Page 118 of Thorns & Fire
An icy shiver raked down Torj’s spine.‘Then why are you here?Thea was summoned, I know that much, but you?Surely Audra would have you continue your mission regardless...?’
‘You know the evidence you searched for at that ball in Harenth?We found it,’ Wilder said grimly.‘It led straight to Highguard, and it definitely came from someone at Drevenor.’
Torj mulled it over.What had they missed in Lord Hullet’s study?‘Do you know who?’
‘Farissa suspects but won’t say.Apparently the High Chancellor is refusing to believe it, despite Silas’s affinity for alchemy and the complex resources, tools and equipment he seems to have at his disposal.Much of which can only be found within these walls.’Wilder sipped his wine.‘All we know for certain is that they have a location in the city and a contact here who’s helping.You know that Farissa has been feeding out incorrect information for weeks?It’s managed to make its way into the People’s Vanguard.Everything points to a traitor in the academy.’
Torj studied his friend for a moment: the relaxed way he was lounging in his chair, the gentle tapping of his finger around his cup, the gleam in his silver eyes.
‘You’re not meant to be telling me any of this, are you?’Torj guessed.
‘Nope.’
Throughout their years of training and fighting together, both he and Wilder had always been steadfastly loyal to the guild, had always carried out their orders...but that didn’t mean they didn’t bend the rules on occasion.
‘Then why are you?’he asked at last.
‘We’ll get to that.’Wilder frowned at Torj’s untouched cup.‘You only drinking fire extract these days, Bear Slayer?’
Deciding to go with it, Torj grimaced.‘Gods, no.Kipp made sure I can’t smell the stuff without my stomach rolling for a good few weeks more.’
Wilder laughed.‘He has that effect on people.’
‘That he does,’ Torj agreed, finally lifting his wine to his lips.He took a small sip, letting the flavours roll over his tongue.It was good, damn good, but it did little to settle the unease in his gut.
‘What about you?’he asked, desperate to keep the conversation away from dangerous territory.‘Are you all healed up?’
Wilder waved a dismissive hand.‘I’m fine.It was never as bad as you made out.’
Torj scoffed.He hadn’t forgotten the blood spilling down his friend’s arm...or how he’d imagined breaking the news to Thea.
‘Please,’ Wilder scoffed, leaning forwards.His eyes, sharp and knowing, fixed on Torj’s face.‘You wanted an excuse to get back to Wren and I let you have it, because I wanted to be back with Thea.’
The truth hung heavy in the air between them.Torj’s jaw clenched.He knew the conversation he’d been dreading was now inevitable.He took another sip of wine, suddenly wishing it was fire extract, bracing himself for what was to come.
‘Let’s have it, then,’ he challenged.‘Say what you’ve gotta say, Hawthorne.’
Wilder surveyed him thoughtfully – and said something he did not expect: ‘I’ve never seen Wren cry.’
‘What?’
‘In all the years I’ve known her – during the war, after it – I’ve never seen that kind of emotion from her.And when I showed up here and Thea was hauling her away, she’d been crying.’
Torj rubbed the back of his neck.‘As if I don’t feel bad enough, Hawthorne...’
‘I’m not trying to make you feel bad,’ Wilder replied, reaching for the wine and topping up their cups.‘I don’t really know what I’m trying to do.I guess, maybe make you see that you broke through that exterior.You.’
‘And caused her pain.’
‘No one goes through life unscathed, Bear Slayer,’ his fellow Warsword told him.
Torj drank again and slid his cup back onto the table with a heavy sigh.‘I never wanted to be the one to hurt her.That’s the last thing I wanted.’
‘Did you finally talk to her?’Wilder asked.
Torj nodded.‘Two days ago.I told her everything.Told her why I ended it, that I was trying to protect her.’
Wilder groaned, dropping his head into his hands.
