Page 22 of Unrivaled
He met my gaze for a step, and then another, drawing out my discomfort.Was that speculation in his eyes?“It would appear a group of archers got themselves in and took care of the entire problem for us.I found this on my desk this morning.”This morning?Had she done it last night?Or simply got tired of no one admiring her handiwork?
“A group of archers, you say?”Isolde asked.She’d be laughing at this, inside.No one would ever know it, though.“I thought you only needed one?”
My heart swelled.
“One to get in,” he said, the words bracing.“But getting in and taking a building have different requirements, m’lady.”
Of course it did.I thought of Isolde storming a building alone.If something had happened to her, of course, I’d’ve been furious.But it mustn’t have been so dangerous, or she wouldn’t have done it.
“Keen eye on them,” he went on.“Much like whoever protected Sir Chay at that ambush.”
SirChay?I turned over the importance of that title.Was I reading too hard into his mannerisms?
Happily, Brian asked, “How do you know?”Which wasn’t precisely the right question given the context, but it saved me from prying further.
“No missed shots,” Kaelson said, taking a few steps ahead and opening the door.“No arrows in doors or barrels.Eyes, throats, and chests all.”
Brian let out a whistle.“And you’ve no idea who these archers are?”
“The list of people I’ve mentioned the situation to is quite short,” Kaelson said.
My heart sank.I dropped my gaze to my skirts, watching where my feet went as I followed him in out of the cold.“Well, mayhap mention our potential pirate problem to them,” I offered.“Having someone watching the docks to ensure we aren’t infiltrated under the cover of night would be excellent.”Isolde would, too, if the mood took her.The laughter in my chest died at the thought.
“An excellent idea, my Lady Audrey,” Kaelson said, so jovially that it took everything in me not to slide a glance his direction.“Where is it we’re going, by the by?”
“The kitchens,” I said, our destination plain to see through the big doors ahead of us that never shut, held in place by the stone archway wide enough to fit three abreast.“To organize aWelcome to La’Angifeast.”
CHAPTEREIGHT
THOMAS
Target met with Topic today.Topic seems to have strengthened ties with mages.Assumptions based on prior knowledge of Topic and length of conversation, which exceeded three hours and featured a meal.Overheard: “Fennix is theirs, but temporarily.”No other information.Target did not discuss meeting despite encouragement.Target was in high spirits and offered additional jewels valued approximately forty gold in total, accepted, and a trip to his estate, accepted, will be out of contact for some time.Target appears amorous, emotionally connected, and trusting at the time of this missive.Safety level: cider —Coded missive from Apple to Nightingale
14thDay of Winter’s Wife Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 271
La’Angi Keep
I’d been daydreaming of my Rose and my children a moment before I spotted the shadowy figure in front of my door.Ice blew through my veins.The figure lifted a hand in a subtle but familiar gesture that thawed some of that cold dread.My heart drummed too quick as I lifted my hand in response to their greeting.
“What’re you doing here?”I asked him, letting myself into the rooms allocated to my family.
“I won’t linger,” Kaelson promised, stepping in behind me and going straight to the fire.“Have you noticed anything odd, Tom?”
“Like?”
He tossed a log onto the coals someone must’ve fed while I was out today.“What time do you leave her door, normally?”
They’d all let themselves into the main room.Last night, I’d stood out in the cold entry chamber only briefly before I’d stomped off.I’d needed the extra sleep I’d got.I don’t usually go quite so early, but… “Always relatively early.The lady doesn’t stay up late.”
“And Chay, he doesn’t have rooms in the castle, does he?He stays in the tower.”
I tried the best I could not to imagine the way his hands had been all over her, but I felt the pulse in my temple starting up all the same.“He does.”
“So, you wouldn’t have seen if he left last night.”
The mirthless laugh escaped before I could hold it in.“No.No, I wouldn’t.”
