Page 154 of A Vow of Embers

He could lock them in their room too, but I didn’t mention it since he’d finally lifted my incarceration. I was about to tell them that I was now free when I heard yelling from Io’s bedroom.

Everyone’s eyes went wide and we all held still.

“I am not some fragile little girl!” Io shouted. “It isn’t your job to protect me and it’s not Lia’s, either. People have been trying to kill me since long before she arrived. I have always been in danger just by being born into this family. None of what’s happened to me has been her fault and you will not blame her!”

“I was angry that her lies put you at risk.” Why was I getting dragged into their fight?

It was as if they were still in the room with us, their voices were so clear. My cheeks reddened as I realized how easily my adelphia must have heard everything Xander and I had ever argued about.

And the other noises we had caused each other to make.

“So the messenger who brought the water today,” Zalira said, trying to speak over them. “They passed along a message from Maia that we have been invited to the temple to watch the Ilionian tributes race the day after tomorrow.”

She was trying to drown them out but it wasn’t working. The rest of us ignored her and continued to listen to Io and Xander fight.

“You lied, too! You can’t be mad at her for something you’re also doing! Both of you are hypocrites!” Io said.

She was right. I had suspected several times lately that I was guilty of being hypocritical where he was concerned. But I wasn’t just mad that he’d lied about his identity—I was mad that he had used those lies to coerce me from the beginning. A fact his own phratry brother had confirmed.

But I couldn’t explain how Xander could be both the man who had schemed to get his way and tricked me from our first meeting and the man who had shared that heartbreaking story with me last night and been deeply affected by his father’s manipulations.

Things weren’t adding up.

“Io, I’m not going to argue with you about—”

She cut him off. “Stop using me as an excuse. If you want to be mad, pick another reason. The only thing that matters is that Lia lives. That you keep her safe.”

“That’s not the only thing that matters. I know what you believe—”

Again she spoke over him. “Yes, I believe it. And I just don’t believe it, Iknowit. The prophecy is true. Lia is going to save Ilion. I know what the goddess tasked me with and I’m not strong enough to keep her safe, but you are. I need you to do this for me. Forgive her and protect her, no matter what.”

I’d never heard Io so serious, so demanding.

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me.” The way he said it, the bitterness in his voice, made me physically recoil. Only minutes ago he had been sweetly comforting me and now he sounded like all he wanted to do was be as far away from me as possible. Like being near me, protecting me, was some kind of torture to be endured.

Or was this part of me needing to think and choose differently? There might be another reason he reacted that way. Maybe I needed to stop making assumptions about what he was thinking and feeling.

It still stung, though.

“I do know what I’m asking,” she said. “Swear it to me again. Swear that you will keep her safe.”

“Even from me?” He’d meant it as a joke, but Io didn’t laugh.

“Especially from you. Swear it.”

I heard him sigh. “By the goddess, I swear that I will keep my wife safe. No matter the cost.”

“Good.” All the happy optimism returned to Io’s voice. “Now stop being grumpy and remind everyone of how charming you can be.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re insufferable when you’re moody like this.”

After a beat I heard him laugh and I realized how much I loved that sound. That I wanted to hear it again.

Wanted to be the reason for it.

They went out into the hallway and then Io came into my room alone.