Page 191 of The Incendiary

My pulse climbed to a sprint.

“Go on.”

My fingers shook with excitement and apprehension as I turned the key. When the rich, warm smell of him washed over me I had the overwhelming urge to crawl inside the chest, despite the stale musk of paper his scent was mixed with.

“He owned a vast amount of land throughout Avendrel and Wymara, under a pseudonym. It brings in a lot of money, from rents.” Damond withdrew a large leather tome among piles and rolls of papers and scrolls. “I managed it for him and held on to all the records.” He crossed his long legs on the floor beside me and opened the book in his lap.

“But these are names, not places,” I observed.

“He also kept track of everyone he killed as the Butcher.” Damond slowly flipped through the pages, covered in Gavin’s handwriting mixed with various others. “As best he could, anyway.”

“He told me he lost count of how many he killed.”

“Since the beginning? I’m sure he did.” He pointed at the book, “But two centuries ago he started disbursing money anonymously to the families of his victims. My parents handled it all before me. My grandparents before them, I believe, and so on.”

“May I?” I asked, voice raspy. Damond set the book in my lap and watched as I slowly flipped through. Gods, he had given away so much money. “He tried to help them.”

“Money couldn’t bring any of them back, but it was… something.”

“And the land, the rents… it’s all yours now?”

“No.” He pointed to a name on one of the deeds. My name. “It’s all yours.”

Tears welled in my eyes. “He left it all to me?”

He laughed softly. “Of course he did, Ary. You were his wife, whether he ever got to have you again or not. Not that he really needed to leave it to you in any official capacity, since you’re the queen.”

My lips trembled. Desperate to remain composed, I set the book down in the chest before sniffing, wiping my eyes, and stood to my feet. I had to mourn him in stages, like this. Little by little. Too much at once made me crumble, and I couldn’t afford to crumble.

“We’re leaving for Peradine tomorrow,” I said, changing the subject. “Me, Elias, Ezra, Mavic Reed, and a few others. Gemma also insists on coming, so Finn will too, of course.”

Damond offered a half smile. “He won’t leave her side, and I don’t blame him.”

I nodded in agreement and turned in the chair to face my friend. “Simeon is still withholding information like his tongue’s been cut out. While I intend to keep pushing him, I’m also not going to wait for him to stop being a manipulative ass. Elias says the Duke has access to an enchanted book that might give us information Simeon won’t.”

“Elias wants to go behind Simeon’s back?” The laugh lines behind Damond’s glasses crinkled as his face scrunched in disbelief.

“I know you don’t like him,” I sighed, “but he has good instincts. Mostly.”

Damond scratched his hair and pondered my words. “I’ll come with you all.”

“No.” I stood up. “I want you to stay here in case he…” I trailed off.

A part of me still hoped. I tried to silence that part, because hoping was too painful, but I always failed.

I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t let him go.

“He’s not coming back, Ary,” Damond sadly reminded me.

I nodded a little too quickly as if doing so could fend off my tears. Before heading back to my room, I squeezed Damond in a quick hug and promised, “I’ll be back soon.”

FIFTY-FIVE

ARYELLA

I told Simeon I’d be gone for a few days, putting a brief halt on our lessons. He was displeased, but I reminded him that he needed me to make the wards just as much as I needed him to teach me, and he reluctantly let me go.

It was early morning and we were just outside the Caves’ western opening, preparing to depart. Mina dug around in Mavic’s bag, taking inventory of his supplies, since he tended to be forgetful, while Marin wagged her finger in his face.