“Did you get the sense that any Truthbringers are here?” I say to him so we can move away from the king’s magic.
“No,” he says. “Not in Willminton. But Wenda said she’s heard some gossip from Gaulter, because her sister lives over there. There’s apparently a tourney there that draws people from miles away, and they’ve been seeing a lot of people from Syhl Shallow. She said they show up with silver to spare.”
Huh.That’s surprising. People from Syhl Shallow tend to have a disdainful view of Emberfall, especially among the nobility, so I can’t really see them spending a lot of coin at a tourney. Gaulter is also the same city where I originally found Nakiis in a cage. Maybe that’s significant.
And if it is, I wonder if we’re potentially walking right into a hotbed of Truthbringers. Anyone carrying a bunch of silver is sure to be armed, and likely backed by guards. Lord Alek used to travel with two or three, and he himself wore as many weapons as a soldier.
“Do you still want me to take a message back to Ironrose Castle?” Leo says, glancing between us. “Or should I stay with you?” I can tell from his tone that he’s hoping for the latter.
Malin glances at me. “Gaulter is another full day’s ride, right?”
“If we leave at daybreak, we’ll be lucky to make it by dinner.” I hesitate, thinking. I hate to lose a soldier, and I already sent a coded message. But I still have no way to besurethe king will get it— and I didn’t know about Truthbringers possibly gathering in Gaulter.
Just as I’m wondering if I could somehow send another message in code, Jax says, “In Gaulter, we will not be far from . . . from Crystal Palace.” He says the words carefully, glancing between us, so I can’t tell if he’s unsure of the words or the distance. But then he adds, “And you can deliver message to queen.” He hesitates. “Yes?”
“Yes,” I say slowly, because it’s not a terrible idea. We’re closer to the Crystal Palace even here. I just don’t know what’s happening in Syhl Shallow, and crossing the border right now feels like a risk.
Then againallof this feels like a risk. It’s the whole reason Rhen sent me with a small team at all.
Sephran is looking across the table at Malin. “Maybe ourcaptainhas an idea.”
Malin flicks his eyes skyward. “Knock it off.”
Sephran offers him a halfhearted salute and practically rolls his eyes in return. “Yes, sir.”
“I said,knock it off.” Mal’s voice grows sharp, turning it into an order, and I watch the words land. Sephran draws himself up as belligerence and betrayal march across his expression.
I’d enjoy it if I hadn’t just shamed him into laying down his cards.
“Yes,sir,” Sephran says, and this time his voice is as tight and formal as mine is when I’m unhappy.
Then they just stare at each other, as if this is a standoff on a battlefield instead of a sticky table in the middle of a tavern.
Leo clears his throat. “So . . . um. . . am I going back to Ironrose? Or continuing on?”
Malin breaks the staring match and looks at him. “We’ll continue on. Depending on what we discover in Gaulter, we’ll send you back from there— or press on for the Crystal Palace.” He looks to me for confirmation, and his voice is just as clipped. “Agreed?”
“Agreed,” I say.
“Good,” says Malin. He takes a hearty swig of his ale.
After that mess, so do I.
But then I realize Jax is watching me, his hazel- green eyes glinting in the light of the lanterns strung about the tavern, and I set down the stein. His eyes don’t leave mine, but he picks up his mug of tea, blows steam off the top, and takes a sip.
Beside him, Sephran does the same thing.
CHAPTER 15
TYCHO
We’re given a second room, which is a blessing— at first. After the tension in the tavern, I’m not sureanyonewould’ve found sleep if we’d been trapped in shared quarters all night long. But then it occurs to me that we’re going to have to divvy up the two spaces, and it simply serves to amplify the growing friction among all of us. It’s clear Sephran doesn’t want to room with Malin— and I doubt he wants to spend any time at all with me. I have no idea where Jax’s preferences would fall, but I hate the thought of our clear division continuing. Poor Leo probably doesn’t care, but I’m sure he’s not ignorant to any of it.
So, in an effort to escape everything, I take first watch.
The innkeeper spoke true, and most of the rooms are occupied by men and women who’ve been hired for the harvest season. Unlike the tavern, which was still bustling when we left, the inn’s sitting room was empty when we returned, everyone gone to bed or gone home. It’s after midnight, so the main door is barred now, the desk abandoned. The clerk left a lantern burning low, but I sense that it’s only because I’d taken a post near the front door and he didn’t want to leave me incomplete darkness. I’ll have to toss another coin his way when we leave in the morning.
The thought reminds me of the way I bet that silver during the card game. I’ve spent too much time playing among officers and noblemen, so I forgot that throwing down a coin so casually would indicate an arrogance I don’t truly feel.
