A dry laugh escaped me. “You would’ve destroyed her.”
“Exactly my goal,” she snapped.
I reached for her hand. “I was stupid,” I admitted.
“No,” she said, but I kept going.
“I was. I let my guard down because I thought…”
I looked away.
“Because I was too proud to show weakness. I wanted to show everyone I belong in Dragontail. All of them, Marla Yung, Lorik Draventh, Rory Ray.”
Neither of them said anything.
“She was determined to kill me,” I whispered. “And part of me doesn’t blame her.” Shakari made a noise as if to protest, but I shook my head.
“The queen, my mother, killed Lorik’s mother and his sister. Not with her bare hands, but she was the executor. Rory Rey loves him to do this for him. I would’ve wanted revenge too.”
Silence settled over the room.
Only the moonlight moved.
“You are not like those before you, Thea.” Shakari said after a long pause, “You are compassionate and caring.”
The door opened.
Thalen.
His face showed worry. I knew him well enough.
My two friends left without saying a word, without letting me protest. I was still mad at him. “Heard you didn’t tap,” he said as he walked to sit by my side.
“I don’t want a lecture, Thalen.”
“But you need one. You are pushing your limits, and you are going to get killed. I also heard about Marla Yung,” he said.
My mouth opened, then closed. Nothing I could say right now would help me, so I turned to the window, letting the glow of the full moon fill the silence. I was not going to hint that I was even remotely hurt by his betrayal that broke us up last year.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you need to train, Thea. You need to learn to fight like a Dragontail. Channel your emotions into combat. The Siren may have chosen you, but you still have to prove yourself in the Dragontail Trials. Power isn’t enough. I saw them last year, they’re brutal. Real body fights and magical tests that will tear you apart if you’re not ready.” Thalen gestured to the training grounds below. “And with your mom forcing you to do Emberkeep classes, this is only going to get harder.”
I turned my gaze back at him.
“I said I didn’t need a lecture.”
I paused, my words hanging in the air. His face was unreadable, stone and shadow but I could feel it, like a current running between us. He was trying. He still cared. That truth settled heavily in my chest, almost unwelcome.
“But you’re right,” I admitted quietly, the words tasting strange. “What do you suggest?”
Thalen’s gaze flickered past me. “I know you’re still there, Shakari. I can hear you whispering.” His voice rose, sharp. “Come in.”
The door swung open, and Shakari, Soehl, Rowan, and Tran spilled into the room.
“We will train you in combat. For real,” Shakari announced, her eyes alight like this was the moment she’d been waiting her whole life for.
“They’re still first-years,” Thalen said, “but I don’t trust anyone else in Dragontail. And you…” his gaze cut back to me “You cannot be wandering alone at night anymore. No more library walks. I promised your mother I’d keep you safe.”
My eyes snapped to Soehl and Shakari. They both flinched, the way people do when they know they’ve been caught. My gaze sharpened, silent and cutting. I gave a single nod, but the truth was, I had no intention of keeping that promise.