30. Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Tovi

T ovi gritted her teeth as she pulled her hood closer around her face and flattened herself against an alleyway wall. She peered down the line of werewolves following her—Eldrick, Kade, Bétar, and Todd.

Bloody hel , stubbornness had to be a werewolf gene. Or at least, a male werewolf gene. Yennifer hadn’t batted an eye when Tovi suggested they stay behind on the ship while she met with her contact. Kade had downright refused to stay on the ship a minute longer than he had to, and Todd had whined he’d never seen a vampyr village, and it wasn’t fair if he had to wait. Bétar had agreed. Eldrick, on the other hand, hadn’t said a word, but by his ticking jaw, she’d known he didn’t want to let her go alone either. Perhaps their recent fresh start held him back from saying anything, but nonetheless, he’d joined.

Thank the Goddess it was day. The few who possessed a bloodstone resided in court, while those in the village kept their days as nights and nights as days. Linx, too, had mimicked the enchanted necklace Blair had crafted for Kade, masking each of their werewolf magic a tad.

It didn’t hide Eldrick’s delicious spearmint scent though. Any slumbering vampyr would awaken if they got a whiff of it. Tovi gritted her teeth harder, molars grinding as she imagined another vampyr feeding from him. She shut her eyes, pushing the horrid image from her thoughts. It elicited an anger inside her she didn’t want to diagnose. She also didn’t want to linger on the mysterious fact she could smell him , despite his necklace, unlike the others.

At least the Alpha, along with his youngest brother and the Gray Fenris’s second-in-command, prowled through the village like a pack of hunting wolves—stealthy and as swift as the mists kissing their cheeks. Their tact called to Tovi’s own inner beast. Todd, on the other hand, clinked like the poor werewolf was made of steel, not wearing it.

“You are as loud as caillte in a herd of cattle,” Tovi hissed.

“I came prepared,” Todd whispered. “Can never be too careful.”

“Weapons will get us nowhere if half the village awakens. Quiet, or I’ll send you back to the ship.”

“Can’t say I remember the way. You wouldn’t send me back alone now, would ya?” he asked with a playful smirk.

Tovi rolled her eyes. “No. I’d send Bétar back with you.”

The second hit Todd in the shoulder. “I think not. Keep it together. I can’t brag to my mate I saw the village before her if I’m dismissed by the princess, now can I?”

Tovi doubted the archer cared.

Bétar continued to argue with Todd, the banter somewhat endearing, like that of a family. Her gaze snagged with Eldrick’s, a small, toothless smile playing on his lips. She smiled back, and, for a moment, lost herself in his stare while the others bickered.

Except for one.

“Tovi, where to next?”

Kade’s question snapped both Eldrick and Tovi from their dazes. She blinked a few times, peering behind the Alpha to address Kade. He too wore a small smile. A smug one. Tovi turned before he could see the rouge blush spread across her cheeks.

“Two more blocks to go,” she muttered and darted onward .

The others followed, mimicking her path. Luckily, the human borough was south down the river, and they headed north. Foot traffic would be light, but not nonexistent for those who still lived during the day. Loyalty to her or Riven extended to both humans and vampyrs. She’d done a considerable amount for the rights and treatment of humans over the years. Any human they encountered could keep silent out of loyalty to her. But loyalty couldn’t compare to the pile of coins Riven could produce for any information on their whereabouts. Anyone who’d spotted her in the village could make a tidy sum, and she wouldn’t fault them for it. Humans stuck in Drystan had their own trials against the curse, and Tovi sighed her sadness away. Getting Evelyn back, challenging her brother, breaking the curse—she’d do it for all of those who called Drystan home.

Tovi slunk into the thin gap between two clay-packed buildings. There was no step, no lightness of foot to silence the pebbled alleyway. At least water trickled down a drain and drowned out some of their advance. The larger building of the two had dark timber beams lining its foundation while clay—once white but now green with age and mold—filled the in-between. A wooden door sat at the center. Tovi knocked three times, paced a breath apart, and finished her knock with four rapid hits of her knuckle.

Nothing stirred on the other side or in the village, aside from the mists slithering their way over and atop buildings.

One of the werewolves moved, but Tovi held up her hand to be still.

Past the door, Tovi’s sense of hearing caught wooden floorboards groaning under the weight of someone’s boot. The door eased open, no one but darkness on the other side. The first bit of whoever answered the door emerged as the tip of their crossbow. Inch by inch, the silver tip of an arrow flashed as it reached the low light.

