Page 44 of Of Flames and Fallacies

I chew at my lip, my irritation toward Darian blistering.

Archie’s gaze darts behind me, his expression shifting. I turn, following his stare to two men flanking a woman strolling by. All three of them are dressed in dark shades of fighting leathers, the woman a few strides ahead of the two men.

Hair as black as a shadow falls in luscious waves down the woman’s back. Her shoulders sway with each step with a cat-like confidence. Dark lashes frame her brown eyes, her skin a rich chocolate and glowing in the dwindling sunlight. She nods to Cole in greeting before her and the two men walk a few tables down and settle into their seats.

“Who is that?” I ask Archie.

Archie’s back to eating his food with a feverish pace as he shrugs his shoulders.

Cole answers, “Melaina Silverstone. The other two are Gavin Lonecreek and Nolan Clearbrook. They’re from Mistwood.”

“Mistwood?”

“Yes, it’s the farthest eastern city aside from Stoneshire.” Cole pauses. “Well…I guess the farthest city now.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“A few months ago, Stoneshire was abandoned. The entire town is missing—it’s like they up and left. I’ve been told there was still a fire burning in a bakery’s oven. And tea left in a kettle, still piping hot.”

“How is that possible? Nobody saw anything?”

Cole shrugs, thoughts knitting his eyebrows together. His expression of contemplation became one I grew to love long ago. So lost within himself.

Cole’s voice drops to a murmur, “Nobody knows. Even neighboring towns didn’t have answers.”

“Has the King been searching for them?” I ask.

“I think he’s doing what he can. With the increased rebel attacks, we’ve been losing a lot of people between civilians and military, so we might be spread a bit thin. That’s why we just merged with some of the squad from Mistwood.”

My stomach churns at the thought of rebels and the surfacing memory of Hornwood. Archie stills, the seriousness of the situation finally settling in. It’s eerie to see him so solemn.

“Do you think…they’ll split us up?” I whisper.

Cole sighs with a frown. “I wish I could say no. But I’m not sure. Sometimes we get orders to carry out within the hour.” He glances from Archie to me with a small grin. “But I’ll do everything in my power to keep us all together.”

But how much power does Cole really have?

When I return to my room after dinner, I race to read my father’s journal in what little daylight is left before I slip off to see Daeja.

I don’t think I’d ever been so scared.

The vision of the decapitated guards replayed in my mind with every step away from the King’s quarters, the wooden crate with the dragon egg clutched in my hands. And thoseguards had only been whispering about the King, as far as I had known.

I had to get out of there.

I couldn’t give myself another second to ponder what could become of me. So I focused one step in front of the other. Chest out.

Feigned confidence.

Schooled my panic because if someone saw me, they’d know I was up to something.

It seemed ages before I reached the lower levels of the castle. I didn’t have time to make it to the front doors. Plus, my exit would have been far too obvious.

The kitchen had a trash chute, and if I could make it there, I could make it out of the castle unseen. When I reached the kitchen, it was eerily silent. The lights were out, and it was oddly still.

I almost anticipated the King himself melting away from the shadows and snatching me.

But he didn’t come.

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