Page 145 of Esperance

Ivan escorted her back to Carver, tipped his head in a silent goodbye, and left them.

Carver eyed his retreat, even as he handed Amryn her glass of wine. “What did you two talk about?”

“Nothing much. He thanked me for helping him on Zawri.” She took a sip, and the intense flavor exploded on her tongue.

“He gave you the Wolf Salute.”

She glanced over at Carver. “The what?”

His expression was neutral. “The Wolf Salute. It’s a sign of respect between warriors. The highest, in fact. It’s usually only exchanged between fellow Wolves.”

She blinked. The bow had seemed oddly significant, but she hadn’t expectedthat.

“Is there something that happened on that mountain you didn’t mention?” Carver asked.

“No. But he’s convinced I helped save his life.”

“Well, according to Ford, Ivan was bleeding a lot, so you probably did.” He fingered the stem of his glass, his attention shifting to the clock on the far wall.

She followed suit, noting that it was almost time for Jayveh to leave.

Fifteen minutes later, it would be her turn.

Her stomach dipped.

Movement at the corner of her eye made her turn slightly. Sadia was pulling Samuel up to them. “Carver,” she said cheerfully, “I need your help settling a little debate Samuel and I have been having. In Westmont, the ports are primarily . . .”

Amryn couldn’t focus on Sadia’s words. Not with the forceful barrage of emotions coming from Samuel.

The crowded room had made it impossible to get a read on him before, but now that he was standing right next to her, she was able to feel his nervousness. Sweat beaded on his upper lip, but the rest of his face was covered with his mask. He felt a rising panic and dread, and she could tell it concerned Sadia, but she couldn’t discernhow.

Samuel’s eyes darted to Amryn, then flashed away. His body was stiff, and she wondered how she hadn’t known he was a rebel before. He wasn’t a very good actor, especially under pressure.

The bells rang. It was a half-hour to midnight.

Across the room, she saw Argent place a quick kiss to Jayveh’s brow, and then she and her guards swept from the room, her hand on her temple.

Five minutes later, Sadia and Carver finished their conversation, and she looped her arm through Samuel’s as they drifted away to talk to Tam, who stood near the refreshment tables. Tam’s dress was the same shade of red as the wine that rested beside her, and she looked beautiful. The chaos in the room made it difficult to get a good read on her emotions, but Amryn felt a peaceful sort of contentedness from her friend, and that made her own nerves settle just a little.

The minutes leapt by, and all too soon, it was Amryn’s turn to leave.

She finished her wine, and Carver took her glass. “Be careful,” he murmured. His tone was warm, calm, and strong. Just like he was, standing beside her.

It helped steady her pulse. “You, too.”

She didn’t linger. She could feel eyes on her. She wasn’t sure if it was Samuel or another rebel, but the back of her neck prickled as she skirted around the people gathered between her and the door.

She spied Marriset on her way out, flirting with a guard. The guard’s rapt attention told Amryn that Marriset’s charms were definitely working.

She stepped out into the hall, and the cooler air raised the fine hairs on her arms. She shivered, and felt a sudden pulse of anxiety from Carver as he lost sight of her.

Her own alarm spiked when she could no longer feel him.

She didn’t stop walking down the hall, though.

Her footsteps were loud in the quiet of the deserted halls, and as she neared the tea room, she felt like the shadows were watching her. It was unnerving, and she was grateful to finally reach the room and escape the shadowy halls.

The moon shining through the tea room windows gave her enough light to find her way to the nearest lamp. Once lit, she stood in the pool of light facing the room’s only door.

---