Page 60 of By the Horns (Royal Artifactual Guild #2)

Forty-Four

Gwenna

Despite being snuggled in Raptor’s arms at night, I’m still having trouble sleeping.

My dreams are filled with more of the senseless babble of the dead, and Hemmen’s accusing gaze.

Of wandering the Everbelow as hands reach out to grab me and try to pull me into the shadows.

I wake up before everyone else in the morning and head to the kitchen.

Marta is behind on her cooking. It looks as if she left last night without preparing anything for today.

It seems such a small thing to do, and I’ve spent so much time in kitchens growing up, that I automatically start making the dough for the day’s bread.

It’ll need to proof for a few hours, and she can probably use the help.

Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be an artificer anytime soon.

I fight back a sigh of frustration and slap the dough a little harder just to work the emotions out of my system.

It feels good to do something I know I can manage, so I ready the dough, then start to chop vegetables and soak barley.

Raptor really loves a barley soup, and I want to make something comforting.

Maybe I’ll ask to be the nestmaid at another residence. Maybe I’ll ask to be Hawk’s nestmaid.

Maybe I’ll just toss my pride out the window. I snort at that.

Marta comes into the house at dawn, surprised to see me in the kitchen. She pulls her shawl off her shoulders and hangs it on a hook by the door. “Oh. What are you doing up?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” I tell her, shaping the last of the bread rolls and setting it on a pan to rise. “So I thought I’d help out. Are you caught up on the laundry?”

“I am, but it’s good that you’re awake. I intercepted a messenger as I was coming in.” She holds a scroll out to me. “I told them I’d pass it along.”

I peer at the name written on the binding. It says RAPTOR in shaky lettering. “I’ll wake him up. Should we notify Master Jay?”

“He actually just left.” She gestures at the back hall. “Got a summons and headed out.”

Figures. “Probably mad that all these horrible goings-on are cutting into his time alone with his widow woman. I’ll tell the others.”

She gives me a grateful smile, her expression turning slightly worried. “I hope the messages are nothing important.”

“Aye, I hope that, too.” At the rate we’re going, though, I don’t think that’s the case. I’m tempted to read the letter myself, but I’m tits-poor at reading, and it’s not my business anyhow. Is this more of Rooster’s thief hunt? Or something else?

When I enter the dormitory room, it’s quiet and dark. The room has no windows to let the light in, and there are no candles lit. I tiptoe over to the bed I share with Raptor and tap his arm.

He immediately hauls me down onto the bed and nuzzles my throat.

His hand goes for my breast, and he makes a disappointed sound when his fingers skim over tight corset instead of loose tit.

“Here I thought you were waking me up properly,” he whispers, nibbling on my throat.

“Should I let you go or should I pretend that we’re alone? ”

Oh gods, I would truly love to pretend for a while. I shake my head in the dark, though. “You’ve a letter.”

“By the bull god’s bollocks,” he mutters, but he gets up from bed.

I straighten my clothing as he dresses, and when he opens the doors to let light in, I move to his side.

I hold the scroll out, and he frowns at the seal on it as he takes it. “It’s not from Rooster.”

“No?” I don’t know if I feel relieved or worried to hear that. The guild leader hasn’t made a decision, then.

“No. I don’t recognize the writing.” He flicks the wax seal open and unrolls it, skimming the letter in the dim light of the hallway. Then he groans louder. “I should have known.”

“What is it?”

Raptor rolls the missive up again and shakes his head. “Rescue effort. All guild Taurians are needed. It doesn’t say what happened, but it can’t be good.”

“That’s unfortunate.” I’ve heard from Sparrow that the Taurians are called in constantly to help when a team needs a rescue in the tunnels. It happens often that someone gets lost, someone gets too hurt to continue, or a mining shaft collapses. “May I come with you? Like last time?”

Raptor pulls me close and kisses my forehead. “This time, no. I knew it wasn’t dangerous last time. This time, who knows. It could be a bad ratling infestation and they need more warriors. It wouldn’t be safe for you. Best that you stay here and wait for Rooster’s response.”

I make a face at that. “I know you’re right, but I hate it.”

“I do, too. I’m going to have to leave you in the care of Arrod and Kipp. You think that doesn’t bother me?” He cups my face in one big hand. “Because it does. It bothers me a lot. At least Master Jay is here.”

“Actually, he’s not. Marta said he was called away this morning. Kipp is skilled, though.”

