24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I moved toward the bed where Lord Ebonhammer lay, my steps remaining soundless thanks to Caelus. Stumbleduck hadn't noticed us. Yet. He was speaking to Travok, voice too low to make out.

I continued closer, stopping at the foot of the bed.

The dwarf in the bed looked nothing like what I'd imagined or the version I'd seen in the portrait. Thin, sallow skin clung to his bones, his muscles wasted. The frail man couldn't have weighed more than the blanket on top of him. Travok's sickly appearance didn't make sense. He was consuming youth to stay young. Healthy.

Caelus and Iker didn't come past the doorway leading into the bedchamber, both seeming to let me decide what to do—what to say. But I wasn't sure if the man in front of me was capable of speech.

Travok's head shifted, his sunken eyes gazing in my direction, but I wasn't certain he actually saw me or if he just sensed that someone was there.

Stumbleduck glanced up at me, finally noticing that there were others in the room.

Disregarding Travok's appearance, I asked, "Where's the Golden Child? Where's Celeste and Lora Ortunis?"

Stumbleduck's gaze fell back to Travok, the metal toy still in hand.

Recognition flashed in Travok's cloudy eyes, the color near impossible to see beneath them. He opened his mouth to speak, but words didn't form, his body too weak. Yet I swore he mouthed, Audric . The name of my father.

I took a step back and twisted the bracelet I'd worn. "I thought you said he was taking youth?"

"More. I need more," came Travok's voice, raspy and near breathless.

Travok's son didn't have time to answer before Stumbleduck threw the metal toy at Travok with enough force that the head popped off and it exploded. Black smoke filled the room.

I raised my arms out of reflex, blocking bits of wooden splinters flying toward me. I coughed, my eyes and throat burning, my ears ringing. A gust of wind blew free loose strands of my hair, sending the smoke billowing away. Wind wrapped around me, creating a protective barrier, but not before sharp pain radiated from my side and my leg.

I screamed, but the sound was lost. I wasn't sure if it was from pain, shock, or surprise. Maybe all three. Strong arms scooped me up, and instinctively, I tried to shove away. The arms tightened around my waist and under my legs. Spring rain and citrus broke through the thick smell of smoke.

Caelus sprinted and I bounced in his arms. Any other time I would have marveled at the ease with which he ran while holding me. The ringing in my ears faded, and people shouted around us.

I coughed and hit Caelus's chest. "We need to go back," I choked out. I needed to know if Travok was dead, because I needed to talk to him. I needed to hear his answers.

"We can't go back. Everyone in this castle heard that explosion, and if anyone sees us, it'll be viewed as treason."

"This way," Iker said.

Caelus followed his voice into a tunnel. I examined my thigh as best I could in the dim light of the tunnel. A stray bit of wood was deeply embedded. Seeing it somehow caused a new flare of pain to shoot through it, and I winced. Caelus slowed his pace at that, but I couldn't tell where we were headed.

The tunnel looked similar to the servants' tunnels, but there was no one else present besides the three of us. Every few feet we passed the Ebonhammer emblem of a chipped mountain with a shooting star. It eventually ended at a stone wall. Travok's son stepped forward, pressing on a stone that opened a hidden door exiting onto a street.

Caelus didn't wait before barreling through. From what I could tell, it was an exit on the west side of the castle, past the walls.

Stumbleduck appeared a moment later, panting, a satisfied look on his face. He was covered in soot and specks of blood and wooden bits.

"You're coming with us," Caelus said, glaring at Stumbleduck.

To the gnome's credit, he didn't argue and began to follow.

"I have to go back," Iker said.

Caelus sucked in a deep breath and gave him a nod. He continued to navigate the streets, increasing his pace, and a few beads of sweat formed along his forehead. Stumbleduck managed to keep up despite his short legs. I tried to free myself from Caelus's arms, but his grip remained firm, not giving me an inch of room to escape his hold. Not that I would have made it very far with my injured leg.

We soon arrived at my aunt's house, and before Caelus could, I pushed the gate open with air and did the same with the front door, knowing his esprit must be nearly drained. Stumbleduck turned and headed for the den. Caelus didn't bother speaking with the gnome before heading up the stairs and into his room. He must have been confident Stumbleduck wouldn't leave the villa.

