Page 111 of By the Flames of Her Fury

I dragged a hand over my head. “I just worry about you, Vera. I always will. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, or how far apart we are.”

“I know,” she murmured. “And I’m sorry I snapped at you.” She looked down at her hands. “I think there’s truth in what we both said. I do want this place to be good for me.” Her throat bobbed. “Maybe too much. But I can’t turn my back on these people. On my people.”

I blinked. “What do you⁠—”

“Arcadia thinks I’m descended from Pyraeth. That I’m a demithe.”

I took a beat to respond. “But I thought nobody could enter or leave this kingdom. How can they have descendants somewhere else?”

“Pyraethis can leave once a century to go search for the Lightbringer, remember?” She paced the floor in front of me. “He said it’s possible one of my ancestors from centuries ago left the kingdom and never came back. They could’ve made their way to the Veridian Empire to start a new life, a new lineage. And…well, here I am.”

I thought through everything we’d learned the last few days, and how her magic had always been an enigma to everyone in Veridia. Her power had seemed to respond to the other demithes from the moment we arrived. And her blood had been what opened the portal, after all.

I hummed. “I’m surprised we didn’t see it before now.”

Her head cocked. “You believe them?”

“I believe you,” I said. “And the evidence supports it. There aren’t many other logical solutions, when you think about it. I guess I didn’t want to admit your connection to this place.”

“Why not?”

“Because in a way, I was…” I scratched the scruff on my chin. “I was jealous.”

“Jealous?”

“You left Veridia for this new life with your captain,” I said, cheek twitching, “and now you’ve found people who can relate to you. That’s something we both know I could never offer you, even if I tried.”

She swallowed, lips parting as if she was going to say something, then thought better of it. Her fingers played with the bottom of her shirt, a sign of her nerves. We were at peace for the night, at least, but with it came the uncertainty of the past few days. I still didn’t know where this left us, or if anything would ever change. She left Veridia for a reason, and I wasn’t quite ready to dive into that heartbreak again.

So instead, I offered a smile. “Look at us, going an entire conversation without arguing.”

“That’s my cue to leave before I say something stupid,” she said with a chuckle as she made her way to the door. I followed to open it for her, but she paused. “Oh, the Elders and I are going back out tomorrow to try a few more places. Starke said he would watch over Odessa this time.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Do you…do you want to come with me?”

My lips quirked. Fates, she was adorable. It was as if she was asking me to go on a date, not fight mythical monsters. “I do, but I was also thinking about going to the Hall of Archives to look into the glyphs that were on the mausoleum walls. Maybe there’s something in there about the third amulet.”

“Well, maybe…” She gave a little half-shrug, her eyes straying back to me. “Maybe we can do both.”

The corner of my lip lifted. “Together?”

“Two heads are better than one, right?”

I leaned against the doorframe, unable to stop myself from getting closer to her. “That’s very logical of you.”

“I’m a very logical person,” she breathed out, gaze fluttering to my lips and up again.

Heated silence hung in the air between us, so tight it made my chest ache. My fingers tensed with the desire to slip them through her hair, to hold her like I once had. She made it clear she still cared for me, but something was getting in the way. Something in that beautiful, stubborn head of hers that convinced her this wasn’t right.

Nothing had ever been more right. I just needed her to see it.

“See you in the morning, then?” she finally asked, hand resting on the door knob. I nodded, and she pulled the door open, making me take a step back.

Before she made it all the way out, she turned back with a pinched forehead. “Everett, promise me you’ll be careful tomorrow.”

“I’m always⁠—”

“No, I mean it.” Her golden eyes pierced mine. “You got hurt today, and I didn’t even know it until now. I don’t want to put any of you in danger, but especially…” She trailed off and took a breath. “If it ever came down to protecting you or saving everyone else, it wouldn’t even be a choice.”

I clenched my hand at my side, resisting the urge to step after her. Instead, I merely nodded my agreement.