26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

W e entered Aunt Celeste's villa through the garden door that opened into the den. Caelus followed behind me like a silent shadow. Voices came from the kitchen.

I pushed open the door leading into the kitchen. Stumbleduck sat eating at the breakfast table with Corrin across from him, pouting. Kenzo sat next to her with a grin. I was thankful for what she'd told Caelus—thankful it wasn't my fault she'd been captive. And if I was being completely honest with myself, my heart felt lighter. I prayed to the gods he and Corrin never had to go through something like that again.

Thalia sat at the head of the table, next to Kenzo and Corrin, giggling at the two of them. She sipped from her teacup and scanned the room. Her eyes glittered, taking in everyone. She looked between Caelus and I, the corners of her lips twitching up. All pretenses that I hadn't been at the ball were probably gone.

Esteban stood on a stool, his waist level with the island he leaned against.

Iker took up the doorway exiting to the foyer. I kept my place from where I entered near the table with Kenzo, Thalia, and Corrin.

"Is there something you need?" I asked Iker.

He smiled crookedly thanks to the scars across the right side of his face. "I figured with my father dead and now that I am ‘Lord Ebonhammer,' I would offer my assistance to you."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Caelus had said he wanted to help. So what he said didn't come as a surprise. I had to assume Iker knew my identity as Lady Quinn thanks to Perrin, but it wasn't information privy to everyone in the room. His help would be hard to refuse. "You know our plan?"

"You're going after the labryn pretending to be Lord Whistlemane."

I narrowed my eyes at his confirmation of what I feared. "The Abyssal pretending to be Lord Whistlemane . . . You wouldn't know more about that, would you?"

"My father kept me out of the loop. But I overheard. Abyssals are difficult to kill. You'll be needing help, want it or not."

Caelus sat on the edge of the table next to me, leaning back on his hands. He appeared bored, but I knew better than to think he wasn't paying attention.

"Your father was as much a monster as any Abyssal," I said. "And let's not forget the time you tried to kidnap me."

Iker chuckled deeply. "Because Perrin claimed you might be able to cure my father of his addiction . Past Tempests have always been powerful."

"Eating people—children—because he feared death is not an addiction . It's repulsive. Your coward of a father didn't deserve the life he stole."

"Your disdain for my father is why I'm offering soldiers."

I blinked.

I'd known he despised what his father had become, but was he truly offering me help just because of that shared hatred? It was an appealing offer. But it would only be fair that the soldiers were told what they'd be heading into, and unfortunately, bringing random soldiers along would risk word of Travok's unsavory practices spreading. Anyone Iker sent with us could spread possible misinformation, compromise his status in Tiruhm, and send people into an uproar.

If the people learned a monster from the Abyss was lurking about and pretending to be a member of the Dawn Conclave, then they would distrust them all. That distrust would lead to worsening relations between them, the king, and the people. There wouldn't be any repairing their trust if that happened.

Iker had to stay in Tiruhm.

"How kind of you. But I can't accept," I started. "I assume there are concerns about a repeat of what happened at the ball," I said, shooting a look to Stumbleduck. He didn't notice.

Iker sneered. "I'm not a people person."

"The people here need you, and as Lord Ebonhammer, you don't get a choice but to consider them. They need you whether or not you're a ‘people person.'?" My stomach twisted at the words, knowing it could easily be me in his place—the one left with no choice if everyone learned the Quinn heir was alive. "We have all the help we need, anyway."

Esteban raised a brow at that. "Do I dare ask?"

Caelus scoffed from his seat on the table. "It was reckless, if that's your concern."

I shot Caelus a glare, and he smirked.

Iker growled, rolling his shoulders. "You're going to fight a monster and whatever contingent it may have brought with it. You can't stop me from following you."

I smiled, his words so similar to what Corrin had said last night. "You're right. But I can imagine the rebellion and panic in the city if they learned of your father's eating habits." My threat was hollow, but given he didn't know me well, I hoped that gave me an advantage.

