46. Diar
Diar
I’d never seen Solheart healing magic before. Gentle rays of light descended from the lantern, soaking Ferris’ wounds in their light.
The prince’s breathing came easier as the gash sewed up.
Relief flooded my lungs.
Coughing, Ferris pressed a hand to his side and sat up on the cot. “I didn’t think you could heal.”
Alistair shook his hand and stepped away. “Quinn’s much better, admittedly.” His eyes flicked to me. “Satisfied?”
“Isn’t Ferris one of yours?” I asked. “Why are you asking me?”
“I thought it was obvious.” Alistair tossed Ferris a roll of gauze. “I mended the worst of it, but you'll die in the night if you don't tend to the rest."
Ferris caught the gauze and shot Alistair a sour glare. Shoving past the Solheart, I snatched the bandages.
Ferris had run after me, worried for my safety, though he’d been the one bleeding. The least I could do was tend to his wounds.
Alistair hummed behind me. “You’re not afraid I’ll slip away?”
Ignoring him, I set to work, but Ferris laid a hand over mine. “Go get your answers. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not making you tend to yourself,” I said.
A silken caress wrapped my wrists, yanking the bandages from my fingers. It was wind—barely perceptible save for emerald streaks hidden in its stream.
“As Agendra learned,” Ferris said, catching the gauze. “You can’t stop me.”
Sighing, I stepped away. “I’ll be back soon.” Grabbing Alistair’s elbow, I pushed him through the door.
After we’d left the commander’s manor, Agendra had shoved us into an abandoned cottage at the edge of town. He was pacing the perimeter, watching for trouble, and trying to come up with an explanation.
Not a soul in the city would like what I’d done.
Alistair walked ahead of me into the foyer and leaned against the window. “Ask away. A deal’s a deal.”
His hand curled around his blade.
Akemi had cared about honor. Did I?
Palming my own blade, I stood opposite him. “Who killed my brother?”
“Straight to the point, hm?” Alistair flicked his wrist, summoning his radiant blade. “You’ve focused on Quinn and me because of this, I presume? It's not a technique you’ll see many from Forlaith use.”
“Why?”
“Because I came up with it. Most Solhearts don’t fight or learn magic—they don’t have a need. And Brightspears are trained with specific techniques.” He spun the floating blade. “I taught a few people magic. Quinn was one of them.”
“Who were the others?”
“Nora, for one. A shadow living within shadows—nobody you would know, and honestly?” Alistair dismissed the blade. “I’d be stunned if she was your target.”
A woman? Could the shadow have been female? I closed my eyes and pictured them, dancing with practice and grace, a skilled swordsman.
“And the other?” I asked, opening my eyes.
Alistair’s face twisted into a scowl. “Paragon Reese Tiernan.”
“You trained the Paragon?” I blinked in disbelief. “Why would he—”
“Kill his Emperor?” Alistair leaned off the window and stalked toward me. “You have no idea who that man really is. No one does.” He stopped a pace away. “I’ve never met a better killer. A lust for blood runs through his veins.”
I stepped back. The Paragon had not seemed like an assassin in the night.
But if he was . . .
I needed to see him fight. That would give me my answer.
“Those are the three I trained.” Alistair folded his arms. “Another could have developed the same magic, sure, but that’s not a lead, is it?”
I took a breath. “And Ishii? Quinn seemed to know what killed him—but nobody else does."
“Because Forlaith’s hiding it.”
“Did they kill him?”
“That, I’m not sure of.” Alistair returned to his perch on the window. “I did catch a look at the report, though. He was found in a small village, north of Forlaith. Everyone within was dead, including the Paragon. The only evidence of what had slaughtered them all was . . . ” He trailed off.
“Was what?” I strode toward him.
“Have you seen that spell Reese uses?” Alistair asked. “I’ve never seen another Solheart do anything like it.”
I hadn’t gotten to see the Paragon do any magic. Nor had I seen him fight.
If I had, would I have found my assassin?
Ferris' voice startled me. He leaned against the wall, hand pressed to his side. “The wings?” He asked.
Alistair pointed at Ferris and turned to me. “The only thing they found on the scene was a single pinion—white and pure, coursing with light. Like a deadly feather from a pair of wings. It was covered in blood.”
I staggered back. This didn’t make any sense. Alistair and Quinn were part of the rebels—the ones attacking with the aid of monsters, the ones who’d assaulted the Emperor. If Reese was their enemy, what did that mean?
Ferris pushed himself upright. “Reese did not kill Ishii.”
“You don’t know him, kid,” Alistair hissed. “Nobody does.”
“Except you,” I interjected.
Alistair turned toward me, face hardening. He slowly stalked toward me. “I trained him. Gave him a home. Gave him purpose.” He paused, leaning in. “I watched him kill his first man. Saw the joy on his face. He was my best agent—wherever he went, death followed.”
