When Lory picked herself up again, scrambling to her feet and brushing the dirt from her clothes, Espetto Lenya was standing beside the Veiled Hand, his deep umber face mirroring pleasant surprise at Lory’s wince.
“Not quite at the skill level required to maketestedearly, but definitely better than when I watched you stumble through the Amrin Mountains.” His black gaze fell on Khayrivven with the slightest touch of praise. “Not bad, Captain.”
“Phantoms Frier and Bleek were a massive help during my absence, sir.” Not a hint of pride echoed in Khayrivven’s voice.
“So I’ve heard.” In clipped strides, Lenya circled them, tucking his chin as he peered at the dagger still hanging by Lory’s hip. “I can tell by Vednis’s posture that she’s been spending perhaps more than a healthy amount of time with Phantom Bleek and, by her tongue, that she’s had her fair share of training with Phantom Frier. But I’d like to seeyougive her more attention, Falcrest. If you’d like your head to remain attached to your shoulders, you’d better deliver.”
“Deliver what?”The thought burst out of Lory’s head, and the slight widening of his eyes gave away it went straight into Khayrivven’s.
“I’m on it, sir,” he assured, and Lory couldn’t help but feel left out yet again. There was always some secret going on with Khayrivven. Something she wasn’t supposed to be privy to in his humble opinion.
“If you don’t start talking, I’ll burn your ass, Falcrest.”She couldn’t help it. Now that she finally had this secret channel into his head, her thoughts just slipped out of her.
“You’d better beon itfor another hour to brief Vednis on the best way to kill a nobleman,” Lenya rolled on, oblivious to the minuscule frown giving away the captain’s frustration. “I need to know if she has the stomach for it before I agree to an early elevation totested.”
The blood in Lory’s veins froze. “Kill who?”
The malicious smirk on the Master of Whispers’ face was enough to make her regret she’d opened her mouth at all. Beside her, Khayrivven shifted almost imperceptibly, but Lory noticed the way his shoulder moved an inch in front of her, his hands still relaxed by his sides, but she was very well aware he could strike so fast that no one would see it coming. Perhaps not even Espetto Lenya himself.
“I’m glad you asked, Vednis.” Lenya locked his hands behind his back. “It has come to our attention that someone close to the king’s court has been freely handing out information. Thissomeoneneeds to be silenced.”
Guardians above. Vision a blurry mess, Lory attempted to speak, but her throat had gone dry like the desert sand outside Dunai’s walls.
“Now don’t waste your time on playing chase like two kids. A quick repetition of basic techniques of ending someone’s life will suffice, Captain. You’ll leave at nightfall.”
Just like that, Lenya turned on his heel, stalking away a few paces, then disappearing into thin air as if he’d never actually been there.
With a hanging jaw, Lory stared at the spot where he’d vanished. “What the fuck just happened?”
Forgotten was the prospect of killing. Forgotten the fact that Lenya had called themchildren. Forgotten the threat implied when the Master of Whispers had scolded Khayrivven.
Espetto Lenya had just disappeared mid-step.
“How do you think all the students out for your blood made it to the Amrin Mountains so fast for your trial?”
Nothing Khayrivven could have done would have stopped Lory from entirely ignoring their hierarchy or the facade they were supposed to keep up. Fists balled, she shouted at him, “And you didn’t once think to tell me? First, the astral projection, and now,this?” One of her hands moved up, gesturing at the now-empty spot in the yard. “GONE!” A part of her wished for more eloquence when this lone word came out like an accusation; the rest was entirely satisfied with the expression of horror on Khayrivven’s face.
“Keep your voice down.”
“Or what?” An indication of hands raised for placation wasn’t enough. “What other secrets are you keeping?”
“Lory.” The warning in his voice made her hair stand up at the back of her neck, but she ignored the urgency spreading in her veins.
“Master of Lies. That’s the title youdeserve, Captain.” Shaking from head to toe, Lory made to turn and walk away, but Khayrivven struck with such speed she didn’t see it coming before he slammed her into the ground, one hand at her throat, the other on the hilt of his saber.
“If you catch your mark unawares during an assassination attempt, you won’t need to wet your blade. Crushing their windpipe will suffice,” he explained with such calm that Lory wanted to scream. But his eyes…
Oh, his eyes gave away a whole universe of opinions on what had just transpired.
“It also keeps them comfortably quiet.” The smirk on his face was nothing short of wicked as Lory fought for air. But that was only the facade—in his eyes, a storm of self-loathing and fury fought for the upper hand as he kept the mask of the ruthless captain in place.
“Can’t breathe,” Lory gritted out.
The smirk on Khayrivven’s face turned into a forced grin. “That’s the whole point, Thornling.” But his eyes said,I’m sorry.And the self-loathing won over rage and duty as he loosened his grasp.
Through gritted teeth, he hissed at her, “He’s still watching.”
Automatically, Lory’s eyes darted around the yard.
