“We’ll decide that if the time comes,” Deckard said.
“And what if he never arrives at all?” Brea rested casually against the tree. “How long will we wait for him to make an appearance that might not come?”
They frowned down at her. “He was headed for the Terrae Relic,” Deckard said.
“To our best knowledge,” she agreed. “But what if we were wrong? It would behoove us to consider every eventuality.”
With a sigh, Deckard nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Very well.” He scanned the beaches. “If we’ve seen no sign of Blount by tomorrow evening, I suppose there’s no point in staying. We can’t wait here endlessly.”
“You’re willing to lose two days to Blount’s whims?” Brea asked.
“What else can we do?”
Ethenn realized the suggestion behind Brea’s words. “We could regroup with the Alliance,” he said. “They have spies in Blount’s circles. They could have heard something but were unable to get us a message in time. And even if they haven’t, there’s a chance they might know something to help us defeat Blount rather than continue wasting time here.”
Deckard considered their proposal. “We did the calculations,” he said. “Blount should arrive today. But you have a point; we may be wasting time. If he doesn’t arrive by morning...I think we should reconvene and reconsider.”
Brea straightened, a gratified look on her face. “Excellent,” she said and turned to Ethenn. “Would you like to spar for a bit? I’m about to lose my mind.”
Ethenn and Deckard shared a grin.
The hunter stepped forward, nodding at her. “That sounds like exactly the distraction I need.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
25TH OF RADIA, 1574
Waiting in the Terrae Keep’s antechamber proved equal parts eerie and dull. Evylin hated being confined to the small, narrow hallway. The companionship wasn’t bad, though.
Rafferty kept their spirits lively, while Vayden’s and Isla’s levelheaded conversation was a calming addition. Evylin enjoyed listening to the stories of their youth. Vayden had gotten into many dangerous and exciting predicaments during the time he paraded as Blount. And Isla was an undercover spy in her own right, working for the nobility as an aterian.
“We aterians are essentially glorified bodyguards,” Isla said. “Once we’ve obtained the rank, we are available for hire from each Order. The wealthy are the only ones who can afford us, of course. As we are tied to our Order,theyget most of our hire price. However, we are paid an annual sum.”
While Evylin found the hierarchy of Mages and the Calders’ stories interesting, she couldn’t escape the tension of the horrible sensation that she was trapped. She could sense Deckard on the cliffside directly above her. Though the distance made it harder to decipher emotions, she could feel that he was mostly at rest. And she was sure he could feel that she was agitated.
When he appeared suddenly in the antechamber that morning, the four of them bolted up, expecting Blount’s arrival. Deckard held his hands up soothingly. Evylin caught a swell of relief and worry from him as his eyes fell on her, then noted his wry smile.
“Blount hasn’t arrived,” he said.
Isla’s brow furrowed. “He’s now a day late.”
Deckard nodded somberly. “It’s worrisome,” he admitted. “I’ve spoken with Brea, and we believe the best plan is to cut our losses here and leave.”
Everyone exchanged skeptical looks.
“What losses?” Rafferty said. “We’ve got the Relic. Now, we’re four and four with dear ol’ prince-Mage. Though I can’t say I’m thrilled about sitting for hours in this green hall for untold hours, what other options do we have? We can’t traipse about the country until we run across Blount’s path.”
“No,” Deckard agreed. “But we can meet with the Alliance.”
Vayden and Isla raised their heads, expressions full of anticipation.
“Minister Molloy does live in Virwoud,” Vayden commented. “We could go visit him, receive an update on Blount’s movements, and make a new plan from there.”
“It beats sitting around for an unknown number of days,” Evylin said. “We can’t let ourselves atrophy. While we waste away on meager rations and little activity, Blount remains at his prime.”
“Our thoughts exactly,” Deckard said. “Brea didn’t mention the name of that minister, but whoever we visit, we should also meet with the Alliance to determine our next step. Whatever happens in the future, Blount didn’t do as we expected. We obtained both Relics, but...”
Evylin recognized the prickle of Deckard’s anxiety. “You’re worried he’s done something,” she said.
