Page 67

Chapter

Fifty

Nuo

T he Council stood atop the stairs leading to the Guardian Palace, facing the crowd below, and I squinted against the sun, impatient to get this over with.

Liars and murderers who all wore false smiles surrounded me, dressed in clean-cut golden clothes, saying well-delivered lines to the people, telling them exactly what they wished to hear.

The Council meeting was no meeting at all, but a trap. Set for who, I couldn’t tell—but they never appeared before the public like this.

Kaz and Bas stood beside me in the crowd gathered before the Palace. A sea of Guardians surrounded us, their black uniforms scattered across every visible street and balcony. We had our hoods drawn, as did many others, blending in and staying hidden.

We had lucked out on our travels back to the city. Some poor Guardians with a small airship stationed in Danuli gave us a free ride back. A trip that should have taken us four weeks took two.

There was no word from Brekt, meaning we had no updates on what happened to the Ikhor after the canyons.

The Guardians we’d run into said the citizens were getting worried that the Aspis hadn’t entered the final battle.

Apparently, many went directly to the Council to demand answers.

And there I was, standing amongst the crowd.

The cloak I wore was too heavy with the sun beating down on us.

I tried not to fidget, but several times, I caught myself forgetting where I was and trying to get Bastane’s attention.

I had already stolen four of Kazhi’s knives without her noticing.

The Governor’s droning speech was putting me to sleep.

Falizha stood next to her father at the top of the stairs, the head of the Aspis carved into the mountainous rock behind them, and I realized the carving wasn’t precise. The horns were wrong.

The beast loomed over the Governor as he delivered his lines.

“The Guards will be made anew, stronger than ever before. The trials will begin soon, after a period of mourning for the tragic loss of our fellow warriors. We will honour the lives of Erebrekt of the North, Nuo, Kazhi and Bastane Armel, who died in battle against the Aethar in the Southern region of Veydes.”

“Fucker,” I muttered, earning an elbow from Bas.

The Guards killed in a battle with the Aethar? Hah—fighting them was like practicing with swords.

“In one week’s time,” the Governor went on, “we will begin the age-old trial by combat to decide the next set of Guards and who goes forth to battle alongside the Aspis.”

I crossed my arms, leaning toward Kazhi, and she placed her hands on her remaining throwing knives, sheathed at her side. She pierced me with a sideways glance—she had known I took the others. Damn.

Falizha’s brother stepped forward—a tall, broad-shouldered golden Day-leg dressed in Guardian black rather than gold like his pompous father.

“My son, Aeden Ravin, will take one of the vacant positions in the Guards, as he was a runner-up in previous years?—”

I tuned the rest out. I wanted to puke.

The trial of the Guards was sacred. And the Governor’s son had never been a runner-up, though no one in the crowd argued it.

The Ravins would pay for every one of their lies, but we couldn’t kill them and end the Council.

The smiling faces and cheers of the people below said as much.

If we took them down without proof, we would be the villains, and nothing would change.

A new Council would step up, and the control would continue.

No. We needed solid proof and a plan to end the Council’s tyranny. Kazhi’s plan was going to help us achieve that. We went over it many times on the way north. I only had to wait.

Aeden Ravin was passed a long sword—ancient ore powered by crystals—and turned to face the crowd. The women cheered louder than the men. He smiled, warm and welcoming. The sun reflected off his hair and piercing golden eyes.

“I think it’s time.” Kazhi tapped my arm, moving forward through the crowd.

I turned to a hooded figure several feet away and nodded. The hood dipped in understanding and signalled to the other thirteen who had come at our request—the only others who knew what we had planned.

They would be witnesses.

We worked our way through the crowd as Aeden gave a nonsense speech filled with empty promises—how he would be the new hero everyone was waiting for.

My heart thumped with excitement. I’d waited days to reach the Guardian City, hoping we’d get this chance.

I had my sights on Falizha, waiting for the moment when she noticed the three Guards walking up the stairs and destroying their plans.

I reached the bottom step, pausing only a moment, waiting for Bastane to catch up. Kazhi was ready, and her smile was pure venom, her sights set on the Governor. The three of us ascended the stairs, pulling back our hoods so that the entire crowd could see who had returned to the city.

