Page 12 of Lies That Blemish
I stared back at the dead creature. My blade was stuck so far into its eye that only the hilt showed. I didn’t have the nerve to pull it out, which shamed me.
Turning back to Tej, I took the blade gratefully from him, sheathing it. “What else does he know?” I asked.
“A lot he won’t tell me,” Tej offered as we walked out of the thick brush and back to where his brother was still sleeping soundly. “He also said you won’t tell anyone about his gift… so can you please keep it a secret?”
Keep a secret for an Imbrian? “I’ll have to tell my sister, but no one else,” I promised, still shaken by what had just transpired.
He nodded. “She already knows.”
She did?
I sat back on my heels, blowing out a breath. How much did Aisling know and didn’t tell me? She still treated me like a child.
Tej cast a wary glance over his shoulder. “Blood might attract the others. We should keep moving.”
I sighed, nodding. He woke Arjun while I put out the fire and we kept heading north to the Wall. Did I just protect an Imbrian? Not just any Imbrian, but a Badshah? And why hadn’t I retrieved my blade, the one my sister gave me, and was now instead carrying an Imbrian blade? I was going to look like a traitor.
But as I watched Tej ruffle Arjun’s dark hair and call him silly names, I realized I didn’t care. Hating Imbria was Father’s thing, and now my sister’s thing. But if Kohen’s letter was right and Father had been about to hurt Aisling, then he did us a favor.
I wasn’t going to live in the past.
Chapter 6
Aisling
I playedthe role of the newly engaged bride very well. Alek and I held hands and even shared a public kiss, which sent the crowd wild with clapping. We ate and drank and danced as if our country weren’t currently at war on two borders.
When it was all over, Alek was there, like a loyal puppy, asking again if I wanted his company to camp out at the entrance of the Wilds to wait for Valor.
I couldn’t help but think of Kohen’s letter.
I see you married to Alek and me married to Anika. We are at peace in our own separate countries. You are decently content, having chosen duty over love. In this future, Luska is still a threat and you fight them until the day you die.
I noticed he said you are decently content, having chosen duty over love. Notweare content. Did that mean he would regret marrying Anika for duty and heirs?
“I think I’d like to be alone, if that’s okay,” I told him.
He nodded as if he expected that.
“I had fun tonight,” he told me, leaning forward to plant a kiss on my cheek. He gazed down at me, eyes blazing as if asking for more than a cheek kiss, and I stepped back a little. “Me too.”
He nodded, looking a little dejected. “See you soon. Send word when Valor makes it out, so I don’t worry.”
Because he was an amazing guy and worrying about my sister who he knew was important to me.Ugh.
“I will,” I told him, and then he left as I met Elaine outside with my packed duffle bag and got into our waiting car.
“Have you checked on the girls?” I asked. We’d moved them back in town when everything quieted on the Luska front. They were in the new willow tree house, and I requested to work out of Riverine as often as I could now that Sky Reach army base was basically dead. Luska wasn’t fighting, which made me nervous. Were they building stockpiles? Preparing for a big hit? I didn’t like the quiet. Half of our military was on leave, just waiting for orders.
The other half was in a watered-down war with Imbria.
“They’re worried about Valor. Gwen is going to let them stay up late in case you send word.”
Victory and Virtue had never slept a night away from Valor their entire life as far as I could remember. This would impact them all, and I hoped my sister was doing okay in the Wilds.
“Has Valor sent up any flares? It’s been several hours.”
Elaine nodded. “Green flares every hour. She’s moving north.”
