I stumbled on an exposed root. I flailed in the air for half a breath before I caught myself.
Ace wasn’t smirking. His gaze was soft, his mouth turned down. He wasn’t using my own words to be mean. He was trying to comfort and reassure me.
Problem was, it didn’t work. A seed of doubt had already begun to develop. An invisible band tightened around my chest and my heart ached.
“If my own brother could live a double life and betray me,” I said. “Then why not my best friend, too?”
Ace didn’t speak right away. He studied my face before taking in more of our surroundings. “Can you change anything right now?” he asked.
I couldn’t take back my words once spoken, but I could hunt down Sley. I could anticipate the betrayal, I could make contingency plans, I could?—
“Maybe that wasn’t the best way to phrase that question,” Ace said, tilting his head as he studied my face. “What I meant to say is you can’t change the past. What’s done is done. Let’s go check on Nala. Hopefully, she’s still at Onion’s cabin and safe.”
The mention of my familiar’s name had me straightening my spine. My thoughts cleared.
Nala.
I needed to know she was safe. Just as I couldn’t imagine my brother harming me, I couldn’t fathom he’d hurt Nala…but now I didn’t know what to think or feel.
“Let’s check my place first,” I said. “If anything survived the fire, I can pick up better weapons and Rye might’ve left Nala there as she’s more comfortable.”
Ace nodded.
With quick steps, I traced the path to my place, half walking, half running. Unless Nala was shut away in my room as she had been when the fire was set, she could come and go from my place using the trap door in the workshop—assuming the whole place hadn’t been destroyed in the fire.
The smell of burnt wood lingered in the air along with moisture from the damp winter air. The threat of rainfall loomed in the form of ominous dark clouds.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
I hurried my steps and made it to the front entrance to my cabin. It wasn’t so long ago that we’d run from this very location. The hunters were long gone now, and someone had removed the bodies, but we should’ve been a little more cautious approaching.
I whistled, not trusting my voice. Part of me still expected a hunter to leap out of the bushes at any moment.
I stared at the charred remains of the south wall. My familiar didn’t emerge. “She’s not here.”
“We should stay at my place,” Ace said. “I’m in the cabin next door.”
I jerked my head up. “Next door?”
How had I not known that? “We’re neighbours?”
“I think it’s safe to say we’re a lot more than that now.”
I bit my lip and tried not to smile. This was not the time for laughter. My home was partially burned down and there was no sign of Nala.
“Let me take you home, Mouse.” His gaze glinted with unspoken promises and my whole body heated in anticipation.
Here I was, thinking about naughty things, when I stood by my charred cabin. At least no one had been?—
“Old Man Reilly,” I blurted out.
Ace raised both eyebrows. “That’s not what I was thinking about and I’m a little disturbed that’s where your mind?—”
“No. Shh.” I placed my fingers on his lips and dropped my voice. “Don’t you think it’s odd no one else was harmed during the Perga attack?”
Ace reached up and gently wrapped his hand around my fingers. He kissed them before lowering them. “Somehow this is not soothing my ego.” He squeezed my hand. “But yes. It was off. The hunters targeted us and I assumed they were sent by the king. Why go after that grumpy son of a bitch?”
“Exactly.” I pivoted toward town. “We’re going to find out.”
