Page 6 of The Rebel's Prize

Thoughonlyif she thought she was at risk.

He understood that currently it was more important that he stay unseen than interfere in any minor difficulties.

Still, as she fastened the cloak around her shoulders and descended the stairs to the front door, it was comforting to know that he was there. Company of a kind. She remembered the aching loneliness of her flight to Anglion.

And yes, this time she hadn't left a dead husband behind her. But she had left Lucien.

And as much as she told herself that she shouldn't miss him, she did. The ache of it burned in her chest. Alongside the guilt every time she stopped to think about how angry he must be that she’d fled.

Or perhaps he'd been too busy with the aftermath of whatever had happened in the palace to worry overly much.

But she'd told him she would stay. She'd broken her word. Lucien wasn't a man to take broken promises lightly.

Perhaps she might earn herself some grace if shehadactually managed to save Aristides. Though she had no way to prove her own innocence from those who'd set her up to take the fall for the attempt, not until she found Deandra and the illusioner who'd invented the spells that could disguise a person's face so well. And remove their memories. A neat trick that circumvented the truth-seeking magic that was one of the main weapons of the Imperial judiciary's powers against criminals.

If a person couldn't remember doing wrong, a Truth Seeker like Lucien had no way of telling if they had.

And she had no way to prove that her memory hadn't been tampered with, so she couldn't prove her innocence either. Not with words. She was going to have to do it in a more direct fashion—by wringing the truth out of Deandra.

She'd put up with any amount of uncomfortable travel across the worst roads of the empire for the satisfaction of doing just that.

* * *

The night air was cooling, though it still smelled of the docks, as it always did in this part of town. Samuel didn't seem inclined to talk as he escorted her in the direction of the Emperor's Pride, though he nodded and said hello to a few people they passed.

Chloe was disinclined to conversation herself, trying to rehearse the points she'd been coming up with over the past few days that would make her seem useful to a caravan master. She'd practiced the speech she wanted to give a few times in her room, and it had sounded convincing enough. She only hoped it all wouldn't fly out of her head from nerves.

The lanterns in front of the inn burned brightly, and Samuel held the door for her, ushering her in with a cheery "Evening, boys" to the two guards on the door.

The shorter of the two gave her an appreciative look, dark eyes bright under dark brows. The lantern light gleamed off his bald head as she smiled tightly back.

The other guard's attention stayed on Samuel. "Evening, Captain. Looks like a good night." His Illvyan was tinged with a Miseneian burr.

"Indeed, but mostly a good night for business, I think," Samuel said, smiling affably.

"Eager to be leaving us, then?" the guard countered.

Samuel laughed. "Never. But then again, a man needs to earn the coin to enjoy the hospitality of this fine establishment. And on that note, gentlemen, the lady and I have business."

That earned him smirks.

Samuel ushered Chloe through the door and then through to the second room, steering her toward the staircase they'd used the night she'd found him.

Made sense if that was the room he used for his business. He knew she wanted discretion. Still, underneath the cloak, she slid her hand through the pocket in her dress to the place where she had her dagger secured. A gun might have been better, but she hadn't brought one when she fled. She didn't even know if Lucien kept any in the townhouse. And it was the sort of thing that would have caused questions if she'd tried to buy one in any of the towns she'd passed through so fleetingly.

Perhaps the caravan would pass a larger city where she might secure such a weapon, or perhaps after tonight, that was a final task she could ask Samuel to perform for her before they parted ways again.

She tucked the thought away. Better to concentrate on the more immediate problem of securing her passage.

She followed Samuel up the stairs, hoping everything would go smoothly and she might be leaving soon. She was only guessing at Deandra's destination, aiming for Partha, and every day she stayed still, the other woman got farther ahead of her.

But there was nothing to be done about that. She couldn't travel the whole distance on her own without risking some mishap on the way. Taking the public coaches put her at risk of discovery. One stray temple prior or Imperial mage primed to be on the lookout for her and chancing to take the same coach would ruin any chance of finding Deandra. A caravan was the best option.

Samuel paused at the door and glanced back at her. "Ready to put your best foot forward, love?" he asked softly.

She lifted her chin. "Always."

"Glad to hear it."

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