Page 5 of Shadows of Winter

Fear slammed into her like a stake to the heart. She stared into Vlerion’s cold eyes, certain he had no idea who she was but equally certain he was going to kill her.

2

Panic steals opportunity.

~ Lord General Avingatar

Vlerion didn’t kill Kaylina. With his blade resting against her throat, he said, “Walk,” and jerked his chin toward a tower at the corner of the castle.

“When do we get to defend ourselves?” Kaylina held her hands out, not wanting to make trouble, but also not wanting to be run through for something she hadn’t done. She glanced around as much as she dared with the blade touching her throat.

Jankarr was right. Their land agent was nowhere to be seen.

“Walk,” Vlerion repeated softly, shifting to stand beside Kaylina and grip her arm while keeping his sword against her throat.

“Since you’re being so polite about it, I’d love to go anywhere with you. I can tell you’re a fantastic date.”

Something flashed in those cold blue eyes. Irritation? Maybe she was supposed to call him Lord Vlerion when she spoke and genuflect a few times at the end of each sentence.

“You want me to bring the kid?” Jankarr asked.

“He didn’t murder anyone,” Vlerion said.

Though Kaylina was glad they were dismissing Frayvar as a non-threat, she couldn’t help but blurt, “And you think I did? Is it the deadly sling I carry? Or the great brawn of my arms?” The blade at her throat continued to unnerve her, but Kaylina lifted her arms to show them off, though the parka sleeves hid their slenderness. “I got my muscles cleaning my grandma’s big glass carboys, in case you’re wondering.”

Vlerion guided her around the corner of the tower without responding, though he glanced at her sling and the pouch of rounds that hung next to them. He couldn’t think she’d murdered someone with one of the lead balls.

“That wasn’t as much of an answer as you might think,” Jankarr called after them.

Vlerion didn’t respond to that either, only walking Kaylina through the uneven courtyard that surrounded the keep, half-crumbled stones littering it. An eerie moan came from somewhere above, and a stone fell from the wall not ten feet in front of them. It hit the ground and broke into a dozen pieces.

Maybe the castle was cursed.

Vlerion lowered his sword, but the grip on Kaylina’s arm remained, and he walked close, eyeing the wall ahead warily. She could almost feel the heat of his body in contrast to the frosty air. His muscles bulged against the seams of the black shirt under his armor, and she decided not to challenge him to an arm-wrestling match.

“I was more interested in a tour of the inside of the castle. Did I tell you we’re going to start a meadery? Though I’m gathering this place might not be as for rent as Naybor said.” Kaylina walked obediently as Vlerion guided her around another tower at the back corner, but she decided to elaborate while she had a chance. “We’re new to the city. We were cooped up on a ship for weeks to get here and just arrived a few hours ago. It was called the Windborn Taybarri. Maybe you’d like to check with the crew. I’m sure someone can show you that our names were on the manifest, so we couldn’t possibly be the spies or, uhm, murderers you’re looking for.”

Vlerion stopped at a back gatehouse that led out to a wide trail along the river, more skeletal trees stretching branches over water framed by several feet of ice along the banks. Thanks to a raised portcullis casting shadows, they didn’t see the body lying in the gatehouse until they stopped in front of it.

Kaylina had never seen the pale-skinned, white-haired gentleman sprawled on his back on the ground, his eyes frozen open in death, but she gaped, stunned. Had this just happened? She remembered the rattle she’d heard in the kitchen, but, with blood matting the side of his head, he looked to have been hit by a club or mace.

Vlerion glanced at her sling again.

She shook her head. A small lead round wouldn’t have done that much damage. Vlerion couldn’t possibly think she’d done this.

Except… from his point of view, Kaylina and Frayvar were the only ones around. Unlike in the street out front, there was no foot traffic back here, nobody ambling along the river trail. Was that chance? Or did people avoid walking close to the city’s cursed castle?

Aware of Vlerion watching her—judging her guilt or innocence by her reaction?—Kaylina shook her head again. “I’m sorry if he meant something to you, but I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

“The death of any kingdom subject means something to me.” Again, his words were without inflection, making it hard to tell if they were true, if he did care.

“I’m a kingdom subject,” she said.

“Are you?” Vlerion’s gaze flicked downward dismissively, not lingering on her curves, her brown skin, or her dark hair. He had to have taken in everything about her when his taybarri had been sniffing her through the window.

“I don’t know if you read history books, but the kingdom annexed the southern region, including my island chain of Vamorka, more than a hundred years ago. We’re all subjects now. Not only those of you who live up in the gold-mining, whale-hunting, frigid-most-of-the-year north.”

“I have read many history books.” His tone remained flat, and he didn’t add way more than you in a snotty voice, but she heard it anyway.

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