“They’re completely different,” Melo argued, striding up to her and glaring at the piles of books. “Narya was killed in the castle by an assassin. Your brother almost certainly did something stupid or dangerous or both.”
Izzy’s beast lifted its lip in a long, low growl. Melo had always disliked her, but Izzy hadn’t realized that her hostility extended to Rayan too. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Rayan was neither stupid nor dangerous. I think he was killed, and this might be our opportunity to bring his murderer to justice.”
“Rayan is dead,” Melo snapped. “Your inability to let it go is exactly why you don’t work in this clinic anymore.”
Gods, Izzy was tired of Melo’s constant criticism. She was exhausted and heartsick, and if Melo wanted to fight, so be it. “I don’t work in this clinic anymore because Ichoseto leave. The queen asked me to be here, and I expect you to speak to me with respect while I am.”
Melo sneered. “Or what? No daddy or brother to run to anymore. Or perhaps it’s our knight commander you’re expecting to come and fight your battles?”
That stung, just as Melo intended. Izzy glared at the physik general, taking in the flat line of her lips and the flash of scales on her jaw. Something had changed. Somehow Melo had moved from snide comments and subtle undermining to open hostility. “What is happening right now?” Izzy asked. “Where is this coming from?”
Melo pushed past her and started slotting books back onto shelves. “I will not have some spoiled little girl undermining me. First, in front of the archthane and Queen Danikha, then in frontof the knight commander. Now here you are again, destroying my clinic as if you have some right to swan in and do whatever you want.”
Izzy forced herself to keep her voice calm. “I did not undermine you; I offered to help. Luka and I are… old friends.” Gods, that hurt to say.
Melo shoved the last book into place. “There is nothing of your brother’s here. I suggest you look elsewhere. In fact, go home, Izabel. We don’t need you.”
Izzy rocked back on her heels. Her bid to push the murderer had achieved nothing except open animosity from the castle healers. No one was going to reveal anything now, if they ever were.
Maybe the murderer isn’t even a physik,her beast murmured.Maybe we’re looking in the wrong place entirely.
Mother of the Weave. If that were the case, then they truly had nothing.
Izzy was too tired to think clearly. Perhaps going home and regrouping was the best thing to do. Then she could work out how best to continue Rayan’s investigation. She lifted her chin and gathered her remaining dignity. “Fine. If you find anything, please send a note. I’ll be at my clinic.”
Sarwin picked up a cloth and dusted the now empty desk as if to clear any evidence of Izzy’s presence. As Izzy turned away, she could have sworn she heard him mutter, “Ha. As if it’s even your clinic,” sarcastically under his breath, but his words were too low to hear clearly. She swung back to look at him, but Sarwin avoided her eyes.
Izzy hesitated. She wasn’t completely sure of what she’d heard, and with Melo’s animosity and all three healers watching her, it wasn’t worth starting another fight.
She picked up her satchel, bowed to the healers, and left. Maybe it would’ve been better if she’d never come back to the castle at all.
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
I fucking hate you.
Luka growled back at his beast, but he couldn’t even argue because he hated himself too.
You ruined the best thing that ever happened to us.
That was true. He knew it. He’d panicked, and he’d run. They could have spent the night at the springs, lost in each other. Instead, he’d left Izzy sitting in his room looking vulnerable and sad, and he’d fled to the one place he felt in control.
He’d had his guards out of their beds and on the parade ground before the sun was even up. He joined them in running drills—leopard crawling, grappling, stone lifting, sword forms, knife fighting—until he was sweating and aching as much as anyone… more even. But it didn’t help. It didn’t clear Izzy from his mind or erase the memory of the look on her face. And there was nothing he could do about the throbbing pain in his hands from the vicious claws that would not retract.
Luka forced himself to focus on his guards and spent some time watching Dashiell. The sergeant was as strong—if not stronger—than most of the guards, and he seemed to have a good relationship with several of them already. He ran every drill with a smile, which was a good start, but Luka still hadn’treally worked with him. He needed to speak to Cori about her observations of the man before she left.
When dawn broke, Luka sent the day watch to their posts, Dashiell among them. Then he found an empty washroom in the barracks, cleaned his face, polished his boots, and pulled on his silver-embossed leather tunic.
Once he looked respectable, he checked in with Ryland in the small office they shared. They caught up quickly as neither of them had any news, and he could tell the captain was ready to end his shift, find his breakfast, and crawl into bed.
Ryland stood up from his desk and belted on his sword. Luka considered him as he continued adding several knives to sheaths around his arms and ankles. Could he trust him? Ryland was in charge of the night guard. If there was anyone who could have subdued and killed Narya silently and then slipped her body out of the castle, it was him.
I trust him,his beast muttered.
Luka had trusted Shane, and look where that got him.
His beast rolled its eyes.Shane is an idiot who I still think we should wallop a few times, but he wasn’t actually trying to hurt anyone. And we’ve worked beside Ryland for years now. We know him.
