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Affree watches Carleah with a mixture of irritation and newfound respect. She has no idea that I very nearly just cut her heart out and delivered it to Carleah on a silver fucking platter. Not because I fault her for what she did but because of the pain it has clearly caused the woman I love.
Lying about my survival, and ensuring Carleah wouldn’t be alone should I succumb to the poison, is a move I can respect. After all, I knew I likely wouldn’t survive long enough to get to the dwarves, and I appreciated the fact that Lacrae was with us for the very same reason they sent him.
“Carleah,” I say.
She turns toward me. “If you are about to take her side, I warn you not to.” Anger burns in her bright gaze.
“We need to move past this. There are bigger problems we face.”
“How can we move past it when I can’t trust her?” She demands.
“You healed quickly, did you not? That’s the salve I gave you. Everything I have ever done is to ensure your survival in this realm. Including sending my brother as your protector should Fort not survive. I knew that, if by some miracle he did, you’d have two swords at your back. Two shields to render your protection. You stand here because of me, Your Highness, and even if you don’t approve of my actions, never confuse my motives.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t have to,” she replies. “Because he does.”
Both women turn to me, but my glare is on Affree. “I trust no one but Carleah.”
Affree grins. “You trust me too, Warrior, even if you don’t realize it.” She turns to Carleah. “Now. You must speak with—”
“I won’t do another thing you tell me to do until you have rescued the people you abandoned."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard everything I said. Whatever army you have left? You will let us guide you back out into Dead Man’s Land where you will offer sanctuary to each and every one of them.”
“It’s too dangerous, and we don’t have time. You need to convince the dwarves to fight on your side then take them to Soreno.”
“We’ll make time,” I tell her. “It’s less than a half-day walk from the entrance to the dwarven caves and their village. At first light tomorrow, we will be rescuing them, or the moment this war is over, I will make it my own personal mission to destroy you.”
Affree narrows her gaze. “Is that a threat?”
“Yes,” she snaps back.
The air is charged between the two women, a brewing storm ready to decimate all in its path. While Carleah is right, and they do deserve saving, I know that her request is also about her examination of Affree and whether or not the elf can be trusted going forward. If she agrees, and they bring Salma and her people into the security of the caves, then Carleah will likely be able to see that there is good in Affree.
If she refuses, then it will become painfully apparent that the elves’ selfishness outweighs her honor.
“Very well,” she agrees. “I will make sure they are ready to leave tomorrow. But I want you to understand that I believe this to be an unnecessary risk.”
“I promised them.”
“Promises are only made by fools.” Affree leaves us standing in the alcove, and Carleah turns to me.
“I cannot believe she did that.”
“Lacrae?”
“Yes.”
“What good would it have done to know that I might not survive?”
She takes a deep breath. “I don’t know, but it would have been better than a lie.”
“Would it?” I ask. “Because I can tell you now that I would rather die, knowing you had hope, than pass into whatever awaits me in the next life, knowing you feared every breath would be my last.”
“I still feared that. And she sent Lacrae to take your place.”
