Page 29 of This Vicious Dream

I launch to my feet.

“Mama!”

A young girl leaps into the room, falling to her knees as she attempts to cradle the seer. But her mother is thrashing, and the girl is forced to watch, trembling almost as much herself.

Prisca told me about this once. Her mother was a seer, and after her worst visions, she would be bed-bound for days.

The orange-haired woman rushes in, gently pushing the young girl away. “Go on, Fliora.”

The girl looks like a miniature version of her mother, with the same large, blue eyes and wide mouth.

“The man who hunts you…”

I go still. The woman tuts, taking Fliora’s hand, but Fliora gives her a stubborn look and I step closer.

“Which man? There are a two of them.” No one should be able to free themselves from those chains, but something tells me Calysian will manage to do it.

“The Queen’s man.” Fliora shakes off the woman’s hold. “He has left a group of soldiers north of here, in the Aelstow Forest.”

I don’t doubt her. She was likely present during her mother’s visions. “How big is the group?”

“Fifty men or more.”

Kyldare. He figured I would go north—of course he may have ordered some of his men to wait for me at the southern border as well—keeping me trapped.

My pulse triples, suddenly pounding in my ears, and I fight to keep my expression neutral.

If I head west, I’ll come close to the Lacana Mountains. When we first docked on this continent, the pirates spoke of those mountains—and the creatures within them—with hushed voices.

I push the thought away. That decision can be made later, once I’ve made sure Calysian is no longer on my trail.

Shaena has stopped thrashing. Now she lies trembling on the ground, her face pale and drawn.

Pity churns in my stomach, mixing with guilt.

“Is there anything I can do for her?”

“No.” The orange-haired woman’s mouth is a thin line. “You’ve done quite enough.”

Shaena opens her mouth and lets out a low moan. But she’s reaching for something.

Fliora takes the coin purse her mother is pulling from her pocket and reaches for the gold coins I gave them.

“Go,” Shaena gasps as Fliora hands me the coins. “Now.”

Calysian

It’s not difficult to predict where Madinia will go next. She’ll need supplies, but she may even be hoping to temporarily hide herself amongst the seething mass of humanity within the city of Kolegrift.

When I stop to let Fox drink at a river, the scent of death caresses my senses, as enticing as a lover. Following my instincts, I find two bodies, burned until they’re unrecognizable.

Madinia Farrow is vicious when cornered, but she doesn’t kill without cause. If she killed these men, they likely attempted to take her.

They deserve every moment of pain they suffered.

You’re attempting to do the same to her.

No. These men would have returned her to Kyldare. I merely want what is mine.

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