Promising Light (24 page)

“But we wouldn’t be able to have a
family.” Evan’s gaze hovered over her stomach. He looked up at her
face. “We’d be living in fear. I can’t live like that. I have to
try.”

When they were teenagers, he and
Dar would get into duels, Evan would fight so fiercely, and if he
thought Dar let him win because he was getting bored or because he
won last time, he would demand a rematch. And he was so persistent
he was with her after she turned him down when she was sixteen,
sending her letters, trying to impress her, doing everything for
her. She held back tears; this was one of the first moments she
really felt as though he was still himself, but why did it have to
be this way?

“I’m sorry,” Evan
whispered.

She looked at him with surprise.
“For what?”

“Everything. I’m sorry for
believing Lisbeth and supporting her. I’m sorry I’ve been gone for
two years. I’m sorry about Seth and everyone else they killed.” He
let go of her hands, then turned and looked at the trees across the
path. “I have to fix it.”

“Evan, nothing can fix it.” Her
voice came out harsh. “Seth is dead, and I’m never having your
children.”

Evan stood up abruptly, and he
turned on Sierra. “I’m leaving soon. You can come with me or you
can stay here with the Protectors.”

He walked off without a backward
glance. She stood and paced around the bench, clenching her hands
into fists. He was so stupid and stubborn. Couldn’t he see there
was no hope for the Avialies? She bent down and picked up a rock,
then threw it into the forest as hard as she could. She kicked at
the bench until her foot was tingling with pain. She sighed,
rubbing her forehead, and went back to the castle.

Over the next day, as Evan regained
his health, it was clear to Sierra what her choice was. They
visited the weapons room, and the servant in the room watched as
they had a friendly duel. Evan kept running out of breath and took
frequent breaks, but he kept at it. He ate more at meals and the
color was returning to his face, but Sierra could still see his
ribs.

They rode around the fields with
Sashe, and Evan was soon panting.

“You shouldn’t push yourself too
hard,” Sierra said softly.

“I’m fine,” Evan said. “I have to
prepare myself.”

Sashe used her connections to bring
in a trusted Thieran healer, though Evan was wary. She came in and
worked on him for a few hours. When she left, Evan was sleeping,
his face lax, the lines in his forehead gone. Sierra watched him
sleep, brushing his hair back from his face. She had to go with
him. She couldn’t bear leaving him to the Protectors, and she knew
if their positions were reversed, he’d go with her.

During breakfast the next morning,
he asked Sierra and Sashe for a walk, and Sierra knew they were
going to the bench.

When they sat down, Evan turned to
Sashe. “I’m leaving to find the ancient texts tomorrow.”

“I’m going with you,” Sierra
said.

Evan’s eyes widened, and he slowly
smiled. She took his hand and squeezed it.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Sashe asked. “You’re not very strong yet, Evan, and the Protectors
have been on their guard since Lady Grace’s kidnapping.”

“I’m sure. Can you help
us?”

Sashe paused, her face falling. “I
don’t know.”

“Sashe,” Evan said, sitting up,
“you must. I know the two of you aren’t Avialies by blood, but you
grew up in an Avialie household. The line is going to die out if we
don’t do something.”

Sashe looked down at her lap. “I’m
pregnant.”

There was a moment of silence.
Sierra remembered the last time she said that, her fear nearly
taking over her excitement. They weren’t sure if Lisbeth’s prophecy
was true; they weren’t sure of the outcome. Now, Sierra wasn’t sure
how to feel. Happiness? Jealousy? Fear? The different emotions
pulled for her attention.

“I know some people don’t look on
my position very highly, but I’m content here in the castle,” Sashe
said. “If the Protectors find out I helped you… I don’t know what
will happen.”

“It’s the king’s son?” Evan
asked.

Sashe nodded. She looked at Sierra,
who gave her a smile.

“Congratulations,” Sierra said,
grabbing her hand. “We understand.”

Sashe squeezed her hand. Sierra
thought her sister deserved to have a child after all she’d been
through.

“I’ll be able to give you horses
and some clothes,” Sashe said. “Anything else might raise suspicion
from the Protectors. I know plenty of people around the city,
though, ones who could get you weapons and other items you might
need.”

Evan nodded. “That’s fine.” He
paused. “Does Lady Grace have blonde hair?”

Sierra tensed. “Evan.”

“Maybe she was the one I saw in my
vision,” he said, his jaw set.

Sashe leaned forward.
“Vision?”

Evan waved his hand. “Just
something I saw.”

“When?”

He paused, fiddling with his hands.
He told Sashe about the things he’d seen—Sierra with the ancient
texts, the curse being broken, the girl with blonde
hair.

Sashe had always been more
understanding and patient than Sierra, and she patted Evan’s hand
when he was done. “I hope you’re right,” she said
softly.

He half-smiled, and Sashe looked at
Sierra over his shoulder. Sierra grimaced, but Sashe shrugged as if
to say there was a possibility it could be true. In order to steer
the conversation from Evan’s newfound ability, Sierra told him what
Grace had said about Lisbeth’s vision.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
he asked.

“I don’t know, I just forgot.” She
hadn’t wanted to think about it. She wanted to forget about
Lisbeth’s lies. “I hope she’s not lying to Grace.”

“Maybe the ancient texts are in a
cave somewhere,” Evan said, smiling. “I think we should ask Lady
Grace to help.”

Sierra winced. “Evan, I don’t think
that’s a good idea.” She paused, choosing her words carefully.
“This is already dangerous enough, Evan. She’s just a
noble.”

“Did she want to help?”

When Sierra didn’t answer, Sashe
did. “It seemed like she did.”

“Maybe she’s the one,” Evan said,
a note of excitement entering his voice. “Maybe you two will break
the curse with the ancient texts.”