Caelus sat me on his bed and eyed the giant splinter in my thigh—though calling it a splinter was putting it lightly. Pain radiated from my waist, and I prodded at it. My fingers met a sticky, deep gash through a tear in the dress.

Caelus turned my face to his with a thumb and forefinger on my chin. "You're injured."

"I can tell," I said, eyes drifting toward my thigh again. "I'll be fine."

He sighed. His expression became somber—became real. "You don't have to be okay."

I blinked back tears. "You don't have to stay," I said, even though he'd brought me to the room he'd been using.

Caelus stood and made for his satchel of belongings.

I examined the cut on my waist. The tear I'd felt in the dress was gone, mended together by the esprit Jenevieve had most likely infused into it to enchant the fabric. I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes, my cheek and arms beginning to sting. If I touched either of them, I knew my fingers would come back smeared with soot and blood.

The plan had been stupid. Worthless. Lord Ebonhammer couldn't even answer my questions. I wasn't certain that he had been lucid. He could barely speak, and when he had, it'd been after mentioning taking the youth from others.

He'd said more . Even though he appeared moments from death, he'd wanted to eat that flesh. Would it have done anything? If there'd been an opportunity, would letting him consume youth have given him the strength to answer?

They were all questions that I'd never have answers to because he was gone. And between Travok's death and never finding the man Perrin had mentioned, I was no closer to finding Aunt Celeste and Lora either.

Stumbleduck likely had his reasons for what he did. Or at least, that's what I hoped. A part of me had wanted to kill Travok too. Partly for his role in taking Teeg but also for his role in the disappearances. I imagined he'd been taking people for a few years to steal their youth, if Iker was to be believed.

The bed dipped, and my eyes shot open. Caelus had returned with three lavender rose petals in his hand. His finger caught a tear I hadn't felt trailing down my cheek.

I blinked, clearing them away, and reached for the petals from Reina's rose. "I can take care of it."

Caelus's brow disappeared behind the hair that had fallen over his forehead. "Plan on pulling that out of your leg too?"

"I can wait for Esteban."

He pressed a petal to my cheek. "But I'm already here for you."

The stinging subsided, and I hoped the burning in my cheeks might be seen as coming from the petal. He was acting closer to himself. And I honestly wasn't sure what to make of it, what might send him back to acting cold and distant.

"I looked for information," he said. "Anything concerning your aunt and cousin. There was nothing about a man escorting them from the city that I could find."

My chest tightened. "Thank you."

He removed his fingertips from my cheek, the petal gone, and handed me another one. I took it and he turned away, giving me a moment to shift my dress. My thigh throbbed, sending new waves of burning pain up my leg with the movement. I pressed the petal to the gash on my side. Whatever magic was present in Reina's rose had also healed the cuts along my arms.

Once the petal faded and I righted myself, Caelus faced me again, eying the long wooden fragment in my thigh. I swallowed hard. It was unavoidable. But Caelus was right not to let me attempt to walk on the way back. There was no amount of preparation I could do for the added pain that would come. I took in a deep breath. "Do it," I said.

He gripped my thigh, and my body heated at the memory of those hands on my thighs—of our kiss. I closed my eyes, bracing myself. This would be nothing like that. Caelus gave only a brief warning before he jerked the wood from my leg.

I white-knuckled the sheet, trying to avoid shoving Caelus away. A cry escaped me at the sudden surge of burning pain. It was soon replaced by a cooling sensation, and the burning faded.

There was only a dull remnant of pain when I opened my eyes. Caelus was staring down at me, concern in his eyes mixed with longing. A longing I'd seen after he kissed me. But everything about us was for show. All for a night that was ruined the moment Travok Ebonhammer died.

There was a knock at the door, but Caelus didn't move. The palm of one of his hands was still pressed into my thigh. His thumb moved in a slow, tantalizing path over where the wound had been a moment ago.

The door burst open. "I heard a scream," Esteban called out frantically.

That made it the second time Esteban had barged into a room with Caelus and I—the second time it had looked like it could be more than it was.

A small laugh escaped Caelus, and he looked up at Esteban. "She's all right." He stood, his fingers slipping away from my thigh. "I had to remove the wood before her leg could be healed." He gestured to the abandoned bit of bloodied wood. "But her leg will be fine."

