I’d never seen Harthon surprised until that moment. He hardly made a show of it, but his chin subtly lifted, like the information was a blow.
Callen, meanwhile, rocked back in his seat. “Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know,” Harthon muttered, scraping a hand over his jaw. “Did he ask you any questions? Try to get any information from you?”
“Not at all.” Our interactions had consisted of him telling me to shut up, dragging me through the inn, and getting me to the city wall, where he’d gone through the effort of digging a tunnel. “Who is he?”
“Someone we have history with. And believe me when I say that, regardless of the help he decided to give you, he’s a bad man.”
Kenrick hadn’t hurt me. He’dkilledthree of his own men to ensure I escaped. He hadn’t been a warm and fuzzy personality, but he hadn’t been my enemy, either. “No one forced him to help me escape. I have a hard time believing he’s so terrible.”
“He’s Koerlyn’s second-in-command,” Harthon revealed with the tact of a dull ax.
Suddenly, I was the one rearing back in my seat. When I could finally produce words, I asked, “Was he at the battle?”
“He was. On the main battlefield.”
I couldn’t wrap my head around why he would help me escape only to then fight to get me back. If he was second-in-command, why would he help me escape, period?
“Yeah, I don’t like this. Something isn’t right,” Callen declared, stating what was on everyone’s minds.
“Never is with that fucker,” North spat. Whoever Kenrick was, North seemed to hate him more than me, which was a true feat. What was he? A prior enemy? A former ally?
“What history do you have with him?” I pressed.
Harthon’s eyes met Ana’s, and something silent passed between the two. Then he gave me an equally vague and terrifying answer.
“All you need to know is that the only thing Kenrick thinks he owes me is death. He didn’t help you as a favor to me. He has plans. And we have no idea what they are.”
* * *
I didn’t know if other worlds existed. Some surmised that just beyond our dull skies, other places like ours might be waiting. Those who were religious thought there were far-off lands belonging to whoever it was they worshipped. Others believed Centralis, contained within the Domus, was the closest thing to another world we had.
I’d never given much thought to the matter, because what was the point?
But as I sat in the garden below my window, I realized the allure of believing in other, better places. Surrounded by green, thriving plants, rich soil, and leafy trees towering above me, it was as if I were in another reality. One defined by lifeand serenity, rather than death and violence and suffering. One that was beautiful—and smelled divine, thanks to the lavender sprouting before me as I sat against the stone wall.
I took a deep inhale for probably the twentieth time, soaking in every bit of that garden air, before returning my attention to the map spread across my lap.
“What’s this supposed to indicate?” I asked Stefano, pointing to the short lines sketched just outside of Fifth’s borders.
He peered down, squinting at the tiny marks. He’d been standing outside the library doors when our discussion ended earlier. Harthon had handed me a stack of maps to study, stating the library was mine to use, but I’d found myself wandering to the window, wishing to be outside those stuffy walls. Stefano was happy to oblige, but demanded we go to this garden, as it was enclosed and easily defensible.
Thus far, I’d only been in this garden when trying to escape or running from attackers. It was nice to actually enjoy it, rather than careening into it from my window.
“Those are pointing out an area of bad currents. They’ve taken down a ship or two,” he explained.
Ah, so it was an ocean thing. “Have you ever been on a ship?”
When it came to the seas, I knew essentially nothing. I was raised inland, close to the Domus, and never left.
“A few times. Ocean travel can be much faster than land. And, obviously, it allows you to avoid certain Territories, so Harthon’s used it from time to time. But it isn’t always safe.” He gestured to the map, indicating the currents.
“But even if it allows you to avoid certain Territories, you can still come across their ships. What happens then?”
He crouched beside me, arms resting on his knees. “Depends. Sometimes you engage, sometimes you don’t. That usually hinges on if either ship thinks they can win.”
And the loser ended up at the bottom of the ocean. I much preferred land battles to that.
