Page 30 of The Seeker

“I will promise on her behalf,” Friar pipped up, raising her hand.

I narrowed my gaze at her, angry that she was speaking for me, and I told her as much. “You can’t make promises for me, Friar.”

“I just did,” she snapped. The emotions coming from her were amplified, stress pouring out. “You’ve already agreed to help with my plan, and my plan involves you being free, so you can head to Signa’s when it’s over.”

My insides rolled at her words. She was sounding less like the Friar I knew and more like another woman who had previously attempted to control my life.

Collum.

I shook my head a second time. “I’m sorry, Signa, but I will make no promises, as I do not know the full depth of Friar’s plans, and cannot guarantee I will be able to go to you after.” I was no longer a weapon to be wielded by anyone other than myself, and it was time Friar realized that. I could feel my heart hardening.

“I see.” Signa’s voice was firm, and I didn’t feel any surprise coming from her, which meant . . . this was exactly how she saw this occurring. I was supposed to decline.

My mind spun at the implication—the physics of a magical gift I couldn’t truly dissect the workings of—and I could see no other course of action other than to leave the room.

And I did.

Signa and Friar resumed speaking as soon as I left, their tones hushed as I stalked down the hallway, taking out my anger on the uneven stone floor.

I awoke to screaming.

And not my own.

No, there were several shouts, some coming from directly outside my door.

In a rush, I pulled on the soot-stained breeches, knowing if there was a battle waging, they would serve me better than a dress. Leif had been so appalled, he’d left them tossed in a pile on the floor instead of sending them to the laundry. I pulled on a shirt next, scouring the floor for one of Leif’s weapons. When I couldn’t find one, I reached instead for the three vials of the potion I kept in my bedside, shoving them into my brassiere before yanking open the door

The scene was gruesome—three dead bodies already piled in our sitting area, one of whom was the guard who’d been stationed at our door the last several days. Out of habit, I sank down, holding my breath as I pressed two fingers to his neck.

There was nothing.

My chest pinched.

Where was Leif?

Swords clanged, sounding almost like an echo in my ears. The battle wasn’t far.

Remembering the training from a certain dark-haired general, I pried the sword from the hand of the dead guard, taking an extra breath to pull the knife from his belt and shove it down my breeches, the handle acting as a hook to keep it from falling down my pant leg. I missed the belt included in the uniform that the Ralheim military had issued me.

But those days were long gone.

I took a deep breath, trying to center myself. It had been fortnights since my training, a season since I’d even held a weapon. But there was no time to re-adjust myself, or my emotions.

I stepped over the other two bodies, fighting the urge to check their pulses—there wasn’t time.

It didn’t matter anyway.

I turned the corner, releasing my breath as I evaluated the empty hallway. I didn’t lower my arms from where they were raised in front of me, though, as I could still hear the clashing of swords. I tilted my head toward the ceiling, taking notice of how most of the clangs no longer echoed. They were probably in the courtyard.

My thoughts spun, was this Otho’s plan to rescue me? Or was this Friar’s plan? And if so, why hadn’t she said something when I’d been in her room a few hours before?

Actually, come to think of it, I had no idea how long I’d been asleep. It might be the next evening for all I knew. Except my stomach wasn’t empty, and I could still feel the slight numbness of the potion I’d been taking each morning to dim my magic.

No, it was early in the morning. Only a few hours had passed since my conversation with Signa and Friar, which made this attack all the more suspicious.

But unlike when this happened previously, when I’d gone running to save my cousin, this time I only had one goal.

Stay alive, and get myself out.