No thanks to Captain Falizha Ravin.

The crowd gasped and then went silent.

Everyone would know Falizha was a liar and betrayer. Her reaction was what we needed for the next step.

I heard only our footsteps hitting the stone as we took our time ascending.

And those fourteen survivors saw what passed the faces of the Council.

The Council members looked to Falizha with disbelief—she was the one to blame for the lies of our death.

She was a coward and hadn’t bothered finishing us herself. Not that she could.

Our witnesses had proof that she had left us there to die, and the Council was not on our side.

Based on the reaction, not all of the Council members were involved in our “deaths”. Interesting. It meant Bastane’s father, who had a seat on the Council, may not be a traitor to the people.

Aeden Ravin had the good sense to look nervously at his father. Was he part of the plan?

It was the Governor’s and Falizha’s expressions that showed what we had all expected—rage. It was the final piece to the fucking fantastic puzzle. Gods , it felt good to piss her off.

Kazhi had planned it well. She had so many secrets hidden up her little sleeves that I was amazed.

In the crowd were fourteen survivors of the burning field.

Fourteen of Falizha’s crew, whom she’d abandoned to the flames.

Fourteen warriors who had bided their time, hiding in the Oracle’s jungle waiting for Kazhi’s orders, and now they had further proof that members of the Council were working to control everything.

Not a single member of the Council had smiled when they saw we lived. They had left the Guards for dead and were shocked that we returned.

Tonight, when Guardians went to eat and drink together around the city, mingling with the visiting citizens of Veydes, the surviving women would tell their stories, share their proof and win more to our side. Things would finally change, and the Council members would be replaced.

I reached the final step, walking to Falizha, who was furious, judging by her stiff posture. I stopped beside her, inching closer to whisper, “That’s called a power move, hun. I thought I would point it out since you’re shit at them.”

Her nostrils flared. “How did you make it out of there? I thought for sure?—”

I clicked my tongue, stopping her. “Don’t think, Falizha. It never works out for you.”

Kazhi walked past the Council, past the Governor, then Aeden, to the far end of the group.

Bastane halted past Kazhi, facing the crowd, and I turned to join them, but Aeden stopped me, giving a warm and open smile, and reached a hand out to shake mine.

The move caught me so off guard that it took me several seconds before I accepted his outstretched greeting.

“Happy to see you’ve returned. I am sorry for what happened to Erebrekt of the North,” he said with a solemn smile.

He was golden-skinned like his father and sister, his hair pin-strait like Falizha’s. Pieces fell from where he’d tied it behind his head.

Great. Another prince, I thought . One likely without a conscience.

“ I know I am not a replacement for what you lost, but I hope we can fight together as you did with him. I heard many tales of your skill, Guard Nuo. I am honoured to follow the Aspis with you.”

I nodded, aware of what his people thought of Sea-legs and those with weak blood. I knew a liar when I saw one. “Glad to have an extra sword,” I lied right back, not saying any more. He would hear the disdain in my voice if I did.

Next, he broke away from his sister’s side to greet Bastane and then Kazhi, who I noticed had a full belt of knives once more. I dug into my pockets to find the ones I’d taken were gone.

A hint of triumph lit her striped face as she shook Ravin Jr.’s hand.

Bastane shook Aeden’s hand with familiarity. Bastane’s older brother was the same age as Aeden. The Ravin and the Armel family had close ties, but Bas didn’t smile as Aeden offered the pleasantries that fooled everyone around us. It was an act for those at the bottom of the stairs.

I knew a thing or two about lying. I had pretended my whole life to be a lighthearted idiot to make others laugh. Aeden Ravin was a liar, too—maybe one of the best.

Joyous cheers spread through the crowd, seeing us return and Aeden joining our ranks. I played my part and waved to those who were below. Aeden took his place next to me, standing as a barrier between me and Falizha, who gave me a mocking grin over his shoulder.

Aeden was poised, serious, not at all like her. He gave his sister a nod and patted her on the back—she went stiff, forcing a smile that looked more like a wince as she pulled away from him.

Interesting .

She glanced back, her eyes narrowing on Aeden’s neck. He was scratching a large red spot. A rash, perhaps. The cords in his neck were taught, the veins distended. Was he sick?