Sierra couldn’t handle Evan’s blood
on her hands; what if something happened to Lady Grace, as well?
She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t want to pull her into this based
on some weird dream you had.” She winced as soon as the words were
out of her mouth.

“You don’t believe me.” Evan
scoffed, shaking his head. “I knew it.”

“I don’t know what to believe,”
Sierra said. “You know what happened the last time someone tried to
convince me of a vision. Besides, Grace doesn’t know what the
Protectors can do.”

“We’ll tell her our plans and let
her choose.”

* * *

Chapter
Fourteen

Grace walked along the path outside
of her manor, her gaze on the grass around her. She and Dar used to
walk this path, the moon and the stars stretching out above them
endlessly. Things had been so much simpler then. All she had to
worry about was keeping their relationship a secret.

It was the middle of the way now,
and she was nearly to the gate when she saw a horse and rider
approach from the road to Renaul. The rider was a woman with long
black hair, and her face was furrowed with determination.
Sierra.

“Lady Grace, I was hoping to speak
with you.”

Grace gave her a surprised smile.
“Of course. Would you like to come in?”

Sierra dismounted the horse. “No,
thank you. We should probably speak somewhere else.” She was tense,
and Grace wondered what she was here for.

“Sure. Shall we walk this way?”
She motioned to where she’d just come from. They turned and went
back down the path. “Is Evan feeling better?” Grace
asked.

“Yes, thank you.” Sierra glanced
around, and they didn’t say anything more until they were a fair
distance from the manor. She took Grace’s hand. “The Cosa magic
works as long as we’re touching,” she said, dropping her voice.
“Hiding our conversation.”

“There’s Cosa magic everywhere.”
Grace wondered what the world looked like without all of
it.

“It’s expensive, though. Without
Sashe, we’d have to rely on other methods.” She looked around
again, then met Grace’s eyes. “Did she tell you about how Evan
wants to find the ancient texts?”

Grace nodded. “She mentioned it. I
don’t understand, though, what exactly are they?”

“They’re a bunch of storybooks.
Some people say spell books, too, but it’s been years since anyone
has seen them. Evan’s set on it.” She fidgeted. “We’re leaving
tonight. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but he’s not very
strong, and I can’t leave him to the Protectors.”

“Do you have any idea where they
are?”

“Not really,” Sierra said, her
gaze on the path ahead of them, “but he’s not in the mood to listen
to reason.”

“And he thinks the ancient texts
can break the curse somehow?”

Sierra nodded.

“But why?”

“He had some kind of vision. A lot
of them, apparently.” She paused for a long moment. “He said he saw
a woman with blonde hair in one of them.”

Grace stopped in her tracks. “He
did?”

“And he wanted to offer you a
chance to help,” Sierra said, her voice strangled. “I don’t
recommend it, Lady Grace. The Protectors are already watching the
three of us. Sashe can only help us so much…”

“But… Evan had a vision? I thought
the gift of prophecy came late in life.”

“It does. Although I’ve read a few
stories where Avialies prophesied in high stress situations.”
Sierra rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know what to think, honestly.
Evan deals with facts and he’s never been a sensationalist, but
it’s been two years, and…”

“But is there a chance?” Grace’s
mind spun at the possibility. If they broke the curse, how would
the Protectors respond?

“Look, I have no idea. I’m going
with Evan because he’s my husband, and I’m only here asking you
because he asked me to. It’s not a good idea. It’s dangerous. Evan
has lost his mind. It’s close to impossible that we’ll even find
the old books, much less that they’ll be able to help.” She took a
deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even want to come here, but he
insisted and it seemed like you wanted to help, so…”

Grace swallowed, no idea what to
say in response. She felt a sliver of hope, but it was such a
strange possibility. Really, though, based on Lisbeth’s vision, it
was no stranger than the idea that once she got pregnant and had a
child, all other women would be able to, as well.

She glanced over her shoulder back
at her manor. “I do want to help.” Saying it out loud helped,
seemed to make it more true.

Sierra turned to her, meeting her
eyes. “Are you sure?”

Grace didn’t respond at first. She
thought of Myra’s tears; Vin and Amina’s story; the elders and
their expectant looks; the teenage girl who hugged her and said she
could finally have children; the various images from Lisbeth’s
vision. Images that could be lies. “Well… when are you
leaving?”

“Tomorrow after breakfast,” Sierra
said. “Sashe will be giving us horses, clothes, some food and
water. Then we’ll go into town to buy some weapons before
leaving.”

Weapons. The Protectors were
powerful men. From her conversations with her father, she knew they
were also ruthless. He’d given her a book on the history of the
Protectors. They’d formed when the Avialie spies were exposed forty
years ago and done all they could to squash magic since then,
though they seemed to use magic when it was convenient for them and
their cause.

The book was relentlessly biased,
emphasizing all the evil Avialies, but Grace had found another book
at a store in Renaul yesterday. It was full of legends of shape
changers and other magical families. The two books were nearly
opposites, one celebrating magic and its diversity, the other
shunning it. The fight was violent, and she’d only seen the
faintest signs of it. Did she really want to get in the middle of
it? To save a family she hardly knew? A family that was okay with
kidnapping her and getting her pregnant even though it could mean
her life? Based on a few visions she didn’t understand from people
she didn’t know or trust?

“Grace, you don’t have to do
this,” Sierra said.

“I… I don’t know.” Grace bit the
inside of her cheek, trying to sort out her thoughts. “I need some
time to think it through. If I send you a letter tonight… come. If
I don’t, then leave without me.”

“Don’t write anything
incriminating.”

“I won’t,” Grace said, shaking her
head. “Wait, I have lunch with the prince tomorrow.”