“She does, and her mother’s wits and stubbornness. Vaelor always did say she had the brains between the two.” They both laughed at the memory and an ache formed in my chest.
Nobody had happy memories of my parents—I certainly didn’t. It broke my heart to hear what my father took from Ara, the chance to grow up with parents like that. So kind, so in love.
I had no idea what that looked like. I had never seen it, and now neither would Ara.
I sunk into the chair as I listened to them share their stories. And there were many.
* * *
The antidote was done.
Alden and I huddled around Ara as Iaso slid a hand behind her head to lift it, placing the small vial to her lips. She tilted it back, pouring its contents into her mouth before laying her head back down.
“Now what?”
“Now we wait. We have to give it time to work and I’m not sure how long that might take,” she said, carrying the vial back to her workbench. Alden and I anxiously waited on our feet, hovering above her before we resigned, sitting back down. Alden wrung his hands in his lap as he always did.
“Doran and Delphia should be through the mountains by now,” I said and he glanced up, grateful for the distraction.
“Yes, they should—”
Ara inhaled sharply, sitting up and coughing, before grunting and grabbing her side. We both jumped up, rushing to her side. She looked at us in confusion, her gaze lingering on me for a moment.
“What…” Her face crumpled. “Thana.”
Every emotion played out on her face: sadness, betrayal, hurt. Watching it reignited my rage at Thana, and I could barely control the smoke threatening to roll off in waves.
I will kill her.
“I need to talk to her,” she swung her legs over the bed, attempting to stand, and staggered, gasping as her hand flew to her side. Alden caught her by the elbow, steadying her.
“You have not healed at all, Ara. You lost a lot of blood and the poison weakened you, preventing you from healing. I don’t think walking, much less going to the dungeon, is a good idea,” Iaso said, gently urging her back to the bed.
Ara’s face whipped to mine.
“The dungeon? You’re holding Thana in the dungeon?”
“She tried to kill you, Ara,” I said and immediately regretted it as her eyes dropped to the floor.
“She was my friend,” she whispered.
Dead. Thana is as good as dead.
“I’ll take her,” I voiced, stepping closer and wrapping my arm around her. Iaso shot me a disapproving look but released her. Ara glanced up at me, surprised.
“Thank you.” A tear escaped the corner of her eye and I wiped it away with my thumb.
I led her slowly to the dungeon, supporting most of her weight, wishing there was more I could say. I should apologize for not being here. I should tell her why I wasn’t. There were so many words I needed to say, but none would come—save the ones she needed to hear before we entered.
“Ara…” I said as we neared the steel doors. She glanced up at me with her innocent gray eyes and I swallowed hard, hating Thana, Evander, the world, for making me hurt her like I knew this would. “Thana did what she did because she was forced to… by Evander.”
She went still in my grasp.
“No, he wouldn’t do that. Why would he?” she said, shaking her head like denying it would make it any less true. She started to pull from my grasp and I gripped her tighter.
“That’s the only thing Thana told me, and I don’t think she was lying.”
She averted her gaze as she bit her lip. I gripped her chin lightly, turning her back to me. Her eyes were red and brimmed with tears.