Page 58 of Commanding Scythe and Sky

Alec among them.

“What. Mission?” Alec repeated.

“Nothing to concern your pretty head about,” Kade said, the taunt in his tone subtle but unmistakable.

Scrambling to seize control before the situation detonated, I stepped between them. “I’ll fill you in,” I promised Alec, then set a hand on Kade’s shoulder and steered him away.

“Hurry, August,” Alec barked after us, petulantly kicking over a discarded sword with the toe of his boot. “I wasn’t kidding. We need to move!”

With the shield staring daggers into our backs, Kade seemed less inclined to talk, so I squeezed his shoulder hard enough to force his attention back to me.

“The lamb. Who is it?”

“Does it matter? You said you’d do anything for this girl⁠—”

“Woman.”

A wry smile. “So what do you care? The point is, I have a volunteer. Take it or leave it, but the window of opportunity will only stay open so long.”

I palmed my jaw, then dragged my hand through my hair.

“He’s qualified?”

“Aye.”

“How will you communicate?”

“Leave that to me.”

“This doesn’t work if we don’t get on the same damn page.”

“I have an idea, but there’s no bloody way to know whether it’ll work. Don’t get your hopes up until it does.”

“And this soul understands there’s a high probability it fails anyway?”

“Aye.”

“Why the hell would anyone do that for a man he’s never met?”

“I dunno, August, but you’re looking a gift horse in the mouth. I’m here out of respect, not necessity.”

“I’ve had enough betrayals and letdowns to last a lifetime, so forgive me for needing the particulars.”

“I know.”

“It’s not too much to ask that I understand his motive before sending what I assume is a good man⁠—”

“Decent, mostly,” Kade amended, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“—to what will very likely be his grave.”

“No, it’s not, Lord. But he wasn’t particularly forthcoming. Would you like me to interrogate the bastard or give him marching orders?”

“Kade,” I warned.

“August,” he growled in the same tone. “My methods might be questionable to some, but they get the job done. Call it redemption, all right? The lad’s none too pleased with his own actions. Wants the opportunity to prove himself. Should he survive, we’ll have granted him that.”

“When you say lad…”