Page 123 of A Sanctuary from Shadow
“Aye—although, I spoke true.”
I ripped my wrists from his hands, stepped back.
Pete stroked his beard, studying me. “For now, it appears your fire is triggered by anger, which isn’t the best news. Anger’s too volatile an emotion. Too hard to control. Too unreliable when you need it.”
“Well, that’s the only thing that brings it on. That, and when I’m facing death.”
He clicked his tongue. “A last defense is handy, indeed. But it’s insufficient when we need your power for offensive measures.”
I folded my arms across my chest, considering him as closely as he was considering me. “What’s thiswestuff? And why areweneeding offensive measures?”
He exhaled. “I’ve been thinking, Shorty.”
Why the hell are you still calling me Shorty when you know my real name?
“You’re right.”
I eyed him. Was he being sarcastic?
His gaze was open, genuine. “You don’t deserve the fate I’m lugging you to, and I want to help you out of it.”
I reeled back another step. “Are you—are you serious? You’ve changed your mind about delivering me to Gentian?”
“No, I’ll still deliver you.”
I was going to punch him in his nuts.
“So you can help me kill him.”
Say what?
He paced, a wily gleam in his eyes. “See, if you’re right, and Gentian doesn’t ken you’re a fire sylph, then he won’t be prepared to contain you. So, if you gain control of your power, when we get that first audience with him, you can—you can just annihilate him and his cadre. They’llneversee it coming.”
Has he lost his mind?
“Doesn’t Gentian equip his harbingers with fire retardant tethers? Why wouldn’t he have a contingency in place for someone like me at his palace?”
Pete chewed his lip. “He might.”
Again, his blunt honesty was refreshing. Startling, but refreshing.
“But even if he does, I’d wager the weapons to stop you won’t be readily at hand. Gentian’s too confident in his informants—he assumes they know all and tell all. If they don’t have the knowledge of you to warn him, he won’t prepare his men for such an onslaught.
“Besides, ossified emerald is damn expensive.” Pete gestured at my invisible shackle. “He may supply his harbingers with several strands of it, just in case, but there’s no way he wasted seeds on emerald armor. Not when he believes fire sylphen are extinct. Gentian’s hardly a miser where defense is concerned, but heisa pragmatist.”
I massaged my forehead, trying to wrap my brain around his scheme. “Pete—my magic—it’s so unpredictable. I can’t—”
“That’s why I’m going to help you,” he returned, calm as the Pacific.
He moved toward me but didn’t reach for me, seeming to sense my momentary aversion for touch. How many times had Briar missed similar cues? He could’ve taken a page out of Pete’s book.
“We’ve still a few weeks left on our journey. We can spend that time training.”
“Training?” I laughed, scraping my hands through my hair.
“Aye.” His voice gentled. “You must train to brandish your magic like the weapon it’s meant to be. And I’ll teach you to fight—if ever the need for defense arises.” He might as well have saidwhenthe need arises. “Please, let me help you, and when we’re done, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
I squealed and doubled over.Goddess, save me. This can’t be my life.
