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I sighed. The adrenaline in my blood was fading. I was exhausted from fighting, all I wanted was to get on the move to Silstra.

“At least you no longer hate me,” I muttered, leaning my head against the carriage wall.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Riven replied with a smirk. His violet eyes were daring, but I was too tired to take the bait.

“I’d like to remind you I’m holding a blade, and I’m not above cutting you,” I threatened, not entirely sure I was joking.

“Keera,” Riven said, looking at the dagger in my hands and then gazing out the window. “You could cut me worse than any blade.”

We didn’t say anything else to each other. Our plan was still intact, but barely. Yet somehow, I felt like we had won, or at least I had. Riven had promised to keep me informed from now on. It was a small step, but a meaningful one to me. Riven guarded his trust even more than I did. I knew the weight a promise like that carried.

SYRRA AND COLLIN WEREwaiting for us outside the abandoned storehouse. Her arms were crossed, her marks shining in the warm light of the last setting sun. She wore leather cuffs on her broad shoulders, towering above Collin’s thin frame. She was ready for the next part of our mission.

Syrra shook her head as Nikolai pulled the carriage through the wide doors of the building. The scent of stale grain and mold filled the carriage as I opened the door and jumped down before we’d come to a complete stop.

Her eyes trailed over my dress and my back stiffened. Syrra raised a brow and gave me an approving nod. “You are late,” she said in way of greeting.

“Take that up with Riven,” I told her, not hiding my annoyance.

Riven stepped down behind me and tossed the pendant to Syrra, who caught it in one hand. “It is done then—no surprises?” she asked. She twisted the center of the pendant and it cracked open like an egg. Inside was a golden key. Not the wrought iron ones used at taverns or pubs, but a circular piece of gold. An Elven key.

Syrra tossed the useless casing to Nikolai. It bounced from one hand to the other before he finally caught it in the crook of his elbow. Syrra couldn’t help but smirk.

“Nothingbutsurprises actually,” I said, still staring at the round key. “But we’ll have to tell you on the road.” My eyes flicked to Syrra. I needed her to understand the urgency. “We need to leave tonight. Now.”

Syrra looked back at the horizon, the last sun was almost set. Dark violet streaks painted the sky as stars started to flicker in the west. “My team is already waiting to grab the explosives. Once I bring them the key, we will be back here in under an hour,” she said, tucking the gold key into a hidden pocket in her leathers. “I’ll have someone ready the horses. Collin, load the saddlebags—”

“I don’t think we have the time to ride horseback,” I said. “We’ll be quicker by coach.” I cut a look to Nikolai and Riven who were whispering to each other at the front of the carriage. Nikolai rolled his eyes at something Riven said. I thought they hadn’t heard me, but then Nikolai took a step toward us.

“A coach can’t move nearly as fast as we can on horseback,” he countered, turning away from Riven.

“No,” I said, my gaze bouncing between them. “But we can’t ride through the night on horseback either. I want to get to Silstra as soon as possible. No stops other than to switch out the horses.”

Riven moved beside me. I could feel the heat coming off his body and fought the urge to lean into it. Whatever had happened between us at the Harvest had been a mistake. A distraction. We couldn’t afford any more distractions now.

“We’re more likely to get stopped by Shades if we take a coach. We’ll have to stay on the King’s Road. There will be no way to hide,” Riven said, crossing his arms. I could feel the weight of his violet eyes on me, but I didn’t meet his gaze.

“Luckily, you’re traveling with the king’s Blade,” I replied. “Ifwe get stopped, I can pull rank. No one will question or search the coach if I reveal myself.”

Nikolai shook his head. “There’s no reason to take such risks with your identity. Better to not rush and stay hidden.” He pulled off the driver’s cap, black coils spilled over his brow.

“That option flew out the window when I was forced to dance with the prince,” I snapped. “We don’t have time. I’ve already been spotted—with a Dark Fae no less. Anything I risk will be meaningless if we don’t make it to Silstra in time.”

Nikolai gave Riven a pleading look. “We don’t need to rush this, Riv,” he pushed, throwing his hat on the ground.

Riven didn’t speak, his eyes shifting from Nikolai’s to mine. I stood my ground with my arms crossed. Riven’s jaw flexed, his long hair drifted on a breeze blowing in from the large door, but he didn’t break his stare. Nikolai was his friend, his best friend. But I was right. Whatever we were—allies, accomplices, rivals—I needed him to side with me. I needed him to agree in front of everyone else. That was the only way they would concede to changing the plan.

“Keera’s right,” Riven said with a nod. “We leave tonight.”

I breathed a sigh of relief before I started issuing orders.

“Nikolai, can you fit the explosives in the undercarriage—is there enough room?” I asked. He nodded. “Good, you and Collin can work on that while Syrra steals the bags.” Syrra slipped out of the storehouse and disappeared into the night. “Everything else is packed,” I continued. “Riven and I will map the route and plan our shifts. I reckon we can take five. Who do you want to be the fifth?” I looked to Riven.

“Collin,” he answered. “He knows explosives almost as well as Nik.”

“Do I get a say in this?” Collin asked. Everyone in the room froze, their eyes falling to the Halfling. No one questioned Riven’s orders.

“Do you have an issue with the plan?” Riven asked. I saw the shift in his eyes, the darkness swirling beneath them. The muscles in his back tensed, preparing for a fight.