Page 12

Jude

I miss him sometimes. Especially at night. Especially when the silence allows my thoughts to wander to dangerous places. I thought it would’ve gotten easier, that I was strong e nough to do the right thing. But as time passes and his face becomes a memory, regret seeps into my soul and squeezes. I have to remind myself he’s better off away from me. Right?

Unmailed letter from The Sly Fox Tavern to Jack Maddox

A day passed.

Maliah’s encounter made every dark corner of the forest a threat, and I knew I’d have to steal a weapon sometime soon. My magic, the restless entity inside of me, wasn’t yet controllable, and I’d feel better with a blade in hand.

After I left the fortress, I snuck into the city of Eldwin, stealing a muddied pair of boots from the back room of a butcher’s shop. That evening, I crept to the outskirts of the city, snagging fresh trousers, a cloak, and a shirt from a clothesline.

Fully clothed, my feet finally protected from the harsh bramble of the woods, I pressed on to Lis, a humble town about two days’ walk to Mena.

Like most cities in Asidia, statues of the gods were everywhere. Lis favored Arlo, likely due to its past as a booming agricultural town. His image had been erected in the town square, the god rising from a patch of flowing vines and bulbous black weeds.

The tavern was the only place alive at this late hour, lights pouring out onto the bricks, welcoming the weary inside.

One thing I’d learned about people while traveling across Asidia, performing all the king’s business , was that they tended to overshare when ale flowed and a band struck a merry tune. I’d go to fill my belly as well as my ears with gossip about the king.

Fixing the hood of my stolen cloak in place, I headed inside.

The warmth emanating from the hearth washed across my skin, the smell of cinnamon and something sweet mingling with the potent scent of ale. I chose a seat in an unlit corner where the sunfire had gone dim.

When the waitress approached, I rattled off my order, careful to turn my cheek and hide my face. She hardly spared me a glance before rushing away to retrieve my drink and meal.

I could almost imagine what Kiara would say if she were beside me, observing the lively bar and all of its odd patrons. More than likely, she’d command me to “stop brooding ” and force me to my feet for a dance, even though no couples swirled around the floor.

Yet the more I thought of Kiara dancing, the more absurd it sounded. She would probably grumble about the lack of violence.

“Oy! This lad isn’t paying!”

I lifted my head, wrenching free of my daydream.

A lad with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes gripped the bar with both hands behind him, his expression one of confusion.

I’d seen him before. Where , I wasn’t certain.

His features weren’t particularly unique, but…I never forgot a face. Rising from my seat, I inched closer for a better look.

He trembled but kept his head up, his chin raised in defiance. I cursed the second all the pieces clicked together.

The boy who’d run after Kiara when I recruited her. He screamed her name until his parents held him back.

This close, I noticed he had her slightly upturned nose and the same pointed chin, and while his eyes were blue rather than a fiery amber, they retained a similar shape, almost too large for his face.

Liam.

Kiara’s brother was in Lis. Here.

I ground my teeth when the barkeep snapped his greasy fingers, motioning for the muscle of the tavern to approach.

“If you can’t pay the full amount, then you know what we do to thieves.” The barkeep said it all with a smile.

Liam shook his head back and forth, his curls sticking to the thick sweat on his brow. “I didn’t know, sir! I swear, I left the rest of my coin at the inn. I told you I can retrieve it!”

I grimaced. One should never leave their coin at an inn. It practically begged thieves to take it from you.

He would be dead in seconds.

I groaned as I stood. This was going to be a long night.

“If he says he has the coin, he has the coin.” Everyone stopped at the sound of my voice. Dropping my hood, I allowed the sunfires to highlight my milky eye and scars.

There was no going back now.

Liam, who had to be around my age, shot me a wary glance. Slowly, the uncertainty creasing his brow shifted into a look of recognition. His stare aimed at my scars, my mismatched eyes. He must’ve seen the wanted posters.

“I—” The barkeep halted, his hands still outraised before him. “Our policy…”

“We’ll get your coin and deliver it to you by dawn tomorrow,” I said firmly.

The brute the barkeep had signaled pushed up the sleeves of his shirt.

“I know who you are, Commander ,” he sneered, “and there’s a hefty reward for your capture. Seems like we’ve found ourselves a much bigger prize, boys.”

