Chapter 2

Panic steals opportunity.

~ Lord General Avingatar

Vlerion didn’t kill Kaylina. With his blade resting against her throat, he said, “Walk,” and jerked his chin toward a tower at the corner of the castle.

“When do we get to defend ourselves?” Kaylina held her hands out, not wanting to make trouble, but also not wanting to be run through for something she hadn’t done. She glanced around as much as she dared with the blade touching her throat.

Jankarr was right. Their land agent was nowhere to be seen.

“Walk,” Vlerion repeated softly, shifting to stand beside Kaylina and grip her arm while keeping his sword against her throat.

“Since you’re being so polite about it, I’d love to go anywhere with you. I can tell you’re a fantastic date.”

Something flashed in those cold blue eyes. Irritation? Maybe she was supposed to call him Lord Vlerion when she spoke and genuflect a few times at the end of each sentence.

“You want me to bring the kid?” Jankarr asked.

“He didn’t murder anyone,” Vlerion said.

Though Kaylina was glad they were dismissing Frayvar as a non-threat, she couldn’t help but blurt, “And you think I did? Is it the deadly sling I carry? Or the great brawn of my arms?” The blade at her throat continued to unnerve her, but Kaylina lifted herarms to show them off, though the parka sleeves hid their slenderness. “I got my muscles cleaning my grandma’s big glass carboys, in case you’re wondering.”

Vlerion guided her around the corner of the tower without responding, though he glanced at her sling and the pouch of rounds that hung next to them. He couldn’t think she’d murdered someone with one of the lead balls.

“That wasn’t as much of an answer as you might think,” Jankarr called after them.

Vlerion didn’t respond to that either, only walking Kaylina through the uneven courtyard that surrounded the keep, half-crumbled stones littering it. An eerie moan came from somewhere above, and a stone fell from the wall not ten feet in front of them. It hit the ground and broke into a dozen pieces.

Maybe the castle was cursed.

Vlerion lowered his sword, but the grip on Kaylina’s arm remained, and he walked close, eyeing the wall ahead warily. She could almost feel the heat of his body in contrast to the frosty air. His muscles bulged against the seams of the black shirt under his armor, and she decided not to challenge him to an arm-wrestling match.

“I was more interested in a tour of the inside of the castle. Did I tell you we’re going to start a meadery? Though I’m gathering this place might not be as for rent as Naybor said.” Kaylina walked obediently as Vlerion guided her around another tower at the back corner, but she decided to elaborate while she had a chance. “We’re new to the city. We were cooped up on a ship for weeks to get here and just arrived a few hours ago. It was called the Windborn Taybarri. Maybe you’d like to check with the crew. I’m sure someone can show you that our names were on the manifest, so we couldn’t possibly be the spies or, uhm, murderers you’re looking for.”

Vlerion stopped at a back gatehouse that led out to a wide trail along the river, more skeletal trees stretching branches over water framed by several feet of ice along the banks. Thanks to a raised portcullis casting shadows, they didn’t see the body lying in the gatehouse until they stopped in front of it.

Kaylina had never seen the pale-skinned, white-haired gentleman sprawled on his back on the ground, his eyes frozen open in death, but she gaped, stunned. Had this just happened? She remembered the rattle she’d heard in the kitchen, but, with blood matting the side of his head, he looked to have been hit by a club or mace.

Vlerion glanced at her sling again.

She shook her head. A small lead round wouldn’t have done that much damage. Vlerion couldn’t possibly think she’d done this.

Except… from his point of view, Kaylina and Frayvar were the only ones around. Unlike in the street out front, there was no foot traffic back here, nobody ambling along the river trail. Was that chance? Or did people avoid walking close to the city’s cursed castle?

Aware of Vlerion watching her—judging her guilt or innocence by her reaction?—Kaylina shook her head again. “I’m sorry if he meant something to you, but I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

“The death of any kingdom subject means something to me.” Again, his words were without inflection, making it hard to tell if they were true, if he did care.

“I’m a kingdom subject,” she said.

“Are you?” Vlerion’s gaze flicked downward dismissively, not lingering on her curves, her brown skin, or her dark hair. He had to have taken in everything about her when his taybarri had been sniffing her through the window.

“I don’t know if you read history books, but the kingdom annexed the southern region, including my island chain of Vamorka, more than a hundred years ago. We’re all subjects now. Not only those of you who live up in the gold-mining, whale-hunting, frigid-most-of-the-year north.”

“I have read many history books.” His tone remained flat, and he didn’t add way more than you in a snotty voice, but she heard it anyway.

“I’m a loyal subject, the same as you. I came to spread my family’s business to the capital and make a name for myself.”

His gaze dropped to the dead man.

Kaylina grimaced, not knowing if Naybor had set her up, or if she’d stumbled into a crime scene due to her own bad luck. The latter wouldn’t surprise her much.

“I’m not a spy,” she added. “And I’m absolutely not a murderer.”

“Even those who don’t deliver the killing blow can watch the river for the approach of witnesses,” Vlerion said softly.

“Listen, my name is Kaylina Korbian, and I told you the truth. My family is loyal to the king.”

Technically, her family was loyal to their kin, their customers, three out of the twelve moon gods, and their roots in the island community. But they paid their taxes and never made trouble for the lord who ruled in the king’s name over their southern province.

