Lex’s joy was palpable even from this distance, his smile nearly as blinding as the midafternoon sun.
“Quick, this way!” he shouted, turning to scoop Itanya into his arms as he sprinted away from Ilyas to hide behind a small copse of trees. Ilyas’ booming laugh followed their retreat, mixing with Itanya’s shrieks and squeals to create a cacophony of pure joy.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Folami approach, spear still in hand after her first training session, expression a mixture of wonder and soft appreciation. The past few weeks brought more smiles, more joy, to Folami’s life than the past twenty years combined.
They’re so good for her, if she would just let them be this.
Seeming to hear my thoughts, Folami set her spear gently on the ground before sprinting soundlessly into the trees, eyes wide and bright.
“What seems to have caught your attention, Lord d’Eshu?” I nearly jumped at the nasally voice that slithered from behind, but withheld my reaction, not wanting to grant Razia such a prize.
“Nothing,” I grunted, pushing off the archway and turning abruptly back to the manor, leading the sniveling councilor away from the image of bliss to my rear.
It was one thing for me to silently observe my friends as they connected, figuring out how they fit into each other’s lives.
It was another entirely for Razia to invade such a private moment; it felt wrong, slimy, and I would do what I could to protect their privacy.
“Do you have a reason for seeking me out, Razia, or are you simply trying to ruin my day?” I asked, tone as clipped as my strides.
Razia huffed indignantly as we climbed the steps up to the manor, his footfalls echoing mine.
I’d stopped pandering to Lord d’Leocopus’ wishes and barred Razia from nearly all of our councils. Despite the incessant digging into Razia’s past and present—even going as far as to have him followed—there were no red flags, nothing of note that would indicate deception.
By all accounts, he was bland. Rude and more than a bit judgmental, but bland all the same. There was no discovered subterfuge, no dealings in the dark. Just a weird, angry man who tried to weasel his way into discussions where he wasn’t wanted.
Still, I didn’t trust him. There was something justoffabout Razia, and I was admittedly grateful when Lord d’Leocopus finally ceased his incessant badgering and gave up trying to insert his lackey into my meetings. Razia’s near-death experience at my hands after his less-than-savory remarks about Ellowyn probably influenced thatdecision.
Now, it seemed, my goodwill had expired, and I was to be subject to the snake once again.
“Yes, I have news,” he panted as he followed me through the dark and silent manor, the echoes of the sea and life outside swallowed by the heavy oak doors and thick walls.
“Yes?” I barked, stopping suddenly and turning to look at Razia. The man nearly ran into me, skidding to a stop a few inches from the toes of my boots. I smiled thinly as he brushed nonexistent dirt off his bright red doublet, retreating a few inches from my power that was pulsing wildly in waves.
“Can you control that? I don’t think my life needs to be threatened over my next words,” he dictated icily, beady eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite name.
I grunted, but reeled my power in just enough that it wouldn’t lash at him unexpectedly.
If he saidanythingabout Ellowyn—even hinted at something malicious—then I could not be held responsible for my reaction.
“I have a scouting report from Samyr,” he said, voice easily slipping back into unruffled oiliness once more.
My eyebrows ticked despite my air of bored unaffectedness, and I nearly scowled at Razia’s answering smug grin.
Bastard.
“How? All of our scouts were either detained or killed,” I growled, hands flexing at my sides. It was maddening, actually, that all of our attempts to see what our enemy was planning were thwarted with alarming ease. We’d tried sending them in all manners of ways at all times of day, even going as far as to conceal their whereabouts to everyone but a very small inner circle.
No matter what we did, our scouts were somehow always found.
It reasoned to believe there was a leak from somewhere, and my eyes narrowed on the man in front of me once more.
“I took the liberty of sending my own scouting party,” he announced, and I bristled at the insinuation. “I’ve lived here much longer than you, Torin d’Eshu. Lishahl’s army was mine first, and I know these lands better than anyone else.”
Despite my hatred, there was no denying the truth of his statements.
“What is the cost of your information?”
A slow smile spread across Razia’s face. “You are much smarter than you appear, Lord d’Eshu.”