Startled gasps echoed around the room. My eyes were glued to the bastard who had the audacity to believe he was about to get rich.

“My friend and I are leaving,” I reiterated, striding into the fray. The man shook his head leisurely, a vicious grin curving his thin lips. “Last chance,” I warned, making a grab for Liam’s hand. The wily bastard scrambled out of reach. I sighed in annoyance, but after the stories he’d likely heard, I couldn’t fault him for his lack of trust.

“I think the odds are in my favor,” the man said, quickly glancing around the tavern. He cracked his knuckles, scars and bruises from previous fights decorating his skin. A few other drunken patrons stood, rolling up their sleeves and assuming positions around the obvious ringleader.

How ready these men were to brawl. It would be a shame it wouldn’t end the way they believed.

“Stay back,” I ground out, hastily making contact with Liam. “I…I’m Kiara’s commander, and I’m looking for her , too. I’m on your side. Her side.”

Liam let loose a tame curse, a slight rasp lining the word. If a fight broke out, he wouldn’t last. His condition had been the entire reason Kiara had been chosen to replace him during the Calling, and I couldn’t allow him to get caught in the crosshairs.

“Trust me, Liam. Please,” I implored as his stare widened. He hadn’t expected me to know his name.

It was a gamble, seeing as the lad probably hated my guts, but even if he despised me for picking Kiara on that fateful day, he needed me to get him out of there first. Then he could plot my murder. He remained silent , but he gave me a slight nod. It was all I needed.

“Well.” I faced my first opponent. Warmth infiltrated my chest as I fashioned my hands into fists and assessed my opponents. “Shall we get this over with? I have places to be.”

A woman to kiss.

“Cocky shit, aren’t we?” a raven-haired newcomer snapped, his upper lip curling into a sneer.

I had two options. Either I fought every last one of them, using energy I didn’t care to waste or I could simply cause a distraction.

Fight smarter, not harder, Isiah had always said.

Just as the first brute came barreling toward me from across the room, his fist cocked and ready to plow into my face, I grasped the wooden bar behind me. Tightly.

I had to try . To see if I could wield my magic.

I’d healed myself with a single thought in the woods, desperate to rid myself of the newest wounds Cirian had gifted. Now, I was desperate for another reason—Liam.

Doubts clouded my mind—that I wasn’t skilled enough, that I didn’t have a clue how to handle such power—but I focused on Kiara’s brother, reminding myself over and over again that I’d done it before, and I could very well do it again.

I chanted a single word, burn , repeating it in time with my heartbeat.

Burn, burn, burn, burn.

The heat trapped inside of me seared before it shot out in a deluge of fiery release. It felt divine, like I’d finally come up for air after nearly drowning.

Pure relief swept through me, and I nearly smiled.

No one seemed to notice what I’d done at first. Using that to my advantage, I dropped to my knees, spinning away a split second before the man’s punch would’ve connected with my ribs.

Little did he know, the damage was already done.

The brawny giant rushed me again, and I blocked his assault with minimal effort. On the other hand, I might have enjoyed fighting these men. It was almost too easy, and I needed a little bit of fun.

Alas, the smell of smoke began to waft to my nostrils.

The remaining drunkards, who’d been all too thrilled to join in on the fight, froze, bewilderment causing them to still, mouths agape.

A couple of shouts sounded, calling for water, the barkeep frantically moving to smother the flames behind the bar. But they grew fast, much faster than I thought possible. Glasses of liquor shattered, sending fragments of glass flying through the air, a large piece striking one of the would-be attackers in the shoulder. Blood poured out of the wound, his white shirt stained in a pool of flooding red.

That was all the opportunity I needed. Liam squeaked as I grabbed his arm, hauling him in the direction of the doors.

“Let go!” Liam griped, fruitlessly yanking his arm. I didn’t relent. He repeated his request several more times as we stumbled out onto the street. I ignored his pleas entirely.

Half-awake villagers left their homes—likely hearing the commotion—and gathered around the burning tavern. Smoke billowed from the open doors, men and women coughing as they rushed toward safety.

There was no time to feel shame.

Down the next street, I yanked Liam to a halt. “You may not believe a word I say, but I know your sister well,” I said, my fingers digging into his shoulders. He narrowed his eyes , but at least he wasn’t fighting me anymore. “I’m the one who chose her that day instead of you. And if we don’t find her soon, the king and his men will. I’m trying to make sure that doesn’t happen. There is much you don’t know.”

