“Nice to meet you, Queen Xiaodera.”
“This is my husband, Jehon, Tribe King of Immalon.” She gestures to her partner.
I smile at King Jehon, who gives me a curt nod.
“You nearly died on that bridge,” she says.
“Yeah.” I release a shaky breath, wanting to forget all about dangling from a fraying rope and then a slippery vine. “We almost did. How did you see us?”
“I have eyes at the borders. I was informed of a disturbance.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you showed up when you did.”
Someone from the kitchen enters the dining hall carrying a tray with a teapot on top. He places it on the center of the table, along with four wooden cups shaped like miniature bowls. With a bow to the queen and king, the man strides away.
Queen Xiaodera picks up the glazed clay teapot and pours steaming hot liquid into each cup. King Jehon then places a cup in front of each of us. I pick up the tea with a grateful nod before taking a sip.
When the steam fogs my spectacles, I can’t help but laugh. It’s been a while since they’ve done that. It reminds me of better days.
Saferdays.
They used to fog up all the time when Analla and I would have a cup of tea on our balcony that overlooked the canal. The air would be crisp and cool enough for a thick sweater.
“My people say they saw that sorcerer friend of yours fighting off attackers that looked like assassins,” Queen Xiaodera says after a short sip of tea. “Do you know who they were?”
I glance at Algar. He bobs his head, insisting that I tell the truth. “They were coming after him…our friend. I believe they’re with the Grim.”
She narrows her eyes a bit. “So he carries trouble?”
I notice King Jehon’s hand curling into a fist on the table.
“They’ve been tracking him, but we can’t figure out why,” Algar tells her. “We’ve asked, but he won’t tell us what they want.”
That’s not all true, of course. He told me, but there’s no way I’m about to inform the queen about his past or the links to Seferin. He looks trouble enough, and she clearly knows he’s dangerous. She has no proof, but I’m certain she could find some if she really wanted to.
“So, he puts all of your lives in danger because he doesn’t care to share why he’s being hunted by a group of deadly people?” Queen Xiaodera scoffs as she sits back in her chair. “Wisest thing to do would be to leave him in the infirmary and carry on without him, no?”
“We can’t,” I counter quickly. “I paid him to protect me.” I swallow hard, staring down at my teacup. “If it helps figure out whotheyare, one of them had a blade with the letters TSG on it.”
Algar’s chair creaks as he turns to me. “TSG?” He’s frowning. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Because if that’s what you saw, it means that crew is from The Shadow Guild.”
Confused, I ask, “Thewhat?”
Algar releases an exhausted sigh. “People have made claims about there being an underground society recruiting the strongest sorcerers in all the kingdoms and teaching them black magic. From what I hear, most of the people who join are from the Grim. Either way, they arenotgood people.”
“Yeah, I gathered that when Maliek almost turned your organs to mush.”
“I’ve heard of this society,” Queen Xiaodera says. “Many believe they’re trying to become the next Nightcarvers, though there has never been any proof. Regardless, it is odd if this secret group is revealing themselves so openly just to get your friend. That leads me to believe your sorcerer friend is somehow associated with them and he’s done something to wrong them.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, though.” Algar folds his arms and shakes his head with tightened features. “He was a soldier with The Divine in Meriva. I saw him marching with them and wearing their uniform.”
“The Grim is known to recruit all kinds of people,” the queen informs him. “One can only assume they are manipulating as many people as possible and twisting their souls into complete corruption to join their devious society.”
“That doesn’t sound like Thane.” Algar’s frown deepens. “No, he wouldn’t have joined people like them unless he had no choice.”
