There were words of assent, though Faylinn looked hesitant.
“Faylinn? Something to add?” She chewed her lip slightly.
“I would like to help Asha with establishing the healer’s area when I return. It will help me feel . . . helpful.” A myriad of emotions passed across her face before landing on determination. I knew even without the newly formed Bond that she would fight me on this if I said no.
For some reason, Faylinn needed this, needed to help those who were physically and mentally scarred by this attack. Her experiences in Isrun definitely played a part, but I couldn’t help but feel there was more to her desire; a speculation that was only enforced when she tightened the hold on her emotions down the Bond.
Interesting.
I rubbed a hand across my jaw, noting that the stubble I usually kept was growing into a longer beard.
“Granted,” I said as I scratched my cheek. “Go now. Get as much area canvassed as possible this afternoon and evening. I want you back inside the manor’s wards before nightfall.” My eyes flitted to Sol quickly. “Find an Earth Mage that we can spare to accompany her.” My tone brokered no argument. As much as I needed to know what was happening in the city, the protective instincts I felt toward Faylinn eclipsed most else right now.
Everyone, save Faylinn, pushed to their feet, offering bows and muted platitudes before they left, shutting the door quietly behind them, leaving her and me alone together once more.
“If you want to start today, you need to get moving soon,” I said gruffly, suddenly needing to fill the space between us with words. “I meant what I said, Faylinn. I need you back in the manor’s wards before nightfall.”
She nodded once, wayward curls bouncing around her face, as she moved to join me near the bookshelves.
“He was hiding secrets here,” she mumbled quietly, her eyes looking but unseeing as they flitted from one book to the next. “I’m sure of it, even if I could never discover what they were.”
I grunted in agreement, my gaze always drawn to her. The sunbeams caressed her skin in such a way that she seemed to glow. Her normally dark hazel eyes were lighter, and I could nearly pick out the individual colors that swam in their depths: amber and mahogany, flecks of green and gold. Even her hair wasn’t a singular color—some of the strands glinted bronze in the afternoon sun while others were as black as night.
I was so utterly enamored with this woman.
“Alois was a man of many secrets, and this was his domain. I’m certain there’s more than one skeleton in here,” I agreed wryly. “It’s why I’m going to tear thisplace apart while you’re out there. I will need something to distract me for the next few hours.”
Faylinn finally turned to face me, her face a mask of worry. “Rohak, at some point you’ll need to talk about losing your magic, about Alois’ and Gisei’s deaths. I felt that agony, Rohak. You cannot live with it alone.”
I ignored her words, even if they were wise and accurate. Thinking about the death I caused was enough to bring me to my knees. But there were other more important things that had to be done first before I could grieve.
“Thank you, Faylinn. I will keep that in mind,” I said even as my soul begged to share the burden with her. Faylinn frowned slightly before gently squeezing my arm as she turned to leave.
Instinctively, my hand shot out to her waist, pulling her back to me. “Please be careful out there,” I whispered in her ear, delighted when goosebumps broke out against her neck.
Faylinn gave a singular jerky nod before she gently extracted herself from my grip, though I didn’t mistake her blown pupils as she pulled away.
“I’ll report back what I see. If you find anything interesting in here, please let me know.” I nodded my head in agreement just as Faylinn turned and fled.
With a sigh that echoed around the silent space, I moved to the bar cart to pour myself a second glass of the nearly empty decanter. I swirled the golden alcohol in the tumbler before taking a small sip. The whiskey was good, but not anything close to the level of what Hestin produced.
I tunelessly tapped against my glass, my other hand shoved loosely in my pocket, as I approached the shelves once more. There was something more to these bookshelves, I could feel it. Haphazardly, I pulled various tomes from their shelves, hastily shoving them back into place as I searched for something—anything—that would clue me into Alois’ thoughts and actions.
A particularly well-worn spine caught my eye, its deterioration and obvious use a stark contrast to the near-pristine covers that filled this particular shelf. As soon as my finger pulled the top of the book toward me, I heard a softthunkand watched in fascination as the whole shelf seemed to sink into the wall by an inch or so.
My heart raced, and I wiped sweaty palms down my pants before pushing the bookcase to the side to reveal a small alcove recessed into the wall.
“What were you hiding, old friend?” I murmured quietly.
Chapter Twenty-One
Faylinn
Iemerged from the tunnel that connected the manor and Academy onto one of the lower hidden floors. Initially, the Academy appeared unchanged and relatively unaffected. The stairs and floors were clear here, the air devoid of the odors that typically followed battles. The further I climbed, however, the more that initial reality faded.
By the time I reached the top of the staircase, I’d scaled no less than half-a-dozen boulders and noticed a missing limb or two identified solely by the pungent scent that accompanied decaying human flesh. I breathed through my mouth, drool hanging off my chin as I fought the urge to retch, and took note of the location of both the boulders and the body parts.
Thank the gods I wore boots.
