Chapter 17
Myone was so sick of this war. The gods had dragged it on for so long that no one could remember when or how it’d started. She barely remembered a time of peace.
Just as she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Shadow. He’d completely withdrawn himself from it. Not that she blamed him. She wished she could do that same.
Worse, Malphas had left his father’s side to join ranks with the demons they fought. No one knew why. Only that he and his father had a falling-out, then he was gone.
He was their enemy now. And that made her heart ache. She lived in fear of facing him in battle.
The last thing she wanted was to kill him. Like it or not, he was Xev’s brother.
“Are you all right?”
She let out a relieved sigh at the sound of Xev’s voice in the dim light of her darkened room. “I didn’t think you’d come tonight.”
“I almost didn’t.” He tucked his wings in so that he could lie down beside her in her bed and pull her back against his chest. “But I couldn’t stay away from you another second. I had to come. I’ve missed you.”
She’d missed him, too. And she needed him tonight. Needed to feel the strength of his arms around her. Until she saw the vicious wound on his bicep. “What happened?”
“It’s a flesh wound.”
“Dary!”
He sighed wearily. “My assassin is still around. Taking potshots at me. No idea why. Guess, even in war, he or she has nothing better to do.”
They had tried so hard to find that assassin. Luckily, whoever it was, they were completely incompetent. Or Xev was just that hard to kill.
Either way, she wasn’t happy about it.
“Have you seen Shadow?”
He shook his head. “No one has. He’s determined to become his namesake. Not that I blame him. Wish I had that option.”
“Some days, I do, too.”
Xev nuzzled his face against her cheek. “Just let me hold you for a bit and forget that we’re enemies.”
“I’m not your enemy.”
“I know. I should have new battle plans for you tomorrow. Laguerre has something she’s planning, but they haven’t told us what yet.”
Even though she was sad, that mention of his sister brought a small smile to her lips. “Have you been taking more potshots at your sister?”
“Believe it or not, I’ve stopped.”
Myone looked over her shoulder at him in total disbelief. “Seriously?”
He brushed strands of her hair away from her cheeks. “I guess I’ve finally grown up.”
“Since when?”
“Since the demons do it for me.” He grinned. “They hate her more than I do.”
She laughed at his impishness. “I shouldn’t find that funny.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t think less of you for it.”
Suddenly, Myone heard distant screams echoing outside her open windows. Cringing, she listened for a second, but they didn’t dissipate. “Sounds like they’re attacking the village.”
“I didn’t know.” Xev released her.
She quickly left her bed and pulled her armor on as someone knocked frantically on her door. “I’m dressing. I’ll be right out.”
“We’ll meet you in the courtyard, kyra.”
Xev helped her dress. “Be careful,” he whispered.
She kissed him as she took her sword from his hands. “Don’t be seen.”
Nodding, he stepped back into the shadows.
She took one last look at him there before she flew out her window and returned to war.
Xev wanted to follow and protect her, but he knew better. They’d kill him on sight if they knew he was here, with her. He was a villain to the ones he fought for.
To the side he’d die for.
Only Myone knew where his real loyalty lay.
He and Malphas had a screwed-up truce they’d come up with to keep from killing one another. They did their best avoid being in the same battles. And he tried to keep Myone out of the battles he knew Malphas was fighting in. Source help them if they were ever forced to face off.
Neither of them wanted to kill the other. But they would do whatever they had to in order to survive, and they knew it.
Sooner or later, they were bound to fight against each other. Someplace. Sometime. It was something they weren’t looking forward to.
All they could do was hope the war ended before it came down to that. Before Xev looked across the line of his enemies’ faces and saw his brother’s.
Which was why he was grateful Shadow was staying out of it. Neither wanted to fight him, either.
Each day was getting harder. He was so torn between his loyalty to Kri and Apollymi, what he owed them, and his love for Myone.
He didn’t know how this would end.
If it would ever end.
The Primals seemed content to keep this war going for the rest of eternity, regardless of how many lives it ruined or ended. He had no idea why. All he wanted was to live in peace. He’d never understand the others, why they continued to seek misery when they could be happy.
What was inside them that made them so desperate to create their own hell? To wallow in it so needlessly. He’d never understand them.
He didn’t need the world. He just needed one person.
Myone’s touch was his paradise. She alone sustained him. “Please, stay safe.” Because if he lost her, he had no idea how he would continue on.