Page 108 of Unrivaled
“What else?”
He stood, shaking his head.“Is she trying to muddy her tracks?”
“When you’re looking for someone who’s using a lot of tricks, you don’t trust obvious information.Like the little splash earlier.”
“The splash—did it have a hidden meaning?”
I considered letting him work through it, but my legs had started to prickle from staying still too long and Isolde knew exactly where I was.“It would’ve led you on further while I doubled back, if you’d distracted her for longer,” I said.
He’d started when I spoke, but Isolde just grinned up at me.“Did you think it would take me so long to hunt him?”
“I thought it’d take you longer to secure the horses,” I grumbled, jumping down.“My prints are like that because I walked backward,” I told Chay.“Badly, obviously.”
“I’ve seen worse,” Isolde said, blithely.“And killed better.We ought to return.Unless you want another chance?”she asked Chay.
“I do,” he said, sounding surprised.“Can someone teach me how to hide, next time?”
Isolde looked at me, and I sighed.“You’re a better teacher.”
“You’d never find me.”
I snorted.“I’ll find one of the two of you.”
She grinned.“Spoken like a bloody noble.Fine.Challenge accepted.”She glanced at Chay.“You and me, we’re going to the garden this evening, once she picks up her books.”
My heart sank.That would give them extensive time to plan.“That’s cheating!”
Isolde grinned at me.“Ethics are for corpses and children,” she said, without so much as looking at me.
Chay met my gaze, his expression one of amusement and warmth.Uncomfortable and unsure if I read him correctly, I moved on, jogging after Isolde.He’d follow my prints without issue now.
CHAPTERFORTY
THOMAS
The question isn’t so much who sent it, but how did they get the Glow to infuse the spell?—in a letter from First Guidelord, Luis to High Magelord, Bearer of All, Gautier the First
12thDay of Summer’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Orchard
Isat beneath the shade of the apple tree and tried to nap.A fly walked over my cheek.I shifted.As I did, the tabard moved, allowing some air to circulate beneath my shirt.The fleeting breeze cooled the sweat on my skin, reminding me how uncomfortable I was.Tiredly, I lifted myself up to my feet.Vincent had been upset.The healer had declared he was fine, just teething, and would settle down.The poor little mite disagreed last night.
Steel clashed against steel nearby.I opened my eyes to see Chay and Audrey locked, body to body, over swords.
“You don’t want to be here,” Chay said, bearing down on her, using his superior weight.
Her breath came out in pants, her feet set firmly, her shoulders straining.I didn’t tell him to go easy on her.I’d given up on that moons ago.But I did spend a moment to be glad that her entire focus was on the combat, not the man.
I had to give it to the girl; she had the Duke’s single-minded focus.
I closed my eyes as she unbound her sword and tried to lunge out of his reach, knowing how it would end for her.
“How can I get out of that?”I heard her ask, breathing easy now.
“Kick him in the balls,” Isolde drawled, from under a tree nearby, a hat over her face.She’d opened her shirt to show some strange leather underclothing.Sweat beaded on her exposed skin.I looked away.
