared, and jealousy rushed through me at the way she said his name. There was an ache in her voice, and I knew at that moment that she knew Kohen and I were something. I wasn’t sure what we were, but she knew. I hadn’t even assigned Kohen to Sky Reach yet, but I guess that was inevitable, too.
“Empress,” Elaine called behind me. It was time to go. I had to check in with my sisters and then start my flight to Sky Reach to speak with the admirals and initiate the attack on Luska. Elaine would have to leave right away and take the express trainjust to line up time with me. If all went well, I’d blow the Luskin Palace sky-high tonight.
“Okay, but if you die, the blood won’t be on my hands. I warned you,” I told Anika.
She grinned and bowed her head slightly. “Yes, Empress.”
The way she said it was laced with some friendly sarcasm, and again, I found myself liking her. Anika was real. Like Tetra. There wasn’t an ounce of fake nice in her, and I respected the hell out of that.
“See you at Sky Reach, soldier,” I told Anika.
She saluted me properly, respectfully, and I hoped to every star in the sky that I wouldn’t regret this decision.
I prayed Kohen would forgive me for assigning everyone he loved to a suicide mission. Not many first years survived Sky Reach.
Chapter
Six
After checking in with my sisters and having lunch with them, I dealt with a few more matters of state, including getting this stupid cast off my arm, and then set out for Sky Reach. It was a three-hour flight through beautiful countryside, but my mind chewed on things the entire time. Did I make the right choices today? Firing Lucinda, assigning Tetra, Kohen, and all of our Wilds alliance to Sky Reach? Even Alek. I wanted to be with all my friends, but that felt selfish. Elaine double-checked with each one of them, and they all said they wanted to go to Sky Reach. We gave them the option to back out. No one did. Which made me respect them all more.
‘Incoming,’Liana said, and I tensed, clenching my thighs onto her saddle and preparing to fight.‘Never mind, it’s Onyx and Kohen,’she said, relieved.
I relaxed, peering behind me, and saw nothing. I looked to the left and right, but all I saw were clouds.
“Up here!” Kohen called.
I peered up at the giant black dragon belly and smiled at Kohen, peeking over Onyx’s side.
“I’m coming down!” he shouted down to me.
“What? No!” I screamed, but he had already slid one leg over and was dangling from the harness strap on Onyx.
“Are you insane! You could die!” I yelled as my heart leaped into my throat.
He dropped onto Liana’s back right behind me and held on to my waist to steady himself.
“No, I’ve seen the future beyond this day, and I’m very much alive,” he breathed against my ear.
My stomach warmed at the close contact, and I couldn’t help but lean back into him. I turned my head to look him in the eyes.
“We can’t do this. I’m sorry,” I told him.
Our faces were inches from each other.
He nodded, leaning forward and taking my bottom lip into his mouth. I moaned, unable to tell him no because every fiber of my being was screaming “Yes,” including my heart. It was like today at the funeral we were strangers, but when we got alone, he was a different person. I kind of loved it.
“Kohen,” I breathed as his palms flattened against my belly, tucking me even closer to him.
“Yes, my Empress?”
Those words held so much emotion. Loyalty, adoration, humility.
“If we get caught, they’ll kill you, and I don’t know what they will do to me,” I told him.
“We won’t get caught then.” He said, and warmth bloomed in my gut as he peppered my neck with kisses.
