Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)

by Sarah J. Maas

felt smaller. Shorter. “I didn’t push for Akkadia to spite you,” he managed to say. “I don’t care.” She tried to edge around him, Lorcan easily keeping ahead of her. “I didn’t …” The words strangled him. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Elide let out a soft, vicious laugh. “Of course you didn’t. Why would you have intended for your wondrous queen to sever the blood oath?” “I don’t care about that.” He didn’t. He’d never spoken truer words. “I only wish to make things right.” Her lip curled. “I would be inclined to believe that if I hadn’t seen you crawling after Maeve on the beach.” Lorcan blinked at the words, the hatred in them, stunned enough that he let her walk past this time. Elide didn’t so much as look back. Not until Lorcan said, “I didn’t crawl after Maeve.” She halted, hair swaying. Slowly, she glanced over her shoulder. Imperious and cold as the stars overhead. “I crawled …” His throat bobbed. “I crawled after Aelin.”