Page 55 of Lana Pecherczyk

Blake settled onto the stool beside him, and River fought not to preen when she leaned closer. The bartender’s nostrils flared as he assessed her, gaze flicking down to the blue matching marks on their hands.

“Got one left.” He raised bushy brows. “But it will cost you three red coin.”

River barked a laugh. “For a nag this late in the day? One.”

“Two.”

“One, and I won’t mention the contraband spoons I spotted in your kitchen.” River nodded toward the hole in the wall behind the bar, where a cook paused in his stirring of the pot on the stove.

The bartender’s face darkened to burgundy. “Fine.”

River grinned, but something in the fae’s eyes set his instincts screaming. He glanced at the owl shifter, noting how he tracked their exchange with sudden interest.

Lucky for him, they were in a hurry. And apparently, Blake hated showy displays of power. Whatever. The trek to the murder was still a few hours away. River wanted to get there before dark. Ignoring his urge to brawl had nothing to do with not wanting to disappoint Blake.

Not at all.

Outside, a lone horse stood tethered in the dirt yard behind the tavern. Its coat held a glossy shimmer that seemed too shiny. Something about its gaze ruffled River’s feathers.

Blake gushed, “She’s a beauty.”

He lunged forward, catching her wrist mid-reach. The horse’s nostrils flared, tracking his movement with unsettling focus, pupils contracting then widening again.

“Careful with animals in Elphyne,” River warned, voice low. “Not everything is what it seems.”

“You’re just grumpy about whatever that was in there.” But Blake withdrew her hand, arms crossing over her chest in that protective gesture he’d noticed she made whenever uncertain. One arm positioned slightly higher than the other, shoulders curving inward—a shield against the world.

River checked the horse, but despite his low-grade sense of unease, nothing seemed wrong with it. He helped Blake mount, his hands lingering longer than necessary on her waist as she adjusted her balance. After he’d given her the plant and secured her satchel, he swung up behind her. The curve of her spine immediately pressed against his chest before jolting forward.

Oops. The daggers strapped to his bandolier were in an awkward position.

“It’s been a while since I traveled tandem on horseback,” he muttered, and rearranged his weapons so they wouldn’t cut into her.

Once ready, he slapped the reins and kicked the horse into a trot. They left the village for the neighboring forest.This path took them straight into the southeast crow territory. His nomadic race lived throughout Elphyne, but this latest settlement was particularly special to River.

It was where he’d grown up—where Cloud had too. Sometime in the past decade, the murder had circled back to its roots and resettled.

The forest engulfed them in a cathedral of living wood and foliage. Massive trunks soared skyward. Sunlight pierced through the canopy gaps, illuminating dancing motes of pollen. Humid air clung to River’s skin. Beneath the vibrant perfume of moss and mulch lurked the metallic taste of old-world ruins.

“It’s really here, isn’t it?” Wonder filled Blake’s voice. She pointed to a fallen signpost half-buried in fire lilies. Metal jutted from vibrant blooms. Letters were still visible beneath luminescent fungus: City Limits.

He should probably destroy the old sign, but he felt no disturbance in the flow of mana. Later. He urged the horse onward.

“I keep thinking I’ll wake up, but…” Blake fell silent as parrots darted overhead, flashing crimson and electric blue against the canopy.

That ashy melancholy of hers seeped through their bond. River’s jaw clenched against the intrusion.

“You’re thinking about him.” The accusation escaped before he could trap it behind his teeth.

“Jeff?”

She’d mentioned him earlier. “Ah, so he has a name.”

She twisted to face him, surprise flashing across her features. “Are you reading my mind?”

“Don’t need to.” He tapped her forearm where blue marks softly glowed. “Every time you remember him, it feels like swallowing grave ash.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders stiffened as she faced forward again.