Esteban stopped by the end of the bed.

I sat up and examined my leg. There was nothing left of the wound except faint pink skin surrounded by blood. I slid through the blood-covered sheets to the edge of the bed and tested my weight on it. There was only the smallest twinge of pain in the muscle. Certain that it wasn't going to give out, I gave Esteban a tentative smile.

"I said don't do something reckless, girl!" Esteban looked me over, no doubt searching for any other wounds.

I started to hug him, but I was covered in dust and my own blood—maybe even some of Travok's. My body shuddered at the thought. "We found Ebonhammer, but before I could talk to him . . ." The words wouldn't come as it all sank in once again. Days had been spent planning how to meet him, and for what?

Esteban smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Get cleaned up. There may be good news yet."

I bathed and scrubbed away the blood and debris from the explosion. When I emerged, the water was stained a brown-pink color.

From the top of the stairs, I could hear talking in the living room. When I rounded the corner, I spotted Kenzo and that woman from the ball. Caelus and Esteban were there, too, along with Stumbleduck on the velvet couch, looking as though he would drift off to sleep any moment.

Kenzo laughed at something the young girl said. She and Caelus turned to face me at almost the same time, and Kenzo's face lit up with delight.

My eyes darted between them. The girl and Caelus shared the same hair color and nose. Her eyes were a shade darker but similar enough to see the resemblance. "I'm sorry," I said to her.

She tilted her head, confusion on her face. She looked so much like Caelus; it was almost funny. Caelus whispered in her ear, and understanding replaced her expression. She smiled. "It wasn't your fault."

I started to argue with her, but Caelus said, "Corrin says she saw Teeg while she was in the castle."

"Where?" I asked her, hope bubbling up. I stood frozen in place, afraid that it might wash away.

"I only saw him. He was okay, if a little spooked, maybe. Someone took him away, but I didn't see who. They weren't alone. I heard one of them say something about Thistlewall and Lord Whistlemane."

My heart raced. No . Tooley Whistlemane might be an Abyssal or under the control of one. "We need to go," I said, starting to turn.

I collided with Caelus's chest. He'd left his spot next to his sister and placed himself in front of me. He grabbed my shoulders, squeezing gently. "Breathe," he whispered.

My inhale was shaky, but I held my breath a moment before letting it out, then repeated it until they were smooth, in and out.

"We need to think this through," he said.

It was the rational thing to do, but I'd spent all this time looking for Teeg, trying to do the rational thing. He needed help. With my power, I could get him back to safety. I'd be able to kill any Abyssal. Lord Whistlemane's role in all this was for the king to figure out.

But more than anything, I didn't want to wait. I didn't want to think it through. I wanted this whole thing to be over. Seeming to sense my racing thoughts, Caelus said, "I'll help you."

My eyes widened, meeting his. I hadn't expected that.

Caelus had no reason to continue helping me. He'd done enough. He had his sister. His job as crown's guard was done. The king would no doubt question why he'd taken so long to return as it was.

"But first . . ." He released my shoulders, looking past me.

I followed his gaze and landed on Stumbleduck.

"I hope you have a good fucking explanation for why you murdered a member of the Dawn Conclave," Caelus said.

"Then you better sit down, Tall Boy."

Caelus crossed his arms and waited.

I sat in the fluffy armchair across from Kenzo and Corrin. Anger didn't fill me, as I'd expected it would. Teeg wasn't safe, and that curbed whatever bitterness I had about Stumbleduck killing Travok Ebonhammer for now.

It helped that Travok was a cannibal and responsible for gods knew how many deaths too. Deaths that even Thanally herself couldn't have considered righteous.

"Travok killed my daughter," Stumbleduck started. "Unprompted. Unwarranted. The old fool wanted to expand and burned my home and many others to the ground." He pulled out the small music box I'd seen in his metal shack that was barely a home and started winding it. "The men he sent didn't even bother checking if anyone was inside. Melody burned up, not knowing why. I can only imagine the screams—the pain . . ." He released the little crank, and the music box began playing a slow, somber melody.

I suspected the homes had been checked and anyone home was taken for Travok's nefarious ritual, but I chose not to say that to Stumbleduck. He didn't need added grief.

