Page 128 of Unrivaled
“He’s bloodsworn,” I told Kadan.“Same as me.He couldn’t hurt her.”
“He never meant to hurther,” Kadan told me grimly.“Only the Duke.He figured once the sickness got into the army, it’d spread like a grassfire in the dry season.”
“It didn’t.”I hadn’t really wondered about that, but as soon as I thought about it, I knew what’d happened.“The Duke’s too smart for that.As soon as anyone was sick, they’d be isolated.”
“Sent back, actually,” Kadan told me, the words soft.“Toward La’Angi, for aid, or at the very least so they didn’t make the whole contingent sick.They and anyone they’d shared a cookpot with.The Butcher was ruthless.”
And it’d saved the Butcher, but set in motion a series of events that had almost killed us.
I remembered Audrey, cold and limp in my arms.The urgency that had drummed through my heart as I’d ridden as fast as I could manage.The way I’d nearly wept from relief when her hand wrapped around my belt to help me hold her close.The hopelessness in her voice when she’d told me to save myself.
“Pretty sure my oath would be an excuse for going and sticking a sword in Luca’s guts right now,” I told Kadan.
“Get in line,” Callum muttered.
“He’s very apologetic, of course,” Kadan said, falling back in his chair.“Therehavebeen some good things to come out of it.He’s made some mage allies—banished mages.A few enemies, too.”
“Only a few?”I asked, without meaning to.
“Not many know what he did,” Kadan told me.“Including, if anyone asks, you.”
“Fuck,” I muttered.“What else don’t I know, Dan?”
CHAPTERFORTY-SIX
AUDREY
Continue to watch.MiM identity has been confirmed.Be careful of other operatives.Those you recognize may not all be friendly.Maintain your identity at all costs.Do not send names, even in code.—coded missive from Nightingale to Raincloud
16thDay of Autumn’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Faire Grounds
There was no rain.The drinking water was clean, the spigots working.We’d had a few issues with people disliking their location, one person who couldn’t physically get their wares to their stand due to the width of their cart and a few of their neighbors’ tents having legs that were too wide, and one vendor who had gone missing somewhere between Ange’s Pass and the little town of Bellhollow, if the information I had was accurate.Butthere was no rain.
“Such a beautiful day, m’lady,” said yet another person, beaming at me around a barrel in their arms as they paused en route to wherever they were selling today.“All your doing, I’ve no doubt!”
“I’ve booked more such fine weather for the harvest,” I assured them.They laughed at the jest, not knowing I’d told it a dozen times already.
“And a good, soaking rain for the week before,” they agreed, with a grin.“I look forward to seeing you soon, m’lady.I’ve a taste just for you!”
I nodded and smiled, retreating to one of the four recovery tents.I’d positioned them on each edge, in a quieter location.They were stocked with plain water, soft places to sit, some basic first aid and a staff member who had copies of maps.Runners knew to visit regularly, and there were a series of safeguards for people who were lost, unwell, or needing to leave.
The guard at the door was one of the more recent arrivals.He straightened his posture as I approached.I had a vague memory of his back and shoulder having been injured when he’d returned, but I couldn’t recall his name, only the name of his only surviving child, a whipcord lean lad who’d been put on as a runner about the faire today, no doubt in deference to his father’s position.
Inside the tent I sat, making sure it was arranged as I’d asked.Dim lights, decent ventilation, a few cushions.Outside, the hubbub of everyone rushing to get set up met my ears.People would be walking in at any moment.
It was all working.There were issues, I was sure, but Brian was managing most of them.And there was no rain.
It’ll be okay.I breathed deeply.Beside me, Isolde settled in the chair, folding her skirts around herself.We were both in brilliant blue skirts and crisp white jackets in the comfortable cavalry style the tailors had shown me what felt like so long ago.My jacket clung firmly around my chest and shoulders as I drew in another deep breath, held it for a moment, then released it slowly.Isolde was doing the same.We stayed there, meditating.I felt the comfortingly sturdy fabric hugging me, the chair beneath my thighs, the rug beneath my boots.The air smelled of sweet cakes, salty treats and simmering exotic sauces.This early in the morning it had the edge of winter, but it would mellow soon to be a lovely day.I anticipated the cool breeze would be a pleasant change this afternoon.
Outside of the tent, I heard Chay’s frog clink as he moved, then the low murmur of conversation.The temptation to remain there, waiting for time to pass and for everything to just unfold around me, was strong.But I didn’t want to be caught hiding, either, which, if I was honest, was exactly what I was doing.
When Luca’s shadow fell across the entrance, I was already climbing to my feet.He stood by the door, looking in with a bit of a smile.“You really did think of everything,” he told me, offering his arm.
I pretended not to see it.“I thought of a lot of things that you’ll never even know about,” I admitted, moving past him.The first of the faire-goers circulated.A few sellers, or their assistants, flitted around, talking to people while it was still quiet enough that such socialization wouldn’t cost them sales.“So much that didn’t end up being included, and many things that are, but aren’t,” I waved a hand.“Obvious.”
