Page 64 of Kingdom of Dance

“Obsidian!” she gasped.

Chapter Fifteen

Of course it was Obsidian. She should have realized.

Other than the momentary tightening of his hand, he gave no sign of having heard her. He just pulled her onward, racing back the way she’d come. They gave the market a wider berth than she’d done the first time. When Obsidian eventually began to slow, they were on its far side, and Zinnia’s breath was coming in ragged gasps.

As soon as he came to a stop, she tugged her hand from his grip, bending over and leaning on her knees as she pulled in deep breaths of cold night air. He might have the endurance training for this, but she certainly didn’t.

“Did you…” she panted, “follow me…all the way…from the castle?”

“Sort of,” he said curtly, short of breath himself. “I followed you last time, so I knew which gate you’d come through. I waited on the other side of it.”

She blinked up at him, genuinely surprised. “You followed me last time? Why didn’t you report me to Basil?”

“I did,” he said succinctly.

Zinnia blinked. “And he still let me roam free?” She’d often appreciated her brother’s lenience, but she’d had no idea he was this accommodating.

Obsidian hesitated, and Zinnia frowned at him. Her own wrap had come off her face as they ran, but his was wound more tightly, and she couldn’t read his expression. Reaching up, she pulled the fabric away, revealing a familiar face which stared unblinkingly back at her.

“I advised him that we’d be more likely to learn the nature of your activities if we let you continue, under surveillance,” he said at last, his words clipped.

Zinnia processed this. “Did you hear the conversation back in the warehouse?”

He nodded, and she felt a tiny bubble of hope inflate inside her. Perhaps the evening hadn’t been as much of a disaster as she’d thought. Hadn’t she wished someone could have been with her, to hear what was being discussed?

The thought reminded her of another occasion that night when she’d wished someone was with her, and her eyes sought Obsidian’s, startled. “Was that you, back in the markets?” she asked. “The man who was chasing me, and somehow ended up out cold in the alley?”

Slowly, he nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. There was something unreadable there, something intense.

A belated shudder went over Zinnia, and she threw herself forward, impulsively wrapping her arms around Obsidian’s taut frame.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely.

He stiffened in evident shock, making no move to return her embrace, and after a moment she pulled back, trying to regain a more businesslike tone.

“I suppose we’d better get back to the castle.”

He said nothing, waiting for her to start walking before he followed. Zinnia pulled her hood over her disheveled hair, tugging it low.

“I must seem a poor investigator to you.”

He glanced at her. “Actually, I’ve been quite impressed.”

“Really?” She couldn’t help feeling buoyed. Looking sideways at him, she added, “I don’t suppose we could just not mention to my brother that I almost died twice tonight?”

Obsidian gave her a speaking look, and she sighed.

“That’s what I thought.” With another glance at him, she nodded. “I understand. Your first loyalty is to him, and that’s how it should be.”

His expression was again unreadable as he looked at her, and she quickly directed her eyes forward.

“You used your magic back there.”

He nodded.

Slowing her steps for a moment, Zinnia laid a hand on his arm. “I know you don’t like doing that. Thank you again.”

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