Jade rose and turned to the fireplace, alarm bells ringing in her mind. What had been so important for the killer to remain and then light the fire?
She glided soundlessly to the large stone hearth and examined everything about it. The excessive heat clawed at Jade, sucking air from the room and from Jade’s lungs. The thin black mask covering the bottom half of her face, which protected her identity as an intelligence agent, only made things worse, and she wanted to tear away the high collar of her jacket.
Something crackling amid the flames caught Jade’s eye. She bent over to inspect what fed the flames and found what was left of a small book quickly being reduced to ash. Heat flooded her face as she crouched as close as she could to the fire, trying to discern anything among the curling pages. The last vestiges of a floating script met her eye, the only recognizable word:Artis. In moments, it too was gone.
Jade pulled back from the heat and crossed her arms. She stared blankly into the fire as her mind worked. Prince Artis was the king’s long-dead son, who would have been heir to the throne had he not died alongside the queen in a terrible fire at their country home. While officially classified by investigators as an accident, rumor had spread that a band of rebellious magic-wielders had set the fire in an attempt to end the king and his line.
The book must have been somehow related to the conflict, possibly a personal journal or a way of clandestinely communicating with Arabella.Prince Artis’s death was the reason the Conflict of Succession was happening at all. Though the king had remarried some time after the tragic accident in hopes of producing an heir, his new wife had been unable to carry a pregnancy to term.
The book, whatever its significance, wouldn’t have lasted long, which meant the killer was still close.
Jade’s deep brown eyes flashed around the room. Could the killer still be there, hidden within the shadows allowed by the dim light? Her gloved hand grazed the grip of the pistol on her hip as the beating of her heart intensified.
If the killer was still nearby, she could likely find a trail. Follow it. Discover the killer’s current location and bring that information back to her commander, who would send a contingent of troops.
A smattering of dirt in front of the fireplace snagged her gaze. She hadn’t tracked anything in; she’d made certain of it.
Jade strained her ears for any sound besides the popping fire. Summer bugs hummed to her right. She flung her gaze to the wall where she heard the sound, her eyes scanning the windows. Her pulse hammered in her neck as she crossed to them. The window she had entered through was still firmly closed. But the music of the insects still filtered toward her, louder now. Jade passed by the other windows, pressing on the glass panes until one pushed outward at her touch. The latch was undone.
Either Aubergine had hoped to enjoy the warm night, or this was the killer’s doing.
Jade flung her body out the ground-floor window and dropped behind one of the topiaries lining the exterior wall, peering through the moonlit darkness for anything out of place. Her gaze passed over the garden beside the manor house and the grounds of the estate beyond. Sweat trickled down her temples, moisture heavy in the humid air despite the late hour.
What she would give for another pair of eyes, another espionage agent to be tracking this killer with her. Really, she wanted one in particular.
Theo Redman.
Her oldest and dearest friend.
Also a captain in the intelligence branch of the military, Theo would be an incredible asset for such an assignment. But they had been stationed apart for nearly five years, and Jade had essentially given up her hope of ever being near him again. With it went the expectation that they might have more than friendship one day.
A flutter of movement far to her right in the open green space around the manor caught Jade’s eye, and she rid her mind of thoughts of Theo. They would only serve as a distraction. The dark mass that moved away from her was too far away for Jade to make out details, but she had no doubt it belonged to a person, most likely the person who had just killed and run.
Jade crouched low as she slipped through the grounds, blending into the night with the aid of her black uniform. Her footfalls whispered over the thick grass, lush and green from plentiful rain, and she took every opportunity to remain hidden behind shrubs until past the perimeter of the garden. Another dark ripple, now in the trees, refocused her attention. Jade sucked in a deep breath of warm air and rushed across the open space between the garden and a grove of trees.
Jade Ni’ihm wasn’t one of the best espionage agents for nothing. She noiselessly stalked her prey—prey that undoubtedly believed it had made a clean escape. She quickened her pace across the field to the trees, and the movement she followed formed into a dark cloak, concealing the identity of the killer. The person strode through the tall trees, never once looking back, with a steady and sure gait.
The cover of the trees emboldened her, quickening her pace and sending her closer to the figure. Her slim body could easily fit behind the tree trunks if the person turned back toward her, so she dared to close more of the gap. A good look at the person would be a leap toward apprehending them and bringing them to justice. Finally. She’d tracked this killer for toolong with little to show for it. Her next promotion would be guaranteed with their capture.
A cloud floated over the silver moon, diminishing the light and casting the woods deeper into shadow. Without warning, the figure stopped, and Jade threw herself behind the closest tree. Her chest heaved as she pressed her back against the rough bark. She let her heartbeat settle, counting to five before allowing a peek around the edge of the trunk.
The figure faced her, hood drawn low, the cloak parting in the front to reveal the person’s form. Even lacking the light of the moon, Jade determined that the body underneath the cloak was that of a man, broad-shouldered and muscular, his feet planted shoulder-width apart.
One against one. She could take him. The idea came to her so strongly and so suddenly that she felt compelled to follow through. This killer was within her grasp, and she could simply step past the cover of the tree and engage him, bringing an end to this months-long pursuit. It was a bold move, and impulsive decisions like this weren’t her style.
Jade scoffed at herself and furrowed her brow. Itwasn’ther style. She wasn’t reckless or foolish, and she didn’t needlessly throw herself into danger. Why would she even consider such a thing? No, she would do what she did best: follow him from a distance and gather information about him, such as where he stayed or what he looked like. Then she could inform her commander, who would send a force to apprehend him.
Jade tipped up her chin, digging her hair into the bark, and her fingers traced the cool wood of her gun’s grip before she leaned the barest amount past the tree. Her eyes moved straight to the spot where she’d last seen him.
Nothing.
Jade frowned as her eyes flitted over the sparse woods before her. She found no sign of him. A sudden fear hit her that he must be right behind her, sending a shiver down her spine, and she whirled around.
Still, nothing.
How was that possible? Jade had only paused to hide for a few seconds, and she’d heard no soft footsteps or rustle of leaves.
He must have noiselessly hidden behind a tree himself, biding his time until she left the woods. Pistol in hand, Jade silently moved from one tree to the next until she had cleared the part of the grove in her vicinity.