“We’ll see.” After a grave nod for the fallen man, Vlerion turned Kaylina back toward the front of the castle. “Because you were, at the least, present when a noble was murdered, I’m taking you to jail. You may speak to the adjudicator about your ship and journey, and he can determine if you are a spy or not.” Vlerion paused before rounding the tower at the front corner, and his fingers tightened on her arm. “If you assisted in the murder of one of the king’s chosen tax collectors, I will slay you myself.”

“Oh, goodie. I was afraid an underling with a shaky hand would do it.”

Something dark and dangerous sparked in his eyes, fire scorching away the ice. Kaylina stumbled, fear making her wish she could retract her words.

The fiery spark disappeared, and Vlerion’s cold facade returned.

Had she imagined the change? No. A shiver went through her, and she told herself to refrain from ticking him off. He had a temper. Who knew what he did when he exploded?

Kaylina hoped the adjudicator he’d mentioned cared enough about justice and the rights of kingdom subjects to research her story. She had told the truth, that her name wason the ship’s manifest. Thanks to the funds her brother had brought, they’d both bought passage legally. When she’d left on her own with scarcely any coin and only the honeycomb and yeast, she’d planned to stow away or trade and barter her way here. Now, she was relieved that hadn’t been necessary.

Vlerion guided her to the front doors to rejoin his comrade. Jankarr had his sword pointed vaguely in Frayvar’s direction but didn’t appear worried about him. He smirked as he glanced at the taybarri shirt.

“What do you think, my lord?” Jankarr tilted his head toward the doors—no, he was indicating the body out back.

Vlerion looked at Frayvar before giving Kaylina a long moment of consideration.

Though she bristled under the cool study, she kept her mouth shut, reminding herself she also wanted to be dismissed as a non-threat. And she wasn’t a threat. Just because she came from the most recently annexed part of the kingdom didn’t mean she cavorted with spies and murderers.

“I deem it unlikely they had anything to do with Lord Darringtar’s death,” Vlerion finally said. “I suspect they are the ignorant tourists that they claim to be.”

Kaylina bristled even more—they weren’t ignorant because they’d arrived that morning and hadn’t been filled in on local threats—but Frayvar spoke before she could say anything unwise.

“Yes.”

Jankarr snorted. “Let them go?”

“No,” Vlerion said without hesitation. “We’ve been duped before by spies who appeared innocent. We’ll take them to the adjudicator for questioning.” He watched for Kaylina”s reaction when he added, “Under the influence of kafdariroot.”

While she scraped through her mind in an attempt to remember why that was familiar, Frayvar reacted. His eyes bulged with terror.

Confusion swept through Kaylina. She’d only seen him react that viscerally to the promise of some tincture or potion if—

Frayvar sprinted away, charging for the corner of the tower.

“Shit,” Jankarr said, starting after him.

“Stay with her.” Vlerion’s cool voice didn’t change, but when he glanced at Kaylina, his eyes burned with the certainty that he’d unearthed a traitor—a spy.

“No,” she blurted as he raced after Frayvar.

Vlerion drew his sword as he ran. By the moons, would he kill Frayvar?

Jankarr reached for Kaylina, but she dodged and sprinted after Vlerion, yanking out her sling. Terrified for her brother, she didn’t consider the ramifications of using a weapon on a ranger.

With longer and stronger legs, Vlerion was seconds from catching up to Frayvar. Kaylina hurled one of her lead rounds, adjusting her target at the last instant from his back to his head. That leather armor would keep the round from doing any damage, and she had to stop him. She couldn’t let him hurt her brother.

An arm wrapped around her from behind, yanking her off her feet. Not before she glimpsed her round slam into the back of Vlerion’s head. Hard.

Though the blow had to have hurt, he didn’t slow down. He glanced back with ice in his eyes, ice and calculation as he doubtless reconsidered if she was capable of murdering someone.

“Leave him alone!” Kaylina yelled as she lost sight of Frayvar. “He didn’t do anything.”

Jankarr flipped her around to face him, then slung her over his shoulder. He ripped her sling from her hand.

A cry of pain came from Frayvar. Vlerion had caught him. Caught him or worse?

Jerking and twisting, Kaylina tried to escape, but the ranger had her pinned. Her knee thudded against his chest, but the leather armor might as well have been steel for all the good her blows did.

Her captor headed back to the front of the castle, toting her like a sack of potatoes.

“Jankarr, when I said watch her, I assumed that would also imply you should keep her from attacking me,” Vlerion said calmly from a few steps behind.

Kaylina twisted enough to see under her captor’s armpit. Vlerion gripped his sword in one hand and used the other to grasp Frayvar’s arm and force him to walk with him, the same as he’d done with her moments before. There wasn’t any blood on that blade, but it was hard to tell from Frayvar’s red face if he’d been hurt. His eyes remained wide, panic making the whites visible around his pupils.

“I wanted to see if she could use that sling.” Jankarr sounded amused.

“Effectively.” Vlerion grimaced when he touched the back of his head. When he considered Kaylina again, that cold calculation remained in his eyes.

Her heart pounded in her eardrums as she realized he’d reclassified her from not-a-threat to dangerous. And capable of being a spy, if not a murderer.

How had things gone so wrong so quickly?