Page 38 of Dark Bringer (Lord of Everfell #1)

“Oh, please,” she muttered, unscrewing the cap. “There are no orphans around here.”

Kal took a sip. It tasted like caramel and vanilla and dark summer plums, with a nice mellow afterburn.

“Speaking of bad ideas,” Durian said, “remember when you tried to convince me to swim across that flooded wadi?”

“And I was right. There was a vein of argentite on the other side.” She took another swig, wincing. Durian had balked and the Yun-Su sisters got there first. “If you hadn’t been such a coward, we could have staked it.”

“Bitch, you’re crazy. The current was too fast! We would have both drowned.”

“Then at least we’d be dead together.”

His voice turned somber. “Don’t say that.”

The starka softened the edges of her thoughts.

She took another big glug and veered toward a park with a marble arch at the entrance.

It was covered with graffiti. On impulse, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a tube of purple lipstick.

Standing on tiptoe, she scrawled across the white marble: DURIAN LIVES

Kal stepped back to admire her handiwork. Something about seeing his name writ large made her chest ache less.

“You’re an idiot,” Durian said, but she could hear the smile.

“I miss you,” she whispered.

“I know.”

She raised the bottle in a toast. “To all your terrible ideas.”

A chill raised goosebumps along her arms—the same sensation she'd felt when the witches had tried to use lithomancy against her. She capped the starka, pulse leaping.

“Shit!” A blur of movement in the darkness resolved into a pair of long white coats. Kal looked around for a place to hide. Her own clothing was dark and she didn’t think they’d seen her yet.

After a moment, she darted to a dry fountain and crouched behind the rim. She could hear voices, but couldn’t make out the words. A quick peek confirmed that they’d stopped at the arch.

Triple shit!

The footsteps came closer, then halted a few paces away. The chill intensified, sliding across Kal’s skin like a gout of ice water. She gripped the pistol in her pocket. She never went anywhere without her Bluekiller, but she wouldn’t use it unless she had no other choice.

“Pardon me!” A new voice, male and slightly slurred. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Watch where you’re going,” one of the witches snapped.

“Did you see anyone pass by?” the other added. “A young woman, perhaps?”

There was a long pause. Sweat slicked her palm around the pistol grip.

“Yes, actually. She went that way in quite a hurry. Dark hair, I think? Hard to tell in this light. But she was wearing a red jacket.”

The freezing cold sensation faded as footsteps moved away from the fountain. Kal waited, barely breathing, until the park fell silent once more.

“You can come out now,” he said.

Kal hesitated, then slowly rose from her hiding place.

A young man leaned against the arch. He wore an expensive-looking cashmere coat with leather gloves dangling from one pocket.

A university student, or just a rich boy.

His hair was dark chestnut with a bit of wave to it.

Eyes either blue or green, it was hard to tell.

His gaze traveled over her. “Snuck out, did you?”

Kal tensed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re one of those Lenormand girls.” He smiled. “The shiny shoes gave you away.”

She crossed her arms. “What’s it to you?”

“Nothing at all.” He pushed off the arch with a feline grace that suggested he wasn’t as drunk as he’d pretended to be. “It’s your business. I’m just glad to be of service. But you should be careful. This neighborhood isn’t as safe it looks.”

Blue eyes, she decided as he came closer. But dark, like the deepest parts of the sea.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” She felt suddenly awkward. “But really, thank you. You saved me from . . . a good deal of trouble. Breaking curfew could get me expelled.”

He studied her for a moment, his gaze intent as though she were a fascinating riddle. “Then why do it?”

Why indeed? Kal drew a breath, trying to think of a suitable reply. In the end, she settled on a partial truth. “Once you enroll, they don’t let you leave, not until you graduate. They say it’s for your own protection, and I do understand that, but . . .”

“You wonder what lies beyond the walls,” he finished. “And you want more than what they give you.”

She met his eyes. “Yes.”

For a moment, he looked serious, as though he understood her perfectly.

Knew what it was to be caged, to yearn for freedom.

Then a wry grin curled his lips. “Listen, I don’t usually chat up fugitives, but there’s a pub around the corner that’s open until one-thirty.

Care to stop in for a quick drink? If you’re on the lam, you might as well make the most of it. ”

His smile was disarming, but warning bells went off. “I wish I could,” she said quickly. “But after that close call, I’d better get back.”

He looked disappointed. On impulse, she rummaged through her pockets. Three strides later, she pressed a square wrapped in gold foil into his hand. “A small gift of thanks.”

He stared down at the chocolate bar like he’d never seen one before. “You don’t have to,” he said.

Kal grinned. “I know. That’s why it’s called a gift.”

His blue eyes widened in surprise as she leaned in and kissed his cheek. It was a little stubbly, but he smelled nice. Like rain-damp wool and a hint of soap.

“Stay out of trouble,” she whispered with a wink.

Kal turned away, walking quickly out of the park. When she glanced back, her savior was eating the chocolate. He gave her a wave.

Kal returned it with a mock salute, but her good mood soured as she remembered her own stupidity. Now the White Foxes knew she was in Arjevica.

She ran the whole way back. For once, she was glad to see the walls of the Lenormand School. What had felt like a prison was now her only safe haven. She grabbed a handful of ivy and started to climb, the bottles clinking in her pocket.

She kept thinking about her savior. Had he really taken her for a student sneaking out, or was the encounter not as random as it seemed?

“That’s the problem,” Durian whispered in her ear. “It’s not paranoia when they really are out to get you.”

His donkey bray chased her over the wall.