Sky Breaker (Night Spinner Duology) by Addie Thorley (best romance ebooks .txt) 📕

when the voice comes again. Louder and more adamant than before. Only now that I’m paying attention, I don’t know how I ever thought it was Ivandar. Because it sounds like me—only sharper. The surest, most unflinching version of myself. The commander still buried deep within me—revealing what my tortured, water-addled mind couldn’t piece together.

Open your eyes, Ghoa. The answer to everything is literally sitting in front of you.

My gaze flicks again to Ivandar—filthy and dripping but unmistakably Zemyan. His clothes may be soaked and slashed, but the material is luxurious and the royal sea green marks him as someone of consequence. He’s the type of prisoner who would guarantee respect for the captor. Maybe even merit reinstatement. Especially if the prince can be used to turn the tide of the war.

Empress Danashti may have sided with Kartok regarding my torture, but I have a feeling her choice would be different if her son’s life were at stake. I can use Ivandar to drive the Zemyan troops out of Ashkar, then I’ll celebrate my victory by thoroughly punishing every last one of my double-crossing warriors.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Ivandar demands, bringing me back to the beach.

“Like what?”

“With that disturbing smile.”

A dozen snappy remarks dance on the tip of my tongue, but I blow them out on a long, weary breath. This will only work if he doesn’t suspect my motives. Which means I can’t change my tune too quickly. The shift must feel natural, logical, and, most of all, like his doing.

“You’re right. I don’t want to sit here.” I stand, brush off my tunic, and shield my eyes from the sun. I survey the coarse pink sand and craggy cliffs as if deciding which way to go. Zemya truly is an inhospitable wasteland. All rough edges and prickly briars.

Without another word to Ivandar, I turn and march up the beach. Where I’m going, I haven’t a clue. The only thing that matters is that the prince follows me.

Which he does.

“You can’t leave without telling me what you know!” He scrambles to his feet and gives chase.

I walk faster.

“You don’t know your way out of Zemya, and you look nothing like us. Without my help, you’ll be recaptured in half a day. Probably less. You’ll still die disgraced and forgotten in a Zemyan prison. Is that what you want?”

No. But I rub the prickles assaulting my arms and screw on a determined, stalwart face.

“Why are you being so stubborn?” he cries. “We can help each other. I’ll guide you to Ashkar—even though, technically, you’re indebted to me since I already saved your life—but I’m willing to overlook that.”

I study him, tapping my finger against the side of my face. “Aren’t you worried I’ll kill you the moment we reach Ashkar?”

Ivandar snorts and steps closer so we’re nose to nose. “You’re welcome to try to kill me anytime you’d like, Commander, but I don’t think you’re battle ready….”

“You’ll regret making that challenge.”

“And you’ll regret not taking my offer.”

I frown and grind my teeth. As if the prospect of this arrangement is galling rather than exactly what I want. “I’ll reveal a piece of information at the end of each day’s travel,” I finally say.

“But that could take—”

“Weeks?” I give him my most winning grin. “That’s the point. Like you said, this arrangement only works if we need each other.”

In theory, traipsing across Zemya while gaslighting the prince seemed like a simple operation. But I failed to take into consideration the hellish landscape. And Ivandar himself.

“Everything in this country is barbed and sadistic,” I announce as the sun finally sets on our first day of travel. We’ve spent the entire day hacking through the bramble between the beach and the mountain, and my arms are riddled with more holes than a sieve.

“You are choosing to trudge through the gauntlet.” Ivandar holds out his own arms, which are free from a single scratch. He uses his devil magic to rearrange the branches into an archway, which he ducks through.

Before I can follow, the branches snap back and drag their thorny claws across my face. But I don’t give in. It’s a matter of principle. I won’t willingly use the magic I’ve spent my life fighting against. I won’t be further indebted to him.

“This spot looks as good as any.” Ivandar stops in a tiny break in the undergrowth. It can’t be more than a length or two across, but he sweeps away the twigs and rocks with his boots and plunks down.

“You expect us both to sleep here?” I demand, eyeing the miniscule space. If either of us rolls over, we’ll be touching.

“We won’t find a larger space, not in a thicket this tight, but you’re welcome to find your own clearing. Though, the thorn-nosed demons are more likely to attack a lone camper. Easier prey.”

I haven’t a clue what a thorn-nosed demon is, but my skin crawls at the mere thought of unseen eyes and scales and claws. It seems unfathomable, but the prince is the lesser evil. So I ease down, putting as much distance between us as possible.

“Well?” He looks at me expectantly.

“You’re not even going to give me a moment to catch my breath?”

“You’re not out of breath.”

I heave an exaggerated sigh as I slowly untie my boots. “Fine. Kartok showed me drawings of stone mounds in that ancient book and asked if I had ever seen them in Ashkar. And if I know what they’re used for.”

“Well, have you? Do you?”

“Skies, I’m exhausted.” I stretch my arms overhead and pretend to yawn as I curl into a ball on my side. It takes everything within me not to laugh while he sputters.

“That’s really all you’re going to give me? The security of my country depends on this information. I swear I’ll see you safely to the border—you have my word.”

Little does he know he’ll be joining me well beyond the border. Once he knows the full extent of Kartok’s plans,