Page 7 of The Spy

The biggest difference between them was their magic.Karl had red magic, but Emily had green healing magic.She hated it, because healing didn’t help make her a better fighter—or at least that was what she thought.Karl dreaded the moment she realized the uses being a healer could add to her fighting prowess.What it meant was that if Ama had reached them last night as Karl hoped, Emily would have healed the wounds Karl’s magic wasn’t able to touch.

However, Emily was supposed to be safely in Etoval under the protective wing of her adoptive mother, Captain Patricia Zain of the Royal Guard, who was teaching Emily weapons and military leadership, much to Emily’s delight.That was one of the many reasons Zain had adopted Emily, while Char had taken in Karl and their third sibling Shan.Shan wasn’t blood related to Karl and Emily, but he was their brother all the same, a brother of the heart.

Karl wanted to ask Emily so many questions, to demand answers, but he knew better.Instead he gritted his teeth, forced a smile, and managed to nod cordially.

“I am.Is your caravan going to Toval?”

“We are!”She grinned happily at him, fully into her act of eager caravan child.The normal Emily was much more stoic and practical, rather than this obnoxiously bubbly scrap with the adorable grin and wide eyes.

“Are you going to the coast, or inland?”Karl asked.He looked over at the caravan they were in front of and found Ralph leaning against the table where their wares were laid out, his eyes sparking with mirth even as he hid his grin behind a stern frown.

Ralph was Fen’s third in command, promoted after Jensen took Captain Wong’s spot when he retired a few months back.Karl was most used to seeing him acting as Char’s bodyguard, since Ralph was easily the best swordsman in Etoval, and, in fact, likely all of Toval too.Fen, or Commander Prince Fenwick of the Royal Forces, was fourth in line to the throne, but in all the years Karl had known him, Fen was more of an adoptive father to Karl than his commanding officer.Fen might not have been able to officially adopt Karl or Shan, but he was as much of a parent to them as Char.Jensen had acted more in the commander role, especially since Karl had been sent to the Royal Forces to work off his conviction for attempted pickpocketing and was placed under Jensen’s watch.

Karl had then snuck Shan and Emily into the military complex, which led to all sorts of shenanigans.Four years later, here they were.

“The coast,” Ralph replied as Karl followed Emily closer.“We go through every city from Yari all the way down the entire coast of Toval.You looking to head to one of those, kid?”

“Miche.How much do you charge?”

“Depends on whether you’re willing to be an active participant as part of the caravan, or whether you’re cargo instead.”

“I’m happy to pitch in.I just finished school at Timmonsville for baking, but I’m a fair hand at cooking.”

“You help with that all the way to Miche, and I might pay you!”Ralph joked.“You in?”

Karl nodded.“Yes.When do you leave?”

“Just getting in a few more sales during the after-curfew rush.And to let the crowds at the gates die down a bit.Maybe by seven, we’ll head out.That good for you?”

“Since I don’t have anywhere else to stay tonight, leaving today is perfect.”

“Great!Come on back, and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

Ralph clapped Karl on the shoulder when he got close, squeezing his fingers comfortingly.Emily skipped past, scrambling up into the main wagon.She made a racket even over the already insane amount of noise around them.Ralph took the opportunity to lean in close and whisper “We’ve got him.We were just waiting for you.We’ll get packed up and get moving right away.”

Karl sucked in a breath, relief making his knees weaken, but he managed to climb up after Emily and grab her in a hug after Ralph closed the doors behind them.

“Who did you kill to get sent here?”he asked, squeezing until she squirmed.

“No one important.It was better for me to be out of Etoval for a few weeks, so they sent me here,” she added.

“Why?What happened?”Karl asked, holding her out at arm’s length and giving his patented older brother glare.

She shrugged.“Some important people wanted me for a meeting of some kind.I told them I was at drill.Mama Zain said some bad words to them, and they went to complain at Uncle Fen.Then Uncle Braxton came by and suggested I come out here.”

And since the matter didn’t include swords, military strategy, or some new fighting technique, Emily hadn’t learned anything more.Karl knew that without even having to ask her for any sort of clarification or actual details.He would have to ask Ralph, but later.Once they were out of Yari, or he might have to wait until they had crossed the Eiroi River into Toval—depending on how sensitive the information.Either way, Karl would get someone to tell him what was going on.

“Hey, if you’re done stowing your belongings, we could use some extra pairs of hands out here!”Ralph called, banging on the side of the caravan.

Emily slid out from Karl’s grip.She took in a slow breath, and as she released it her façade of perky, overly happy child slid into place.

“Coming!”she chirped out and vanished out the door.

Karl looked around the inside of the caravan to find a spot to stow his bag where it wouldn’t slide during transport.The caravan itself was completely enclosed, the insides stocked floor to ceiling with shelves, leaving only the narrow aisle in the middle to walk.Karl found a spot between two small barrels near the front to tuck his bag between, before following Emily back outside into the din, hoping they would be able to get out of Yari and completely out of Yaroi quickly so he could finally get home again.

Chapter Five

THE LAND GATESto leave Yari were impressive: massive stone edifices set in the wall encircling the city with huge wooden doors in the portion open to the countryside beyond.Karl finished munching on filled sweet rolls, which he had bought for breakfast from a vendor along their way, as the four horses pulling the caravan came to a stop in the line of people and wagons waiting to leave.

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