Page 19

‘Where’s the nearest tear in the Veil? Shouldn’t we go see for ourselves?’ Sebastos replied hurriedly. ‘If we leave now, no one will question our absence.’

Just the sound of him made Thea’s skin crawl. Time and time again he’d tried to underhandedly destroy her and her friends. The fact that he wore a Guardian totem, that he’d secured an apprenticeship, was just plain wrong. If there was a blight on Thezmarr, it was Sebastos Barlowe. And now, he was carrying out the orders of someone even worse.

‘The dark should provide adequate cover,’ Vernich said slowly.

Thea’s fingernails cut into her palms.

‘Saddle the horses. We’ll ride out in fifteen. Don’t let anyone see you.’

‘Course not, sir.’

Thea heard Vernich’s heavy footsteps fade in the opposite direction and breathed a sigh of relief, stepping out into the corridor once more – only to have Seb startle her.

‘What are you doing out here, stray?’ he snapped, nose already wrinkling in disgust at the sight of her.

A fresh wave of loathing washed over her as she surveyed Seb, the bastard who’d caused her nothing but trouble as a shieldbearer, but whose life she’d saved time and time again. In that moment she found herself wishing that she’d left him to the reapers in the ruins of Delmira, or that she’d let Cal shoot an arrow through his heart instead of his shoulder. He deserved it.

‘Fuck off, Seb,’ she muttered, trying to brush past him.

‘Why the hurry?’ he sneered. ‘Off to suck some more Warsword cock so you can get another totem?’

Thea gave a dark laugh. ‘Is that how you got yours? We both know you never felt its call. There’s not a worthy bone in your body.’

The bandage on his shoulder was gone, but she knew the exact place the arrow had pierced, and she knew it would hurt if she grabbed it. It was tempting. She knew he’d scream; she’d relish the sound.

Seb’s eyes narrowed. ‘Careful now, stray. No one’s out here to see you fall.’

Thea clasped her hands behind her back so she didn’t strangle him, her mind still reeling with what she’d overheard. Thankfully, he didn’t seem overly suspicious to find her here. ‘What do you want?’ she snapped.

His lip curled. ‘I want you gone. But I can’t seem to get rid of you. You’re like a disease —’

‘Got a lot of experience with those?’ She gave his crotch a pointed look.

Rage flashed in his eyes and he took a menacing step towards her. ‘But I’ll settle for getting rid of your sister,’ he said loudly.

Thea saw red. She lunged —

Only to be hauled back roughly by her shirt.

Seb’s face broke into a satisfied smirk. ‘See you around, stray.’

Blood roared in Thea’s ears as she kicked out at whoever had dragged her back, desperate to rain as much pain down on Seb as possible.

‘Enough,’ a familiar voice growled in her ear.

‘I had him,’ Thea spat, wrenching her shirt out of Hawthorne’s grasp.

‘Did you?’

‘Yes.’

‘Looked to me like you were about to scrap with him in the corridor like a common tavern brawler and bust up your knuckles some more.’

Thea took a deep breath, forcing that rage, that power, back down as best she could.

He studied her. ‘That hot head of yours will get you nowhere.’

‘No?’ she snapped, yanking her fate stone from the folds of her shirt. ‘Then perhaps I’ll just have to test the fates —’