The group began dividing themselves up, Callum heading over to Laurence and clasping forearms. I wanted to watch to see who would be paired with who, but Matea’s form blocked my view as she marched over to Byn and me.
“If I get stuck withhim,” she pointed toward Rayven, “I’m going to start screaming.”
I met her gaze and, realizing she was completely serious, I didn’t know if I should laugh or scold her.
In the end, I simply sighed and shook my head.“You and I can go together—on one condition,” I said, holding up a hand.
“Anything.”
“I get to give you a nickname. More specifically, Matty,” I offered.
“No,” she said, her voice an octave higher than usual. “Anything but a stupid nickname.”
Now, Icouldn’thelp but laugh at how easy it was to get under her skin.
“She’s paired with me, anyway,” Byn said, having been watching our conversation play out.
“I’ll start screaming in three… two…”
“Alright, alright!” I laughed. “Byn, I’m sure Rayven would be more than happy to have you.”
My husband sighed dramatically, slumped his shoulders, and looked at me with puppy eyes I had previously thought only Margo could pull off.
In response, I hopped up onto my tiptoes and pressed my lips tohis. Ifelt ashis emotions swelled at the contact, but just as he reached for me to pull me closer, I stepped back.
“Later,Thorntier,” I reassured him when a playfully hurt expression passed over his features.
And with that, we headed out, steppingfurther and furtherinto enemy territory.
***
Everything was dirty.
It was like a perpetual layer of either mud or dirtcoveredevery surface in that part ofAcrynd. The city itself was much closer to sea level thanGenisynhad been, resulting in more storms rolling in off theAnvaliOcean to the east. Because of these extra storms,it seemed as though the packed earthunderfoot never fully dried out—meaning mud and dirt everywhere.
Fortunately, I had seen earlier that only the sector ofAcryndthatMateaand I had been assigned to was like that.It seemed we drew the short end of the stick, having to once again explore the poverty-stricken area of the city.
Matea and I had already been there for about two hours, slinking from shadow to shadow, determined to remain unseen.
We were simply observers.
That was, until somebody caught my eye.
“Youdon’tunderstand—I need that lead!”
I tugged on Matea, our shadow forms linked, pulling her to a stop at the mouth of a dark alleyway. The space was full of overflowing trashcans, and unsurprisingly, more mud and dirt. Piles ofit, oddly enough—as though somebody had tried to clear a nearby path and left the remains in that alley.
“I understand well enough. Youcan’tpay for what youclaimto need, so I shall give it to the next highest bidder.”
Moving closer, I could make out that thefaewho had just spoken was afairly short, older male with hair the same color as the mud below—and wings to match.
But in front of him was the female in distress.
She wore a scarlet cloak with the hood pulled back to reveal lovely, deep blue eyes and short hair that wasa soft, nutty brown. She was built like a fighter, andby the way herhandswere slowly clenchinginto fists, I knew that to be true.
“I have to find him,” she said sternly, then weakly added, “He’s all I have left.”
I watched as the male’s face softened a degree. Then he sighed.
