Page 130 of A Tribute of Fire

“If you’re looking for information, you’d be better served searching the palace library. I’ve heard they have a great number of collections,” he said.

“Yes, I’m sure it’s very easy to break into the palace so that I can search through their scrolls and books,” I said sarcastically.

“Fair point. But the library will be worse. It’s heavily guarded.”

That was disappointing. There had to be a way inside or else he wouldn’t bother leading me there. If Jason didn’t have a plan, I would come up with something. It wouldn’t be the first time tonight that I’d sneaked through a heavily guarded location.

We had entered a pocket of businesses and apartments, and we passed by a tavern serving something delicious. The scent of roasting meat hung in the air and I let out a small groan.

“Hungry?” he asked, and I couldn’t deny it.

“Always.” I should have packed myself something to snack on.

“It’s one of the things I like best about you,” he said. His words felt like they were loaded with meaning but I didn’t understand what he was trying to actually say. “Wait a moment. I have something for you.”

There was a stone half wall running along the sidewalk, and he took a knapsack from his back and placed it on that wall. I hadn’t even realized that he’d been carrying one. So much for my powers of observation. Both Antiope and Demaratus would have been mad at me.

Jason began digging around inside it while I sat on the wall. Someone was playing a flute nearby and the melody was sad and haunting. I was caught up in the music when I noticed something fluttering out of the corner of my eye.

I turned to see a bright yellow feather floating down and landing on the wall next to me.

My lungs constricted so tightly I could barely breathe. I reached for the feather, holding it aloft. I realized that it had come from Jason’s bag.

“It’s here, I swear it,” he mumbled.

When I stood up, still holding the feather, he finally ceased his search and looked at me, confused. “What’s wrong?”

I held the feather out accusatorily. “Is this yours?”

Memories raced into my mind, piling on top of each other. I remembered when Quynh had been hit by that bola, knocked off her feet. How I’d been so focused on reaching her, helping her, that I had forgotten my surroundings. Leaving myself utterly defenseless.

That man standing over me with his sword, about to strike. Realizing that my life was at an end. My mouth flooded with the taste of metal as I perfectly recalled the terror and panic I’d felt in that moment.

But then he’d been struck in the chest with an arrow.

An arrow with bright yellow feathers.

It took Jason a moment to drag his focus away from his knapsack to look at the feather in my fingers. “What? Oh, yes. That’s mine.”

He didn’t seem to realize what he’d just admitted to.

“You shot that man.”

“Which man? You’ll have to be more specific,” he said as he returned his gaze to his bag.

“The one that nearly killed me.”

He finally seemed to pick up on the tone in my voice and gave me his full attention. His face revealed nothing, keeping his secrets, and he didn’t respond to my accusation.

“You protected me.” My voice caught. “More importantly, you protected Quynh.” From this day forward, no matter how annoying I found him, I would always be grateful to him for that.

Still, he said nothing.

“I thought it was against the law to help a Locrian maiden.” I felt desperate. I had to know why he had done it. To understand why he would risk breaking the laws of the goddess to help me.

It felt extremely important.

The guarded expression fell off his face and the teasing charmer returned. “I didn’t break any laws. I was aiming for you. Am I to blame for being a poor shot?”

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