A new concern pops into my mind and my brows furrow. “Have you been seen?”
Tristan scoffs, stacking his empty bowl atop mine and shoving it beside the others. “These beings are just as blind as any other. Don’t worry, Lena.” He winks. “You still have your ghost.”
I chuckle, but it quickly trails off. Leaning over the table, I lower my voice. “We know that someone is here. Most likely multiple someones. How is it that neither of you has been able to obtain any information?”
Amara leans forward on her elbows, speaking just as quietly. “I don't think it has anything to do with them. I think this person, or people, are very good at covering their tracks.”
Biting my lip, I drum my vambraced fingers on the worn table. “You haven't heard anything from Aurora?” I ask Tristan.
Tristan has had several dates with Aurora and even stayed a few nights in the loft above her shop. He hasn’t said anything, but it's obvious he's developed more than a casual interest in her. I hate to put him in this position, but just as he’s told me many times before, we have to use everything at our disposal.
His shoulders slump minutely as he studies the grooves of the table. “She doesn't know anything.”
“She's a princess, for gods’ sakes,” Amara huffs, curling her short brown hair behind her ear and exposing the singular starlight jewel. “Her mother must have mentioned something to her.”
He shakes his head. “They aren't close, and Aurora hates everything to do with court. She distances herself from it as much as possible.” Tristan scans the room for any listeners before whispering to me. “I believe your skills are necessary at this point, Lena.”
Hating the very idea of Tristan's suggestion, I lean back and avoid his gaze. “Not yet, but soon.”
Tristan pats the table in frustration, but nods reluctantly.
“Then what are we going to do?” Zander asks, scratching beneath his jaw. “We have to do something.”
I blow out a breath. “We keep doing what we're doing and hopefully, we’ll stumble upon some answers. In the meantime,I need to see those claw marks. Maybe then I'll have a better understanding of our timetable.”
“We’ll have to sneak out of the city,” Tristan says, removing his cloak and hanging it on the back of his chair. “I tried leaving to see them for myself, but the guards posted at the gate told me I wouldn’t be allowed to return once I left.”
Amara smirks and bumps her shoulder with mine. “That has the Queen written all over it.”
I snort. I'm surprised that’s all she did. If anything, I half expected her to kick us out altogether. Although, the more I think about it, it's less surprising if you consider how her whole Queen-to-the-people act would’ve crumbled to dust if she did. I just assumed she didn’t care. It seems I can be wrong on occasion. A very rare occasion.
“There are a few spots left unguarded,” Zander says, tossing his thick arm across the back of the empty chair beside him. “We’d have to climb over the wall at night to remain unnoticed, but it shouldn't be an issue.”
“We'll need weapons,” Tristan adds, cupping his pint between both hands. “We have no hope of remaining unnoticed if we have to fight Soulless without them.” He gazes at me with a knot of worry bunched between his brows. I pat his forearm soothingly.
“Don't worry about that,” Amara says, a suspicious gleam in her whiskey eyes. “I'll take care of the weapons.”
“Don't steal any,” I warn.
She rolls her eyes and hooks her ankles around the front of the chair, teetering on its back legs. “I’m not going to steal anything. Just leave it to me. I have an idea.” She drops her head back and stares up at the wooden beams of the pub with a shifty expression that has alarm bells tolling in my head.
Zander smiles. “You're definitely going to steal them.”
Amara’s chair slams down and she swipes at him, but Zander dodges her easily with a laugh. His smiling face drifts towards mine, instantly sobering. The worry lining his face is a punch to the gut. “Do you think we have enough time?”
“I'll know more once I see the marks, but I’m sure we do,” I lie, hearing the tick, tick, tick of the clock striking that much faster.
“You know there’s a much easier way to handle this,” Tristan casually tosses out, clasping his hands over his abdomen as he relaxes into his seat. “One where we could just walk out instead of sneaking out.”
Tristan eyes me meaningfully and I frown, unable to foresee what he’s leading up to.
“You could ask Darius if we could leave and return,” he says. I stiffen, instantly furious at the suggestion. “He's probably the only other person besides the Queen who could give us permission.”
I narrow my eyes at him but he boldly stares back, unfazed in the slightest in the face of my displeasure. “Not happening.”
“That's a fantastic idea,” Zander says. Ignoring my glare now directed at him, he lays his forearms on the table and knocks twice on the wood. “That male is a goner for you.” He laughs.“He’s walked past the inn more times than I can count.” Batting his eyes teasingly, he singsongs, “Peeking into windows, staring up at the rooms. Searching for our little seductress.”
Irritation wars with humor as I pinch my lips to stifle a laugh at his ridiculous antics.