Small, dainty, but with the temper of a bear, Lou Foret stepped outside her home. Behind large-rimmed bright-red glasses, her brown eyes landed on Tovi, and she lowered the crossbow in an instant .

“Goddess, Tovi!” Lou said. “I smelled werewolf and, bloody hel, I almost shot you. Wait, who the hel are they?”

She leveled the crossbow up again.

Praise the Goddess, none of the werewolves moved an inch.

Tovi held her hands out, putting herself in the line of fire. “Lou, I— we need a place to stay.”

Lou narrowed her eyes, not daring to lower her crossbow. “But who are they?”

“The name’s Todd!” a boisterous, jolly voice echoed in the alleyway.

Bloody hel.

Everyone rushed a shush. Tovi winced and shut her eyes. Goddess, help them. She peered over her shoulder and—

She shook her head, blinked, certain she’d seen it wrong. Did Todd consider that a smile?

Thankfully, Kade intervened, shoving his weapons master back. Tovi dared a breath of relief. Kade was always calm, collected. Well, aside from when he stressed over Evelyn.

“I am Kade Drengr, Son—”

“No.” Lou cut him off. She lowered her crossbow and pointed a finger at Tovi. “Absolutely not.”

Lou shut the door.

Tovi cringed. She really should’ve fought harder to come alone. Or at least warned Kade his title wouldn’t get him anywhere.

“What did I do?” Todd whispered.

“You opened your mouth!” Kade said.

“I think it was a poor attempt at flirting,” Bétar grumbled.

Tovi scrunched her nose like she smelled something foul. “Moons, I hope that wasn’t flirting.”

Eldrick nodded towards the door. “I take it she’s not a fan of werewolves.”

“I am most certainly not!” a voice shouted from inside.

“We really don’t have time for this,” Kade said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

The door swung open again. Lou’s dark hair had a slight tint of red, and though she was as pale as any vampyr, her cheeks heated crimson.

“Don’t have time for this? Such a werewolf thing to say!” She shut the door in their faces.

Tovi’s hope fizzled. Kade appeared ready to shift into his werewolf form and head to the castle himself. Not a good plan. Bétar was worn. They all needed rest. Todd frowned, looking confused. Nothing new.

Eldrick had his arms crossed and his attention elsewhere. Until his emerald-green eyes snapped to her, and their stares connected. Tovi’s breath hitched, heart pounded.

“Why do we need her help anyway?” Eldrick asked. “Why not use the woods?”

“Because Lou has access to tunnels into the castle,” Tovi muttered.

Before Eldrick could ask the questions swimming in his green eyes, Lou swung the door open.

“Why do you need to get into the castle? You’re the princess.”

Tovi shared wary glances with the team. “Haven’t you heard?”

Lou’s face fell paler. “Is Riven king?”

Tovi stepped back, shaking her head. “No, well, I don’t believe so, but…” No . If Riven were king, the village would know. Sorin would know if he’d succeeded in the spell and assumed the throne. Caught off guard Lou hadn’t heard the news, Tovi’s brows pinched so fiercely she’d have a headache later. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Lou with the news of Evelyn, Tovi trusted Lou with all their lives, but she’d expected her brother to have paraded his victory through Drystan court and village.

“I don’t understand. Riven captured Evelyn weeks ago,” she said.

Lou blinked, grip on her crossbow relaxing. “He has her for her blood, doesn’t he? ”

Tovi nodded. “To allow vampyrs to walk in the sunlight.”

“Bloody hel,” Lou hissed.

Tovi shook her head, droplets of the mists clinging to her hair. “You’re certain there’s been no whisperings of her in the castle?”

“No,” she said. “Other than Riven returning home, there’s been no news.”

Eldrick shook his head. “Does that not strike you as odd?”

“Yes.” Both Tovi and Kade said.

She didn’t miss he’d turned stiffer, tauter .

“Why not tell his people he was working on the spell?” Bétar asked. “Wouldn’t he want to boast?”

Tovi racked her brain, schooling every ounce of fear and worry out of her expression. They didn’t have time to debate this. She didn’t have the energy to evade questions that might arise.

“One would think, yes,” she whispered. “But my brother is naturally secretive. He may be a pompous ass, but he’s also smart. The less who know, the less information gets out to jeopardize his plan. Regardless, the tunnels are our best way into the castle.”

Lou’s lips fell in a thin line, eyes searching the group. She sighed.

“Alright. I hope you have a plan, princess.”

Tovi had a plan. That wasn’t the issue. It was convincing the werewolves of it.