to get him to issue the warrant. And then, when I confronted Niall…” I shook my head. “He started going on about how we were in a war and how you’d chosen the wrong side.”
Blinking, Granddad turned away. I could feel Egan watching us.
“Ren put him in charge of the search for Zeke too,” I continued. “Gave him anything he wanted to find Chloe and Zeke and bring them both back to Nyciena.”
His jaw working around, Granddad didn’t respond for a moment, and his gaze went back to the villagers still eyeing us from some distance off.
“The villagers called in for assistance from Nyciena,” he said quietly. “Ren’s soldiers should already be on the way.”
“Do they know you’re here?” I asked.
“They mentioned I was helping them. And that you were here too.”
My heart started to pound. We had to leave. Like, now .
I glanced to Egan. To the wounds covering him and the way he was barely staying afloat in the water.
He seemed to read my expression. Resistance came into his eyes.
“Alright,” Granddad said before either of us could speak. “Then this is what we’re going to do. I’m going after Niall’s people. I’ll track them down and see if I can catch Zeke first. And you…” He looked to me. “I want you out of this. I have friends in Teariad and, clearly, you do too. So go there – stay there – till this is over.”
I opened my mouth to protest.
“I appreciate you warning me, poppet, but these people are killers. I need you safe too.”
His expression was pointed and at it, I turned away. Somehow, I hadn’t expected to just be sent home. I’d wanted to warn my grandfather, yes, and I wanted to be safe, but this…
I couldn’t do this. Safety or not, I just couldn’t. Zeke was still out there. And no matter what else was happening, even if Niall was a Sylphaen and even if Ren didn’t believe me, Zeke was my brother. He was in danger too. I couldn’t just go to Teariad knowing that he could die. That someone might hurt Granddad.
That I could have already lived – be living – the last times I’d ever see them again.
“No,” I said. “I’m coming with you.”
“Ina,” Egan started.
“I’m going with him,” I insisted.
“Fine, then I’m going too.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. He could barely swim.
“You’re in no shape for this,” Granddad told him flatly.
Egan didn’t respond. He didn’t even take his eyes off of me. “I’m not leaving you.”
I shook my head. “Egan, you can’t–”
“Both of you, that’s enough,” Granddad said. “Ina, go back with him. Stay in Teariad. I need you to let me know if Zeke returns, so–”
“Granddad, no.” My heart was racing. We had to leave. The soldiers could be here at any moment. “I’m going. Whether or not you agree, I’ll still follow you, so just… just let me.”
He scowled, looking away.
“Ina…” Egan started.
“Egan, please. You’re hurt. Go back like Granddad said. Tell the soldiers you were trying to stop me from leaving.” I shook my head. “I can’t lose you.”
His brow furrowed. “I can’t lose you either. Ina, he’s right. This is dangerous. I want to help you.”
It hurt too much to hold his gaze and, with a pained expression, I looked away.
My gaze fell on my bag.
“You are,” I said. I reached into it and pulled out the knife belt.
He paused. “You brought it.”
“I’ll be safe,” I said as I looped the belt around my waist. “Granddad will protect me.”
Egan looked like he still wanted to protest.
I reached up, resting a hand on his face. “I’ll be safe,” I repeated softly. “And we’ll go visit that canyon soon.”
He put his hand to mine, and his eyes didn’t leave me. “I’ll hold you to that.”
I nodded. It was all I could do. Words were escaping me.
Granddad moved off in the water. My breath catching, I pulled my hand away, hating the loss of the warmth of Egan’s skin.
I started after my grandfather.
“Ina!”
I
Blinking, Granddad turned away. I could feel Egan watching us.
“Ren put him in charge of the search for Zeke too,” I continued. “Gave him anything he wanted to find Chloe and Zeke and bring them both back to Nyciena.”
His jaw working around, Granddad didn’t respond for a moment, and his gaze went back to the villagers still eyeing us from some distance off.
“The villagers called in for assistance from Nyciena,” he said quietly. “Ren’s soldiers should already be on the way.”
“Do they know you’re here?” I asked.
“They mentioned I was helping them. And that you were here too.”
My heart started to pound. We had to leave. Like, now .
I glanced to Egan. To the wounds covering him and the way he was barely staying afloat in the water.
He seemed to read my expression. Resistance came into his eyes.
“Alright,” Granddad said before either of us could speak. “Then this is what we’re going to do. I’m going after Niall’s people. I’ll track them down and see if I can catch Zeke first. And you…” He looked to me. “I want you out of this. I have friends in Teariad and, clearly, you do too. So go there – stay there – till this is over.”
I opened my mouth to protest.
“I appreciate you warning me, poppet, but these people are killers. I need you safe too.”
His expression was pointed and at it, I turned away. Somehow, I hadn’t expected to just be sent home. I’d wanted to warn my grandfather, yes, and I wanted to be safe, but this…
I couldn’t do this. Safety or not, I just couldn’t. Zeke was still out there. And no matter what else was happening, even if Niall was a Sylphaen and even if Ren didn’t believe me, Zeke was my brother. He was in danger too. I couldn’t just go to Teariad knowing that he could die. That someone might hurt Granddad.
That I could have already lived – be living – the last times I’d ever see them again.
“No,” I said. “I’m coming with you.”
“Ina,” Egan started.
“I’m going with him,” I insisted.
“Fine, then I’m going too.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. He could barely swim.
“You’re in no shape for this,” Granddad told him flatly.
Egan didn’t respond. He didn’t even take his eyes off of me. “I’m not leaving you.”
I shook my head. “Egan, you can’t–”
“Both of you, that’s enough,” Granddad said. “Ina, go back with him. Stay in Teariad. I need you to let me know if Zeke returns, so–”
“Granddad, no.” My heart was racing. We had to leave. The soldiers could be here at any moment. “I’m going. Whether or not you agree, I’ll still follow you, so just… just let me.”
He scowled, looking away.
“Ina…” Egan started.
“Egan, please. You’re hurt. Go back like Granddad said. Tell the soldiers you were trying to stop me from leaving.” I shook my head. “I can’t lose you.”
His brow furrowed. “I can’t lose you either. Ina, he’s right. This is dangerous. I want to help you.”
It hurt too much to hold his gaze and, with a pained expression, I looked away.
My gaze fell on my bag.
“You are,” I said. I reached into it and pulled out the knife belt.
He paused. “You brought it.”
“I’ll be safe,” I said as I looped the belt around my waist. “Granddad will protect me.”
Egan looked like he still wanted to protest.
I reached up, resting a hand on his face. “I’ll be safe,” I repeated softly. “And we’ll go visit that canyon soon.”
He put his hand to mine, and his eyes didn’t leave me. “I’ll hold you to that.”
I nodded. It was all I could do. Words were escaping me.
Granddad moved off in the water. My breath catching, I pulled my hand away, hating the loss of the warmth of Egan’s skin.
I started after my grandfather.
“Ina!”
I
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