Chapter 17

17

Jai was in that soft, gray place between sleep and consciousness. Arya tried to reach for him, but he was always just out of reach. He spoke, but she couldn’t hear his words. She tried to talk to him, but her words were garbled and indecipherable. The more she tried to get to him, the farther he moved away.

He was slipping away from her. Though he had never been hers.

Nor would he ever be.

Years of training kicked in when Arya realized she wasn’t alone in the room. Dain had been relentless—and ruthless—in teaching her to detect others’ shadows so they couldn’t sneak up on her. Arya had learned a great deal, even if she had never been able to perceive Dain .

Someone was shrouded in shadows and in the room with her. Anger swirled and churned through the air. She almost assumed it was Jai since he’d left in such a rage. Except his fury was tightly leashed, as if he didn’t trust himself to release it and give in to the void that awaited.

Whoever was with her now didn’t have that restraint. The ire was stifling, the resentment considerable.

The hatred weighty.

And that could only equal one elf.

Priya .

Arya didn’t open her eyes. She kept her breathing deep and even to give the illusion of sleep. Priya had come for a reason, and it was much more than her just standing guard. Jai must have shared details of their conversation with her. The moment he said he hadn’t gotten her note, Arya immediately thought Priya was somehow involved. No matter how often Jai said no one else knew about them, she didn’t believe it. Especially now.

During the long hours after Jai left, Arya had withdrawn into her thoughts, going over minute details. Reva had managed to drag the entire tale from her and wholeheartedly agreed that Priya was responsible.

There was only one reason for Priya to take the note. But Arya couldn’t figure out why Priya and Jai hadn’t gotten away before the authorities arrived.

She was missing something. Long after Reva had fallen asleep, Arya endeavored to piece together what it could be, assuming she had all the facts—which she didn’t. So , the puzzle eluded her.

Arya’s wrath simmered just beneath the surface. Priya had tormented her from the moment she’d awoken on the ship. Jai had kept her awake to cause the greatest distress and suffering as payback. Priya’s presence was meant to cause misery. But Arya had been taught by one of the best.

Training with Dain had been exhausting and grueling, but she could keep her emotions hidden because he was such a hard taskmaster. Because the truth was, she was terrified. She regretted not being honest with her parents. She also regretted not taking more steps after Dain’s warning.

Everything she knew and loved was gone. Her mind raced with the possibilities of what might happen to her when they turned her over to whoever Jai was taking her to. Whether they had ties to Shaldorn or were responsible for it, her involvement in disrupting and dismantling the stronghold had made waves.

Maybe she should’ve alerted the wraiths like Reva had wanted her to. How long would her parents search before they gave up? Were Dain , Yasmin , and Ravi safe? Or were they on some other ship bound for the same destination?

Arya grew tired of pretending. It was time to face her nemesis. She opened her eyes and rolled her neck to stretch out the kinks. Then she got to her feet and looked out the porthole. Her nausea was beginning to return, and that spelled trouble. But for now, she could manage it. Just as long as she didn’t think too hard about the swaying.

“ Enough . Show yourself,” Arya demanded without turning around.

When Priya didn’t respond, Arya turned and looked in the corner near the door, her eyebrow arched.

The shadows fell away, revealing Priya . The Dark Elf’s gaze held a wealth of contempt and arrogance. “ I could’ve killed you a hundred times over.”

“ But then you wouldn’t get your freedom.”

Priya’s haughty grin was unexpected. “ You walked into our world, pretending to be someone you weren’t. You misled, deceived, and betrayed us. Who are you to think you have the right to come into our home and destroy it?”

Arya leaned a shoulder against the cell’s outer wall and crossed her arms over her chest. “ I was there because laws had been broken, and the government wanted the gang dissolved. Though I find it amusing that you believed yourself one of the Milni gang. Jai was in, but they were undecided about you.”

“ You lie.”

“ Actually , I’m not. They were about to kick you out. Something about your loyalties.” It was a lie, but two could play this game.

Priya’s eyes narrowed. “ I’m the one who brought Jai into that group. I was the one who counseled them against you. I never trusted you. Never . And I was right.”

“ You didn’t trust me because feelings developed between Jai and me.”

“ You’re a deceiver.”

“ It’s my job,” Arya stated. “ It’s not my fault you chose the wrong profession.”

Priya’s face tightened, fury blazing in her eyes. “ This coming from someone who has never known hunger. Living in the Sterlig District must have been something. All those nice clothes, jewelry, and others there to give you whatever you might want.”

Arya shouldn’t have been shocked that Priya had discerned information about her home, but she was. She hadn’t shared that with Jai . He would’ve thrown it back at her just as Priya was now. And if Jai didn’t know where she grew up, what else didn’t he know?

More worrisome was what else didn’t she know?

“ We both know you wouldn’t have brought Jai home to Mum and Dad . You were slumming it,” Priya said with a knowing smile. “ Admit it.”

Arya imagined Dain beside her, shaking his head in warning, telling her not to give in to the swelling emotions. She inhaled deeply and swallowed the retort on her lips. Then she concentrated on Priya and the resentment the elf readily and eagerly displayed. For someone as trained as Arya was, it was ammunition.

