When we were nearly back at the Underworld entrance, Darion stopped.He rested a gentle hand on my shoulder.“What happened back there?”
I shook my head.“I don’t really know.When I closed my eyes and concentrated, I could smell the Ember, but it was faint and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.And then I felt a darkness.It grew stronger, and then…I don’t know.It seemed to sense me.Then it came after me.”
“Dust!I’m sorry, Cas.If I had known that would happen, I never would have asked—”
“You don’t need to apologize.I knew the risks when I joined the Order.And besides, we learned some things.Things we should report.”
Darion nodded, eyes on the ground.
My heart swelled for this beautiful man.I’d spent my entire life caring for others, and for the first time, somebody was caring for me.But underneath that pleasant feeling was an undercurrent of worry.Part of it was because of what I just experienced.But another part was because I didn’t know how long I’d get to keep this happiness.
And because now I had something to lose.
Chapter twenty-eight
A Simple Job
Thedayaftermyadventure with Darion, Elena and I were eating our midday meal, consisting of flatbread, honey, cured meats, and cheeses.We had befriended the cook, Tobias, who watched our expressions as we ate, smiling each time we voiced our approval.This may have been because Tobias—who could be no more than sixteen—seemed to have taken a liking to Elena and was making clumsy attempts to flirt.As her big brother, I kept a close eye on them to be sure Tobias never went too far.
He was serving us a dessert of sweet whipped cream and strawberries when a member of the Order entered the kitchens and approached us.
“Cassian Nightbrook, High Steward Averin requests your presence.Please follow me.”
I had not heard from Mireth Averin since the day she’d pronounced me a member of the Order.I was anxious to speak with her and learn more about the plans for relocating Elena, so I followed eagerly.
As I walked toward the exit, I told my sister, “I should be back soon.Stay out of trouble,” then turned to Tobias and said in my most threatening tone, “And I’ve got my eye on you.”
Tobias blanched.Elena glared at me as I left the room.Maybe I was overreacting, but the world felt so dangerous now, and Elena was one of the few bright things left in it.
Mireth Averin’s office was better furnished than most of the Order of Emberlight headquarters, which was to say that it approximated a normal room.She sat behind a desk that was meticulously tidy.Dozens of neatly ordered books sat on bookcases right behind her.Rugs warmed the cold stone floors, and upholstered chairs surrounded a roaring fire.
As I approached, she looked up.“Cassian Nightbrook, thank you for coming.Please take a seat.”She gestured to the chair in front of her desk.
“You can call me Cas, Madam High Steward,” I said.
“And you can call me Mireth, if we’re being informal,” she said with a coy smile.“Darion told us about your experience yesterday.I trust you’ve fully recovered?”
“I have,” I said, although I shuddered at the memory.“Do you know what happened?”
“Our people are researching it.You’ve provided us with invaluable information.I wanted to thank you personally.”
I nodded.“Is that why you called me here?”
“That, yes, and two other things.First, I imagine you’re eager to talk about your sister’s future.”
“Very much so.”
“We’d hoped to move her soon, but the Royal Guard has stepped up its patrols.However, we’ll have an opportunity in a week.A caravan of traveling merchants is leaving the city, heading for the Northlands, which will give you excellent cover as you travel north.We’ll keep the team small—you, your sister, and two of our finest fighters from the Order.She should be well protected.I’ll go over more details with you in the next few days.Does that meet with your approval?”
“It does.I look forward to it,” I said.“What is the other thing?”
She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a parchment.“I think it’s high time we utilized those thieving skills I’ve heard so much about.How do you feel about stealing from a particularly nasty man?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin.It’d been weeks since I’d done a simple heist, and I desperately missed it.I missed the challenge.I missed the chance to use my skills.Mostly I missed the feeling ofdoingsomething—making progress toward a goal, even if that goal seemed unattainable.
“I’d like that very much,” I said.“The nastier the better.”
“Oh, he’s plenty nasty.A corrupt merchant who helps fund Tarnasau’s war machine in exchange for looking the other way as people constantly die in his factories, which earn him exorbitant profits.Hopefully this will be the first step in bringing him to justice.”
