Page 54 of The Flame and the Forsaken

She watched him exit the cabin, into the storm.

Chapter10

The Whisperer

Destin had been told he was free but not who had spoken for him.

It couldn’t have been Mariel. She would have come for him days ago if she had that kind of sway and power, and her absence meant the Rutlands had forbidden it. He couldn’t blame them really. To an esteemed house like theirs, he was an embarrassment of liquor and mistakes.

The jailer handed him his dagger and the few coins he’d had in his pocket when they’d arrested him. Well, there’d been a half-drunk bottle of whiskey too, but they’d probably confiscated it for their own enjoyment. After a few—painful—dry days, he didn’t much want it back either.

“That’s all you had,” the jailer said, sounding almost sorry, like most men came in with more. But most men had a name, a proper home... something of worth or value to offer themselves and the world.

“Thank you,” he murmured as he accepted his meager possessions.

He stepped out into the sunlight, spreading his arms to absorb the warmth. His joy was short-lived. Two men he recognized but could not name were standing in his path.

“Samuel Law,” said the tall, thin one with the face of an accountant. “This here’s Hamish Strong,” he said of the beefy fellow with a jovial expression.

A Law and a Strong, two of the major houses of the Southerlands—and quite close to the Rutlands. There was no way this could be good.

“Is it the two of you I have to thank?” Destin asked, unwilling to take another step until he understood the situation better.

“Don’t thank us just yet,” Samuel said, exchanging a wary look with Hamish. “Mariel and Erran are both missing, and we think you might be the only one who can help us find them.”

Destin was stunned. “Missing? What do you mean? How?” Erran too? It made no sense. Mariel would never run off with the princeling.

“Come wit’ us,” Hamish said, swinging an arm toward the hitching post, where three horses were tethered.

“Where?” Destin hadn’t moved.

“We’ll tell ye when we see fit, lad,” Hamish retorted, but Samuel lifted a hand, staying him.

“Whitecliffe. Beyond that, you’ll have to trust us.”

Destin snorted. “I don’t even know you. Trust you?”

“I’m certain you can at least acknowledge we have the same aims. We want our friend back. You want your sister back. Aye?”

Destin wobbled his head a bit before nodding. What the hell kind of mess had Mariel gotten herself into? He was supposed to be the troublemaker of the family. “But what makes you think I know where they are?” Mariel could have been with the Perevils, or even Alessia or Magnur, but Erran being missing as well made it highly unlikely.

One thing was sure: the two men pretending to be his newfound friends knew a lot more than they were saying.

“We already questioned her friend Remy Perevil. He wouldn’t tell us much, but he looked concerned enough for us to discern he had nothing useful to contribute,” Samuel said. “Augustine, however, has gone missing from her post at Goldsea Spires, which leads us to believe she is either with Erran and Mariel or had reason to flee.”

They know about Remy? And Auggie?“Why... Who is Remy?—”

“Oy, donnae start with th’ games, son. Sam here saw yer sister visit him, aye? Weknowye know him.” Hamish crossed his arms. “I can go back in there, tell the jailer I was wrong about ye.”

Destin glanced back at the jail he’d spent the past four days in. He had no reason to trust these highborns, but he could do nothing for Mariel in a cell. “How long has she been missing?”

“We’ll answer yer questions when ye answer ours,” Hamish said. He clapped Destin’s back in a gesture that seemed affable but sent him skittering forward a few steps with a gulp. “Sorry. Donnae ken me own strength sometimes.”

“Hamish.” Samuel sighed, shaking his head like a disappointed father. “Shall we?”

Their destination wasa pub right across the road from Remy’s flat. An intimidation tactic, Destin was sure, but they’d already played their hand where Remy was concerned. Knowing they’d already questioned him took the edge off.

After the barmaid brought their ales around, Samuel said, “Let me assure you Steward Rutland is sparing no expense in the search efforts.”

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