She sounds a lot more tired than she sounded outside. “I didn’t get the chance to talk to you after the hearing last year, and I regret that.”
“There was a lot going on, Captain.”
“I told Archpriest Neradt and the rest of the circle that I didn’t agree with penance exile. I want you to know that.” She grabs the mug on the table, then sets it back down.
Arthur shifts, trying to find a comfortable angle in the fold-out chair. “I appreciate that,” he says. “It’s been hard, but it hasn’t all been bad. I’ve managed to do a lot of good over the past year.”
She waves her hand. “You were doing good in the order. We should have held a trial right then—the worst you’d have gotten was one month confinement, and then you’d be free and clear. Instead we had to drag this on all year, and it’s not looking good for the trial now.”
Premonition swoops through Arthur’s stomach, like a hawk diving for its prey. “What do you mean, sir?”
Tanner leans her elbows on the table, crumpling a few maps. “This information doesn’t leave this tent,” she says. The lines on her face look deeper than they used to. “This is an order matter, and the last thing we need is the crown meddling in order affairs. But we’ve learned Vizia has ties with Praia.”
“Radiance,” Arthur breathes.
“We could sure use some Radiance right now.” She rubs the bridge of her nose. “I’ll be honest, it’s a mess. We’re going to catch him soon, no doubt about it, and we’re going to handle everything before filling the crown in, but the circle is panicking.”
“I can imagine,” Arthur says, even though he really can’t. He never paid much attention to politics and strategy in the Radiant Order. He followed orders and he served the faithful and the light of Vara. Tension between the secular government and Charain’s myriad religious orders is beyond him. “You are close to getting him, right? Bernard said you were.”
“We finally managed to get a tracking trace on him a week ago,” she says, a hint of satisfaction in her smile. “He can keep running, but he can’t hide, and he’s not getting to Praia before we catch up.”
“Good. That’s good.” Arthur shifts again on the uncomfortable chair. He still can’t shake the premonition of danger. Tanner still hasn’t answered his real question. “My penance is almost over. What do you mean about the trial not looking good?”
She sighs, and she looks kinder and more sympathetic than he’s ever seen her. He’s more used to her barking orders and scolding everyone in sight. “You’ve been one of my best paladins since the day you graduated, and I always thought someday you might replace me. But this whole situation is getting too political, and the Exalted Circle needs more scapegoats than just Vizia.”
“You’re saying they’re going to sentence me more harshly than they would have otherwise.” Arthur rubs his face, trying to get his thoughts in order. A month in confinement? Two months? Docked salary? None of those seem serious enough for the expression on Tanner’s face.
She sighs again. “They might expel you from the order, Arthur.”
Arthur freezes. There’s a moment of blankness as the words echo through him. Until his heart thuds back into motion, quick and panicked.
He’s spent all year without his brothers and sisters, without his chosen family and god-given purpose, driven only by the thought that when the year is over, he’ll get them all back. The thought of losing everything hurts worse than anything Ronan ever did.
“He lied to me,” he says eventually. “He stabbed me in the back, and he lied to me.”
Tanner says quietly, “I know, boy. I know.”
“Fuck. Sorry, I just.” He leans against the table and covers his face in his hands. “Is that really likely?”
“That’s what the circle had decided on, last I spoke with Neradt,” she says. “Even though—wait. I’ve got an idea.”
He drops his hands, feeling shaky.
She continues, “They’re worried about appearances. So, we need to have you make your grand return with an achievement they can’t ignore, right?” A grin breaks across her face. “And since we’re about a minute away from catching Ronan…”
He’d do just about anything to stay in the order. He leans in and hangs onto her every word.
?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Shae
The Radiant Order’s camp is one of the most disconcerting places Shae has ever been, and he’s spent more time than most people in graveyards and mausoleums. Everyone around him has the same sun-bright aura as Arthur, to varying degrees. But unlike Arthur, they all stare at him with cold distrust.
The woman, Freya, leads him to a wide awning that covers a cookfire, supplies, and a few small tables. He sits at one of the tables as directed and tries not to make eye contact with anyone. It’s easy. Everyone else is avoiding his gaze too.
He thought he was used to the glares and whispers everywhere he turns. Somehow it hurts more than it used to. Maybe that’s his fault. He’s avoided opening himself up to people for so long, until he met Arthur.