Tears fell from his eyes, the fog gone from them for the moment. "I swore that I'd kill whoever was responsible. One by one, I've tracked and killed the men Travok sent. It took longer than necessary to learn who gave them the order. But I've devoted everything to ensure that man's death. He deserved every ounce of pain he felt."

Travok was responsible for so much suffering. More than people would ever know. The world was better off without Travok Ebonhammer in it. I agreed with what Stumbleduck had done—understood why he'd done it and didn't care that I'd been hurt. Physical wounds would heal.

I peeked over at Caelus. His face was a blank canvas, arms still crossed.

His sister had a hand to her mouth, and her eyes were glassy. Kenzo's face had turned grim. Esteban pulled out a flask and took a long drink.

"I'll help you find the boy," Stumbleduck said. "Teeg. If only to ensure another child doesn't suffer because of that man." His grip tightened on the music box until it was shaking.

"Okay," I said, not waiting for anyone else's response. While I might be able to kill an Abyssal with my power, I wanted all the help I could get.

"What will you do?" Caelus asked. "They won't let you walk right into Thistlewall."

"We'll find a way. Make a plan."

"Because the last one worked out so well," Esteban chimed in.

Caelus glared at him, and Kenzo snickered.

"Thistlewall is a well-fortified gnomish city. Most of it is underground. We'll have to tread carefully."

"I want to help too," Corrin said.

Caelus's features hardened. "You won't."

"I will! You don't get a say."

Caelus's hands squeezed against his biceps. "I do, I'm afraid. You're going home. Away from all this."

Kenzo's face fell.

"There's nothing stopping me from following you."

A muscle worked in Caelus's jaw. "Kenzo will."

She pitched forward, her hands slamming down on the coffee table. "You can't be serious."

"I am."

She looked at the man sitting next to her.

Kenzo held up his hands in mock surrender. "Don't look to me for backup. I agree with him. You shouldn't be involved." His gaze rose to Caelus. "But if the boy's in Thistlewall, it's not going to be easy getting in." He flashed me a smile. "You'll need the help."

I blinked. Then blinked again. "No, no. I can't ask you to help me. You don't even know me." I glanced at Corrin "And—"

He stood from the couch and stretched. "A friend of Caelus—of which he has surprisingly few—is a friend of mine. And as long as Corrin behaves, it'll be fine."

I looked between the two men. Caelus made no move to deter the offer or object to us being friends.

Kenzo's grin widened, delighted at my speechlessness. He began to step out of the room and stopped, glancing over his shoulder. "Is it all right if we stay here?"

I nodded. Aunt Celeste wasn't around to protest extra guests, anyway.

Corrin stood, chin up, and stomped out of the room, not even looking at Caelus as she passed him. Caelus sighed and followed her.

Esteban took a long swig from his flask. "Get some sleep, girl. It's too late to start planning anything. Wait till morning."

I nodded, and he stood, leaving me alone with Stumbleduck.

The old gnome tinkered with the metal music box, and it began playing again.

"There's likely to be an Abyssal in Thistlewall," I said. "You don't have to come."

He laughed, the sound hollow. "I'm old and have nothing else to live for, sweet girl."

There was a content smile on his face. He believed what he said, and I doubted he would take no for an answer. "I hope you find something new to live for."

The following morning, Esteban, Caelus, and Kenzo sat together at the kitchen table. Esteban shot down one of Caelus's ideas. Caelus furrowed his brow, thrumming his fingers along the table. Kenzo watched Caelus, grinning between bites of bacon.

"Climbing or using explosives to get in is a fool's way," Esteban said.

"If a labryn from the Abyss—and who knows what else—is what we're up against, do you truly think most of those people are still alive?" Caelus asked.

"If their plans hinge on a child born once every thousand years, I would imagine there are more defenses in place than before. Wouldn't want someone, like say a group of misfits, to come in and take the kid back."

"Most people don't know what the boy is. Having too much in the way of defenses becomes suspicious."

"Oh, but not if they're hidden," Kenzo added. It was the most useful observation from him I'd heard.

Instead of listening to the three of them, I left the house, restless. I doubted my absence would go unnoticed for long, but we couldn't sit around planning forever. I would have to hurry. There were people I needed to pay a visit to. Starting with Thalia.