Page 137 of Secrets of Graves and Gold

Julita harumphs. They’ve got to slip up one way or another. Then we’ll have them.

But are they going to slip up while I’m here to witness it?

Then a crunch of dried leaves reaches my ears from the direction of the camp.

Every muscle in my body tenses. I peer between the branches of the bush I’m crouched behind.

A woman is striding away from the camp into the forest a short distance to my left. She holds herself stiffly erect, determined but a little nervous, her hand resting on the knife sheathed on her belt.

Ah ha, Julita crows.

This must be a scout. If we could take her prisoner, question her?—

But how exactly are Rheave and I going to do that? I can’t force answers out of her without using my magic. I doubt even Rheave could drag her away without her raising enough of a ruckus that someone at the camp would notice.

And do I really want to bring this woman back to the others in the hopes that, what, Stavros can torture information out of her?

My stomach lists queasily.

No, that’s not who I am. I’m not a monster.

You can’t let her simply walk away, Julita says. You took on Ster. Torstem’s whole club of scourge sorcerers—you’ve got to be able to handle one.

Her words light a spark of inspiration in my head.

I’m not a monster—I’m a thief.

I’m the woman who convinced the entire royal college that I was a minor noblewoman rather than a street rat.

A grin curves my lips with a flicker of exhilaration.

I don’t need to bully this woman. I simply need to steal her trust.

Gathering myself, I pull away from the bush and straighten up behind a tree. Then I walk forward quickly so I can pass near the scout as if I’m just returning to the place she left.

At the soft crinkle of my footsteps, her gaze snaps to me.

I pretend that I’ve only just noticed her as well and raise my hand in greeting. “Hey, there. Heading out to do the rounds? All’s quiet where I’ve been so far.”

The vast majority of the Order of the Wild members have never gotten a clear look at me. With hundreds of them in camp and newcomers joining here and there, I’m gambling that this woman won’t find it totally strange that she might not recognize me as a colleague at a glance.

She slows, uncertainty flickering across her face through her hesitant smile. “That’s good to hear. When did you go out?”

“Oh, the sun wasn’t even up yet,” I say easily, as if it’d never occur to me that she might not believe me. “Most were still sleeping. But we need the rest if we’re going to see our purpose through, especially after that mess last night. Any changes to the new plan?”

The Order member still looks puzzled, but my chatty tone has lulled her enough that she answers automatically. “Not that I’ve heard. There can’t be a better strategy than hitting the castle right before dawn, while they’re mostly sleeping.” She pauses, staring at me more closely. “How long have you been marching with us?”

My pulse hiccups, but I keep my easygoing smile plastered on my face. “I guess it’s been a few days now? We were a late bunch, had to catch up but glad we did.”

I give her another wave, this one intended to send her off. “May you discover no trouble.”

I move as if to amble on by, knowing I can’t walk too fast or I’ll be seen from the camp. The woman takes a step but stops, twisting back around. “Wait.”

I turn with a hitch of my heart and lift my eyebrows. “Is something wrong?”

She stares at me for a few seconds.

There must be something about my demeanor or my clothes that only an Order member would realize is off. I can see the shift in her from uncertainty to hostility in an instant.

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