Fondly,
Shadow Queen
It was Kaidren. Iknowit. He blackmailed Selva into resigning from the Honorate, he killed Arliss. If only I could prove it. The sooner I do, the sooner I can get rid of him altogether.
Sef and I meet early. We exchange gossip and theories over breakfast pastries. She tells me about dinner with her parents,and I tell her about the evening I spent with Kaidren Vale. When we part ways, Sef is off to dig up anything she can about the second trial, while I go to find Flynn in one of the rooms built into the base of the stands.
He sits at a table, cleaning equipment. He’s facing away and doesn’t look up when I enter. I clear my throat. “Honorate Sixmen. It’s a good name. Glides off the tongue.”
Flynn chuckles as he twists to face me. “That’s because it’s my father’s name. Well, it was.”
“It sounds better on you.”
He’s still smiling, but he shifts in his seat, looking uncomfortable. “It’s good to see you, Mira, but I can’t continue your training. I have new responsibilities with the Honorate now, which means I’ll be spending less time with the decurio. But don’t worry. I’ll find someone else to work with you.” His somber expression turns teasing. “Though it’ll be a challenge finding someone who can handle you.”
I grin back. “I figured things would change now. I actually came to thank you. For everything. I’ve learned a lot from working with you.” I nod to the equipment. “Do you want help?” I sit and pick up a cloth before he can object.
These weapons are used for training, so they’re coated in snow, sludge, and blood. Cleaning them is disgusting work, but I have one last chance to pry information about Selva from Flynn, so I need to take it. Subtly.
After a few moments of cleaning in silence, I prick my finger on the edge of a sword. “Ouch.”
Flynn’s head jerks up. “What—” Seeing the droplet of blood on my finger, he curses. “Dammit, Mira. Be careful.” He rushes to a cabinet for gauze, then kneels at my side to gently wrap my finger.
“It’s just a small cut,” I say defensively.
“These blades are sharp.” He’s finished but stays crouched beside me. “Cuts aren’t always as shallow as they appear. You could’ve been seriously hurt.”
“Sorry,” I mumble. “I was distracted. I’m having a bad day.”
Some of his frustration lessens with concern. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s nothing, I just—” I sigh. “Do you know Yelina? She’s my stepmother.”
“Of course I do.”
“Oh, right. I forgot. She’s close with your mom. Or—” I look down, pretending to be embarrassed. “She was. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something so . . .” I let my sentence trail. “Sorry. Yelina’s been yelling at me all day. I forgot—” I swallow the rest of the sentence, hoping it’s enough to get Flynn talking about his mother.
His expression darkens in agitation. “Forgot what? That my mom disappeared?”
Disappeared?
“I’m sorry,” I say again.
Flynn rises and starts pacing the length of the equipment room. “Don’t be. You’d think I’d be able to talk about her by now. Maybe I’ll never get used to it.”
I feel guilty, forcing him to speak of his mother, but if Selva killed her, I need to know. If Kaidren found out about it, I need to know how.
Before I can reply, the door to the supply room opens. General Tarek Fain pokes his head inside. He glances at me, then focuses on Flynn. “When you’re finished here, there are some new recruits who need uniforms by the entry gate.” He grabs at a flat metal disk hanging around his neck and holds it up. The silver winks in the torchlight.
“Understood,” Flynn says. “I won’t be much longer.”
With another swift look at me, General Fain ducks out without a word.
I frown after him. “What was that around his neck?”
“A medallion. Decurio leadership flash them when they give orders. We spend a lot of time with our faces covered. Medallions signal to fellow soldiers that the person giving the order is who they claim to be.”
I nod along. “Do you have a medallion?”
