Page 106 of A Thief Among Fae

Brandur isn’t here. He left for a guild job this morning.

“Maeve knocked one out with a frying pan in the kitchen before I told her to hide. She’s worth more after the fight than in it,” Desmond replies. “Nog knows how to conceal herself. Not that the same can be said for the three of you.” He runs a hand through his curls, revealing a gash in his temple.

“You’re hurt,” I croak. Instead of examining the wound, I clench my hands into fists. He’s obviously fine.

“It’s nothing,” Desmond says. See? I tell myself. Fine.

“Where’s Rune?” Finnian asks.

Maeve runs in with an armful of bandages. Auri follows behind her, carrying a box of tonics and salves, but she glowers like she would rather still be in the throes of the fight than tending to the wounded. A shallow gash runs up her forearm, and a bruise colors her collarbone.

Maeve doesn’t have a scratch. “Rhea was on our side,” she says with a sigh of relief. “Everyone’s alive.”

Then she sees Nikolai. All of the bandages drop. Two roll across the training room through the pool of blood, trailing streaks behind them. Maeve doesn’t stoop to fetch them. She stands paralyzed, her bottom lip quivering.

“He—” she chokes out. “He said—He promised⁠—”

Tears well in her eyes as her body caves in, the first sob wracking through her. “I’m sorry,” she blubbers between cries. Then she kneels beside him, gently rolling his body over. His black eyes are wide and unblinking. She closes each with her shaking fingers.

I don’t dare utter a word. I have no idea what I could say to console her. He invited her into the guild and must’ve felt like family more than anyone else here.

Finnian rubs at his teary eyes, then clears his throat. “Maeve, I know how much he meant to you, but Min really needs you, too.”

Min chuffs and shakes her giant head, blood flinging off of her incisors like spittle.

“Don’t pretend you’re fine, Min,” Maeve says. She fights another sob, then tuts. “Everyone can see you’re hurt.”

Desmond has already gathered the bandages, and he cuts the soiled ends off with his dagger.

Maeve kneels beside Min, and Auri sets the box down and walks the perimeter of the room. “Is that where he escaped?” She points at a three-foot-wide hole in the wall, the archery cabinet shoved aside to reveal it.

“Secret getaway exit for the guild,” Finnian affirms. “At least, it was a secret. But I’ve got one bit of good news.” He forces a tense smile. “I didn’t lose my hand.” For dramatic effect, he parades it through the air despite the rivulets of blood trailing down his glove to his arm. “Can’t imagine losing five fingers in one night. What a record that would set.”

Maeve sucks in a breath. “Stop waving it around. You may have your hand, but if that doesn’t heal right, you won’t feel much with it. Go sit over there and call for Nog.”

He plops down on the training mat like it’s a damn bed and pats the space beside him. “Got any injuries, Cyn?”

“Just my arm. It’s nothing.”

Someone behind us whistles. I flinch as Rune strides in through the doorway, surveying the scene. “What in the gods’ names happened here?” he asks.

Desmond levels a cold glare at him. “You conveniently missed all of it.”

Rune shakes his head. “My office is soundproofed. I didn’t know a thing had happened until Nog let me know.” His gaze stops on Nikolai’s body, and he pales. “That is most unfortunate,” he murmurs.

Desmond gives him a long, unimpressed look, then dismisses him by looking at Maeve. “I’ll start on Finnian.”

“I’ll do it,” Auri argues. She stalks toward Finnian, drops to a crouch beside him, and uncaps one of the salves. “You need to bury the bodies, Desmond.”

I shake my head, my voice raspy as I point out, “That doesn’t seem like a priority right⁠—”

“Bodies,” she repeats, pointing.

Desmond sighs. He sheathes his sword at his hip and slides on a pair of leather gloves. Then he grabs the fomorian corpse by her arms.

“Don’t move Nikolai,” Rune says with a somber grimace. “I’ll bring him home to his family. May Osian be with his soul.”

Desmond nods and drags the corpse out of the room.