Page 114 of Her Cruel Redemption

‘Aether’s blue fucking balls,’ he said as he drew close, his voice far too loud for the quiet midnight. I hissed at him to quiet down, retreating back around the building where we’d be more protected from prying eyes. He ignored my warning, continuing in that same incredulously loud tone as he stood before us and took us in. ‘Is this what I think it is?’

‘Depends on what you think it is,’ Draven said, sagging heavily against the wall.

‘The most volatile marriage the world has ever seen is what it is. You can’t tell me she helped you escape.’

‘I did,’ I snapped. ‘And now I’ll be suffering whatever fate he’s subjected to if we’re caught, so can you please keep your voice down?’

Lester pursed his lips as he studied me, brow knotted. Then he snorted. ‘I’ll admit, I didn’t see this one coming. I snuck into the city and went to Saltarre castle to try to bully you into doing something to help, but I’d never have guessed you weren’t there because you’d literally gone to bust him out of prison.’

‘That’s why he’s here,’ Leela said, a thread of annoyance through her voice. ‘He’s been following me around demanding to know where you are and refusing to believe I didn’t know. He hasn’t been easy to shake.’

‘You shouldn’t be trying to shake me. I’m probably more use to them than you are.’

‘Oh?’ Leela replied, narrowing her eyes on him. ‘And how do you figure that?’

Lester opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment Draven slid down the wall and slumped onto the ground. I was immediately on my knees beside him, anxiously scanning his face. He offered me a crooked smile, before clicking his tongue and touching fingers to my mouth. ‘Stopthat.’

‘Why are you worrying about me biting my lip when you can’t even hold yourself up?’ My voice was strangled with worry.

He waved a hand dismissively. ‘I’m fine. I can listen from down here.’

Lester bobbed down beside me. ‘Yeah, sure you are. Where have I heard that before?’

I rose back to my feet as Lester checked him over. Leela’s face was pinched with worry as she properly inspected us. I tried not to fidget as I watched her weigh the situation and waited for her reaction. Expected, perhaps, a dressing down. Anare you mad? What do you think you’re doing?!

But she defied my expectations, as she so often did, when all she said was, ‘You need to get out of the city.’

In that instant of studying us her quick, practical mind had understood. I inhaled a half-sob of relief.

‘Yes.’ I wilted for a moment beneath the strain of what had happened, what I’d done. What I would still have to do if I hoped to get us both out of Oceatold. ‘And fast.’

‘Do you have a plan?’

‘The port. Draven thinks they’ll have to leave it open.’

She nodded thoughtfully. ‘What do you need from me?’

‘A schedule of what ships are leaving port, where they’re going and what they’re carrying if you can get your hands on it. Some hint of which captains are fastidious in checking their cargo and which have their noses too deep in a bottle to notice a few stowaways wouldn’t go astray either.’

‘I don’t have contacts here,’ she said slowly, ‘so I can’t promise anything. But I’ll do what I can.’

‘Thank you,’ I said earnestly, hoping I could convey my endless gratitude for her in those two words alone.

Her gaze flickered over my shoulder, to where Lester was slinging one of Draven’s arms around his shoulders and hauling him to his feet ‘Are you sure about this?’

I choked out a laugh. ‘No. Not even a little. It’s probably too late to turn back now, though.’ Would I if it wasn’t? Was I finally doing something for the right reasons? Not to prove anything to anyone else, or to seek justice or vengeance or win back a sense of control, but because it was what I wanted.Wasthis what I wanted?

’Perhaps.’ She squared her shoulders, jostling her basket. ‘Do you have somewhere you can hide for a couple of hours?’

‘A cellar not far from here, though I wouldn’t trust it until morning.’

‘I won’t need until morning if that lump over there will help me. I packed some food and a few other bits and pieces. Perhaps you should just keep out of sight and try to rest while you wait.’

‘Alright. We can do that.’ I clasped her hand, and we held tight to each other for a moment. Then she nodded, stiffening her shoulders and handing over the basket.

She flicked a hand at Lester. ‘You. You’re with me.’

‘Oh am I?’ He raised his brows as he steadied Draven against the wall. ‘Are you another one who never learned the word please?’ But he followed after her, shooting us a few suspicious glances over his shoulder as he went. Like he expected to turn around and catch me stabbing Draven instead.

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