Von clenched his fists, fearing what he would say next.
“The Blue Capital was the nearest. I thought—”
“You thought going to the Azure King’s city was a better option?” he growled. “You should have returned here to report!”
Novo swallowed, the only sign of tension. “We placed the bounties, but there was trouble.”
Von clenched his teeth, already guessing the worst. “Where is Bouvier?”
“Captured by the Azure Guard. They recognized him.”
Von growled a curse. Since they’d stepped foot in Azure, everything that could have gone wrong had. Careful planning, stealth, simple missions. All of it was falling apart. As if the fates themselves were scheming against them. Everyone in Tarn’s camp was wanted by some king or country. Bouvier had been a notorious thief in his past and had infuriated enough wealthy lords to earn himself a death warrant.
“You should have stayed and helped him escape.”
“I attempted it, Commander.” Novo’s brow tightened. “But they guard the prison well and it’s warded with spells. Only the jailor carries the keys. He was my next target, but Bouvier ordered me to return.”
Von cursed under his breath, briefly closing his eyes. “You fool. They will eventually learn who he now serves.”
Bouvier wouldn’t talk, but Von had to assume the Azure Guard wasn’t beneath torture. The spy knew valuable information that they couldn’t risk reaching the Azure King. This called for a change of plans.
Von heaved a breath and faced Tarn. “Master, send me. I may have time to retrieve him.”
Len stepped forward and bumped a fist over her heart, silently volunteering as well.
Tarn nodded before Von could protest, holding his gaze with those wintry blue eyes. “No loose ends.”
They bowed and marched out of the tent.
“Len,” Novo chided once they were outside. “You’re not fully recovered for this mission. I’ll go instead. Commander, take—”
Von snatched Novo’s cloak. “You don’t get to speak. Your rash choices have brought this about. Pray on your life that we can retrieve Bouvier. If I’m forced to kill him, it will be on your head.”
But Von knew the weight of that death would fall only on him. As the commander, he was responsible for every life under his command. They had suffered fifty losses during the Azure Guard ambush, then more by the Guardians. Each loss was added to his ledger.
He was tired of losing men.
Len tugged on Von’s fisted hold over Novo, her dark brown eyes narrowing.
“Get your horse ready. We leave now,” Von snapped at her, then cut his glare back to Novo. “You will go with Elon.”
The young spies didn’t move. Though that probably had to do with the iron hold he kept on Novo. Len only watched him with a cold, silent fierceness. There was a challenge there that he would readily meet.
Elon’s amber gaze landed on her, and she stiffened. Her hand slipped away, head lowering in respect to the elf. And maybe a little healthy dose of fear. No one challenged his authority.
“Go.” Von released Novo. “Eat. Change. Then come brief me on everything that happened in the capital. We depart at sundown.”
The spy backed a step, bowing his head. Then he and Len headed off together, moving swiftly through the camp. Elon stood silent like a pillar of stone, always steady and firm, when Von’s foundation became unsettled. He heaved a breath and rubbed the stubble on his jaw.
Great peril in the venture thou art pursuing.Damn the Seer and her warnings. Of all the lines in the divination, that one worried him the most.
“Don’t take any unnecessary risks,” Von said. “Watch and learn. If you cannot find an opening to capture her, we will leave the bounties to do the rest.”
The elf captain nodded and retreated.
Von secretly sent a plea to the God of Urn that Dyna had gotten far enough ahead to escape them. He’d once sent a similar plea fifteen years ago when they’d fled the Kingdom of Azure to escape from the one who hunted them. The Azure King was a powerful man. Someone to be feared.
The same could now be said of Tarn.
