That provoked a sardonic huff from Elyse.
“A hundred ravens…” Manny repeated as Gideon ran off. He shook his head. “Can you imagine?”
“Sounds like a lot of bird shit,” Elyse grumbled.
Killian sighed, ignoring her indelicate comment. “Well, we know where we’re headed next. Has anyone been to Levoy?”
“No,” Sera said, “but I’ve been to Bernath. We can try to take a carriage from there.”
Killian nodded as Gideon returned, white box in hand.
“Here you go,” he said as he handed Killian the box of pastries and clapped him on the back. “Hey, are you competing in the Sammerhan Games this year?”
Killian blinked, a bit surprised at the question. “No, not this year.”
Gideon gave a shake of his head. “That’s a shame. I’d like an excuse to get up to Quinar for the tournament this year.”
Killian smiled. It felt fake, and probably looked faker. “Maybe next year. Thanks again,” he added, lifting the box in a farewell salute.
They’d barely made it out the front door when Manny nearly attacked Killian. “Give me one of those,” he demanded, wrenching the box open.
Killian laughed, even as he shook his head at his friend. “Help yourself.”
Manny snatched one cream puff for himself and another for Sera. Killian offered the box to Elyse, but she gave him a dry look. He shrugged and took one for himself. He nearly moaned at the rich, buttery flavor. Gideon was a fucking god.
“You were in the games?” Sera asked.
Killian tried not to sigh. He’d thought maybe no one had noticed Gideon’s comment. He chewed slowly, buying himself time to answer. He hated talking about the games.
He’d competed five years ago, having been selected to represent the Rhodan Royal Guard at the tournament. It was a glorious achievement, and he’d been honored. The whole competition itself had been exhilarating, one of the best experiences of his life. But he despised the way people looked at him for it, like he was some sort of celebrity. He’d never been good with notoriety.
“He was in the sword tournament a few summers ago,” Manny answered for him, apparently too impatient to wait for Killian to swallow. “Nearly won the whole thing.”
“Really?” Sera asked, far too much awe in her expression for Killian’s liking.
Again, Killian found himself looking to Elyse for approval. His heart sank. She was busy using her dagger to pick something out from under her nails.
He turned back to Sera and nodded. “I lost to a mountain of a man from Evaria. He tore my shoulder out of its socket when he disarmed me.”
Sera’s eyes widened. “You haven’t competed since?”
Manny made a noise that sounded likepffft. “Tournament’s all pageantry now,” he said dolefully. “The year Killian competed, someone died in the joust. After that they added a bunch of regulations. Took all the fun out of it.”
Sera frowned. “Well, it can’t be that bad. Thousands of people still—”
“YOU!”
A bellow shattered their quiet conversation, rippling through the street.
Killian pivoted, looking behind him. A red-faced brute of a man surged toward them, his eyes blazing with undiluted hatred. His stubby finger was pointed directly at Elyse.
“You,” he sneered again. “You cut off—”
Elyse didn’t wait for him to reach her. Swift as a current, she shoved past Killian, knocking the last cream puff from his hand. It fell to the ground in a sad little heap, but Killian was too focused on Elyse. She grasped the man by his throat and used his momentum against him, hurling him against the wall, pinning him by his neck. The man was twice her size, but she held him easily, her magic crackling around her.
“I what?” she spat at him. “Cut off your thumb? That’s right, I recognize you.” She laughed, a heartless sound. With her free hand, she lifted the man’s wrist and cast an assessing glare at his thumb. It was gnarled, a different color from the rest of his hand,an angry red line protruding from the skin like it had been sewn back on. “Looks like you found a new one.”
She let go of his hand, and he immediately grasped onto her wrist, trying to pry her grip from his throat. His face had gone from soft red to a deep vermilion as he spat and struggled to breathe. “You…” the man sputtered out.
