And then what? He can come home and do worse? He won’t be imprisoned for long. I know from experience.
I don’t want to think of my father. But the alternative is thinking about Tycho and his hand on my cheek or those scars on his back or his easy smile or—
The latch at the door clicks. We both jump.
It’s Lord Jacob, and his watchful eyes search the room when he enters. They settle first on Tycho, and I can see the spark of relief when he sees that his friend is unharmed. But then his gaze lands on me.
I’m not sure what to read in his expression, and despite the healing, I’m aware of what I must look like: filthy and blood spattered, with the distinct possibility of humiliating tearstains on my cheeks. I tense, but Lord Jacob only sighs.
“Silver hell, T.” He runs a hand back through his hair. “I knew this one was going to be trouble.”
CHAPTER 27
CALLYN
After what happened in the barn, I shouldn’t be surprised when I find Lord Alek blocking the doorway out of my pantry, but somehow I am. As it is, I’ve got my arms full with a sack of sugar and a platter full of butter, and I nearly walk straight into him.
He catches the bag of sugar before it can spill out on his boots, and I somehow manage to avoid getting a face full of butter. We’re down the hallway from the main part of the bakery, and I can hear the bustle of the people waiting in line. I scowl up at him. “Have you ever considered announcing yourself like agentleman?” I demand.
“What do you know of gentlemen?” he says.
“Not much from you.”
He smiles, but there’s something tense about it. “Do you have any letters from Lady Karyl?”
I frown. I was ready for him to banter back, and the fact that he doesn’t is … disappointing. But of course that’s ridiculous. He’s never here forme, he’s here for business.
I square my shoulders and shove these thoughts out of my head.“No. I haven’t seen anyone since I tried to stab you with the pitchfork.” I peer past him. “My lord, Nora is alone with the customers—”
“This is important.”
“So is my sister.”
He sighs, then moves to set the sack of sugar on the floor.
“Just give it to me,” I say, gesturing. “I need to get back into the bakery.”
“Callyn—”
“If you didn’t want me to be busy, you shouldn’t have sent all these customers my way!”
Alek moves closer and drops his voice. “Tycho has returned to Briarlock. Lord Jacob is with him this time.” He says this with the gravity of someone delivering news of a death in the family, and his blue eyes are burning into mine. “They were seen approaching your friend’s forge.”
I feign a gasp. “Not Lord Jacob.”
He nods, but I stare back at him and respond with equal gravity, though mine is a little mocking. “I don’t know who that is.”
He swears and looks away, running a hand through his hair. “He is the king’s closest friend and adviser.”
Oh, isthatall. “Well, you’re from one of the Royal Houses. Surely he can’t betoointimidating.”
“He’s notintimidating, he’s—” He breaks off and swears again. The sack of sugar hits the floor, and he grips my arms. “Do you not understand? If he’s here, I need to know why. I need to know what he’s doing. We chose Briarlock because it’s not a popular town. Lady Karyl chose Jax because his father had been loyal in the past. But the King’s Courier has been seen here many times—and now he’s joined by Lord Jacob. How do you not see—”
“I see!” I try to wrench free. My heart won’t stop pounding, and I can’t believe that a moment ago there was any part of me that washoping he’d come here for any other reason than to save his own neck. “Would youlet me go?”
He doesn’t. “Have they been here?”
“I haven’t seen Lord Tycho.” Alek’s eyes are dangerously intent on mine, and I swallow. “Ihaven’t. And I haven’t talked to Jax.”
