Tenger clasped his hands together and said, “I know you have feelings for Kestra, and perhaps she used to like you too, before Endrick got to her. But she is part of his army now, an Infidante who is fully loyal to him. Magic is the only way to restore her.”
My hands balled into fists. “It will corrupt her!”
“Yes, over time it will. She’ll eventually become a girl as foreign to you as she is now. But there’s no other way for her to complete her quest, and despite your feelings, that is the purpose of her life now. Nothing else.”
“She is more than the Infidante!”
Tenger stood, barking out, “No, Simon, she is only the Infidante! Nothing else matters but that. And when she completes her quest, she will be a highly powerful Endrean with magic. We will have to put her down before she becomes as dangerous as Endrick!”
“No!” Angrily, I swiped my arm, knocking papers from his desk, then muttered an apology under my breath. As if I knew I’d gone too far, when in reality, I was only beginning to overstep my bounds with him. I leaned down to pick up the knife, now hidden in my hand when I returned Tenger’s papers.
By then, his temper had calmed. In a quieter voice, he said, “Once you see how the magic affects her, you’ll agree with me.”
I shook my head. “No, sir, I will not.”
“Do you think I want this to happen to her? I don’t! I’d much rather find a way to let her live.”
/> “If that’s true, then give me time to—”
“Time will only entrench her false memories and set her true memories farther from her reach. Every passing hour, she will get worse, not better.” He took a breath and lowered his voice. “I know you think I’m cruel, but I’m simply speaking the truth. Although she may recover some memories on her own without magic, she’ll never get them all back, and only magic can save her heart from Endrick’s grip. Nothing you can do will change this.”
I couldn’t let myself believe that, I wouldn’t believe it. But even if Tenger was wrong, I had no idea how to find the right solution.
Tenger tapped my sword again. “My decision about Kestra has been made. Now give me your answer.”
Still angry for a number of reasons, I shook my head. “I won’t claim the throne.”
Tenger sighed, then rang a bell on the table and Gabe opened the door. “Take him back to his cell. He doesn’t eat until he’s ready to obey me.”
I kept my focus on Tenger. “If I am the person you believe me to be, then you have no right to order me to do anything.”
Like he’d shoo a fly, Tenger waved me away. “If you will not be that person, then you have no rights at all.”
Without another word, I twisted the knife to hide it in my hand and followed Gabe out the door.
I waited until we had rounded a corner of the cave tunnels before I grabbed Gabe’s arm and pressed the knife against his side.
He looked down at it, unimpressed, then rolled his eyes at me. “Really, Hatch?”
“Where is she?”
“You won’t hurt me.”
“I won’t kill you, but I will hurt you if I have to.” And I meant it.
“How long have we been friends?”
“Long enough that you should know why I have to do this.” I released his arm and turned to face him. “Please, Gabe.”
“It isn’t me you have to get through. There’s over a hundred Coracks here in camp and they’ll all obey Tenger.”
“Not if they don’t see us.”
“Then have you considered why she’s here? Simon, from the moment she became the Infidante, she ceased to have any future with you.” His words hit me hard, and he must have sensed that because in a gentler voice, he added, “She can never be yours.”
“That’s not what this is about.”
“That’s exactly what this is about.” Gabe’s tone softened further. “Even if you have other reasons.”