“Now that you mention it, I could use a vacation,” he replied. “If you were me, would you risk the freezing ice lands of Korovi or the sea serpents off the Trendell coast? My options are rather limited. Not very popular, you see.”

I smacked the back of his head lightly, earning myself a grin. “Serious answers.”

Leaning back against one of the supply tables, he crossed his arms. The grin faded as he let his gaze wander along the room, looking everywhere but at me. “Sometimes,” he said hesitantly, then as if regretting it, added, “But it would be disgraceful.”

Him and his stupid honor. Why did one of his most redeeming qualities have to be one that kept getting in my way?

“My mother would send the Vykryn after me,” he continued. “Sometimes I swear she’s waiting for a reason to. Hells, Shearen would volunteer in a heartbeat. He seems to have it in his head if I’m out of the way, she’ll make him Valix instead.”

Even as he said it, the heat faded from his words, and I wondered if he hated Shearen as much as he seemed to. Whatever burned between them, it seemed incapable of completely destroying the bond they’d once had.

I leaned against the table beside him. “How could you serve someone like that?” I asked. “Someone who would willingly send people to hunt down and kill her own son?”

I was pushing against some invisible boundary, and any minute, it might shatter and send me careening off an edge. But I needed to do this, not just because Ericen would be an asset but also because if my plan worked, I’d be leaving him behind.

I’d never have thought that would matter to me.

Ericen laughed mirthlessly. “What else would I do? Where would I go? She’d hunt me clear into the Eastern Wastelands.”

“You could come to Rhodaire. With me.” Even as I said the words, I marveled at them. How had we gotten here? “We could protect you.”

Doubt flickered across his face, drawing forth a spurt of indignation into my chest, though I understood. He didn’t know what I did about Res or the alliances being formed against his kingdom.

He didn’t respond. I could see his indecision, see him thinking maybe I’d said those things because I felt the same way he did. I felt something for him, something that made me want to get him out of here for his own sake as much as mine, but it wasn’t the same thing I had experienced with Caylus.

“I’ve worked my entire life to become a Vykryn,” he said.

“Your people don’t give you the respect you deserve.”