The barmaid slid a frosty mug of ale to Nash just as he said, “Oh, that’s not dirty talk. Trust me, you’d know if I were blessing you with my words.”
I rolled my eyes and let my gaze drift across the room. Villagers in all kinds of attire filled the space—some clinking glasses, others laughing to the music. My eyes settled on a trio of men in the corner, dressed in leathers like ours. Unlike the rest of the alehouse, they weren’t celebrating. They spoke quietly among themselves.
I tapped Nash’s thigh, nodding toward the corner.
“They look like soldiers. But not from the Glade,” he whispered.
I leaned back, tilting my head toward him—enough to seem like a lover settling into an embrace. “Do they look like Mageian soldiers to you?”
The music quickened; dancers spilled into the aisles. The bustle masked our scrutiny.
“The stitching on their uniforms differs from Mageia’s… they might be from the Barren Watch.”
My heart skipped. “Why would they be here if they’re from the Watch?”
“Runaways…” Nash said, taking a slow sip.
If they were from the Barren Watch, they might have intel on Tyria’s plans—or why spies had been slipping past the Watch’s defenses. River’s curiosity surged through me, urging me to learn more.
Suddenly, the men stood and headed for the exit, eyes scanning the room—checking if anyone had noticed. I glanced away and snatched the ale from Nash’s hand, swallowing it in one gulp.
“Hey!”
“Let’s go,” I said, tossing a silver coin on the counter as I slid off his lap.
We slipped through the dancing villagers, trailing the men out the exit. Night had fully fallen while we were inside, giving us the cover we needed. Nash and I kept just behind the men, pausing at vendor tables now and then to avoid drawing attention. A few rows down, I spotted Rhodes and Scarlet at a booth. She still wore that ridiculous hat and was running her fingers along the blade of a long sword, while Rhodes watched her from the other side.
The way Rhodes looked at my sister was the opposite of how he looked at me—and something I’d only seen a few times in the Hollow. Toward me, his expression was pure hatred. I’m used to being disliked—it’s my favorite way to be treated—but his feelings toward me were on another level.
I knew I was one of the many he blamed for the things that had happened to Scarlet, and I was okay with that. His feelings hadn’t kept me up at night, but there was something about how he looked at Scarlet that twisted my gut. It hadn’t been fear or hesitation—he had proved he would never harm her when he carried her through the mountains on foot…
Ignoring the strange knot tightening in my chest, I caught a glimpse of the mysterious soldiers as they slipped into the shadows of a nearby alley. Nash and I exchanged a quick nod, then casually leaned against the brick wall beside the alley, pretending to take a break from shopping. I edged closer to the corner of the building, inching as near as I could without drawing attention.
“Warren said if we can make it to the—” one man muttered, his voice too low to catch the rest.
“And that’s it?”
“If we’re caught—”
“Then we won’t be. But this is our only option unless we want to be stuck—”
Frustration surged. I leaned forward, inching toward the corner, hoping for a clearer listen.
Nash caught my elbow and jerked me back. “They’re going to see you spying.”
“I can’t hear them. I need to get closer,” I hissed, shaking him off.
He rolled his eyes, scanned the street, then gave a small nod and mouthed, “Go.”
I leaned around the corner again. The men had moved deeper into the alley—too far to make out their words, barely visible in the dim. On my side, a large dumpster sat halfway between us. I crouched and began to move, hugging the brick as I crept closer.
Memories of Father’s lessons surfaced. I was ten when he started molding me into the perfect thief of valuables and secrets. Years of brutal drills in the Hollow led to more dangerous missions—slipping past the eyes of the Barren Watch.
Father has a secret entrance into the Watch, tucked beside a station on the eastern border, with an underground tunnel leading to the northern edge. A hidden path only he and I know—one of many secrets Arrow Fitzroy keeps from the War Chief and General Wylder.
But if we have a way in, then so does Tyria. Spies and soldiers don’t just walk into the Watch by accident. Somewhere on their side, there’s another hidden entrance.
Kalluri and the past War Chiefs might fool the realm—but not me. The Barren Watch was failing. Whether from negligence or deliberate sabotage, I haven’t decided yet.