Iker contemplated my words. The clinking of a fork meeting porcelain from Stumbleduck's eating broke the silence. Iker slammed his fist into the doorway and turned, leaving without another word.

It was better for him not to come, even if it was hard for me to accept that he thought I might publicize his father's misdeeds. But I couldn't shake the feeling I'd made the wrong choice in not allowing him to help us.

Before I could dwell on it, Esteban launched into a series of questions that had me confessing to each encounter I'd had with Perrin. He expressed concern over the deal I'd been forced into as an informant. It'd be easy for Perrin to demand I do something horrendous, regardless of the consequences, to obtain information for him. But we needed to alert Malik. To my surprise, Caelus agreed.

Once the conversation died down and everyone separated to pack before we left, I headed back out into the garden for a breath of fresh air and a moment alone.

Thalia lay on the stone garden bench beneath a tree with vibrant red flowers peppered with snow. She'd forgone the dresses she usually wore for thick black pants and a coat with golden accents. She held up a book, reading it with one of her feet propped against her leg, her wavy honey curls spilling over the edge of the bench.

I bit the inside of my cheek. After confessing about Perrin, she would know I'd lied to her earlier. "I should apologize," I started.

She glanced at me for all of a moment before returning to her book. The gesture reminded me of Marus, and my heart ached to see him. Soon. Soon I would get to see him again.

"I suspected you hadn't been truthful," she said, turning a page. "No one goes without hearing news that big. That doesn't mean I think any less of you or that I don't want to help you."

I raised a brow.

She laid the book on her stomach and turned her head to face me. "Divine Tempests often bring about change, and change seems to follow you." She smiled. "It's been a bit messy, but I think you only want to bring good—be a light of sorts."

"You seem very certain," I said.

She giggled. "Of course. I have a . . . sense or maybe sight for things. Perhaps it's intuition, perhaps it's part of my gift." She shrugged. "But while I may have had a feeling you weren't entirely truthful, I have a few questions. Perrin, for starters. You actually met him and made a fey deal?"

I nodded, twisting a stray bit of hair. "More like, was forced into one."

She sat up and pivoted toward me from her seat on the bench. "Oh? Interesting. I've read that he often struck fey deals." Her features softened. "It's outlawed, so of course you didn't expect it." Her fingers thrummed against the book in her lap. "What of Travok Ebonhammer? There was clearly more to what happened than an explosion."

I explained to her what I'd learned from our time in the iron castle and the Abyssal. "I'm not entirely sure what to make of Iker yet either."

Thalia's head bobbed side to side as though she were weighing options. "It's unclear about Iker for now. He has always been a little . . . rugged. Preferred to do things his way, by himself." She frowned. "Travok allegedly caused the scar across his face. The fact that they didn't get along holds some promise for the future of Tiruhm."

"I hope. The people here deserve someone who cares more about them and their troubles."

Thalia smiled. "You should trust your decision. ‘Luck is a boon that finds the bold,' as they say."

I laughed. "Sounds like something Ahrea might say."

Thalia saw something good in me—had believed I was favored by Ahrea from the moment we met—and I wanted to believe her. If I was going to save Teeg and my family, I would have to use my power against that Abyssal. Negotiating with it would be a mistake that would lead to needless deaths. Possibly even Teeg's.

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least if she believed it." Concern filled her eyes. "Are you certain it's wise to go after this Abyssal, though?"

"I have to," I said.

She smiled again, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. Thalia likely didn't think I should go—or maybe she wished there was more she could do to help. Perhaps both. Escorting Caelus's sister to safety wasn't a glamorous role, but I wanted to ensure Corrin stayed safe since Perrin was in the city.

"Everyone will be fine," I reassured her.

"Of course! Determination suits you. Let me help you practice some before you leave," she said, giggling.

I nodded, and she instructed me to use my lightning, even touching it while the arcs skittered across my skin and onto the grass. I protested, unsure of my ability to ensure she wasn't hurt by it.

She beamed when she remained unharmed, saying, "You've improved, just like I promised you would."

