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Pushing down his anger, Renton looped an arm around his brother’s head and rubbed a fist into his scalp. “What’s up with this hair? Either grow it out or cut it. You look feral.”
Frigid magic yanked his hands up into the air, hard enough to earn a grunt from him.
“Point made.” Renton chuckled. “The implant really failed?”
Aeyis’s smile touched his eyes.
“Cocky. You might be trouble, brother,” Renton teased.
“Of course I am. I share your blood.”
Chapter19
Tenah
Tenah thought she had known luxury. Then Vesara escorted her into what she was forcefully told would be her bedroom. Mouth gaping, her eyes roved from the polished cream floors inlaid with specks of gold to the antique bed, desk, and tall armoire to the view of the lush garden through the back wall of arched, open windows. Night cloaked the vegetation, but even so, she could still make out lovely blossoms.
“Don’t be upset with me,” Vesara said, moving over to the armoire. “Moody hunter boy mentioned your house burned down. I did a bit of shopping on the way back from decimating those two hooligans in target practice.”
“A bit? That’s quite the understatement,” Tenah said as the assassin opened the wardrobe, revealing beautifully stitched clothing with tiny, intricate beadwork.
“Yes, they all belong to you. I owe you a debt for saving my life twice over in the Boglands.”
Tenah’s brows shot up to her hairline. “The items must have cost a fortune.”
“Don’t deny me my fun,” Vesara stated, hands snapping to her hips. “I’d say I can’t return any of it, but I can with a threat or two.”
Tenah swallowed down her rising emotions. “Thank you.”
“Are you going to tell me what you were doing in the Abyss now?”
Frowning, Tenah fished the crumpled parchment out of her pocket. She’d forgotten about it while training with Renton. Further reason to keep her distance. Time was precious, and she lost track of it when she was with him.
Her mind flashed back to his hands lingering on her body as he corrected her form. Heat rushed through her. One thing was clear—Renton might try to hide his nature under a brusque, scrutinizing exterior, but she’d glimpsed his kindness. That was something she would not allow herself to destroy.
“I was following a hunch, really,” Tenah lied.
She spread the parchment flat on the desk. The assassin skipped over. Together, they studied the crude drawings on the wrinkled, yellowing page. There were dozens of them, and only a few resembled anything recognizable like trees, moons, or birds all wrapped up in a snarl of ink.
“What are they?” Vesara asked.
“No idea. Possibly a cipher? In which case…” Tenah sighed. “This page is useless without the rest ofThe Tome of Ergh. That old hag must have known it too.”
“And this tome is…” Vesara met her eyes, and Tenah almost smirked at the tiny decorative knives dangling from her pierced ears.
“A potential key to stopping Corruption,” Tenah said. Or magnifying her power, but that wasn’t something she needed to share with anyone.
“Do you need a lecture from me on why any item spoken of in the Abyss is asking for a bad time?”
“I do not, thanks.”
“Not to discourage you, but I’ve traveled broadly in my profession. Not once have I met a shadow with answers to reversing the disease that plagues these isles. Don’t risk your safety chasing hopeless leads in the Abyss. Especially ones that will get you killed.”
Staring down at her gloved hands as if she could glimpse the blackened nails and knuckles beneath the supple leather, Tenah slumped down into the desk chair. “If what you say is true, then I do have a favor to ask you.”
Vesara’s light eyes shone like glass. “I’m all yours.”
“My father mentioned how the Embassy often works in conjunction with isle leaders in times of crisis. If your king decreed—”
