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He sat down across from her, leaning in close as her hand shot across the table into his. I strained my ears, trying to pick up on their hushed conversation.

“You scared me. What took you so long?” she hissed.

“There was an issue with the High Priest. It is resolved now,” he said, his voice sharp.

The woman nodded, dragging her hand from his as she leaned in closer. “When?”

“Tonight,” the man said urgently. “She said it has to be tonight.”

A sharp gasp escaped the woman’s mouth. “You have to tell her no, Cain—”

The oxygen eddied from my lungs as she spoke his name.

I should have known the moment I saw him, should have put it together.

They had no idea who was sitting mere feet from them.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus back on the conversation.

“. . . it’s too risky. Every lord from Ammord and The Silliands will be there, as well as every High Priestess and Priest, and they will have double the security with the current state of the realms,” the woman said, her fingers now anxiously brushing through her hair and twisting it to the top of her head.

“That is exactly why it needs to happen now,” Cain insisted. “They will never expect it. It is our only chance to do it.”

Even as my mind raced, a relieved sigh escaped my lips. This had nothing to do with us or Camp Bane. But whatever it was, from the sounds of the woman’s frantic voice, it was big.

This gathering happening tonight might actually play in our favor, especially with us causing a scene in Sethros. All eyes were on the House of High, and chaos in the city would likely be treated as a threat toward the leaders that were gathered here.

“Okay.” She nodded, her voice shaking. “I will make sure everything is in place before I leave. But if this goes wrong—”

“It will not,” Cain interjected, reassuring her as he reached over the table and pulled her hand into his. “Trust me, Kedria.”

I didn’t know that name, but if she was a spy—and she likely was—Wren or Pri would be able to give me more information on her. But for now, we would use this knowledge to our advantage.

Cain stood, giving her a small nod as he slipped his fingers from hers and melted back into the crowd that had now doubled in size. I watched as Kedria waited for a few minutes before taking a deep breath, almost as if to steel herself, before rising and heading for the door. As her back disappeared through the tavern’s entrance, the air left my lungs and I leaned back into my chair.

If it had been any other day, if we had been here for any other reason, there would not be a single thing that could keep me away from that ball. Maybe, if we had a bit of extra time before midnight, I might just see if I could let myself in. Nothing wrong with a bit of fun before the massacre.

Or maybe, that is where we would create the chaos. Landers did say to keep eyes off of Camp Bane and that would definitely do the trick.

My heart fluttered in my chest with excitement at the possibility as a tapping sounded on the window behind me. I glanced at it casually from over my shoulder then turned my gaze back to the room, searching for anyone else that may hold any useful information.

The window shattered, glass flying toward me as drunken screams echoed throughout the room. I jolted from my chair, my heart racing as my head whipped toward it to see a crow squawking loudly at me.

Fuck.This was not good.

I bolted from the tavern, my hood falling to my shoulders as the wind rushed against my face. Cyloe flew just ahead of me and my eyes stayed locked on her as I pushed through the crowd, the music flowing from Millstrong’s now broken window drowned out by the bartering of villagers and tradesmen.

Dukovich would not have sent her if it wasn’t bad.

My boots pounded against the limestone road, sand kicking up behind me with each step as I raced underneath her. We hit afork in the road and my stomach tightened as Cyloe flew left, off Folkvein Street and onto Briar Road.

This was the richest strip in Sethros and it only housed high end brothels. The only people allowed inside these establishments were members of the House of High’s court.

Dukovich slammed into me from an alleyway.

“Fuck!” I screamed, my body groaning against the sheer force his solid body hit me with.

He didn’t stop running as his fingers caught in my hand and snapped my body in the opposite direction. I could already feel the whiplash blooming at the base of my neck.