Light from the moon made him visible at last, and she swallowed against the harsh beauty of his face. He was viciously handsome, his features rugged as if cut from granite, his eyes not black but a pewter grey sparkling like jewels.
Before she could speak, the man’s eyes widened a fraction of a second before they narrowed and his hand snapped out, gripping her chin.
“Até?”
Startled, Sonah pushed him away, his hand falling from her face as a river roared in her head and her heart thrashed.
Dread slid icy fingers down her spine, and she bolted, snatching open the door of the tavern and hustling inside.
As she made her way back to her friends, Sonah cursed herself for being too cowardly to even find out who the man was.
When she finally settled her head upon the thin pillow in her room many hours later, Sonah’s last thought before sleep overtook her was she knew without a doubt she’d see the man again.
Chapter 29
RAVOS
Cerberus threw a shoe shortly after they passed into Ravos.
Terena was in a mood, having spent the last few days attempting to ignore Lerek, who continued trying to speak with her whenever they’d stopped to rest.
Every time Rydon pulled down the prince’s gag to eat, he’d call out for her, or Croak. It had gotten to the point she ate away from the others in her tent.
Captain Soros had just updated her on Hermes’s progress across Ermanel when Croak came running in, the tent flap flying back as he entered with a dramatic sigh and stricken mien.
“We cannot continue! I must find a farrier!”
Terena exchanged a look with Soros who cocked his head and immediately quit the tent. Alone with her brother, Terena sighed and flopped down onto her bedroll.
“Where in hells do you think we’ll find a farrier?”
“Lethe is close,” Croak said as he wrung his hands. “Have Soros send someone?—”
Terena was about to protest when a thought struck her. Sitting up, she stared at Croak before bouncing to her feet.
“You know what?Youshould go. And take Orry with you!”
Croak’s face twisted. “What? Why? No, that’s not?—”
“Aye!” Terena said, nodding. She put her hands on Croak’s shoulders. “In fact, go now. I’ll come back for you when we’ve finished in Colinas.”
Croak continued to stare at her as if she’d grown a third eye. “No! I’m coming with you!”
Terena shook her head. “I’d feel better if you and Orry were somewhere safe. It’s bad enough we’re in Ravos where any moment Solon’s soldiers might find us. At least if you’re in Lethe Monastery while we’re searching for this amulet, I don’t have to worry about you both.”
“Terena?”
Terena grinned when she heard Rydon call out. Squeezing Croak’s shoulders, she moved past him and out of the tent where Rydon stood waiting.
He pulled up when he saw Croak coming out from behind her. “What’s going on?”
“Cerberus needs a farrier. So Croak and Orry will go to Lethe and wait for us there while his horse is cared for. I’ll have Migela go with them.”
She turned back to Croak. “Tell Migela I want her to go with you. Or better yet, have Orry tell her.”
Croak made strange noises in protest, but did not contradict her. He stabbed a hand through his hair and left without another word.
Rydon watched as he left before turning back to Terena.
