Outside, familiar frigid winds gusted off the Shivering Sea. I shuddered as we passed through the gates of Luccan’s manor and on to the bustling street of Lordling Lane. There was much I missed about Avaldenn, but the harsh wind was not one of those things.
Vale and I flanked Luccan but took care to walk a half step behind him. The others fell in line behind us, just as a servant on an outing to help their lord would do.
“The coinary used by the noble houses is close,” Luccan said. He spoke loud enough for those around us to hear, and likely for the benefit of Bac, Freyia, Tanziel, and me. As this coinary was one where all the wealthiest fae in the capital kept their money and precious items, it would be well known to those who had grown up in the city. “A few streets down.”
“All the better for fancy lordlings to spend their coin,” Tanziel muttered as she scanned the opulent street with a frown.
Like most rebels, Tanziel didn’t trust us yet, but maybe itwas more than that. A harboring of resentment. Once I’d done the same to the wealthy, though I doubted she’d appreciate it if I said as much.
Despite my past, the rebels saw me as only one thing: A royal threat to their leader. While few of the rebels were pleasant to us, and many acted polite enough, that did not mean the majority liked us.
“Are you recording?” I asked.
“I have been since we left Lord Riis’s home. He requested I not record inside, and Thyra agreed to that, so I didn’t. But everything else will be documented.”
“Good.” I wanted Thyra to see that we worked for her cause. Working to make things better for the small folk of Winter’s Realm.
If the Frør Crown does anything at all.
The unknowns about the Frør Crown remained a point of annoyance for me. In all the research Arie, Duran, Clem, and Anna had done, nothing of note had been discovered. Most people merely saw the Frør Crown as a sign of legitimacy for the ruler of the realm.
I hoped it was more than that and had to assume Thyra knew what she was doing—even if she wouldn’t divulge that information. Maybe she would if we found the Frør Crown. At the very least, Thyra having a Hallow might incline her to return Sassa’s Blade to me. Then, on equal footing, we could go after the Ice Scepter.
We neared the end of Lordling Lane when I heard a voice that snapped me out of my troubled musings.
“Calie, shouldn’t we stop by the dressmaker? My gown might be ready early.”
“And what would you wear it for? Thanks to that whore of a Falk, the Courting Festival had all but ended!”
I swallowed as Calpurnia Vagle and the tall, blonde Adila Ithamai came into view through the thick crowds. Judging by their rosy cheeks, I guessed that they’d left one of the taverns known for serving only high-end wines from far-off locales.
“Skies!” Calpurnia pointed at our group, lips parted in shock. “Luccan Riis, is that you?”
Vale glanced across Luccan at me. “Hood up.”
I did as he said, and he too covered his face as much as possible. Glamour or no—Calpurnia was Vale’s cousin on his mother’s side. Observant and clever too. She might see someone with the same gait as Vale, someone the same size and height, and suspect something.
And if she suspected I was with him, then Calpurnia would have me thrown into a cell faster than I could blink.
“Hello, Calpurnia,” Luccan said as the noble lady stopped before him. He bowed. She curtsied. I refrained from rolling my eyes at the performance of it all when so much was on the line. “Out and about today, I see?”
“I am! But I heard that you left Avaldenn?” She did not spare anyone wearing the servants’ cloaks a glance.
“Interesting story. I just left my manor.”
“Oh,” she sounded as if she did not quite believe him. “A miscommunication, I guess. Although, I suppose there’s little reason to be at Frostveil now.” She gestured to the rest of us without looking at us.
“Why are so many of your servants with you?”
“I’m going to the coinary, and they are helping me carryout items.” Luccan twisted the truth and made a show of looking at the clock in the distance. “In fact, the coinary closes soon, so I’d better be on my way.”
Calpurnia’s lips pursed slightly. “I’ll let you go then.”
“Until next time,” Luccan said.
As we moved around Calpurnia and Adila, I made a point of looking away, hoping not to draw attention, but fate was against me, for I’d nearly passed by Calpurnia when I tripped on a chunk of ice. I toppled to the side, right at her feet.
“By the dead gods,” Calpurnia muttered.
