Page 5 of Lake of Sorrow

It sounded like an order rather than a suggestion, but that didn’t surprise her. Vlerion was a pompous lord, after all.

Venture above ground only with your face hidden. In the aftermath of the Virt assassination attempt, there are more patrols in the streets. The guards should prioritize capturing the Virt leaders, but they are aware that the queen wants you dead, and they will attack you if they see you. They will shoot to kill. Do not take undue risks. When you have obtained evidence to clear your name, seek me out. I went in search of evidence of my own and have something to add to what you are able to gather. If I did not have watchers right now, I would have already brought it to you.

Kaylina re-read the last sentence. Watchers? What watchers would he have? Other rangers?

Maybe he hadn’t been able to convince Captain Targon of her innocence, and he was keeping an eye on Vlerion. Or… Kaylina remembered that the queen and especially Jana had been suspicious that Vlerion would do something foolish because he’d fallen for her. Maybe the queen was the one who’d ordered him watched. Would Kaylina have to clear his name of suspicion as well as her own?

“Is there more on the back?” Frayvar asked.

“Are you reading it?” Kaylina scowled at him. The way he stood ensured he had to do so upside-down, but that wouldn’t faze him.

“Yeah. Why is it taking you so long?” He twirled his finger to request a page flip.

“I’m pondering the meaning of his words as I read.”

“They’re instructions and straightforward.” Frayvar gave her the kind of I’m-sorry-you’re-so-obtuse-because-it-must-make-your-life-difficult look that little brothers had all mastered.

Exasperated, Kaylina glared at him. “I take it back. Sprinkle perfume all over your love letters to Lady Ghara. She’ll adore that.”

“I believe you’re being facetious.”

“And to think, you say you’re bad at reading people.” Kaylina turned the page over, angling it so that he wouldn’t be able to see it until she’d pondered all the meanings. Besides, she hoped it would finish with something more than orders and instructions. Something with more feeling.

But Vlerion might have gotten over his attraction for her in the days they’d been apart. That could be especially likely if it was her anrokk-ness that drew him rather than… Well, she didn’t expect him to love her. They hadn’t known each other that long, and he’d admitted that she irritated him with her lack of respect, but she’d thought… She thought he cared. He’d sent these maps, after all. That meant something, didn’t it?

“You’re not reading,” Frayvar said. “We can’t stay here all night. The guards and hounds will regroup and come after us.”

“I am too reading,” Kaylina snapped, though she hadn’t been. Why were little brothers such pests?

“Your eyes weren’t moving.”

She wouldn’t admit he was right, but she did continue to the lines on the back.

I regret that I didn’t stay with you the night you fled from the city. It crossed my mind as we departed through the catacombs. As I told you, Targon ordered me to return, saying he needed my help ensuring all the rebels were gone and the threat to the king and queen was past. Honor and my duty made me comply, but… as I said, I have regretted it. As I am occasionally being observed, you will avoid ranger headquarters and not come to me unless you’ve gathered evidence to prove your innocence. Once you have, you will come to me, and I will stand at your side as you present it.

The pompous order shouldn’t have warmed her body, making her think of their shared kiss, but it did. As did the admission of regret. He did care.

The word pirate was all he’d signed it with. It was enough. More than enough.

She rested the letter against her chest, aware of insects buzzing and chirping. Frogs also croaked now. Hopefully, the threats had disappeared from the area.

Frayvar, growing bored with her tediously slow reading and pondering, was considering the maps.

“He’s circled places. I think this access point is by ranger headquarters. We went that way when we fled.” Frayvar pointed to another. “I wonder if one of these is an access point near where Jana’s meadery is. Nakeron Inn was the name, right?”

“Yes, I think she said it was in the Factory Quarter.”

Frayvar nodded and tapped the circle he’d pointed out. “It looks like Lord Vlerion wants us to visit her.”

“For pummeling?”

“Or cajoling.”

“I’d rather strangle her until she tells the truth.” Kaylina couldn’t help but sound wistful.

“Her strangled neck can’t be the evidence he wants.”

“Probably not.” She fished in her pocket until she found the vial of poison that Jana had brought to her dungeon cell, telling her that, if she cared about Vlerion’s future and didn’t want him to ruin his career on her behalf, she should use it to kill herself. “Bitch.”

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