Page 104 of Ashen Wings

I’d been so lost in my own head I hadn’t realized we’d arrived back already. The dim evening light coats the vacant street in shadow and just like that, our first day in Sea is over. Two left until we’re forced to cross the border, and return empty handed.

“Maybe…” I whisper, but my gut disagrees. There’s nothing else to find in either of the southern factions. This descendant may well be the continent’s best kept secret, and without any written records there’s almost no chance we’ll find them.

An hour later, I find Jace and Isra seated in a private backroom. My brows raised when the barkeep led the way through empty tables, claiming my travel companions reserved the whole place for the rest of our stay. I guess the King of Shadow truly does prefer his discretion, but with Samkiel breathing down our necks, I can’t help but agree with the decision. One lucky innkeeper will be sleeping in a bed of gold after our stay, that’s for sure.

“You bought out the whole tavern?” I chide, taking the empty seat next to Isra.

“I couldn’t be too careful with Smoke’s soldiers searching the city. Besides, the cook’s assured me they serve the best seafood in the faction.” Jace shrugs, a wry, satisfied smile twitching on his lips.

My stomach grumbles when he passes a plate of smoked bass. The spiced steam nips my nose, stealing the argument with one swift swipe.

“What have you two been scheming without me?” I take a fork.

“We wouldn’t possibly think to scheme without you, starling.”

“Right. Your past actions say otherwise, King Ashborne.”

Without breaking our gaze, he brings a glass of wine to his lips and takes a long, slow sip. My fork digs into my palm.

“I want to know what your next move would be, little mercenary. Neither Jace nor I are experts in this field, so we thought your background might be of use.” Isra’s eyes leap between Jace and me.

He’d have to be blind not to notice the wall of tension between us, but I’m grateful for his lack of confrontation. There’s too much else to focus on and throwing myself into the mission is the only reprieve from the ache budding in my chest.

“You want my honest answer?” I take a bite of dinner. The fish practically melts in my mouth and I swallow the audible moan before I make a fool of myself. “I’d go home. Focus on the next job. There’s always another payout to be earned.”

Jace’s jaw ticks as he shares an unspoken look with Isra.

“Not the answer you were hoping for,” I state, now shoveling the meal down my throat.

“What if walking away was a non-option?” Jace asks. “You’re telling me when things got difficult you simply gave up?”

At Finnick’s, failed missions resulted in death, so it was essential to recognize when to abandon the job early. Cut your losses and focus forward.

But I’d thrown my senses to the wolves when I took on the assignment to Shadow. Out of desperation alone, I crossed the border and slithered my way through. It was a blind plunge into the unknown, but it led me here—to Yaris, to Thaye…to Jace. I squeeze my eyes shut to block out the echo of him standing shirtless in the doorway, in Morvayne’s Well, burying his fingers inside me.

“Time and resources aside, I’d go back to the source. Sovereign may be nothing but rubble now, but ash holds memory. Maybe something in the ruins will give us the answer,” I say finally, chewing a scab on my lower lip.

“Then that’s where we’ll go. I’ll have Tenebris meet us at the border and we’ll cross at dawn,” Jace says. My heart drops to my stomach.

“Hold on. That’s it? You’ll trust my decision without weighing our other options first?” I place my hands on the table, watching him carefully. Is this some sort of game? He’s willing to play my cards that easily? I don’t think so. Jace Ashborne is up to something.

“There are no other options. You tracked Fleetwing down and garnered information from Obdiris’s servants. Every choice of yours has furthered this mission. I trust you.” He leans back in his chair.

I pour myself a glass of wine and drain it. “Okay, that’s what we’ll do then.”

Isra reaches for the bottle and serves himself another round. Jace watches me with unbreakable contact. To get a glimpse under his skin, at the thoughts he keeps so heavily guarded…I would offer up all of my stipen.

My throat quakes. It’s not just stipen I’d bargain with, but my own damned life. He is as dark as he is cosmic. As vast and mysterious as the deities who reign from the stars. I want to crawl under that skin and see the monster lurking there. My thighs shudder with the thrill of those fangs burrowed into my neck. Astora be good, I really need to calm the fuck down.

“Well, now what?” Isra clears his throat. The tension simmers with his interruption.

“We wait until morning. The innkeeper provided full access to his wine cellar as a gift for our generosity, so might as well enjoy yourselves for a night.” Jace taps his index finger on the table.

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Isra chuckles and empties the wine into his glass.

“I’ll fetch us another bottle.” Jace rises from his seat and makes for the wine cellar down the hall, leaving Isra and I seated beside one another in silence.

“So…” He flashes me a toothy grin. “What’s going on with you two?”