Page 33 of Fall of Ruin and Wrath

“When I first heard of the fires, I was hoping it was the Iron Knights— ”

“Gods, Grady,” I cut him off, stomach twisting. “You shouldn’t even be thinking that, let alone speaking it out loud.”

“What?” Grady rolled his eyes. “There isn’t anyone out here.”

“You don’t know who could be near and overhear you,” I pointed out. “If someone did and reported you?” My heart stuttered. “You’d be tried for treason, Grady, and by tried, I mean executed without a trial.”

“Yeah, and you can’t tell me that’s not wrong,” he shot back. “The fact that the mere suspicion of being sympathetic to the Iron Knights ends in death or worse? Like what was done to Astoria?”

“It is messed up, and so is hoping the Iron Knights had something to do with the fires since you know exactly what happened to Astoria.”

“Again, you can’t tell me that’s not also wrong.”

“I’m not saying it isn’t. . . .” I trailed off, staring at him. Ever since news of Beylen and the Iron Knights first reached Archwood, Grady had shown more than a passing interest in what was being said about the rebels. And how could he not? Both of us were products of a kingdom that cared very little for its most vulnerable, but we had a life now. We had a future, and I had already risked that enough for the both of us. Worry gnawed at me as I looked away.

“Anyway,” Grady said with a heavy sigh. “It wasn’t the Iron Knights. Osmund said the flames weregolden,and you know only one thing can create that kind of fire.” Grady continued, “But that’s not all.”

Knots formed in my stomach. “It’s not?”

“No. There were bodies found. Two at the blacksmith’s and three at the Twin Barrels.”

I shouldn’t feel relief, but I did. The death toll could’ve been higher just at the Twin Barrels, where rooms were always rented. And it could’ve been catastrophic if the Lord had done as he said he would have, leaving half the city in ruins.

“That’s terrible news,” I mumbled, because I honestly didn’t know what to say.

“Yeah.” Grady’s brows knitted as he looked at the sky. “You don’t seem all that surprised.”

“I don’t?”

He was quiet for only a moment. “What do you know?”

My head swung back to him. “What do you mean?”

He searched my eyes, trusting that if I lost my grip on my intuition, I would look away. Or if I did see something, I wouldn’t tell him. Grady, like Naomi, didn’t want to know what the future held for him, and I could respect that. “How long have we known each other?”

I raised a brow. “Some days it feels like forever.”

“Yeah, this is one of them,” he retorted, and I wrinkled my nose. “You tried to lie to me earlier and you’re doing it again. When have you ever been able to successfully lie to me?”

“If I had, you wouldn’t know.” I gave him a cheeky smile. “Now would you?”

There was no smile. There were no dimples. “Osmund saw you last night, Lis, leaving the manor grounds.”

“And?”

“He also saw you returning hours later, riding like a bat out of hell.”

“I’m not sure where this is going?”

“You were wearing a different cloak upon your return.”

My mouth dropped open. “How could he tell that?”

Grady shrugged. “I guess he has really good eyes.”

“Gods,” I muttered.

“So? You going to be honest with me now?”