Their progress was a bit slower than preferred, Tissaia gathered, judging from Azael's apprehensive nature. Either that, or he was still nervous about being around her. But they hadn't discussed anything more about last night or what happened at the pool. Instead, they'd been keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of activity amidst the fog riddled hills.

They hadn't found anything so far, but last night's rain and today's drizzle could've easily washed away any footprints or lingering traces of scents, so they were taking care to inspect anything that looked even slightly out of the ordinary. Azael did so now, reining his mount to a halt and sliding down near a pile of oddly placed rocks.

He passed the reins into Tissaia's outstretched hand and she kept the stallion steady while he crouched to the ground. Tension cornered Azael's lips and his brows wedged together. He lifted one of the rocks, giving it a tentative sniff, and Tissaia spied soot staining his fingers.

"From someone's campfire?" She guessed.

Azael nodded. "The question is if it was travelers, bandits, or warriors. The campsite itself can't be too far from here if this is where they dumped the rocks."

    He returned to his horse and wheeled in the suspected directly. Tissaia hurried after him, squinting against the renewed drizzle that was falling. Before long, she cast a shield about herself and Azael did the same. His calculating gaze remained pointed at the ground while she watched the path ahead. They crested the slope of one hill and a wide stretch of land connected it to the next.

    "There," Tissaia called, pointing to a bare patch of dirt amidst the grass. She and Azael rode to it and dismounted, careful not to disturb the lingering footprints in the rapidly deteriorating mud.

    "They must've been here this morning if the prints haven't washed away yet," Azael guessed. He examined the footprints carefully.

    "Warriors?"

    Azael pursed his lips and shook his head. "Look." He pointed to one of the tracks. "That definitely belongs to a child, and this one to a young female. They must've been travelers. Maybe one of the families relocating from the Vidar, or another Human family."

    Tissaia breathed a small sigh of relief. "Well, at least it's not what we're looking for." She didn't miss the curiosity that flashed through Azael's eyes at her words. "What?"

    "Does Kaius really still have no idea what Drenusha is sending us to find?"

    "If he did, he would've told us. All I know is that Drenusha claims it is very powerful, and he's certain it's in a temple."

    "I've been trying to think if I've heard of any temples in the mountains and none come to mind."

    Tissaia worked her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought. "Neither have I, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. There are many temples that have been forgotten since the Elder Age."

    "Talarion mentioned that he was trained by some of the mountain Fae. Do you think they might know of this temple?"

    Her gaze snapped to him, already blazing at the suggestion. "Even if I knew they did without a doubt, I wouldn't go to them. Not after the things they put my brother through."

    Azael didn't flinch at the fury in her gaze. "I wouldn't ask you to. He told me some of what they did. But if they know something that can help us, we'd be fools to not consider it at the very least."

    Tissaia jerked her gaze away. What had Talarion told him? Did he know about her part in all of that? How they had used her to get results from him?

    "We made a deal, remember?" The Prince murmured. "You're supposed to let me past your flames."

    Her face warmed at the reminder. Of course she hadn't forgotten already. But it was like she'd told him. This was going to be easier said than done for both of them. They were still hurt, still angry. Yet she had promised, and she wouldn't be the one to drag them back into the pit they had just started climbing out of.

    Tissaia loosed a heavy breath and nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. That's just a...sensitive subject. I'm sure you gathered why."

    "He didn't tell me specifics. He only said that if he failed, you were punished. And...would I be wrong in assuming those weren't the only times the same could be said?"

    Gods, why was he asking her this now? She didn't want to dwell on her father today and she certainly didn't need him to visit her in a nightmare tonight. Perhaps she did need to trust Azael with these dark secrets of her reality, but she wasn't ready yet.

    She wasn't ready to let him see her brutalized back and hear the reason for each mark. She wasn't ready to tell him the part he had unwittingly played in her abuse, knowing how much guilt he already carried that wasn't his to atone for. She trusted him with so much, but she couldn't trust him with these fragmented pieces of herself yet.

    She swallowed a lump of emotion and answered, "Our father wants to be obeyed, and he will take any means necessary to ensure obedience." Before Azael could question her further, she pointed to a set of wheel tracks up ahead. "We should see which direction those ruts are going. They might lead us to that travelers' hut Kahari mentioned."

    "Lead the way," he offered. Tissaia pulled ahead, but was aware of his gaze lingering on her back, as if he could see the scars hidden beneath her clothes.

•༻☽☾༺•

    There was relative silence as they followed the wagon tracks, which eventually joined a well-worn road. Azael was apprehensive at this. They'd taken great care to stay away from roads since they left Arcan, and if there were Lochren warriors about, this was where they'd be bound to travel.

