Page 86 of The Turncoat King

She had tried her best to make sure some evidence of their injury remained.

“That’s good. Probably for them as well as you.” Massi still held her gaze.

“What happened to Derek?” Luc asked. “I’ve meant to ask you that a few times.”

At last Massi looked away. “He killed himself. We were planning to execute him, but he somehow got a knife and did it himself.”

“Somehow?” Luc’s disbelief was audible.

“Yes.” Massi shrugged. “Very convenient.”

“This a private party?” Dak called.

Ava had caught a glimpse of someone approaching from behind her, and her heart sped a little faster. She did not want this conversation shared with anyone else.

She hadn’t exactly admitted her spell casting to Massi, but it appeared the lieutenant had put the pieces together.

It made her feel like every eye, from both columns, was on her.

“Not anymore.” There was a wry tone to Luc’s response.

Dak grinned, unrepentant. “I was looking at the map again—”

Ava held up a hand. “Should I go?”

“Luc trusts you. That’s good enough for me,” Dak said. He pulled out a map. “I think the general is right to get us to consider other places of attack, and I wonder what you think about here.”

Luc bent closer, and Ava did, too.

“You think they might hide in those hills?” Luc tapped at the place.

“They could get a lot of units in there, and we wouldn’t see them until they rushed out.” Dak sounded grim.

“We’ll send a team there to keep watch,” Luc said.

“That’s three groups we’ll need if we’re also going to scout the other two places. How many are we going to include in each team?” Massi frowned as she nudged her mount closer to look at the map as well.

“Is the meeting here, now?”

Ava had watched Fervanti approach.

She clasped a fist to her chest in a salute to the Whispering Grasses and bowed to the lieutenant.

“Avasu. Should you be included in this?”

Ava lifted her shoulders. “Probably not.”

“Then off with you.” Her words weren’t rude, though. They were laced with humor. “If you have time off, go enjoy yourself.”

“I was trying to.” She mumbled it, but Luc heard and shot her a delighted grin and Massi laughed.

“It’s my fault. I interrupted them while they were trying to have a little time alone.”

There were too many horses milling about for her to get close to Luc again, but he caught her eye and tapped his heart with two fingers and then brushed his hand downward just as she did the same.

Dak made a sound in the back of his throat. “Behold, and tremble. The mighty and feared Commander of the Rising Wave.” He gave an exaggerated gesture in Luc’s direction.

Luc’s response was to throw back his head and laugh. He wheeled his horse around, blew Ava a kiss, and then raced toward the head of the column, managing to lean over and smack Dak in the back of the head as he passed him.

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