Colliding with him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and she buried her face in the crook beneath his ear. She was trembling, her heart beating out of her chest.
“Please, don’t go. I’m sorry about earlier. I’m begging you not to do this. We will figure everything out, we always do. I can’t follow you down this road,” she said.
Releasing Brokk from her chokehold and stepping back, her gaze landed on Memphis. Memphis cleared his throat, shooting him an apologetic look before grasping Emory’s face in between his hands, fiercely. “We have to go, Em. But I promise you we will come back. I will come back to you.”
Heat flushed Brokk’s face as he watched Memphis swoop down and kiss her. Not caring there was an army of students and teachers filtering by them. Not caring he was right there. That she was a Princess now, the face of their country.
The turmoil and emotional charge of their situation had taken hold, and Brokk could practically hear Memphis’s mind, shouting out to her, begging her to understand. That he loved her, had always loved her, would always love her.
Averting his eyes, Brokk looked anywhere but at his friends, suspended in their embrace. They broke away breathlessly, and Brokk looked up. Tears were streaming down Emory’s face as she whispered to Memphis, “Don’t go.”
Brokk could see Memphis’s resolve cracking before he turned away brusquely, and with one last look at Emory, her face drained of all color, Brokk followed him. Words were lodged in his throat, drowning him with their weight. They walked in silence, feeling Emory’s stare burning into their backs the entire way.
Swallowing down his jealousy, he tried not to linger on what had just happened between Emory and Memphis. Instead memories of laughter and hope swirled all around Brokk, as they left the Academy behind. He could feel the balance of their world shifting, back into their bloodied past, back into the unrelenting darkness. The doors swung open, and sunlight beat down on them, making him blink fiercely. The students and teachers were leading horses, making sure everyone had a mount from the Shattered Isles, from what was left.
It took him less than ten seconds to find Tadeas, to find the king smiling wolfishly at him already. Deep breathes. He couldn’t afford to lose himself when the king from across the sea had already seen him lose control. Rolling his shoulders, he took the steps two at a time. There was no turning back now.
His gaze drifted to the forest, to the canopy of trees, reminding him of the wildness in his heart. He could run away from all of this. The chatter of birds and echoes of ancient magic stirred his heart, shivering down his spine.
Averting his gaze, he followed as Memphis broke away from the throng toward two dappled mounts. The horses pawed the ground nervously as they approached, and he internally cringed. Animals had an acute sense when it came to seeing people for who they truly were, and Brokk made them nervous. The powerful creature before him knew he was more beast than man.
With a pounding heart, he gripped Memphis’s arm. “We look after each other. If things go south, we escape.”
Memphis nodded, his smooth voice echoing in his mind, “Agreed.”
Gripping the pommel of the saddle, he lifted himself up with ease, sliding his boots into the stirrups. Easing the reins into his grip, he gave the mount a reassuring brush of his hand, begging the horse not to throw him off.
He glanced over his shoulder. The Academy, and the courtyard nestled amongst the rolling hills and the ancient forest behind them. He said a mental goodbye to his friends who lingered behind its walls and snapped forward when Tadeas’s voice roared over them: “Let’s visit this city under the stars, shall we?”
Cheers and catcalls sounded, and lurching forward, the horse’s hooves pounded against the ground, the group moving forward in a gallop. Brokk leaned forward, gripping with his legs, causing his stallion to shoot forward, his powerful hooves pushing them faster.
Brokk’s heart was in his throat as he settled into the speed, leaving everything behind. Memphis’s stallion pulled close to him, the two galloping together, spirits unleashed.
“Did you see who else is here?” Memphis’s voice was clipped as it bounced around his consciousness. Brokk shot him a glance, and Memphis nodded to his left where Professor Iasan was galloping, his black stallion frothing at his bit.
The Professor looked sideways at them, his lips turning upward in a sickly-sweet smile. As if to say that out here, in the wild, they weren’t protected. Out here, they would be at his mercy. Baring his teeth in answer, Brokk dared Iasan to try. If it came down to it, he wouldn’t falter - not again.
Chapter Nine
Adair
The excited voices around him felt dull and far away. Everyone was talking about the group of students that went to assist in bringing Cesan back. Everyone was talking about what his father had done. Whispers chased at his heels, one word standing out from all the others.
King. King. King.
He rubbed his eyes, the heaviness of them making everything seem too bright, too fast. The world was charging forward, and he wanted to curl into himself and make it stop. Classes had been suspended until further notice, which meant until Roque dealt with his father.
His traitorous, lying father.
Leaning against the cool wall, Adair closed his eyes.
“Follow us, follow your destiny.”
Those
