"Would you have trusted me?"
No. We both know it.
He marks another spot. "She'll be looking for ways to help them. Probably offering to cook or organizing their storage."
"She'll be angry about the hat."
We both look at it. Almost finished except for a few rows. My shadows reach for it, gentle.
"She hates leaving things unfinished," Arthur says.
Grimm interrupts. "Dock rat spotted your lieutenant. Old tannery. Having tea."
Of course she's having tea. Celebrating with proper ceramic and probably those cookies she pretends she doesn't steal.
"She thinks caring about meals is weakness," I say. "Twenty years and she doesn't know me at all."
Gray Streak clears his throat. "Ceremony's at moonrise. New moon tonight."
"Eighteen hours," Arthur and I say together.
We coordinate over maps while someone brings sandwiches. I pocket several rolls—she gets hungry after stress. Arthur does the same. We catch each other doing it.
"She's allergic to poppy," I tell him.
"I know."
"Makes her break out in hives."
"I know, Ruvan."
The teams assemble. Fed, armed, ready. Someone mentions they soaked tomorrow's beans because "she'll be upset if dinner's late."
"About Joss," Arthur says quietly.
"She dies after."
"After?"
"After we feed her. Even traitors shouldn't die hungry. She'd be disappointed."
"Gods. She really has ruined us both."
I touch the hat in my pocket. She was going to give it to me, probably with detailed instructions about wool care.
"Let's go before she reorganizes their entire cult," Arthur says, half joking.
My shadows pull toward the temple district, desperate.
Time to find out if the Radiant Court understands what they've taken. Not just a healer. Not leverage. Someone who will notice their uneven furniture and offer to help fix it while being held hostage.
The hat weighs nothing in my pocket.
The Radiant Court thinks they've captured a healer to burn.
They have no idea they've taken someone who's about to critique their cult management while actively bleeding.
Chapter 25
