"Why?" I hissed.
"You're drawing attention."
I glanced behind me. Some of the Kentoro soldiers protecting the governor had turned their gazes toward me. A couple of Aenir soldiers, as well.
Did they not have better things to worry about?
"Have you ever seen a new Paragon be anointed?" Ferris asked.
"No," I whispered.
Muirashi's Paragon, Ishii, had inherited our legendary bow decades ago.
"The storm," Ferris breathed. "It's Cierthine. She's calling for a new master."
Mare reached the end of her tale with a heavy breath. "Killian fought to ensure we escaped. To warn you."
The king hesitated before speaking in a soft voice. "He's dead."
"Yes," Mare breathed, grabbing her arm.
Silence fell over us. A powerful rumble of thunder shook the city in the pause.
Laiserian broke the silence. "Tell me you have the sword."
"Y-yes." Mare nodded.
"Give it to me," Laiserian approached her, hand extended.
Rubbing his head, the king turned to the governor. "We must . . . we need to . . ."
He trailed off. The governor responded with silence, eyes hollow as realization sunk in.
A fort had been decimated. We might be next.
The white-haired woman pulled a large black greatsword from her saddle. Violet light pulsed along its edges and at the core of its steel. A mesmerizing jewel was set in its hilt, the color of storms.
Laiserian took it from her and marched back to us. "Ferris," he snapped. "Help me gather the men. Perhaps we'll be lucky, and its new inheritor is here."
"What?" Ferris said. "Right now? We haven't even retrieved Killian's body."
"If there's an army on its way," Laiserian spat. "We don't have time."
The cluster of men around me became a blur as I focused on the woman and the words she'd spoken. Lowering my sword, I approached her.
"Are they coming here?" I demanded.
"I . . . I don't know." She looked up, deep, dark eyes meeting mine. "They retreated into the shadows." Gaze sharpening, she stepped closer. "What happened here?'
"Assassins. A Solheart tried to kill your king."
"ASolheart?" She balked. "Are you sure?"
I nodded.
The man on the elk behind her rode closer. "Fuck," he breathed. "Assassins and dead Paragons. Am I crazy to think they might be connected?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Liam," Mare said. She stumbled and grabbed my arm. "Are you someone important? Tell me what to do."
