River’s lips tugged into a frown. “I don’t?”
Her big brother seemed to enjoy having fun. Sometimes she heard him laughing with his friends, although that happened less often now that Daddy was sick.
“No, you don’t.” The headmistress placed a heavy hand on River’s shoulder. “Now, come. It’s time for your arithmetic lesson.”
That had been the last time River ever brought up tag, but she never stopped watching the children at Blue Stream. They were free in a way that she would never get to experience, and it was all because her mother was a Representative.
And now, the rebels were back. Targeting the Representatives and their families.
Again.
River shivered, her mind bringing her back to that awful night nearly two years ago when the Black Night had abducted Ryker and the other men who had participated in the Choosing. They would’ve died if not for Brynleigh, River’s sister-in-law.
As it was, they hadn’t escaped unscathed. The Chancellor’s own son-in-law had been brutally murdered, leaving his new wife a widow. River couldn’t even remember the last time she’d heard anyone speak of Valentina Rose. Lost in grief, the fire fae had vanished from society after losing her husband.
“The rebels are in Lakewater?” River whispered, her mouth finally remembering how to form words.
Logically, she understood that that had to be the case since Nikhail worked in the city, but she needed to hear him say it. Needed him to confirm it.
His fingers tightened around hers. “Yes,” he said, his voice low.
The temperature in the room dropped even further, as if they were in the middle of a blizzard.
“We’ve been tracking the rebels’ movements through the Republic ever since the attack on the Reunion.” Nikhail’s gaze never left hers. Never wavered. Did he know that she was close to losing herself, that his touch was the only reason she was still holding on? “They remained quiet for a time, but it seems they’ve decided to reappear.”
River’s mouth dried. Her tongue was heavy and scratchy, sticking to the roof of her mouth.
Had her magic been calm before? Now it had a heartbeat of its own, throbbing in her veins.
Drip.
Tiny droplets of water formed on the fingertips of her free hand.
Drip.
The rebels were back, here to terrorize the Representatives and their families.
Drip.
Nikhail’s thumb swept across the back of her hand. Never stopping. Never slowing.
Drip.
“And they’re the ones who shot you.” Not a question.
Drip, drip, drip.
A small puddle formed on the floor beneath her feet.
Nikhail squeezed her fingers. Steady. Grounding when it felt like her world was being destroyed. “Yes. I was following a lead, but they took me by surprise. No one was supposed to be there.”
“But they were.” Obviously.
“Yeah. The job was supposed to be quick. In and out. An information-gathering mission.” A grim chuckle slipped from Nikhail’s lips. How could he laugh at a time like this? How could he find humor in this situation? “Clearly, our intel lacked a few key pieces of information.”
Drip, drip, drip, drip.
“Clearly,” she choked out, her vision spinning.