Brela folded her arms. “How do you know I haven’t seen it?”
Lyle chuckle turned dark. “Because you wouldn’t be standing here, unafraid, if you had. No one without fire to protect themselves would evenconsidersleeping next to him.” It was only years of training that kept her pulse steady. “You do know his mother’s fire was second only to the king’s, right? By less than an ember. Valkip’s is more than theirs… combined.”
Brela stared at him. She’d never been afraid of fire. Even if Cason was a lot stronger than she’d seen, it didn’t change anything. Besides, whatever she had with him would be over once they got back to Averlyn.Ifthey got back.
Assuming he didn’t lose control and turn her into a blackened pile of ash once he discovered her shadow magic.
She ground her teeth. “Is there a point to this, Lyle?”
“If you aren’t burned to a crisp after your trinket collecting trip with the prince, come find me. We could use you in our fight against the shadow-cursed.” He nudged his horse toward his other men.
Brela snarled at the gods-damned non-answer. Not like she expected anything more from the man.
She stuck her tongue out at his patrol as they rode south. At least they assumed the prince’s party would continue north before returning to Aelstow. Idiots.
She hadn’t come this far for nothing. Even if the King of Severina found some way to back out of his deal with her, she needed to try to get answers. She needed to get the details on Anfroy’s weapons and stations. And if not for her freedom, for the safety of innocent lives. For the chance to come back to Valisea and find her people and get them somewhere safe.
As safe as they could be when shadow hell was unleashed.
She turned as Elias and Cason strode up, both still shirtless from their washes in the lake. That was enough to lighten the mood.
“He didn’t want to say goodbye to us?” Elias mocked, running a hand through his dripping hair. Brela couldn’t help but smile at the flexing ink on his shoulder; how proudly he wore her design on his skin.
Still in the middle of drying his own hair with his old shirt, Cason raised a brow at him. “I’d consider us lucky he didn’t try to pick another fight.” He glanced back to Brela. “He didn’t try to pick a fight, did he?”
She pulled her eyes away from his chest and the heavy ink that suddenly didn’t seem thorough enough. “Of course he did. Nothing I couldn’t handle.” She ignored his scrutinizing gaze as she asked Elias, “Do you remember the path? Where you need to go in Qord?”
Elias rolled his eyes. “I’ve got it covered, Bre. And I know how to handle any Veil Worshippers should we come across them.” He gripped her chin and pressed a kiss on her forehead. Then dug his nose into her hair and grimaced. “You reek of campfire smoke. Why didn’t you wash your hair?”
She flicked his nose. “I’m about to infiltrate a camp of trained sun-blessed soldiers, so forgive me for wanting to keep the fire smell.”
“Glad I’m not Cason, then,” Elias said, pinching his nose. “Having to smell you for days without a bath.”
He danced away from her fist and strolled off, throwing an obscene gesture over his shoulder after she cursed him.
Cason groaned as he draped an arm over her shoulders. “I’m going to regret leaving Serill with him for the next week.”
“That’s why we’re sending Farrah with them,” Brela said with a grin.
“I’m not so sure that’s better.”
He glanced around, his gaze landing on the patrol’s abandoned camp where Farrah and Serill were strolling toward them with their arms linked. The prince had a wild grin on his face, cheeks flushed.
Cason raised his brow. “What were they doing over there?”
“Farrah took him on her job this morning.”
He stiffened. “What job?”
“This one,” Farrah sang, tossing a bundle of fabric at the dragon.
He shook out the crimson and gold lined shirt. “You… stole their clothes?”
Serill threw the pants and second shirt at Brela. “Did you really expect to blend in wearing all that blue?”
“You snuck into their camp?” Cason asked through gritted teeth.
Farrah chuckled. “Easy there, Captain. Serill was perfectly safe.” She winked at the prince. “If being a prince or king ever bores you, you could come thieving with us in Averlyn. You’re a natural, and I think you enjoyed that more than I did.”
