“I see love and friendship, and strength.”
Memphis nodded. “Three things Adair will never truly understand. To have lost everything but have the hope to rebuild the future is the strongest weapon in the world. We hid you so that you could reclaim your throne and help us build that world.”
Goosebumps rose on her skin, guilt sinking in her stomach.
Memphis caught her expression. “Emory, it was all our choice for you to leave. The people need their rightful leader. They need you.”
His fingers tenderly lifted her face to meet his gaze. “We all need you.”
Her stomach did a double flip, her nerves singing. Clearing her throat, she took a tentative step back. “It’s hard for me to understand what exactly I will need to do.”
Memphis chuckled. “Emory, you are our hook. Adair himself hasn’t set a foot outside of his kingdom since you left. He sends his cronies out to do his dirty work. We are in a warzone between them and the raiders. But if we can draw him out with you, we have a chance to engage him. A chance to end him.”
“So, I’m just supposed to let more people die for me?”
The elevator groaned to a stop, and they were hit full on with sunlight. Emory closed her watering eyes as Memphis opened the gate. The hot afternoon air was like a wall when they stepped out.
“You can’t look at it like that.”
“But that’s the truth! At the end of the day, people have lost—and will lose—their lives because of my parents’ mistakes, and in turn, because of my mistakes!” Her voice rose to a panicked yell, and Memphis cocked his eyebrow.
“It’s the price we have to pay, Emory. Your parents built a government they thought would ensure peace. Whatever they were hiding was for good reason. It wasn’t their fault, or your fault, that Adair unhinged that.”
Emory planted her feet firmly in the grass, narrowing her eyes at the solider in front of her. “And why wait so long to try and change things?”
Memphis’s face darkened. “Adair is playing with dark magic. That mixed with his ability is lethal. If we would have tried to overthrow him, we would have died.”
Emory bit back her retort, sensing the conversation was over.
Exhaling heavily, she started to walk, Memphis on her heels. The forest splayed in front of them drew her forward with every step. The warm breeze encircled her, making her blood pound. The heavy scent of earth, sweet pollen, and dust pulled at her senses and pulled at her memories through a fog.
Home.
She chewed over the word, and the new meaning it now held. She had a family. A mom, a dad, a lineage. Overwhelming her, it all came crashing through her façade, through her fake sense of calm. She had left her home and people that had loved her. People she had loved. And now, they came face-to-face as strangers, to rebuild, to grow. How could she grow if she didn’t even know who she was?
Panic bloomed in her chest, as her mind spun. Memphis came up beside her, tentative and too burly to miss. “Em?”
Emory Fae. Heir. Traitor. Coward.
Clenching her fists, nails pinching her skin, each thought dug holes into her heart, searing it. She needed to forget if just for a minute. Her muscles responded first, feet bounding as she turned and left Memphis behind. Pumping her arms hard at her sides, syncing her breath, she ran. Memphis’s surprised cry echoed behind her.
Sweat prickled her skin, her legs burning, and her surroundings became a blur. Breaking through the forest line and interrupting her stride, Emory wove in between the trees, the speckled light glittering. Branches and spindly trunks created a catacomb around her.
A matching crunch sounded behind her, and Memphis side swiped her. He was fast. He pulled her waist hard, and she didn’t have a choice but to side roll messily into the dirt and leaves before her. The bow dug into her back, and she clamped down her jaw in complaint. Her head smacked hard, and stars danced in her vision.
“What are you playing at?” he breathed huskily, his eyes slits and chest heaving. Her tongue felt thick and dry in her mouth. Memphis continued. “I brought you out here on the promise I would keep you safe. To keep you safe, we must stay in a team. To stay in a team, I would advise you not running at a drop of a hat. We are in raider territory. Always remember that.” He held her gaze, allowing the words to sink in. He exhaled, his warm breath tickling her face. “Now can I let you up? I’m sore from the ring and don’t feel like tackling you again.”
Emory nodded, and he stood up, offering her his hand. Truly, she couldn’t help herself smirking up at him. “You’re out of shape, old man.” He balked confused, and Emory winked. “Memphis, it’s a joke.”
Shaking her head, they walked through the woods, trying to catch their breath, and Emory listened to the gentle wind sing each sigh, the sound stripping her worries away one-by-one.
***
Memphis strapped the goggles on enlarging his eyes and blond lashes. Truthfully, he looked like an extremely fit bubble fish. Emory squeaked, trying to cover her laugh as Memphis bantered on. They had walked for hours, either in silence or careful conversation, knowing they had both pushed each others’ boundaries this afternoon.
Finally, they reached a clearing, the thickets of trees thinned, and sloping grassland greeted them. Strange purple and black birds chirped and swooped down in a graceful dance around them as they entered. In the middle of the clearing, a large still pond awaited. Emory walked toward it and had to do a double take, making sure her eyes weren’t tricking her. The rose gold water swirled and churned before her like a frosted mirror. Emory was entranced. “What is it?”
Memphis was radiating, making his features light