“Agent?” I breathed. "Was he a Sun Chaser, too?"
The Solheart seized his collar and pulled his shirt down. Black ink traced across his chest—a sun with descending rays. Feathers tumbled with them.
"This was a vow. A binding pact." Alistair stepped back. “But he betrayed me long ago. Quinn and I were not present on the night of the Emperor's death. But Reese might have been.” He spread his arms. “A deal’s a deal. Keep Siotha—for once, I think Quinn was right.”
Alistair retreated toward the window and pushed it open. My hand tightened around my sword.
“Alistair, wait!” Ferris called.
Winking, Alistair threw himself through the window, into the night.
Releasing my sword, I walked to the window. Laying my hand on the sill, I contemplated chasing him. Darting through the night, raising my blade, claiming his life.
Reaching into the frigid night, I grabbed the window's edges and pulled it closed.
“Ugh.” Ferris collapsed onto the rickety couch. “I can’t figure him out.”
Taking a breath, I closed my eyes. My thoughts spun into a whirlwind, but I forced them to calm.
I had no idea whether Alistair was lying.
Swallowing, I sat beside Ferris and pushed him down.
He gasped in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Alistair mended your insides, but not the hole in your side.” Summoning Siotha to my hand, I ripped through his tunic with the icy blade.
The pained grimace on Ferris’ face quickly twisted into a smirk. “I knew you couldn’t wait to tear my clothes off.”
Lowering Siotha, I met his eye, but said nothing.
“Shit.” Ferris closed his eyes and laid his head back. “I managed to make it so far without flirting, too.”
Despite myself, a shallow chuckle escaped my lips. Grabbing the bandages, I gently wrapped them around the gash.
“Hm.” Ferris laid an arm over his eyes. “I didn’t think you could be gentle.”
“I fish,” I reminded him. “I have to be delicate with the line, at least.”
He breathed out a laugh. “Diar, you are . . . strange.”
“What does that make you, if you can’t resist flirting with me?”
“Believe you me, I know exactly what I am.”
Heavy steps echoed outside, and the door slammed open. Tying off the bandage, I turned toward the door.
Agendra strode into the room. “Is the Solheart rat gone?”
“You might catch him,” I said. “If you hurry.”
“Pah.” Agendra strode to the window and peered outside. A second man entered the room and gently tapped the door closed behind him.
I recognized his gentle eyes. Keiji—the guard I'd met when we first arrived.
"I told you to sleep with one eye open," he said, planting a hand on the armrest and studying Ferris. “Most of the men I'm stationed with would rather fistfight the lord Paragon than take orders from a woman."
Agendra's handshake had nearly brought me to my knees. I couldn't imagine fighting him.
The Paragon backed away from the window. "We can’t stay here. I’ve mulled over a thousand speeches.” He turned to me. “Nothing will forgive what you’ve done—justified or not.”
My hand curled into a fist. At the time, my conviction had been absolute—every man who tried to take Siotha from me would meet my blade.
Now, I realized it was just another of my reckless exploits. I never thought things through.
Akemi had always been right. And I’d never learned.
“But.” Agendra folded his arms. "The prince here was smart to get wounded on your behalf. It gives us an edge.”
"Mhm," Ferris murmured. "It was all part of my plan."
"I can't cover for you," Keiji said. "But I can act as a witness. Testify that I saw you being attacked, unprompted. Against the Archdruid's orders."
“We need to leave Muirashi while the dust settles,” Agendra added. “And bypass the Archdruid altogether.”
I shifted to the edge of the couch. “How do we do that?”
“The crown of Forlaith has final say in all things.” He paused. “I received an invitation. One I intended to decline, considering the circumstances, but now . . . ”
Ferris sat up. “Lady Brighid’s wedding. It's more than a mere ceremony—the Queen and the Lecovair will be there.”
“As will Reese, I imagine,” Agendra added.
Reese.
If Alistair spoke true, if the Paragon had murdered my brother, murdered Ishii, and the village he’d tried to protect . . .
Then my brother’s death was more complicated than I’d ever imagined. Never would I have fathomed the path bringing me to a Paragon’s blade.
“Alright.” I stood. "Let's go.”
“Wait.” Ferris frowned at Agendra. “Do you have some way to convince the Lecovair? Or the Queen, or the Archbishop? I can’t imagine them demanding anything but Diar’s head.”
Agendra shifted from foot to foot. “Reese is one of them.”
“One of what?”
“The Lecovair, Ferris. His father sits at their head.”
Ferris sat back. “Oh.”
He was surprised. The prince knew the Paragon, shared some kind of warm history—history that had earned Ferris’ full trust—and even he had not known the truth.
Alistair was right. Nobody knew Reese. Who was he, really, behind the facade?