Chapter 31 – Shattered Trust
The marsh was silent, but inside Aric's chest thunder raged.
He stared at Mira, her face pale in the faint light. "You knew," he whispered. "You knew they wanted him. And you let them take him."
"I didn't—" Her words stumbled. "I thought… if they took Edran, maybe they'd leave us. Leave you. I was trying to protect—"
"Protect me?" Aric's laugh was harsh, bitter. "You gave them the only man who could help me!"
The fire stirred within him, eager to lash out, to punish. Mira shrank back, her hand on her dagger but not drawing it.
At last, Aric turned away, fists trembling. "If Edran dies, his blood is on both our hands. But mostly yours."
He should have walked away then, left her behind. And yet, when the dawn broke, Mira still followed.