Page 36 of Tears of Gold

A block away, the blood trail stops, but away from the dizzying auras of qi residue, I can finally pick up traces of Erritt’s power sunk into the two bracelets the Earthlings wear. It leads me to a nondescript warehouse in a row of dark buildings, the lap of the river against its banks sounding at the edges of my hearing.

The dirt outside the side door has been recently scuffed to blur out fresh footprints and I have to admit the rogue is pretty thorough. I knock on the locked side door.

“Miss Ava? Harper?”

A minute later, a silent presence stands on the far side of the door. Even though he doesn’t speak, the presence of my lord’s tracking magic on the rogue is recognizable.

“Harper, it’s Vanrey. My lord sent me to find you.”

The inside lock clatters and the door opens.

Harper peeks through the slit, knife in hand, widening it only when he’s had a good look at me as well as swept the street up and down. His red-rimmed eyes sheen with tears.

I step inside. “Is Miss Ava with you?”

He nods and points up to the mezzanine floor. “She’s upstairs.” He hesitates before shoving a hand roughly through his damp curls. “She’s resting.” Harper locks the door again. The way he avoids my gaze and the tear stains on his bronze cheeks hints that something unusual happened between them.

“Are you both unharmed?”

“Yeah, a few scratches. It’s wild out there.”

“I saw.” The iron bands of worry in my chest relax a fragment. “I trust you kept her safe?”

He grunts and rubs the back of his hand across his short beard. “Of course.”

I’ll return them to the academy safely and then report the good news to my lord. But my gaze flicks back to the rogue’s troubled face.

What has he done this time?

Chapter Fifteen

Ava

Muffled voices outside wake me from a numb stupor, and I shiver as I stretch my cramped muscles. I’m chilled to the bone and stiff all over. I’m also completely naked. Rising, I find my damp underwear on the floor and slip into them, the memories of my night sticking to me against me with the same wet ickiness.

I don’t know how long I’ve huddled here, piecing my memories together like a detective backtracking a timeline; memories of Harper kidnapping me, patching the bite wound one of his gang gave me, and following my trail to Exerin-Mi.

Fresh tears fall as I recover the memories of Skye and Erritt and how we skirted around our attraction for each other until I told them how I felt, not wanting them to discover it by accidentally reading my emotions. I was confused and nervous about my love for two men, but Skye said I didn’t have to choose between them. And from there, our romance bloomed into something beautiful—a precious secret I needed to protect from everyone, including the Davinas.

I stroke the silver bracelet circling my wrist, the potent piece of jewelry I found so frightening earlier now brings me a sense of calm.

Easing the door open, I trip on a pile of clothing sitting by the door. I drag it through the door and investigate. It’s men’s clothing, much too big for me, but better than nothing. I tie the bottom of the shirt front into a knot so I’m not swimming in a tent and slip into the pants. Holding the waist tight with one hand and the blanket with the other, I poke my head out and listen. Vanreys’s baritone voice floats softly up from the ground floor.

Good, I won’t have to face Harper alone.

The conversation pauses as I slide the bathroom door all the way open. I step around the corner into the office, slip on my damp socks and shoes, pausing to carefully lay the blanket over the bed in the next room, and scoop Rita’s tattered dress off the guardrail. Approaching the steps, I see two shadowy figures sitting on pallets on the ground floor, illuminated by a small ball of purple light.

“Vanrey?” I call tentatively.

One of the figures rises. “Yes, Miss Ava. Are you unharmed”

Sweet relief sweeps through me. “Just a few scratches. Where’s Erritt?” I take the first step, and the purple light swells so I can see my way down.

“He’s been held up at the palace. The emperor hasn’t allowed him to leave yet.”

My lungs squeeze. At least that means he’s okay, right? “And Rita?”

“She’s on her way to the portal hub.”