Our group gathered at the stables at the city gate in the midafternoon. I stroked Kast's soft nose while he ate oats from my palm. Two rams—one for Esteban and one for Stumbleduck—were brought forward, though Stumbleduck would still need help to mount the ram due to his height.

Kenzo offered to help him, but Stumbleduck yelled nonsense about how he was an independent old gnome and didn't need help. Kenzo quickly backed away, hands up, mumbling, "Excuse me for offering."

Stumbleduck pulled out a contraption that transformed into a stool with a handle that shot straight up. Once mounted, he grabbed the handle, and the stool folded into itself with the press of a small button until it was only the size of a small plank. He then tucked it into a bag.

Thalia and Corrin mounted onto one horse each.

It surprised me to see Thalia capable of mounting on her own, unlike me. I really need to learn to ride. Unfortunately, it'd have to wait until I returned to Dusmir. Learning to ride on the way would only slow us down, and we needed to get to Thistlewall sooner rather than later.

Truthfully, riding with Kenzo was an option. I doubted he would mind, but it would feel like running away from my infatuation with Caelus. Infatuation I was never meant to have, because everything we'd done had been part of our act for the ball.

My traitorous body heated at the thought of being close to Caelus again. Neither of us had spoken about the kiss, not that there had been much time. At least not yet. I wasn't sure what people normally did after pretending to be lovers and kissing when it wasn't originally agreed upon. Normal people don't go around pretending to be lovers with someone.

Did he find the lines blurring between the reality of our relationship like me? It was most likely my body reacting to him. That made more sense than Caelus enjoying the kiss and wanting more. There wasn't even a more to have with each other.

I sighed and watched Caelus approach his sister. From where I stood, I couldn't hear what he said to her, but she crossed her arms, looking down at him from atop her dappled mare. Caelus glanced at me and opened his mouth, then closed it, running a hand through his hair. His gaze returned to his sister, and he placed a hand on his hip. His usual smug smile was replaced with a frown. He gestured widely, saying something else. Corrin narrowed her eyes at me and tapped her heels against the mare, urging it forward. The act caused Caelus to stumble back a step.

I couldn't suppress my laugh. Seeing someone who could ruffle Caelus out of his sureness was something I could have gotten used to. I almost wished she was coming with us, but it was safer for her this way. It would keep Caelus's mind at ease—allow him to focus.

My focus might have been the one in danger, though, because Caelus's head whipped in my direction, and his gaze heated. Even though I hadn't been able to hear him, he'd clearly heard my laughter and stalked toward me, the look on his face unamused.

"So, that looked like it went well," I said with a grin.

"At least it amused you," he said dryly, checking that everything was secured on the horse.

"Corrin isn't one to listen. Especially to Caelus," Kenzo said from the other side of Kast, where he tightened the straps along his horse.

I jumped a little in surprise. The corners of Caelus's lips tilted up.

"I can still go after them," Kenzo offered.

Kenzo going would be a kind gesture, but we needed all the help we could get. "Thalia assured me she will keep her from Thistlewall," I said.

"The two of them will be fine without you, Ken."

Now atop his horse, I could see Kenzo, concern on his face. "Suit yourself." He urged his horse toward the gate.

Caelus helped me up onto the horse, and then he swung up behind me. He urged Kast forward and the horse began moving. "I didn't get to thank you," Caelus said.

The heat of his body penetrated through the layers of clothing between us, but I longed for that closeness, unlike when we'd been traveling here. I mentally cursed my body. I glanced over my shoulder at him. "For what?"

"Ensuring Corrin's safety," he said. "I warned Thalia that Corrin has always been one to slip away and get into things that aren't her business."

I looked past the gate where a fine powder of snow covered the grass. They'd both disappeared. "Thalia's Divine. Her gift should come in handy for how to deal with Corrin." At least, I hoped it would.

He laughed behind me. The sound reverberated through me, and my body ached for him.

How am I going to make it to Thistlewall like this?

"I do believe you're right," he said.