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“I was detained for three years,” I say. “Kyldare—the man who took me—told me they were all dead.”

Haldrik sucks in a shuddering breath, glancing between Calysian and I. “But you don’t believe him.”

“He would have said anything if he thought it might break me,” I say, my voice flat. “And Daharak…all of them survived so much. I can’t believe they were slaughtered by Kyldare’s soldiers. I won’t.”

“So you’ve been trying to find them.”

I nod, and Haldrik sighs. “I haven’t seen any sightings of them here, although it’s unlikely they would have revisited this town.”

The barmaid brings over several bowls of stew, and my stomach rumbles. At some point, Calysian must have ordered dinner.

I lift the spoon to my lips, but the stew is tasteless, my mind providing me with images of Daharak and the others being slaughtered over and over again.

My stomach clenches, and I place my spoon down. Calysian squeezes my hand again. “We’ll keep looking.”

I nod, and the two men fall into conversation about the town and our route south.

“I’m coming with you,” Haldrik announces, his shoulders set, chin jutting out.

“We’re traveling inland,” Calysian says.

Haldrik’s mouth firms and he meets my eyes. “And you never expected to find me here did you? Who’s to say where the others might turn up? You know as well as I do that pirates don’t just haunt the coast—they trade, they hide, they follow opportunity. Besides, we might meet someone who’s heard word of them.”

I open my mouth, but he’s already shaking his head. “What if Kyldare did attack, and they were forced to scatter? More people searching means a higher chance we’ll find them.”

He’s got a point. When I don’t reply, Haldrik nods to the stairs on our left. “This inn is probably the best in town. You should both get some rest, and I’ll meet you in the morning.”

Calysian doesn’t argue, but his gaze lingers on my face. And when he leaves the table to speak to the innkeeper, I know we’ll discuss Haldrik further when we’re alone.

And I know he’s asking the innkeeper for one room.

Madinia

The room is surprisingly spacious, steam already rising from a large tub near the window. Calysian steps to the side for me to enter, and I give him a look.. “This was presumptuous of you.”

He drops our bags by the door. “Was it?”

I’m suddenly tired. Tired of depriving myself. “No.”

His eyes burn with hunger when he looks at me. But his hands fist at his sides, and I watch him douse his lust, his eyes turning flat and cool.

“We need to talk about Haldrik.” He grinds the words out and I almost smile. Haldrik is thelastthing Calysian wants to talk about, but he’s determined to get this conversation over with.

I lean against the door. “I know you don’t want him to come with us.”

A muscle in his jaw twitches. “I promised you I would help you find your friends. If you think Haldrik can help with that, then he can travel with us.”

Warmth spreads through my chest. I know Calysian, and I know the way he thinks. He never would have abandoned Daharak and the others without warning, and the fact that Haldrik did has shaped the way he sees him.

I don’t blame him. And yet…

“Haldrik deserves to know the truth. I can’t imagine what it’s been like for him to learn they’ve been missing for all this time. We won’t tell him about the grimoire if you don’t want to.”

Calysian narrows his eyes in thought. “We’re traveling toward a city on the coast,” he says, clearly reluctant to tell me even that much. “Haldrik can travel with us that far. If we haven’t heard anything by then, he can head north or south along the coast to search for them on his own.”

“Fine.” My mind races. A city on the coast. If we’re traveling inland first, then it’s most likely we’ll—

Calysian gives me a slow smile and strips off his shirt, revealing smooth skin poured over thick muscle.