And she planned to use it.

“ I’m sorry,” she said.

Priya jerked back as if Arya had slapped her. She ogled Arya , seemingly trying to figure out what was going on.

Arya hid her grin. “ I’m sorry you were left out. I probably should have included you in the letter I left Jai , warning him about the raid. But the fact is, there wasn’t room for you in our relationship. I suppose you could’ve followed him.”

“ As if I’d ever let him go anywhere with you. And The Crossing ? Where did you think to take him? Above ?”

With just a few sentences, the elf confirmed Arya’s suspicions. There was no smile, no outward show of triumph. Only a deep sorrow in her chest that Jai had been deceived by someone he loved and trusted.

She almost got too wrapped up in that to put another piece of the puzzle together. If Priya had been the one to take her note, then she knew about the raid. Knew and did nothing . But …nay. Priya wouldn’t have done that to Jai . She loved him too much.

Priya walked closer, sneering. “ You were never good enough for him. I bet you forgot all about him after that night, didn’t you?”

Arya didn’t answer because no matter what she said, Priya would twist it to suit her purposes.

“ You were never far from his mind, though.” Priya chuckled. “ He was imagining all sorts of ways to seek his revenge. Even I was shocked at some of his ideas.”

“ Why didn’t he come for me? Why didn’t you, if you knew where I lived?”

The smile vanished, and Priya’s gaze raked scornfully over her. “ It won’t be long now. Those sarcastic replies and that superior tone will be stripped away. Viciously and ruthlessly. And I plan to watch every second.”

“ All because of jealousy. Jai never would’ve left you behind.”

“ You act like you know him, but you don’t. You shared some letters, a few kisses, and flirted. That doesn’t mean you know him or what he needs.”

Now , they were getting to the meat of the problem. “ But you do?”

“ I’ve been there since the beginning. No one knows Jai better than I do.”

“ What about what he wants?”

Priya rolled her eyes. “ He’s been blinded by hollow, meaningless things. Males usually are. Once those are out of the way, he’ll see what’s before him.”

“ You mean he’ll see you .”

Priya’s smile was slow and condescending. “ Our love is deep and unending. It’s true. The kind others search for their entire lives. I knew Jai was mine long ago. You distracted him for a short while, but he returned to me.”

“ So , the brotherly love he said he had for you turned romantic?”

The dig landed just where Arya wanted. Black magic burst from Priya’s hand. Arya leaned a hair’s breadth to the side before it slammed into the wall. The reverberation could be felt throughout the room. In the next instant, Arya struggled to breathe as Priya wrapped her fingers around her neck and squeezed.

Priya leaned close. Arya held her gaze, daring Priya to take her life. Bright dots edged her vision as her body struggled for air. Then the elf was gone.

Arya dropped to her hands and knees, sucking in a mouthful of air. She coughed and touched her neck.

“ If I didn’t like you before, I do now,” Reva said through the wall. “ Bloody hell, that took some courage. You’re my hero.”

Arya grabbed the waterskin and drank to help coat her throat. She sat and leaned against the outer wall. “ Some might argue that it was an exercise in futility.”

“ You got confirmation that she took your letter. I’ve yet to figure out why she and Jai didn’t get out of the house. She knew what was coming.”

“ I’m still trying to work that one out.”

Noise came from the other side of the wall, and then Reva’s voice was closer. “ She’s unhinged. You need to be careful. Jai needs to be careful. Tell him what you know.”

“ He won’t listen to me.”

“ Then I’ll tell him.” Reva paused. “ Something in her tone disturbed me.”

Arya leaned her head back. “ The indifference or the coldness?

“ The irrelevance of everyone else.”

“ Aye . That , too.”

Reva said, “ We’ve picked up speed.”

“ I feel it.”

Arya felt something else, too. A tension that seemed to envelop the entire ship that hadn’t been there before. It hung in the air, draped across every surface. She would’ve noticed it earlier had she not been dueling wits with Priya .

Arya looked at her hands. She couldn’t feel her magic anymore. She knew it was still there, but the necklace somehow interfered with her ability to use it. If Dain were here, he would use the opportunity to remind her that he’d trained her with weapons for a reason.

“ There might come a time you can’t use your magic.”

She scoffed. “ We’re elves. We’ll always be able to use magic.”

“ Not if you’re in a situation that would alert enemies to your presence when you’re trying to hide. What if you’re Above , and there’s too much light and it drains your magic? There are many reasons. Here ,” he said and tossed her a sword. “ If you want to work with me, then you must learn weapons.”

“ Reva ?” Arya whispered.

The human put her mouth next to the hole in the board. “ Aye ?”

“ Do you know anything about boats?”

“ A little,” she answered hesitantly.

Arya frowned at the wall, wishing she could see Reva’s face. “ Could you steer the ship?”

“ Are you thinking of taking control?” she asked with a laugh.

Arya grinned. “ Actually , I am.”

“ You’re serious.”

“ Do you have a better idea?”

“ We have to get out first.”

Arya’s gaze landed on the door. “ Priya will be back. When she returns, I’ll get us out.”