Page 63 of Lich's Mate

He raises his hand for a second, articulating, before letting it fall to his side.

“Even then,” he says. “There were three guards there, watching an entire group of humans. It was hardly the fight we were anticipating.”

I swallow, dreading the news he still hasn’t told me.

“So your point, which I think you’re getting to, but I keep interrupting?”

He smiles, glad at my abrupt and unnatural attempt to ease the tension.

He can still see that I’m upset and that he needs to choose his words carefully.

“Right. So I think you didn’t confirm the kill. There were a few dead guards at the scene, sure, but one of them must have slipped away. One of them must have survived to tell the tale of what happened.”

I close my eyes and meditate silently, ready for him to confirm the news I know is coming.

My nails are still cutting into my palms. Any tighter, and I might draw blood.

“So the slaves you thought you freed…”

I think back on that night—how perfect it seemed that there were no witnesses left alive.

My entire memory of that night is ruined. Every bit of celebration we’ve enjoyed has been for nothing.

But he still hesitates, as though expecting me to finish his sentence.

“They were all recaptured not long after you left,” Vex says.

I didn’t expect the news to be this bad.

“All of them?”

Vex shakes his head.

“Well, to my intel, several of them were killed in transit, to set an example,” he clarifies.

It feels like ice falls into my lungs.

But there is at least one silver lining to all of this. Upon realizing it, I heave a momentary sigh of relief, though it does little to ease the anger or tension I’m feeling.

“At least there were no witnesses,” I say, smiling, realizing that the only people who could have seen us were taken back into captivity.

But Vex vehemently shakes his head.

“No, Kavian,” he says. “Are you listening? One of them escaped. Gorran knows you’re responsible.”

I suppose it makes more sense that Gorran’s been wise to my schemes. I haven’t exactly made my disdain for him a secret.

Taking two steps away from Vex, I look back at the house.

How do I tell her?

“You should probably be prepared for Gorran,” Vex says, offering it more as a casual suggestion than advice, out of fear of provoking my wrath.

I simply nod, still not looking him in the eye.

“It’ll take him some time to get here, I think. Last I heard, he was back in New Solas. Meaning you still have time.”

I look back at him from over my shoulder.

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