Page 158 of The Ashborn

She stared at Danek. Sweet Danek, who would never hurt a leechbug in River Storm. The man who spent this whole time fighting to convince her not to be this way. She should have listened. Seeing him dead… She’d never forgive herself. Grief held her hostage, tears flowing down her freckled cheeks.

When Kienna flung her into the wall of the ruins, she let the pain in her back distract her from the pain in her heart. Baila stood and watched Kienna, feeling emotions she never thought possible toward her. A choked sob ripped from Kienna’s throat, raw and unrestrained. Baila did that, and the guilt controlled her now.

Connak and Broan were frozen across from Baila as Kienna’s wolf howled near Danek’s side. It nipped at his hands.

Stupid wolf. Baila wiped her cheek. He’s not coming back.

—Connak—

The ground shook around them. Connak unfolded his hands and watched the rubble bounce against the stone. He searched for the source, wondering if maybe Broan was having an emotional reaction. When he looked at the Viking, Broan stared off into the distance. Anywhere but Danek. His jaw was clenched, but he didn’t seem to be the one controlling the earth. Which only left Kienna.

Danek’s body glowed with dark hues of blue, the shimmering of magic swirling around them until the colors remained only in Kienna. Wind danced around her as she cried, magic coursing through every vein. She barely noticed the transfer, but Connak did. Did the Eternal Mother do that? Or was that also Kienna? Connak didn’t have much more time to ponder.

Kienna glowed red.

There was no stopping what was coming. Connak pushed Broan backward, reaching for Ruva in the process. He couldn’t get to her in Kienna’s head. She wouldn’t let them in. “We have to go,” Connak said.

The air grew heavy. The ground trembled. Magic surged violently through Kienna, searing the air with undeniable heat. Her cries shattered the world around them, sending shockwaves outward. Stone walls crumbled. Trees splintered. The earth quaked beneath her as if the world was mourning, too.

“She’s going to destroy everything,” Broan said, voice cracked.

“She’ll destroy us if we try to stop her.” Connak’s gaze remained steady on Kienna, watching as the energy poured from her, consuming everything in its wake.

Ruva’s ears flattened, a breathy whine escaping from her.

“Let her grieve here. Better this ghost city than a populated one. She can burn it down. When she’s done, we’ll find her.”

Magic shot into the sky, Kienna screaming in the ruins of a lost world.

Chapter 63

—Connak—

Connak stared into M’Ran as the trees crumbled, crushing the stone architecture that once loomed high. The pride of M’Ran finally fell. With Danek gone, Connak stood as the only survivor left in his clan. He shook his arms, waving off the sorrow. There was no time to grieve what was lost before they arrived.

Turning to Broan and Ruva, Connak’s attention fixated on Baila standing near them. She stuck out among the group like a wound that refused to heal. Connak only scoffed. “Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you right now.”

Baila’s shoulders hunched. She nodded and swallowed hard.

Connak sighed, his energy too low to fight. She helped them in the end, something he tried to give her credit for. “Given the circumstances, I have time to hear you out. Why are you still here?” His voice was smooth, but his words carried an edge. He sat against a tree, twirling the hilt of his sword in his hands.

Broan remained frozen. If looks could kill, he’d have sliced into Baila minutes ago. Connak wondered why Broan hadn’t already turned to rage, though Connak could swear he saw a single tear rolling down Broan’s face.

He waved his hand toward Baila. “Go on.”

Baila shifted, shoulders tensing as she studied the men in front of her. “I didn’t mean to kill anyone. Especially not Danek. He was my friend.”

“Ah.” Connak turned his sharp eyes toward her. “And Kienna didn’t mean to destroy M’Ran, but it’s still destroyed. She’ll wake up in the morning with that on her shoulders. And you killed Danek. Even if it was Vaerin’s magic that made you do it. So, I’ll ask again. Why are you still here?”

Baila exhaled, lips pressing into a thin line. The trees dipped lower in her presence. “There’s nothing left for me now.” Her voice lacked its usual defiance, presenting itself broken and full of regret. “I thought by siding with him, I would have a place. That I could hate Kienna, and that would fuel me.” Tears dropped into the soil, flowers curling around the water. “I was wrong…” She looked up. “The king…he’s… He almost killed me. Danek swiped me with the shadow blade in Dove Port, and King Vaerin nearly let the darkness take me.” Baila looked directly at Connak, her eyes haunted by the memories coursing through her mind. “I would never kill him. I swear. Never Danek.”

Connak faced the sky, the red glow of M’Ran flashing in the clouds. Kienna’s anguish lashed like a whip in his head. Ruva paced the leaves, whimpering. Her snarl never left Baila, but the wolf was clearly as disheveled as Connak.

“I’d like to offer myself as a prisoner,” Baila said through the fog of silence. “Please. I’ll disclose everything I know and accept whatever punishment you see fit. Even…” She gulped. “Death.”

“No one trusts you, bitch,” Broan spat, stepping forward as if he might be the one to provide her swift punishment. Baila flinched but remained in place.

Connak studied her lazily. He didn’t have the energy through Kienna’s grief and his own to examine further. He only nodded. He wasn’t sure if Baila was using Vaerin’s manipulation or if she held true to her feelings. All he knew was that she posed a threat to everything they wanted to accomplish. Keeping her prisoner might not have been the worst idea. He could hand her off to the Elvish soldiers to deal with. He stood. “Broan, take her back. We’ll bind her with magic.”