Blackfeather Woods i like irons, but i love fire

She conceded that, at least, if only to further ingratiate herself with him. Maegi listened with rapt attention as he told the story of their exodus, her stomach plummeting as she finally learned of Cicero's fate. So Relmyna had been right. . .he was dead. She felt sadness tug briefly at her, but it was gone quickly as it had arrived. As much as Cicero meant to her, she hadn't known him well at all, nor he her.

Her fault for that, too, she supposed.

And Euron was gone as well—but not dead, it sounded like. Just gone. I didn't expect him to forgive me, Maegi admitted. Her face had contorted as Ramsay spoke his truth, and she couldn't resist a shake of her head, his last question forgotten abruptly in the guilt that came up like vomit.

I hate that I made you think that, she murmured. She stared at him, eyes intensely pleading. It's not true. Nothing has ever meant more to me than you and Euron. I was just a little stupid girl who made a big stupid decision. By the time I came to my senses, you two were long gone. I went out—

Well, she supposed this did segue into an answer to his question. I went out looking, though, Maegi continued. Headed toward the mountains, toward the place where we stayed after the war. I didn't get very far before this woman knocked me unconscious and took me to her mountain. They kept me prisoner. Just like Vaati kept Cass prisoner, said a mocking, shrill voice in her head.

A man there became angry with me and tore my face open. But Moonshadow tracked me, fought him off, and I escaped, she concluded. Perhaps the rest of the story would come in time—the flight to Undersea, the problems with the red girl—but for now, this was where she would stop. It was enough to satisfy his question, for she assumed he was most curious about her scarred visage. Everyone was.