An intrigued look crossed his features. “Of course.”
“Aren’t you concerned they’ll try to escape, my lord?” one of his councilors said.
“They won’t. No one escapes Emberstone without me knowing about it.”
Something about this felt … too easy. I didn’t dare look back at Rykr.
“You are all dismissed from my presence,” Haldron declared, but his sharp gaze lingered on me. “In the meantime, I’ll send scouts to Waldren Azad’s tribe to investigate this skinwraith raid. If they have invaded the Dreadwood, it may be a sign of dark and forbidden magic that must be rooted out.”
His tone made a prickle of unease stir in my chest. Though maybe it wasn’t my suspicion and worry I was feeling. I caught Rykr’s eye, and through our bond, his distrust shone clearly.
“Can our tribe claim refuge here, my lord?” Seth asked, wariness on his face. “Our homes were destroyed—over seventy of our people slain, with many more wounded. It will take some time for us to reassemble in a new encampment, and our people are scared and tired.”
Haldron’s face softened. “Of course, Waldren Azad. The gates of Emberstone are always open to our most destitute. We will give you lodging in the House of the Veil for the next month.” Then he made his way back toward the dais, the conversation over.
With that, the room rustled to life once again. The onlookers resumed normal levels of conversation.
I stepped closer to Rykr as the guards unshackled his wrists. He rolled his shoulder, flexing his fingers. “Great,” he murmured, his voice hard. “If you can trust anything that would-be king of yours says.”
I swallowed hard. “We should go.”
Rykr leaned closer toward me, his lips at my ear. “I’d advise you to get me a sword as soon as possible, Seren.” Rykr’s voice was low, edged with barely concealed hatred. “That man won’t think twice about stabbing us in the back when the crowd isn’t watching.”
Through our bond, I felt the searing anger that burned within him, but beneath it lay something more—deep, consuming unease. Rykr didn’t trust easily, and in this moment, neither did I. Haldron’s kindness felt more like a trap waiting to be sprung.
I didn’t know what or why I felt this way—maybe it was the intensity of Rykr’s feelings clouding my own—but he was right: we needed to be careful.
Chapter 27
Rykr
The lack of irons did nothing to make me feel freer.
As Seren and I left the keep, Seth and Darya at our heels, I forced the faces of my brothers and father deep into the vault of my mind, forming a wall around them, as Lucia had taught me to do. The Unbound here had powers of many kinds. Some might be able to see into my thoughts, or even influence them. I wouldn’t risk discovery.
Haldron’s arrogance had likely saved me from immediate suspicion—he hadn’t even deemed me worthy of interrogation—but I didn’t and wouldn’t trust him not to have some other plan at play.
Seth stepped in front of our path as we stepped onto the road. “Where do you think you’re going?”
A weary look crossed Seren’s face. “To get a room at an inn. Sleep. It’s been a long day, and I have no desire to stay at the House of the Veil.”
“You should stay with us,” Seth said. “There’s been enough trouble for our tribe.”
“And that will keep us under their watch,” I said wryly to Seren.
“I’m grateful to you both for your help, but let’s be honest. We aren’t safe with the tribe. I’d rather take my chances in Emberstone.” Seren crossed her arms and smiled sweetly. “I’ve already made arrangements.”
Seth opened his mouth to protest further, but Darya set her hand on his arm. “Let them be, Seth. There’s enough division in the tribe as it is; Seren is right. Perhaps some space might do everyone some good.”
“Thank you,” Seren said, then grabbed my hand and yanked me down a bustling path lined with taverns. My stomach growled at the smell of food, but Seren pressed forward, as though she knew exactly where she was heading.
A sharp turn led us into a narrow alley. A black cat mewed and jumped out from behind a barrel, startling us both, then slunk into the darkened space, its tail held high. We stopped and Seren glanced behind us as if expecting Seth or Darya to follow.
“Care to fill me in on where we’re going?”
Seren continued to inspect the alley. “I’m not staying with the tribe. Given the rumors about Giulia and the skinwraiths, there’s clearly someone working against us. If Ciaran is telling the truth, then whoever started the rumor is no friend of ours.”
At least we agreed on that. But what about Haldron?