    When they determined that they had followed the tracks far enough, Azael took the lead once more and they retreated deeper into the hills. They found the hut soon after midday,  and had taken a break to eat and allow their horses to rest for about two hours before resuming their scouting. However, Tissaia had suggested they split up then.

    Azael wasn't fond of the idea, recalling the insinuation in Talarion's voice if he found Tissaia with even one scratch when they joined them, but he decided it would be best not to test their tentative truce, and agreed. She had gone in one direction while he went in the opposite, with the agreement to meet again by sunset.

    Azael distracted himself from his worries by throwing his senses into scouting. Thankfully, there seemed to be nothing amiss, and before returning to the hut, he'd managed to catch two rabbits for their evening meal. He beat Tissaia back to the hut, but digressed to give her more time before searching for her. He used the opportunity to skin and clean his rabbits, and Tissaia appeared just as he was finishing.

    He carried the rabbits inside and set about lighting a fire and roasting them while she unsaddled her horse in the lean-to attached to the hut, which was just large enough for both of their animals. She had little to report, and they ate in peace as rain began to pelt outside again.

    Azael found himself studying Tissaia as she lounged near the fireplace, her ebony hair spilling down her back in glistening waves. He could recall with clarity the feel of it between his fingers when they were in the pool, and he couldn't help but wonder how soft it would be while dry.

    "Tissaia?" He called hesitantly.

    "Hm?"

    "I think I'm ready to talk a bit more. There are still some things I'm not sure how to tell you, but this may be the last chance we have to talk alone for a while."

    Tissaia sat up straighter and crossed her legs as she shifted to face him. "Then I'm ready to listen."

    "I'm sorry I've abused your heart," he murmured. "I won't lie to you and say I didn't mean to do it, because I did. I wanted to make you hate me. I wanted to make you leave me, to protect you. The fears I have that I told you about...they're true. They plague me every day and have always overshadowed the time I've spent with you."

    "That's not entirely true," Tissaia countered. "They didn't before your mother died. You had begun to change a bit before then, but you didn't change completely until after that."

    "Because they became real after that." Because that had been the moment when the Elder's vision had become fulfilled.

    "The fate of you and yours will not be kind, Prince of Oriana's bloodline." His mother's fate had not been kind, and her last words to him refused to leave his mind, his father's accusations accompanying them.

    He stiffened when Tissaia inched closer, but the female made no move to touch him. "No, they didn't. You aren't responsible for what happened to her and you never have been. No matter what your fears tell you. No matter the lies your father throws in your face."

    Her sapphire gaze met his, warm and shining. "I am not your mother, Darling, and you are not your father. You are not going to drive me away or push me to my death, and I am not going to leave you. I never have." Her throat bobbed when she continued. "Even if you still don't want to marry me after this, I won't leave you."

"I...I'll call off our betrothal, if that's what you want. But I still want the Prince I knew to be in my life. The male who has always teased me relentlessly. The male who would sneak out of the palace with me to go riding when we were bored from meetings. The male who spent hours showing me every secret path through the palace. The male who stole my cake even when I told him not to, and the male who went swimming with me and lifted me on his shoulders."

    Azael's breath caught when Tissaia leaned forward, catching a lock of his hair between her fingers and draping it behind his ear. "The male who needed me to hold him after his mother died," she whispered, "and begged me not to let him go because he couldn't stand to feel alone in that moment. I've never seen you cry since then, Darling, but sometimes I wish I would just so I know you aren't suffocating behind those stone walls of yours."

    Azael blinked in pure shock, his heart staggering over itself. How did she know? How could she possibly know? Did she truly know him so well, even after all these years? After all these secrets and all this strain and heartbreak between them?

    "I heard what you told Kahari about your thoughts on fate," he blurted out. Tissaia drew her hand back. "If fate is real, and if what I think is going to happen to you really does, would you still want me then, knowing that I'll be the cause of it?"

    Tissaia shifted onto her knees and began to spread her cloak before the fire in preparation for sleep before replying. She smoothed a wrinkle from the fabric, her gaze sliding to him from the corner of her eye. "Yes," she answered. "I've lived in fear of many things my whole life, but I've never lived in fear of my own death. Only the fear that my life wouldn't have been worth living before it."

    Azael sat quietly, mulling over her response while she laid down and curled into herself as always. Making herself so small and compact. She tucked her fingers beneath her cheek and a few loose tendrils of hair fell across her face. Her long lashes brushed against her cheeks before firelight reflected in her sapphire gaze once more.

    His chest tightened at the sight. Beautiful. She was beautiful, and violent, and mean, and kind. She was fire. Warmth and light. Destruction and anger. Healing and hope. And he wanted her in his arms.

    His heart pounded against his ribs, his mouth running dry as the Elder's vision rang through his temples. But if she were willing to take that risk, couldn't he? Hadn't he caused her enough pain? He could never open himself to the possibility of being with her if he didn't at least try to take these small steps.