“I have weapons that are bigger than Kipp is.”

“There’s also Arrod. He’s…well, he’s enthusiastic.” I grin up at him. “If that counts for anything.”

“Just take care of yourself. Don’t go anywhere with strangers. Don’t get separated from either one of them. Take the maid with you if you must go somewhere.”

“The maid has a name,” I chide him. “She’s a person. And just…be safe, yes?”

“You make it sound like there’s a delightful incentive to be safe.”

“Oh, there is. The best incentive.” I grin slyly up at him. “We find a nice, quiet room, lock the door behind us, and work on our team building.”

“Now you’re talking.” He tilts my face up and then stoops down. His muzzle brushes against my lips, and I find it achingly sweet that he goes out of his way to give me a kiss. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Let’s go wake up Arrod and Kipp and give them the good news.”

Rooster’s response comes in after lunch.

Because of course it does.

Raptor is gone, his gear pack strapped to his back, an extra weapon at his belt.

He’d disappeared down the street, heading for the drop zone in the early-morning sunlight.

I sit with Kipp and Arrod, picking at lunch as Marta cleans dishes at the sink.

I don’t have any appetite, and I’m glad I haven’t eaten much, because the moment I see the missive, my gut clenches and a sour taste rises in my throat.

The slitherskin at the door is a faint orange-pink color, with a bright yellow belly and vivid green eyes.

She has a little frill on her head past her brows, and Kipp doesn’t greet her with the usual belly-rubbing that means two slitherskin are talking to each other.

They just exchange shy looks. I wonder if this is the lady friend.

He hands her a coin and brings the parchment over to me.

I run a hand over the note.

It looks different than the missive that came earlier. The parchment is thicker, the wax seal ornate and showy, with the imprint of a rooster in a circle stamped with the guild’s logo. The lettering along the edge of the parchment is neat and tidy, and it has Raptor’s name on it.

Not mine. Just Raptor’s. Rooster doesn’t know how involved I am.

I glance up at Arrod and Kipp, who are watching me. The only sound is that of Marta moving about in the kitchen down the hall. “I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“You should read it,” Arrod says encouragingly. “What if it needs to be answered right away? And it’s not like Raptor would mind, because it’s you. He loves everything you do.”

Kipp makes a chirping sound that I interpret as agreement.

I clutch the scroll and bite my lip. Raptor wouldn’t care. I know he wouldn’t. It’s just…do I want to see what Head Guild Master Rooster has said? Or can I wait?

I…can’t. I tear open the parchment and stare at it with shaking hands. The writing is pretty, but the lettering is cramped and I have to read slowly, my lips moving as I do.

Raptor,

I have decided. We will not resort to illegal methods to solve our problems. The guild’s reputation is above reproach and we will not do anything to harm that, despite the costs.

What we lose now might be nothing compared to what we would lose if we were to dabble in unsavory choices.

I will notify you on any updates to our situation, but until then, we wait for the criminals to show themselves.

Head Guild Master Rooster

It’s a no.

I…don’t know how I feel about that. Limply, I hold the parchment out to Kipp, since he and Arrod are both practically squirming with anticipation.

Arrod takes the letter and reads it aloud, with far more skill than I did. “I don’t understand what he means,” he says after a long moment. “What illegal methods? What problems? I thought the guild was looking for Hemmen’s murderer?”

I eye the two of them and then our surroundings.

It feels too open to talk about mancers and thievery right here.

We need privacy. I grab Arrod by his sleeve and gesture that Kipp should follow, and head into our dorm’s sleeping quarters.

Once the three of us are inside, I shut the doors and lean against them.

“The guild has a thief. Or multiple thieves.”

“And this is who Hemmen was involved with?” Arrod asks. “The thieves?”

“It seems so. Whoever is stealing artifacts from the archives is using repeaters and then murdering them when they’re done.”

Arrod sits on the edge of the nearest bed, his expression shocked. “Are…are we next?”

“Are you working with thieves?”

“Not that I know of! But how do I know if they’re a thief or not?” He jumps to his feet, pointing at me. “Wait! The messages in the books—are you a thief?”

Kipp blows out a breath. He shakes his head and hops up on the bed, gesturing at Arrod to look at him. He signs a few things and then glances over at me. The look on his face is full of reproach as he turns back to Arrod, waiting.

“Sorry, Gwenna,” Arrod says. “I panicked. I know you’re not a thief.”