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“Ember is tired, Tavion, and I’m in no mood for your games.”So, fuck off, I smiled right back at him.
He just picked through the pile of dried sausage, his nose wrinkling as if he smelled something foul. “How did you get here so quickly all by yourself?” He asked. “That journey takes eight days on foot, and the last I heard, you were in Tempeste the day before yesterday.”
I wanted to kick the pompous asshole in the shin, but I forced myself to stand there, a bland smile on my face as if he wasn’t raising all kinds of alarms with his questions.
“I wasn’t alone. I had help.” Ember’s smile turned brittle. “A band of hunters found me on the Northern Road, gave me a ride all the way to that rickety thing you call a bridge. From there, I was fortunate enough to secure a spot in a farmer’s wagon.”
“Hmmm. Not many riders on the North Road when the entire Fae army is camped there.”
Was Tavion determined to ruin everything?
“Interesting,” Ember’s fingernails dug grooves into the edge of the table. “You know much of my movements. One would think you still have spies in Tempeste. I wonder, Lord Commander, if they know you were so quick to sell them out?”
“Just making an observation is all. It’s a long journey, and I congratulate you for making it so speedily.”What was his game?I leaned between them, filling my plate with bread and cheese.
“And now she’s here and we are grateful she’s alive.” I slid him a warning glance. “Ember is tired and hungry and the last thing she wants is to trade barbs with a male who only rescued me for the money and to get his head out of a noose.”
Tavion flushed at that, his pale green eyes narrowing as I shot to my feet. “We are heading upstairs. You are more than welcome to stay here, if you wish.”
An hour later, Ember—the Reaper—was fast asleep in my bed, still damp from her bath, her wet hair soaking my pillow.
If she was Solok’s spy, Tavion had given far too much away. Or had he simply been acting as Solok would expect, suspicious and mistrustful?
Just like I was acting as expected, worried and concerned and doting on my friend. Maybe that was the key to keeping up the act, behaving according to our natures, instead of handling Ember with kid gloves and arousing her suspicions.
I watched her sleep, long enough for her to roll on her back and start snoring, her arms thrown wide so she took up the entire bed, then went to find Zor.
He was escorting a bloody and bruised Raz back to the slave encampment behind the Keep, arguing the entire way. Whatever their history, they were friends and I didn’t want them quarreling on my account.
“Zor. Raz.” I had to jog to catch up to them, their long legs eating up far more ground than mine ever could. “Wait. I have to talk to you.”
“Where is the Reaper?” Zor snapped, his eyes flying to the Keep. “You cannot leave her alone, Anaria. It’s too dangerous.”
“Em is fast asleep in my bed. She’s exhausted, I expect she’ll sleep until tomorrow.”
“Tavion found you, then?”
“He did. Acted suspicious and asked Ember a lot of questions.”
“Good.” Zor crossed his arms over his chest. “She would expect him to be distrustful of a lone female, showing up here alone. How did she respond?”
“She threatened me.” I whirled as Tavion stalked toward us like he was dying to whip out that fancy sword of his and stab something. “And she stank of rotten meat. The slave is definitely a Reaper.”
“Don’t call her that.” I snapped. “So that was all just an act?”
“Now Solok will spend valuable time hunting down spies that don’t exist, which will only work to our advantage. Keeping him off balance and unfocused will only make our job easier.”
Zor raised an eyebrow. “Our job? I thought you were determined to drink your life away.”
“I was doing a good enough job at it until I received your summons and was pulled back into this mess.”
Zor snorted, shaking his head. “I only wanted you informed about Anaria and the Oracle so you didn’t jeopardize the entire mission. Feel free to go back to your dice and your cups.”
While they argued, I moved closer to Raz, studied the long gash on his forehead, the split lip that wasn’t from his fight with Zor. “Are you alright?” I murmured.
“I’m fine.” He said gruffly. “The soldiers are far worse off, two of them won’t be on duty for a week, not until their arms mend.” There was a vicious satisfaction in his voice, as if he enjoyed taking them all on at once.
“Oh Raz.” I couldn’t stop myself from stroking my fingers down his face, over every bruise and cut marring his beautiful face.I’d chosen him, I realized, with no small amount of wonder. In that moment, I knew I’d choose him again.