Liam opened his mouth to ask more, but I was already pulling him in the direction of the woods.

All I’d wanted out of tonight was a decent meal.

When his breaths became ragged, I slowed with a foul curse on my lips. Kiara would murder me if anything happened to him.

“Are you all right?” I asked once we reached the hill’s summit. I hadn’t wanted to stop sooner lest the townspeople spot us.

Liam tumbled to his knees when I let go of his arm, his chest heaving. Hovering overhead, I looked down as he struggled, feeling utterly useless. I lifted my hand, about to pat his head like a fool, but thankfully, I snatched it away at the last second.

“Can I do anything?” I asked instead, sinking beside him. Liam clutched at his chest as he wheezed, beginning to hyperventilate.

I’d pushed him too far.

Taking his shoulders again gently, I angled my head, catching his wide eyes. “You need to breathe with me. Slowly, Liam. Can you do that?”

Fuck . I was outside my comfort zone. Isiah would’ve known exactly what to do and how.

“Hey.” I snatched his chin and kept him in place. “Breathe with me, nice and slow.” I inhaled deeply, maintaining eye contact.

Liam struggled, but eventually, he managed a mouthful of air. I counted to five and released my exhale. He imitated me, tracking my every movement, and minutes passed as we rested before the woods, both of us on our knees.

His wheezing remained, but it didn’t sound as loud, and his exhales grew less frantic, his panic abating. It took another five minutes—minutes we likely didn’t have—before he regained control, and even then, it was tenuous at best.

“Better?” I asked sometime later, leaning away to study him. My nerves were frayed, and sweat pooled at my lower back.

Liam swiped at his forehead, brushing aside some loose curls. He nodded. “I—I’m not a fan of cardio,” he managed with a weak laugh.

“Your sister said the exact same thing once.” I smiled, a genuine one. “Which reminds me. What were you thinking, leaving your village to come search for her? You are searching for her, right?”

I could already tell Liam maintained the Frey stubborn streak. Lovely.

He jerked his chin. “I heard rumors that some of the Knights had returned but that they’d deserted. Of course, I imagined Ki would be among the claimed traitors.” His smile dipped slightly. “She was always the rebellious one of the family.”

I grinned with him. Liam held an air of innocence that I couldn’t help but covet.

“The king sacked Fortuna and the North,” he continued, and now, confidence emboldened his words. “Meaning, there was a chance he’d missed some of the eastern villages. I had to start the search somewhere, and I’ve already combed through four towns before I came here.”

“That was entirely thoughtless,” I remarked drily. “A complete and utter guess. A foolish one at that.”

“So what? I’m supposed to stay in Cila and wait for Ki to be arrested? Or wait until I hear she’s dead, for that matter?” He sighed, and his entire body trembled as if an icy breeze chilled him. “She’s saved me my whole life, and it’s about time I return the favor.”

“You also know she’ll stab me if I let anything happen to you, right?”

Liam’s lips curled. “Looks like someone got to you before her.” He tilted his head toward my twin scars. I almost reached for the one Patrick had inflicted, forgetting I’d removed all traces of it a day before.

Using magic . Gods, it still felt weird to think about.

Liam smirked , but it wasn’t in a cruel way. His sharp tongue and dry humor were Frey traits.

“Very funny,” I said, trying to sound stern. I failed miserably, and my lips quirked.

“Are all the rumors of you true , then?” he asked . “I mean, I heard whisperings about your badass scars”—he waved a hand in front of my face, a slight blush painting his cheeks—“and they definitely add to the allure.” He froze after the words had tumbled out of his mouth. “Shit, I didn’t mean—”

“I know what you meant,” I said, saving him from rambling. Not that it stopped him.

“But quick question before I begin my more serious round of interrogation. How did you start that fire? I didn’t even see a torch nearby.” Hesitantly, he rose to his feet. I joined him.

“Saw that, eh?” I walked into the brush, giving him my back. I heard light footfalls behind me. I reminded myself to keep my pace slow and easy.

“Kind of hard to miss, Commander ,” Liam mocked, his voice lilting.

“We have a lot to discuss.” I sighed.