Page 56 of The Sunbound Princess
“We can’t,” Dain said. “Viraxes knows this, so he waits for us to steal something valuable enough to compensate him for the Pyrikion’s loss.” His gaze strayed to the dead giant. “But it appears he’s grown impatient.”
“He wants us dead,” Nikolas said, “and he’s not content to wait for the curse to finish us off. We’ve tried to stay one step ahead of him, but we’re not always fast enough. And his bounty hunters have drunk from the Pyrikion. This isn’t the first time they’ve tracked us down.”
Helios spoke, almost to himself. “That’s why they haven’t found you.”
I turned to him, frowning. “What do you mean?”
Helios gave me a thoughtful look. “Every time you and I have separated, you’ve been attacked. You created me. You can’t carry your magic across the Covenant, but I can. Maybe I’ve shielded you in some way, interfering with this curse.”
Dain and Nikolas shared a look of surprise. Dain turned to Helios, hope flickering in his blue eyes. “So you’re saying the curse can’t penetrate your magic?”
Helios shrugged. “I’m not saying anything for sure. But it makes sense.”
“Would’ve been nice to know that before,” Nikolas muttered.
I stared at him, a horrible suspicion forming in my mind. Pieces clicked into place.
The easy way Dain had accepted our connection.
Their eagerness to help me find the sunstone.
Their silent exchanges whenever Solbarren was mentioned.
“What did you intend to give this sorcerer?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nikolas looked away, a shadow falling over his face. Dain’s shoulders lifted as he drew an unsteady breath.
Horror crashed over me, quickly followed by a wave of bitterness—and anger. Because I’d been so stupid.
“You want the sunstone,” I said, my voice dull in my ears. “This whole time, you’ve pretended to help me look for it, when really you planned to steal it.”
Nikolas held up his hands. “Listen, Bel?—”
“Don’t call me that!” I shouted, clenching my fists. “I am Ezabell Kasreneth, Crown Princess of the Summer Court, and the sunstone ismine.”
He flinched at my outburst. Then he straightened, his dark eyes sober. “Maybe we wanted to steal it at first, but it’s not like that now. Things changed, Ezabell, I swear?—”
“Your word means nothing to me,” I said, fury vibrating in my chest. “You lied to me. You said you operate on a code, never stealing from the innocent. You used me. Oh gods, I fucked both of you.”
Helios startled, his body wavering.“What?”
Nikolas shot him a dark look. “It doesn’t concern you, sunbeam.”
I grabbed my scarf from the ground. Hands shaking, I looped it over my head and covered my ears. “You won’t find the sunstone without me. Good luck outrunning the next bounty hunter.”
Nikolas started toward me. “Ezabell?—”
“Stop right there,” Helios hissed, darting into his path. His body flared impossibly bright, and Nikolas threw up a hand to shield his eyes. Steps away, Dain did the same.
“I never want to see either one of you again,” I said, my throat burning. I turned and stalked from the clearing, tears threatening to spill. The Dokimasi tugged hard, urging me to turn and walk back to Dain.
I ignored it. The quest was mistaken. Under no circumstances was I supposed to align myself with a thief.
The tears clogged my throat. I swallowed hard and kept walking.
Chapter
Fourteen
