I patted Lorian’s arm. “I’m okay,” I said. “You can let me go.”
Lorian slowly released me, and a small part of me mourned the loss as he stepped back. “We need to move soon, while there are fewer guards on the gate.”
In other words, I needed to pull myself together. I nodded.
The mercenaries resumed packing up the camp. Tibris wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to tell you. Wish it could be different.”
I looked up at him. “I’m getting Asinia out. Will you help me?” I asked.
My brother sighed. But he’d obviously known this was coming, because the hint of a smile curved his mouth. “Of course I will. But we have to be smart about this. You think no one’s tried to free their friend or family member before?”
“I know. But she’s all alone. Her mother is dead, and she’s all alone. Oh gods, Tibris.”
“Shh.” He held me and rocked. “We’ll go to the city. Vicer will help us.”
I pulled away. “And what exactly is Vicer doing?”
He lowered his voice. “He’s a rebel, Pris. The people in our kingdom shouldn’t have to live this way. So he’s fighting back.”
“And you are too. That’s how you managed to find me.”
“Yes.”
A rebel. My kindhearted, healer brother. Now that explained how he’d managed to stay on the run long enough to find me. Those contacts of his weren’t just friends he’d trained with.
It also meant Tibris knew what I was. Mama had never mentioned kidnapping Tibris, and he wasn’t a hybrid, which meant we likely weren’t truly related.
“What are you thinking, Pris?”
“Do you still love me?”
He burst out laughing. “Now that I know you’re a hybrid?”
“That…and the fact that we’re not technically siblings.”
His smile dropped. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he snapped. “I don’t care who you are or what you can do. You’re my sister. Even when you’re being strangely insecure.”
It was my turn to laugh. But Tibris’s expression was still serious. “I’ve known you were a hybrid for years. And I’ve been planning your escape. Vicer agreed to help me get you out.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I should’ve talked to you about it. It’s your life after all. But I wanted you to enjoy being normal for as long as you could. When you started trying to read Vicer’s notes, I knew it was time to tell you everything.”
He knew?
All this time, when I’d thought I just wasn’t pious enough for the gods, when I’d created and discarded plan after plan, Tibris had been making plans of his own?
It felt like a punch to the face. Betrayal and misery lay like a stone in my gut.
“You should’ve told me. I was planning to try to steal an oceartus stone. I was going to follow Kreilor.”
The blood drained from his face. “You were what?”
“I was desperate, Tibris. I’d just seen Lina’s grandparents slaughtered. Do you think I wanted to watch that happen to you?”
He just frowned at me, obviously still wrestling with my plan.
I was so fucking happy to see him, and yet I wanted to punch him in the gut. Siblings.
I put my hands on my hips. “I barely slept, Tibris. Sometimes, I couldn’t keep my food down. I started losing my hair. Occasionally, I’d do everything I could to not think about what would happen to us, and I’d fantasize about staying in the village. But most of the time, I could barely get out of bed because I was so fucking afraid.” My throat ached, and I fought to get the rest of it out. “And you were making plans. Plans that could’ve given me hope.”
Tibris’s eyes gleamed bright. He was quiet for so long, all I could hear were the low murmurs of the mercenaries as they saddled the horses.
Finally, he took my hand. “I don’t know what to say. Sorry isn’t enough, Pris. You…you seemed to be doing okay. I didn’t know you were struggling that much. But I should’ve asked. And I should’ve told you I was working on a way for us to get out.”
“Don’t lie to me again.”
“I won’t. I promise.”
I blew out a breath. I needed to let it go. We had to focus on what was important. Asinia. “You truly think Vicer will help?”
“Yes. But Pris, I don’t think we should tell your mercenary friends what we’re planning.” He said it carefully, like he was expecting me to protest.
I rolled my shoulders. I trusted the mercenaries in this, at least. They were cagey and secretive and would lie to me whenever they felt the need. But they didn’t want me dead. Still, we were about to separate. There was no need to tell them.
“I agree.”
Lorian gestured imperiously from across the clearing. I nodded at him.
“We need to go.”
Tibris eyed me. “Go where?”
“Lorian’s been teaching me to use my powers. We made a deal—he got me this far and now it’s my turn.”
“Your turn to do what?”
“I’m going to freeze time for everyone but us at the city gate. I need you to listen to everything Lorian says and move as quickly as you can.”
Tibris’s mouth dropped open.
“We’re ready,” Galon called.
“Pris. Are you sure about this?”
“I am. It’s going to be okay.”
If only I believed that. My mouth had turned watery, my hands shook, and I was suddenly ice-cold. This was it. Everything now relied on my tenuous grasp on my power.
Tibris reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “My horse is tied just off the trail.”
Lorian had already mounted, and he held his hand out for me when I approached. My hand slid into his, and he helped pull me up into the saddle. I tensed. I hadn’t even considered riding with my brother. I’d grown so used to Lorian’s huge body surrounding my own, to the strange comfort I found in his arms, I’d automatically turned to him for that comfort.
“I’m glad you found your brother,” he said as we all filed out of the clearing and toward the road. “You’ll be able to start a new life together.”
“Mm-hmm.” I wasn’t quite as used to lying as Lorian was, so I kept my tone noncommittal.
“Prisca.”
Lorian held the reins in one hand and caught my chin in the other. “Whatever you do, make sure you get on a ship. Soon.”
“I will.” I met his eyes as I said it, and he searched my face. With a brisk nod, he let me go, spurring his horse on.
I would be on a ship soon. Just as soon as I freed Asinia.
Tibris was already waiting on the road. He gave me a nod, but his eyebrows had lowered. “How exactly is this going to work?”
“You’ll soon see,” Lorian said. He squeezed his thighs, and then we were galloping toward the city.
We rounded the bend, and the gates appeared in the distance. My stomach swam, a metallic taste flooded my mouth, and my heart kicked in my chest.
“Harness your fear,” Lorian reminded me. “Now.”
I reached for my power and tugged with everything in me.
All movement at the gate stopped. It was suddenly eerily silent.
Except for Tibris, who was cursing, his eyes wide as he gazed over his shoulder at me.