The Archer & the Flame (Whispers of the Night Ravens #1)

Chapter 22

Silas’ face distorted into something animalistic. I braced myself for a blast of heat, but when he summoned his flames, they spluttered out weakly, wisps of smoke coiling upward. I shivered. After the demands of the past few days, his magic was drained, and with it, the last of my hope.

The blade against my neck was cold, melting where it met the warmth of my skin. Ice? It didn’t make it any less effective, a stinging sensation where it pierced me. Unless I wanted my throat spilled open, I would have to keep completely still, biting my tongue to curb the temptation of speaking my mind.

No hand wielded the blade. Instead, the intruder used his to pin my arms against my side, the deathly-sharp icicle suspended in the air as it threatened me.

The control needed to use a Water Blessing with such pinpoint precision was unheard of, an expert’s touch.

Could I melt the weapon? I pressed my skin against it as much as I dared, clenching my jaw as I endured the cold bite of the ice. A single droplet trickled down my neck in response. Not much, but a start.

“I have to commend you. I was convinced we’d find your body in the Valari Woodlands, picked apart by wild animals. Consider me impressed,” the voice said. He sounded regal, every word properly enunciated.

“Mirthal. So, the council sent their attack dog?” Silas said, sneering, but his shoulders were stiff, his hand shaking slightly. “Sorry about your guards. They suppressed my Blessing and paid the price.”

Mirthal didn’t rise to the bait. “It’s time for this absurdity to end. Come back to the Isle of Mist where you belong.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Silas said through clenched teeth.

“So brave to say that with my blade lodged against her throat. It would be easy to kill her, so satisfying to watch it tear you apart while you can only stand by helplessly. But she’s your weakness, isn’t she? With her in my possession, I bet you’d be an obedient puppet.” He realised that his weapon had lost its edge, reforming the ice to a sharp point with a wave of his fingers, scuppering my escape plan.

“Let her go.”

“Really now, Silas? This is what you’ve been reduced to? A pity. I thought you were better than this,” Mirthal said.

“If you lay a finger on her, I will burn you alive. Your blood will boil, the skin will melt from your bones, and the last thing you’ll do is beg me for the relief of death.”

Mirthal chuckled, the movement making the shard of ice graze me, pain licking at my skin. “Glad to see you finally grew a backbone. Who knew you had it in you?”

Silas’ eyes found mine, and I was struck by the certainty reflected in them. “I found what I needed all along. Someone who would fight for me.”

He deserved so much more than that. He deserved someone who would burn the world for him.

“See, this was always your problem. Ever since you were a boy, you’ve had a soft heart, and it made you weak. You don’t have the guts to do what’s necessary for Eirel to prosper. It’s a pity we had to take matters into our own hands, but we can’t risk our reputation.”

“So you locked me away, using me as you needed. But that wasn’t enough for you, was it? I discovered your plot. Tell me, were you at least going to wait for the ink to dry on the wedding records before assassinating me?”

I stiffened in a way that had nothing to do with the icicle. Silas had told me his life was in danger, that it had been his reason for running away, but I hadn’t realised the extent of it.

“It’s regrettable. Death is messy and Eirel’s experienced far too much of it. It was Faralt’s plan, but he had our unanimous support. You would’ve made Eirel soft, an easy target for our enemies. We couldn’t stand by and let that happen.”

“Then I ruined everything by running away. How inconvenient of me.” Silas was unrepentant, a dark expression crossing his face.

Mirthal’s grip on me tightened. “I admit, the nobility grows weary of our excuses for your absence. Valeria, in particular, has been a colossal pain, questioning your whereabouts at every opportunity.”

My mouth twitched at that. The more I heard about Valeria, the more I liked her.

“She’d never allow you to control her. That’s what you’re worried about, isn’t it? I’m the key to your plans. With me, you can rule in my name, passing down the title to a noble family of your choosing. But if Valeria succeeds me, she’d fight you at every turn. You’d lose everything you’ve worked for.”

“Which is exactly why that won’t be happening. Now will you come quietly or are you going to make a scene? Because it would bring me great pleasure to slit your little girlfriend’s throat.”

“If I return to Eirel, it will be on my own terms,” Silas said.

“Don’t be foolish. Come with me and I’ll let your friend go. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to force your hand, and you know I deliver on my threats.”

Silas wavered, the grasslands around us subdued as the words sunk in. “And what will happen if I do? I’ll return, the wedding goes ahead, and you kill me off as planned? Hardly a compelling offer.”

“Negotiations only work when you have leverage. And right now, I’m the one who holds it all,” Mirthal said flatly.

“That’s where you’re mistaken.” The confidence Silas exuded stoked the dying embers of my hope. “Without me, your plan falls apart. I’d consider that to be significant leverage.”

For the nobility, perception was power, a balanced scale that could shift at the lightest touch. And right now, Mirthal was using me to weigh Silas down.

I assessed our surroundings, searching for anything that would be advantageous. My eyes fell on my bow, buried in the tall grass, out of reach.

It was now or never.

