Jack leaned back as he studied her. “Aria?”
She turned slowly toward Jack. “I’ve always done what’s needed to be done, as has Braith. I’ll do it now, and he will do it when I’m gone. I don’t know how I’ll do it, how I’ll pretend everything is fine, but I’ll figure it out.”
Jack grimaced as he closed his eyes. For the first time Aria realized a part of him had hoped she wouldn’t agree, that she would absolutely refuse to go along with it. That she would go back to Braith and not care about the consequences of her actions. Jack didn’t want to be the one to inflict this pain on his brother, or her, but now that she had made her choice, his road had been mapped out for him too. For the first time since he’d brought her out here she didn’t see him as her enemy, as the person who had just ruined her life, but more of an ally in her despair.
“I’m sorry,” Ashby apologized.
Aria had no idea how she was going to deceive Braith in such a way, but hopefully their lives would continue to be as hectic as they had been and he wouldn’t notice if she was a little distant.
“We should return,” Jack said.
She hated the idea of going back, but she couldn’t hide here forever, and as of now Braith could still track her anywhere. It was possible that he would always be able to do so. Jack hoped that there was a way to dilute Braith’s blood but she wasn’t so certain. She knew full well that Braith’s blood was a part of her now. Perhaps someone else’s blood could alter that, but she didn’t see how.
She started to share her thoughts with Jack but stopped herself. She knew she had to leave Braith, but it may be impossible for her to ever truly separate from him. There was nothing that Jack could do about that, or at least nothing that he would do. Jack was willing to take this road with her, willing to give up his old life for good, but if it became necessary he would not do the one thing that may be required to truly separate her and Braith.
He was like a brother to her and he was almost as stubborn as Braith. If she told Jack what she was thinking, he would only insist that someone else’s blood would be enough to dilute Braith’s within her, enough to separate them, even if it wasn’t.
Jack would not consider the fact that there may be only one way to truly sever her bond from Braith. But she knew someone that would.
CHAPTER 16
The reassuring thud of the arrow hitting its mark was typically like music to her savaged spirit. She fired off another arrow. Usually target practice soothed her, but nothing could soothe her now.
“Bad mood?”
She started in surprise; she’d been so entrenched in her melancholy that she hadn’t heard anyone approach. She was even more surprised to discover that it was Max. Her arm lowered, her lips parted as her heart leapt in anticipation. She hoped he had come to speak with her, to try and salvage their tattered friendship. She couldn’t handle it if he had only come to reinforce his intense disapproval of her and her decisions.
“Max.” Though she tried to sound as aloof as he was with her now, she heard the longing in her voice. He heard it too as he offered a small smile and ran his hand nervously through his shaggy blond hair. “I haven’t seen you around.”
He shrugged before stuffing his hands in his pockets. His eyes shifted nervously to the target as he started to rock on his heels. “Been busy. There’s a war coming you know.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Glad to see you’re still deadly with that thing,” he said glancing at her bow.
She didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what she expected from him. What had once been simple and easy, was horribly awkward and uncomfortable now. “Yeah.”
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been better,” she admitted unable to lie to him. “You?”
“Possible imminent death and destruction aside, I’ve actually been doing better.”
Hope surged through her. “Really?”
His smile widened. “Yeah, really. I’m not looking forward to going back into that palace, but I am looking forward to getting some revenge.”
“You’re not going to do anything crazy are you?” she inquired worriedly.
“Me? Nah, I’m not angry enough for something like that anymore, but it will be nice to free some others.”
“It will,” Aria agreed. She wanted to ask if he would ever stop being so angry at her, but the words froze in her throat. She couldn’t bring herself to utter them, mostly because she was frightened of the answer. “I’m glad you’re doing better. I know it was awful for you in there.”
His smile had fallen away; he was staring at the target again. “It’s been an awful time for all of us recently. Hopefully that will change soon.”
“Yes,” she whispered, knowing it wasn’t going to change for her.
“Are you happy Aria?”
If he had asked her that question four hours ago, she would have given him a resounding yes, that despite everything that was going on, she was happy. She was frightened of the future and the possibility of losing a loved one, but happy. “Yes.” It was the first lie in the web she was now creating.
“That’s good.” He rocked back on his heels again. The awkward tension was enough to make her want to scream. “I’m sorry about what happened the last time we saw each other. I lost my temper, I never meant for that to happen.”
“It’s ok.”
He shook his head, his forehead furrowed as his clear blue eyes turned turbulent. “It’s not ok. I still feel this is a situation you shouldn’t be in. That’s he too old for you, too different, it’s not natural…”