“As long as I bind it tight, you’ll survive until we get you to a healer,”he replies.
I kneel in the dirt as he rips material from his shirt sleeve and uses it as a bandage around my torso. I look around as he works, relief flooding through me as I count off our four friends, all alive. Tira hobbles toward me, a bloody rag tied to her own arm, and smiles grimly at me.
“At least I was looking my guy in the face when he got me,” she says, chuckling hoarsely when I make a rude gesture at her.
We drag ourselves back to the shore as the fae gather up horses for us. I know we need to move quickly—Caledon is likely to send reinforcements to this spot soon—but we’re all exhausted down to our bones. The riverboat is nothing but a dark shape under the water, and the smugglers are long gone. My eyes fall on a body in the river, his red robes billowing in the lapping water. It’s one of the aquari I killed.
I look around at the others I’ve slain. Some of them are so young, their smooth faces and wide eyes making them look like children. And Caledon brought them to this riverbank to die for his greed. I don’t feel guilty—if I hadn’t killed them, they would’ve drowned us all—but I do feel incredibly sad.
The fae return with the horses.
“Come on,” Stratton urges. “Let’s get lost before Caledon decides he wants to take us on after all.”
“That coward,” Tira spits. “He’s clearly terrified of us. He made a run for it as soon as he could.”
I think of the grin Caledon gave me from the carriage and shake my head.
“He’s not afraid. We just didn’t register as anything important enough to stick around for. He’d already gotten what he wanted.”
“So today proved he’s not willing to risk his life to take yours,” Phaia says. “But you’re still a threat to him.”
“I wish that were true,” I reply, remembering that vast void I found inside him. It could swallow up everything I have before I even made Caledon flinch.
“He has no reason to fear me,” I say. “It doesn’t matter how much power I have. I can’t kill him.”
Chapter 21
Damia
“Istill say it’s not as nice as any ofmyestablishments,” Corrin mutters under his breath as we duck past the bouncer into a smoky bar belonging to one Aldous Chalke. The old crime boss has been Corrin’s biggest competitor and enemy for the last decade, but times change, and now he’s our ally in the fight for the city.
“Maybe not,” I admit, eyeing up the sticky floors. “But remember to play nice.”
Corrin snorts. “I’d take that advice more seriously if it was coming from a man-eating tiger, rather than you.”
It’s been ten days since we arrived in Hallowbane. It took two to gather up Corrin’s friends. First, we found the employees who risked staying in the city after the cleavers came. Then we made contact with some business associates who were good and mad over the loss of the gambling dens, bars, and brothels. We even recruited the odd loyal customer. But it was Chalke who represented the biggest opportunity—the Temple hit his establishments almost as hard as Corrin’s, and I wasn’t surprised that he was willing to join forces to fight against abigger foe. The most successful criminals tend to be the most practical ones.
Now we’re meeting in one of his low-profile enterprises for a progress report. As the familiar faces drift in, Corrin and I approach the polished table where a stocky man in his sixties sits. His thick arms and large hands hint to strength despite his years, while sharp, predatory brown eyes gleam out at us over a broad nose and ruddy cheeks.
“Lovely to see you again, my lady,” Chalke bends his wrinkled head and kisses my hand. He’s been very friendly ever since I removed my glamour in front of him and he discovered I was a fae noble. I think he sees me as an exotic novelty.
“Wadestaff,” Chalke says abruptly, barely glancing at my companion as he takes a swig of his drink.
I smile, enjoying Corrin’s sour expression. Just because the two are allies for now doesn’t mean they’re friends.
“I’d like to lead the meeting this afternoon, Mr. Chalke, if you don’t mind,” I say. The old man’s eyes twinkle.
“Of course. You’ve got such a nice way of speech about you, my lady, I’m sure everyone would find it a delight if you took charge.”
Corrin’s scowl darkens, and I fight back a chuckle. He dislikes Chalke’s fawning over me more than anything else, and I can’t help but revel at the thought that there’s some jealousy there.
Not that anything’s happened between us sincethatnight. It hasn’t even crossed my mind—much.
I mentally tick off the arrivals, recognizing most of them from our various rendezvous over the last week. Occasionally,I double-check someone’s identity with Corrin, and he readily supplies me with all the key details. I have to admit, we work well together. He may not be a soldier, but he has an alertness about him and a knack for reading people that I can’t help but respect.
He nods at me when we have everyone, and I step into the center of the bar, where I can see them all clearly. I’ve kept my glamour off for this meeting, finding I command more authority when the humans can see my true height and face. They either meet my gaze with open curiosity or look away, intimidated. Both work for my purposes.
“Well done, everyone. I’m impressed by our progress,” I say. “During the War of the Laurels, I helped organize many a siege against the Ethirans.”