“Pull the string taut,” I rasped, the ice biting into the soft skin of my neck. I winced at the pain, but the precious words had been worth it.

Silas’ gaze flitted to the bow, as I hoped it would, two arrows in the quiver resting beside it.

Two arrows were more than enough with the right aim.

Mirthal continued, unaware of our silent exchange. “If that’s what you truly believe, come back and negotiate. Besides, I’m sure the rest of the council will be fascinated by the tale of your escape. You would have succeeded if not for your trick with the volcano. We will find many uses for your newly developed powers.”

Silas nodded, but the gesture was for me, not Mirthal.

At the signal, I stomped on Mirthal’s foot, hard. He was too experienced to do more than slightly loosen his grip, but that didn’t matter. I’d known it hadn’t been enough to escape his hold, but that wasn’t my intent.

My bid for freedom had drawn his attention for a split-second, just long enough for Silas to dive for the bow.

Two arrows sailed through the air in quick succession, finding their mark. As the first pierced Mirthal’s left hand, I shifted. The ice blade vanished as his concentration waned, allowing me to free myself in the commotion. The second cut through his right hand, fully neutralising the threat of his Blessing.

Mirthal snarled as arrows protruded from his hands, blood dripping onto the ground as he tried in vain to remove them.

“Forgot to mention, I’ve had some additional training while I’ve been out here. Very useful when one’s Blessing is taking a short rest,” Silas said.

“It was a beautiful shot,” I said to him, rushing to his side.

“Thank you. I had a great teacher.”

“You’re making a terrible mistake,” Mirthal growled.

“No. I don’t think I am.”

“What are we going to do with him?” I whispered to Silas. “We can’t leave him here.”

He was a loose end, a threat to Silas’ very existence. I wanted nothing more than to kill him with my bare hands. But it wasn’t up to me. It was his choice and I couldn’t make it for him.

I knew little of the political intricacies of Eirel. If I followed my instincts, made one misstep, I could cause him further suffering. So instead, I held my tongue, awaiting Silas’ decision.

He drew himself up to his full height, and it was the Lord of Eirel who spoke. “We’re in need of a messenger. Make a bargain with us, and we’ll spare your life.”

I turned to him in surprise.

“And just why would I agree to that?” Mirthal said, looking as confused as I was.

Silas gestured to the grasslands, their vast emptiness unnerving even now. “We could leave you here. How long would it take for your hands to heal enough to regain your Blessing. Hours? Days? You’d never catch up to us, and we’d be the least of your concerns.”

“What are you proposing?”

“I’ll remove the arrows, on the strict agreement you won’t follow us. Instead, you will travel directly to Eirel, taking the slowest route. There, of course, you will inform the High Council of what transpired here, that Silas Stormbook is a force to be reckoned with and won’t return without a fight.”

“And if I refuse?”

Silas’ eyes narrowed. “You’re wrong about me. My soft heart doesn’t make me weak, it makes me dangerous, because now I have something to lose. You’ve yet to discover the lengths I’d go to when protecting it.”

Mirthal glared daggers at Silas, my partner smirking at him in response.

After a heavy moment, he nodded. “Very well. I accept your terms. This isn’t over though. We will come for you.”

“I’m counting on it,” Silas said.

Threads of light wound around their arms, binding them to the bargain.

Silas removed the arrows, though he did it excruciatingly slowly, relishing Mirthal’s agony.

“You’ll live to regret this,” Mirthal said as he retreated, blood dripping from his open wounds. "Enjoy your freedom while it lasts."

Silas’ hand clenched into a fist as he watched him leave.

“Was that wise? Won’t they come after you?” I asked Silas, once Mirthal had disappeared into the distance.

“The council needs me for their plans. They’d hunt me regardless of whether Mirthal returned. But this way, they know I’m a threat. They won’t risk coming after me until they’re confident of success, and by then, we’ll be long gone.”

“What if there’s more of them already out there?”

He shook his head. “There won’t be. The High Council is conservative, only taking action when it can’t be overtly traced back to them. Mirthal commands Eirel’s forces. Sending him here was a huge risk. They’ll be monitoring the result.”

“In that case, we should get out of here,” I said.

“The inn isn’t far.” He looked at me properly, noticing the condition I was in for the first time. “No offense, but you look like you haven’t slept for a week and I’m not faring much better.”

With the adrenaline of finding him wearing off, the aches in my body were no longer something I could ignore. I could sleep for days.

It had all been worth it, with Silas by my side, but I couldn’t shake the uncertainty of what the future held for us.

I had my mission to complete, bringing the evidence to the Old Keep and facing the consequences of my actions. Silas had the Eirelean High Council to deal with, not to mention his responsibilities as lord. Then there were the remaining terms of our bargain, unbreakable without angering the gods. He had fulfilled his end, helping me with my task, but I was still bound to him for as long as he needed me.

Everything was a mess.

There was also the question of us, together. There was no denying the depths of our feelings, the lengths we’d go to to keep each other safe, but there were practicalities to consider. A scout working for a secret organisation and the Lord of Eirel, one of the most powerful territories in Idrix.

Could we really make it work?