Terena felt the heat rise in her throat, almost choking her. “When would I know, Croak? You think I’d keep something like that from you?”
Croak shrugged and leaned back down, propping his weight on his right elbow as he observed her. “Dunno. Pillow talkconfessions you didn’t want to share? Wouldn’t blame you. Made an ass of you.”
“That’s enough,” Rydon growled as Gabriol tossed a dried fig at Croak’s head.
“What? She’s over him, anyway. Right, Ren?”
Terena fumed silently. Thankfully, Gabriol asked Vassori about the other provinces, leading to talk of military strategy Terena tuned out.
All she could think about was Daris.
Another betrayal. Using Lerek’s murder to help the firstborns escape. How could she not have put that together? Of course, Daris killing Lerek made sense now, as did his meeting with Duke Aurora just a month before that. He’d denied it that night she ported to his bedchamber. And a part of her—her traitorous heart—had believed it.
Terena recalled the first time she’d seen Daris. In Aurora. They must have been discussing plans for getting the firstborns out.
And Lerek was the diversion they needed to make their plans work.
Rydon shot up, startling her. Opening her mouth to ask him what was wrong, she saw Gabriol rise and unsheathe his sword. Rydon, too, had his weapons out. Vassori yanked Croak to his feet before crossing to stand beside the mercenaries. Terena rose, and Migela pushed Orry down near Cassandra before crouching in a defensive stance with her daggers ready.
“If we were Heylisian soldiers, you’d be dead.”
Rydon glared at Captain Soros as he strolled into their camp. Behind him, several of Hermes’s soldiers flanked him, hands on the hilts of their swords as they swaggered closer.
Putting away her swords, Terena lashed out at the captain. “Are you lost? Where’s your master?”
“We are the advance party. Hermes is on his way.”
“Wonderful,” Croak grumbled as he dusted himself off. “So why are you here?”
“Looking for you lot.”
“Well, I’m not sitting around waiting for him, if that’s what you’re here to tell me,” Terena said, crossing her arms.
“And where are you going that you cannot wait for Lord Hermes?”
Terena snorted. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I am following Sonah’s trail. You can stay behind and tellLord Hermesif you wish. Come dawn, we’re gone.”
More soldiers poured into the small clearing until it was crowded. Soros began shouting orders to his men and soon they were occupied with setting up tents and disturbing their peace. Orry sat beside Croak grumbling as they waited for Soros’s men to settle.
The captain joined them a long time later, sitting next to Vassori as he warmed his hands at their fire. After Terena introduced Soros to Cassandra, the captain turned a calculating stare at Vassori. The tracker stared back in silence. Rydon spoke before Terena could ask Soros what that was all about.
“How long before he arrives?”
With a shrug, Soros twisted his lips, the scar on his upper lip making his mouth look wider. “Days.”
“You know,” Orry said, clearing his throat as everyone’s attention turned to him. “I’ve been translating some texts in my research into the shroud and several mention cyphers and their amulets. One in particular is interesting as it allows the cypher to?—”
“Breach!”
The distant shout reached them even as the roar of soldiers pouring out from the woods to their left made Terena and the others bolt up from their seats, unsheathing weapons as theylooked around. The clashing of metal on metal tore through their encampment.
Soros took off, and the others were a moment behind him, swords drawn. Croak stopped to grab Orry by the cloak. Cassandra struggled to run and Croak dropped back to assist her.
Terena fell back to join them when the first arrows shot past.
“Fuck!”
“Run!” Terena roared at Croak and shoved him away.
