When I’m here, I can almost pretend that I’m free. It’s a bandage, and not even a good one at that, but it’s something. It soothes my anger.

At least until I look up one morning to realize I’m not alone. Azazel stands a respectful distance away, his hands clasped behind his back. He’s wearing his “work” clothing—a long tunic that’s split up the sides nearly to his hips, paired with pants and boots.

I freeze, suddenly feeling vulnerable and defensive. “What are you doing here?”

“I came looking for you.” He glances around as if he’s never seen this place before. “I haven’t been in this garden in years. I forgot it existed.”

“Or maybe the castle didn’t want to remind you.”

He smiles briefly. “There’s that as well.” Azazel clears his throat. “If you’re up for it, I thought we could get out of the castle for a little while?”

“The prisoner gets a furlough. How lovely.”

He opens his mouth, no doubt to tell me that I’m not a prisoner, before seeming to change his mind. “If you don’t want to leave, you’re more than welcome to say no.”

I glare, because he’s got me over a barrel and he knows it. No matter how lovely the garden, how eager the castle is to entertain me, it’s all still a cage. Getting a chance to leave it, even temporarily, isn’t something I’m going to pass on. I set my knitting aside, tucking it carefully back into the basket, and rise. “Where are we going?”

He’s cautious—I’ll give him that. He doesn’t smile or react at all, other than to motion for me to walk next to him. “Ramanu is gone for a time. Some of their responsibilities have been handed off to others, but I need to make an appearance at one of the local villages just outside the city.”

I fall into step next to Azazel, trying not to notice how he shortens his stride to match mine instead of making me chase him. “Where is Ramanu?” I haven’t seen them in a couple of days, but I just assumed they were making the rounds, checking on the humans with the other territory leaders.

“There’s a witch they’ve had their eye on—so to speak—for some time. She’s finally gotten around to summoning them, so they’ve gone to offer her a bargain.”

I swallow down an acid comment about the phrasing of them making a bargain instead of kidnapping their mark. If we start fighting, it will end in me storming off, and I’ll miss my chance to get out of the castle for a bit.

Azazel, of course, divines the direction of my thoughts. “I’m not proud of the way I lied to you, but don’t take that as a sign of how bargains are typically struck. If Ramanu’s witch agrees, it will be on her own terms and because she wants to.”

For the first time since coming here, I’m forced to wonder what I would have done if Azazel had come to me with honesty instead of lies. Would I have shut him down? Or would I have seriously considered his offer?

It bothers me that I don’t know the answer to that question.

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER 14

Watching Eve unfurl the farther we get from the castle makes my chest hurt. I knew she was unhappy, but it’s so easy to justify the cost when I’m not the one paying it. We could have portaled directly to the village in question, but I chose a spot about an hour’s walk away. My reasons weren’t entirely altruistic—I wanted more time with her—but now I’m even gladder I made that choice.

She walks down the wide dirt path with her head tilted back and her face to the sun. Today, she’s wearing a loose shirt and a long skirt, looking just as beautiful as she always does.

“Tell me about this village,” she says without looking over.

A nice, neutral topic. “The city takes up a decent portion of our territory, but there are dozens of villages in the surrounding area. Most of them have a heavy focus in agriculture and trade agreements with the city to sell whatever they produce that their community won’t need. Those agreements are generous, which benefits both the city and the villages.”

“Hmmm.” She glances at me. “Who put those agreements into place?”

Heat spreads beneath my skin. I keep my gaze forward. “There have been trade agreements since the founding of the territory.”

“I’m sure. But not these agreements.” Eve is still speaking as if feeling out her reasoning. “Are the terms of the agreement another thing Brosh is furious about?”

The heat in my skin gets more uncomfortable. “Without farming villages like the one we’re visiting today, the city starves. We have plenty of stores saved up, and there are gardens within the city proper, so it wouldn’t happen quickly, but eventually it would happen.”

Eve laughs a little, the sound strained. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Fine,” I snap. “Yes, I changed the terms when I took over. It’s shortsighted to rule by fear and even more shortsighted to take instead of paying fair prices. And they always took more than the villages could afford to lose. The moment communities start starving, the seed for violence takes root. Yes, the city pays through the nose for that food, but the amount is still less than we pay in trade agreements with other territories.”

She doesn’t say anything for several long minutes. The day is pleasant, warm without being hot, with just enough clouds in the sky to prevent the sun from feeling overbearing. I hardly notice it.

Especially when Eve sighs. “You know, you’re making it very hard to hate you, Azazel.”

I don’t know what to say to that, what answer won’t cause this strange moment between us to fracture. So I say nothing at all. I simply walk next to Eve and slowly, after a while, start pointing out the birds and small animals that flutter and scurry across our path. It’s . . . nice.

I pause right before the path turns into the descent that will take us to the village. This is always the hard part for me. I lead because it’s the right thing to do, because Caesarea was my aunt and so many other members of my family contributed to the harm done under her rule. I decided I didn’t want to live in a world like the one they’d fostered. It would have been easy to say I wanted change and then sit back and do nothing, but that’s not how I’m formed. I had power to change things, had support to make it happen, and so I did. The battle for my territory’s people is one I’ll be fighting for the rest of my life.

This part, though? There’s a reason I delegated the village visits to Ramanu. I inhale slowly and exhale just as slowly. Then I do it again a few more times. I’m aware of Eve watching me, but she asks no questions, and I’m not in the mood to explain myself. Not about this.

It’s so foolish. There’s no reason to be so dramatic. Nothing bad is going to happen, and it won’t kill me to be uncomfortable for a short period of time. “Let’s go.” I start walking again.

It takes no time at all to reach the village. As I expected—dreaded—there’s a welcoming committee. My cousin Alice is first to reach us; she’s a broad woman nearly as tall as I am, with curving horns and deep-purple skin. Her curly dark hair bounces with each step she takes, and her wide grin calms some of my nerves. “Old Man Azazel! It’s about time you came around.” She claps me on the shoulder hard enough that I have to brace myself not to stagger.

“Old Man Azazel,” Eve murmurs.

Alice turns to Eve, her dark-brown eyes lighting up with interest. “So you’re the human who has the old man in a tizzy.” She grins wider. “Can’t say I blame him. Look at you!”

To my shock, Eve’s cheeks turn pink, and she stammers a little. “I, uh, I . . . I’m Eve.”

“Pleasure.” Alice takes Eve’s hand and bends over it, then places a lingering kiss on her knuckles. I don’t realize I’m growling until Alice gives me a cheeky grin and bounces to her feet. “I’m just playing. You know I’d never step on your toes like that. You’re family, after all.”