I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d been waiting for the opportunity for a while; it was becoming increasingly obvious through every interaction that I was more powerful than he was. Even Yaron had become stronger in magic now. The only difference was that he didn’t have the desire to be anything more than a hedonistic psychopath—just one more thing he and my father could bond over. Yaron was close enough in power that if it was carefully ignored, the world would continue to turn in the way Feodore Vylan intended.
Using my magic to lift me up into the saddle, I settled quickly. My horse gave me a flat look, its ears pinned back, but it held. Maybe it was picking up my anxiety, or maybe it just didn’t like to be ridden by someone from the First Line. I was beginning to realize that the creatures around us were a lot more aware than I’d like to admit.
Another unintentional revelation from Hayle, along with the easy acceptance of friendship and the joys of a threeway.
“Let’s go,” I muttered, and we set off north to Cyne. While I hadn’t been to Doend much, I’d regularly traveled to Cyne, and I didn’t think we’d find the assistance we needed from Baron Ingmire. It was also closer to Fortaare, and the risks that ran.
We were a silent group as we left the edges of Doend, at least until one of Hayle’s hounds let out a warning yip.
My hands went to my dagger, but it was Liselle, the madam at the inn where we’d stayed. She held up her hands, smiling fondly at the hounds, which either made her foolishly confident or stupid. “Destroying one of my rooms and then skipping out on the bill?Solike the Upper Lines.”
I frowned at the offhand sleight. “I left more than enough coin with your bartender to fix those rooms and build several more. If you haven’t seen the money, perhaps you should take it up with your staff.”
Liselle shook her head. “Just a joke, Heir Vylan. Obviously, the dry wit of the South doesn’t translate well.” All mirth left her face, and her eyes slid to the woods around her.
Were we about to be ambushed? I held my knife tighter, on high alert.
“No, I wanted…” She turned to Taeme. “Elkie tells me you're the Spryrix.”
Avalon tensed at the mention of Hayle’s beast once more, and honestly, I couldn’t blame her. I was also in shock, and Hayle didn’t pretend to be anything more than a friend with me. I wasn’t his Soul Tie, the person he was supposed to love above all else. If I’d been keeping a secret that huge, I’d be sweating in Hayle’s position too.
“Apparently so. Word spreads fast.”
Inclining her head in agreement, Liselle continued. “The Spryrix is an important figurehead to the Sixth. It’s a symbol ofhope, a sign of change in not just our fortunes, but also in the fortunes of all of Ebrus’s children. I’m not surprised that the news has spread. I think a lot of us were a little surprised that it shared the body of an Heir to the Third Line, though perhaps we shouldn’t have been.” Leaning forward, she lowered her voice. “That’s not what I’m here to talk about, though. I heard you’re heading to Cyne.”
I raised a brow. “And where did you hear that?”
She waved away my question. “That doesn’t matter. I don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, but I don’t think you’ll find it in the Great Hall in Cyne. The Baron of the Fifth Line is opportunistic and self-serving. If you’re here to help the people, like the prophecy suggests, then head to the Broken Heart Inn and ask for Boot. He runs the Underground. You’ll find what you need there. You’ll findwhoyou need there.”
I cast a quick look at Lierick, but his face was giving nothing away. Finally, I nodded. “Thank you for your advice.”
Her expression shifted back to what I assumed was her work face—pleasant and knowing, like she held the hidden secrets to pleasure, and she was willing to show you for the right amount of coin. “Safe travels.”
Then she was gone.
We traveled up the east coast, to avoid traveling through the Darkwoods. Partly because it would have taken more time to navigate the forested paths, and partly because the Darkwoods were a wild place that even the Third Line kept a respectful distance from, if they could. Having horses cut a whole day of travel from the trip, and we made it to the impressive stone spires of Cyne at dusk on the third day.
The Fifth Line had terraforma magic, and there was no greater example than the huge arch made of jagged stone points that burst from the ground at the edge of the city. They looked like the sharp teeth of some kind of seabeast, and as you walked beneath them and into the maw of the beast, they were a showy reminder of the Fifth Line’s power.
Avalon looked exhausted, and the strain between her and Hayle was becoming obvious to the rest of us. They hadn’t talked about the fact he could shift into some mythical beast. Hadn’t talked about lies and omissions, or the Soul Tie bond. I wasn’t sure what Taeme was waiting for, but with every day he hesitated, the worse her mood became.
Today, she was riding with me, her body pressed close to mine. I was tempted to let their argument run its course, to enjoy the way she became closer to me as she distanced herself from him.
But then I remembered Hayle had been nothing but a team player, and that was what we were now. A team. A family, if he was to be believed. So despite the selfish urge to keep her for myself, I knew I had to help. We were in this thing together, and letting the discontent fester would hurt us all in the end, especially Avalon. Because she loved that dumbass; and so did I.
Burying my face in her throat, I sighed. “You should tell him how you’re feeling.”
She hummed non-commitally.
I wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her in closer. “Hayle loves you more than his next breath. You know he wouldn’t have kept this from you without good reason.”
She turned her face to look up at me. “It would be nice if he wouldtellme what those reasons are. It would be nice if he talked about itat all.Instead, he’s pretending like it didn’t happen. Like I’m just going to forget he lied to me.” Her jaw tensed. “Why should I have to put the screws to him to findthe truth? Why doIhave to be the one to broach the subject? He’s the one that fucked up. He’s the one with the secrets. What else is he lying about?” Her voice got small. “What if the Soul Tie thing is all bullshit? What if everything is a lie? Everyone is surprised how easily he shares me; the Third Line is meant to be territorial. What if it’s because I’m not really his fated mate?”
I kissed her temple. “I can tell you without any hesitation: Hayle Taeme loves you. He loves you more than his own Line. More than those creatures who share his mind. More than his own pride. I don’t know why he’s being an obstinate fool, but you never have to doubt that connection. Nothing will come from being obstinate too. Just ask him.”
Sighing, she let her head rest against my shoulder as the Broken Heart Inn came into sight. I was ready to rest again, but something in the air told me that I wouldn’t get the chance for a long, long time.
A kid came up to grab the horses, and I paid him extra to take them to the Baron’s stables, as we grabbed our bags. The inn was a large stone building, like most of the buildings in Cyne. Unlike Doend, as we stepped into the Broken Heart Inn, there was an even amount of men and women in the bar, and everyone seemed lighter.
