Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)

by Sarah J. Maas

few left to even entice to join their cause. “Aelin didn’t seem too concerned when she flitted off to Eldrys,” Ren murmured. For a moment, Aedion was on a spit of blood-soaked sand. An iron box. Maeve had whipped her and put her in a veritable coffin. And sailed off to Mala-knew-where, an immortal sadist with them. “Aelin,” said Aedion, dredging up a drawl as best he could, even as the lie choked him, “has her own plans that she’ll only tell us about when the time is right.” Ren said nothing. And though the queen Ren believed had returned was an illusion, Aedion added, “Everything she does is for Terrasen.” He’d said such horrible things to her that day she’d taken down the ilken. Where are our allies? he’d demanded. He was still trying to forgive himself for it. For any of it. All that he had was this one chance to make it right, to do as she’d asked and save their kingdom. Ren glanced to the twin swords he’d discarded on the ancient table behind them. “She still left.” Not for Eldrys, but ten years ago. “We’ve all made mistakes this past decade.” The gods knew Aedion had plenty to atone for. Ren tensed, as if the choices that haunted him had nipped at his back. “I never told her,” Aedion said quietly, so that the falcon sitting in the rafters might not hear. “About the opium den in Rifthold.” About the fact that Ren had known the owner, and had frequented the woman’s establishment plenty before the night Aedion and Chaol had hauled in a nearly unconscious Ren to hide fro...