“They don’t need me until we set sail back for Mysthelm,” I lied, holding his gaze. “Nobody would even notice I’m gone.”
His hand fell to my chin, tilting my head back further. “Then it’s their loss,” he said. My chest clenched in unease as his fingers pressed deeper into my throat. “Stay. My men will come retrieve you in two nights, before your people leave. Be ready.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a command. An order I didn’t think I was allowed to refuse.
“Yes,” I breathed out. “I want to see your world.”
He backed away, making me turn to watch him retreat. “Oh, little lamb,” he hummed. “Be careful what you wish for.”
My eyes followed him as he left for his mysterious meeting at the Hollow, and a plan formed in my mind. A reckless, stupid, dangerous plan that the others would surely yell at me for even trying.
I smirked. Perhaps Scarven was the one who should be careful.
34
Devora
“Just one more snack for the road,” I said to the guard as he fit my cloak around my shoulders. I gave him my sweetest smile and held up a finger, then crossed to the table where Everett was cutting off slices of meat from the roasted boar.
“Get to the carriage,” I muttered to Everett, popping a small chocolate pastry in my mouth.
His eyes furrowed in confusion beneath his goat mask. “What happened?”
“Go.Now. I’m being watched. I’ll explain in the carriage.”
He nodded and turned, disappearing down the servants’ entrance. I shook out the nerves from my shoulders and strode back to the guard. We made our way through the twists and turns of the mansion and eventually arrived at the front. There was my carriage, bearing the (illusioned) flag of Mysthelm prominently on top. The guard bade me goodnight, and I had the carriage driver roll to a stop just outside the bridge leading to the manor.
Everett hauled himself into the carriage a few minutes later, his goat’s mask and sheer fabric replaced by his normal pants and suspenders.
“Why so urgent?” he asked.
“I need you to illusion yourself to look like me and go back to the Mysthelm base,” I said quickly.
“What? Why? Where willyoube?”
“Following Scarven to the Hollow.”
He snorted derisively. “Absolutely not.”
I rolled my eyes. “Everett, come on. Scarven left because his men told him a caravan from the west is arriving at the Hollow. He’s going thereright now. What was the point of this whole thing if we don’t use the information? If I can get my shadows to listen and find him, we’ll know where the Hollow is. Don’t you remember that’s where he’s keeping the fatesprig, and?—”
“Okay, okay, slow down.” Everett lifted his hands in the air. “If this is so important, then you should go back andI’llfind him.”
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you learned how to shadow whisper in the last two hours.”
“Funny,” he deadpanned. “Fine. We’ll both go.”
My jaw twitched as irritation built. He didn’t get it. “You can’t. Scarven expects me to go back to the Mysthelm base. If the carriage is being followed,someonehas to pretend to be me and lead them away from here.”
I moved to open the door when Everett caught my arm. “Devora, no. This isn’t another one of your improvisations. If you’re wrong, you’ll get yourself killed.”
“And if I’m right, we’ll find the Hollow,” I snapped, yanking free. “I need to act fast. We could lose the trail soon—it’s been almost twenty minutes since Scarven left.”
I could see the indecision warring in his gray and green eyes. What was best for the mission versus keeping me safe.
His chest swelled as he let out a sharp huff. “Write to Nox on your magical paper. He’s only a couple miles away. Tell him and Kieran to come meet you.”
I nodded. “I will, I promise.”
