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Evalyn looked at him too, waiting. Layala wasn’t the only one who wanted Tenebris dead.

“I swear it. When the time is right.”

“And I will be the one to end Mathekis.” She licked her lips. “I’ll find a way.”

Thane smiled at her confidence, as did many of the others. She may very well be the one, but he didn’t want to find out just yet. He hadn’t come to a one-on-one fight with Mathekis before. Deep down both Thane and Mathekis avoided the conflict, even if not intentionally.

“Fightbringer,” Leif said, crossing his arms, “We’d all love to see both dead and burned and as much faith as we have in your ability, no one has ever gotten close enough to Mathekis to do it. Our arrows miss him as if he’s protected by some force. Not even Thane has been able to touch him with his magic.”

A few murmured “yeses” and some shakes of the heads from the Ravens followed his statement. “The only way to kill Mathekis is to destroy the Void,” Piper said, as she leaned against the goddess statue. “That’s how this all ends, Layala. You destroy the Void, you get revenge.”

That fact sat with everyone for a moment of silence before Thane said, “We’ll need to split up to throw off our trail. Fennan, Piper, Leif, Gunner and Siegfried will come with me. The rest of you will take the old road north to Brightheart to meet with the other Ravens and wait for us there. Steer clear of the main road.”

“Where will you go?” Nash, one of the other Ravens asked.

“Lakeside road.”

Everyone moved to their mounts, but Layala grabbed Thane’s hand stopping him. Her beautiful blue eyes searched his face for a moment. “I need to tell you what Varlett said.”

Chapter13

Layala watched Thane bend his knees and hold out his palms for her to put her shoe into. The once-white slippers were stained in grime and dirt so thick she was embarrassed to touch him. Her filthy, ripped dress smelled like goat shit and sour sweat. And he’d have to ride with her pressed against him for hours? She hadn’t thought about it when she was falling to her death and he held her against him but now, her life wasn’t on the line. He might be a little sweaty and dirty but somehow, he still smelled good and looked as beautiful as ever.

He looked up at her expectantly. “What’s the matter?”

Tif popped out of the saddlebag. “Yeah, what’s the matter? Are you upset Thane didn’t bring Midnight? I said, ‘she’s going to want her horse’, when the bridge guard retrieved Phantom from the barns, but no one listened to the poor little gnome. I bet even Midnight is upset he got left behind.”

Layala glanced around at the Ravens, mounted up and already on their way moving out. “It’s not that… Are there any clean clothes for me to change into?”

“Midnight is fine in the barn. It was enough of a risk for the stable master to grab Phantom,” Thane said to Tif. He turned to Layala, “And if you’re worried anyone is judging your appearance, we’re not. Besides, the grimy look is turning me on a little.”

Leif and Fennan laughed, of course. Layala narrowed her eyes. “Only you.”

“Don’t worry, Layala,” Tif said with a big toothy grin. “I will wash your dress as soon as we can. It will be as bright and shiny as new.”

Layala fidgeted with her hands, scratching at the dirt under her nails. It sounded stupid when she thought about it, but she was the only one who smelled like animal droppings. The last thing she wanted was to be pressed up against Thane and have him revolted by her scent. This certainly wasn’t how she imagined their reunion. If she had Midnight, she might let this go.

Horses knickered and danced impatiently as the remaining Ravens waited on their mounts. Even Aunt Evalyn looked to be growing impatient. “Layala, you look fine,” Evalyn said. “Since when did you start caring about fashion?”

“I don’t care what I look like.” That was only a small lie.

“Go on ahead.” Thane waved them off. “We’ll catch up.”

Without hesitation, the group vanished among the trees into the darkness, except Evalyn who waited a moment, as if afraid to leave them alone together, but she too gave her horse a nudge and moved on.

When she was gone, Thane hooked a thumb on the weapons belt around his hips. “Do I need to threaten to put you on the horse again, stubborn one?”

“Oooo this is going to be good.” Tif rubbed her hands together with a wicked grin.

Layala lightly bit her lip to keep from smiling at Tif’s comment and folded her arms. “Try it and see what happens. You couldn’t even if you wanted to.”

He laughed. “Maker above, I’ve missed you.”

She no longer held back that smile as warmth blossomed in her chest. How she’d missed him too. “What happened after—” the rest of the sentence caught in her throat. It hurt to remember him bleeding out on the forest floor, and the gaping hole through his center.

“It’s not a long story but it’s one I’d love to tell you.” He gestured toward Phantom. “On the way.”

“I saved him,” Tif blurted out and rubbed her nails on her dress in a show of taking credit. Thane tilted his head in a lazy glare at her. “What? I helped. Don’t try to deny it, and if I didn’t speak tweet, think of the mess we’d be in.”