One of the torches shined on Saydren’s face. The royal healer was well-dressed and obviously not bothered by the dreadful atmosphere. Without any hesitation, he made his way towards a winding corridor. Amira thought about going to the experimentation room and ignoring Saydren’s suspicious behaviour, but she remembered that he had been the one dealing with Mylner’s corpse. Maybe he would lead her to Mylner and Sydna’s bodies. If she had proof of Karwyn and Saydren’s wrongdoings, her brother would be forced to listen. And she would also be able to offer the dead the chance to go to heaven, to join Caelo.
Her steps were as light as a feather and her eyes quickly grew accustomed to the dark. She trailed her mark while allowing some space between them. The cloak and the long dress she was still wearing quickly proved to be a problem. They kept getting caught up on the uneven stone walls. Not wanting to lose her target, Amira ripped out a large quantity of fabric at the bottom of the skirt. A strange feeling of satisfaction ran through her at the tiny act of rebellion.
The path underground was longer than she had expected. It must be taking her further than the one she had taken with Rhay. In the distance, she heard a door open, pulling her back to her current situation. Amira waited a few seconds before continuing her way. She found a door similar to the one Rhay had showed her. She pushed against the ancient door and, surprisingly, it opened to the courtyard of what looked like an abandoned house. Amira looked around but saw no sign of Saydren. Had she lost him already? She searched around and saw a door left ajar on the opposite side of the secret passage. She ran to it. It opened onto a city street.
Chrysa.
She caught a glimpse of Saydren turning onto an adjacent street and hurried out onto the cobblestones. Seeing the city in the late afternoon sun didn’t stop the pit of despair in her stomach from consuming her. Three days ago, she was here with Rhay, having fun. And then everything turned even worse than before. Shaking her head to keep the bad memories at bay, Amira focused on tracking Saydren.
Most fae around her were carrying on with their usual business and leisure. She saw street merchants fighting for attention and couples strolling along, stopping from time to time to look at a shop. A few kids were running wild and almost made Amira trip. A completely normal end of day for most fae, but definitely a strange one for Amira.
The shining uniform of a guard caught her eyes and she immediately froze. Had he seen her? Should she hide? Thinking fast, she pretended to browse the stalls of a fae selling delicious, golden buns. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the guard joining Saydren. They barely exchanged more than a few words before continuing their walk, oblivious to her presence.
“Are you going to buy anything?” said a shrill voice.
“Oh, no, I don’t have any silver,” Amira was forced to say.
The fae slapped Amira’s hand away from the food. “Then don’t touch my buns,” she yelled.
Fae were starting to watch. “I’m so sorry,” said Amira before walking away.
In order to stay undetected, she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. Saydren and the guard were not that far and she had no trouble following them. They entered a bar called River’s Point together and after some consideration, Amira decided that it would be better for her to watch them from outside. She could see through the window around the corner of an alleyway, so she stayed there and watched.
Saydren sat at a table and was quickly joined by a young woman with two dark braids. She slid a bunch of silver notes on the table and waited anxiously for the healer’s reaction. He took his time, carefully counting each note with an almost sadistic slowness.
Finally, Saydren spoke. Amira had never been good at reading lips, but she figured that whatever the healer said was the answer the woman was expecting. A large smile curled the fae’s lips upwards and she welcomed the tiny vial Saydren gave her with visible excitement.
As soon as the woman left, a man took her place in front of the table. Amira had noticed him earlier as he had been lurking around a pillar, obviously waiting for the spot to free up. His face was almost completely hidden by a hood. She only saw a strand of dark hair escape the hood for a moment before the man quickly adjusted his cloak.
Saydren looked intrigued by his new customer and his interest only seemed to grow as the man spoke. A devilish light appeared in the healer’s eyes. He waited a few seconds before nodding. Amira wished she could see the face of the hooded figure to see his reaction.
This time, instead of exchanging silver, the men exchanged a nod heavy with promises. Amira shuddered as she watched Saydren’s face. To her it seemed like the hooded fae had just made a deal with the devil.
The hooded man left, but Amira wasn’t able to see his face as he quickly passed by her. She caught a strong scent of pine trees when he brushed against her.
After his departure, Saydren called up the guard who had been standing at the bar drinking ale. The healer whispered into the fae’s ear. Following his new orders, the guard ran out of the bar. Amira panicked and ducked further around the corner to hide, but when she found the courage to look back across the street, she found her fear was once again misguided. The guard quickly disappeared from Amira’s field of vision.
After this interesting exchange, Saydren seemed to be going back to his usual business. A few customers came and went to his table. Amira stayed to watch even as the sun started to sink. She was waiting for him to leave and lead her back to Sydna and Mylner’s bodies. He was her best shot at finding compromising evidence on Karwyn, but time was running out. Amira thought back on the makeshift rope hanging from her window. It couldn’t have been for nothing.
She was starting to grow tired of her stakeout until she noticed a young woman approach the bar. Her dark blonde hair was floating freely and she sported a casual jacket. Although she had been walking with determination, she stopped in front of the door. For a few seconds, the fae’s apparent confidence seemed to crumble. The young fae turned around and looked up to the roof on the other side of the street. Amira looked too, but saw nothing. Yet the young fae walked into the bar with her mask of confidence back on.
Amira looked back at Saydren through the window. He was watching the entrance, a frightening smile on his tight lips. Amira’s blood curdled in her veins. What was he planning? Was she going to get closer to the proof she needed? The one thing she was sure of was that nothing good could ever come of such a smile.
Chapter57
Lora
Lora had a strange feeling when she entered River’s Point alone, like a presence was missing from her side. She’d grown used to Eyden keeping close to her, always ready to pull her out of danger. She reminded herself that Elyssa was keeping watch on the roof of the opposite building. Lora wasn’t completely alone, but she could do this part on her own. She couldn’t rely on Eyden anymore. She had already said her goodbyes.
The bar was relatively full, probably not surprising for this time of day. The sun had almost completely set, bathing the town in a dark orange light. The room wasn’t well lit, but Lora had no issue finding Saydren. The elegantly dressed fae was sitting at a round table for two, handing over an item Lora couldn’t name to the fae opposite him. The other fae slid a few silver notes across the table before walking off, a relieved smile plastered on his face.
Recognising her opening, Lora hurried forward, taking the now empty seat across Saydren. Iron grey eyes met hers as the healer lifted his head while lazily pocketing the money he had received.
“I didn’t realise I had another appointment scheduled. What brings you to my table?” Saydren asked, sounding absolutely neutral. Lora couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or glad to have more customers. He had an old soul presence about him, even though he didn’t look older than thirty.
“I was hoping to catch you here. There’s a special healing case I need help with.” Worrying about not having an appointment, Lora hurriedly added, “And I have enough silver to make it worth your while.”
Saydren looked utterly unimpressed. “You do know I’m the king’s healer? Nothing I earn here in Chrysa is ever worth my while unless I’m intrigued enough by one’s proposal.”
