Page 5 of An Honored Vow

“Dozens.” I swallowed the memory of Nikolai stitching the detonators in a frenzy as we shared a carriage. “And I nearly died doing it.”

Fyrel gasped as if she hadn’t heard the story half a dozen times on our passage from the Order to theFaelinth.

“Tie the horses,” I ordered. “It’s time.”

We walked along the bank of the river with me at the front and Gerarda and Elaran at the back. No one spoke as the first stars dotted the skies and then exploded into a moonless, shimmering tapestry.

The lack of moonlight served us well. We didn’t meet a single soul on the steep path up the cliff to the eastern side of Silstra. It was as if the entire city was on edge, checking the skies for another Fae attack.

Of course, they blamed the fires on me and not the man who set them.

Their king.

Bile coated my tongue as the putrid scents of burnt stone and wood filled my lungs. I gazed across the river and saw the ruin of the building I had pulled Collin from. The image of his corpse with the wordsHalfling Scumcarved into his chest was imprinted in my mind. It welcomed me every time I closed my eyes and tried to escape into a dreamless sleep where, if only for a few short hours, I could forget all that Damien had done.

What did they do with his body? Had they strung it up along the city center somewhere for residents to gawk at? Or had they thrown it back onto the ruin to rot?

Did Damien stop playing with his toys once they died?

Whatever Damien had done to Collin, I knew what he was doing to Nikolai would be so much worse. How much time did Nikolai have left? I didn’t know if I should be counting in hours or days.

Nothing could be done for Nikolai in that moment. I had to trust that Riven would find him or that some other path to his rescue would appear. Guilt tore at my throat, but I needed to push all thoughts of my dear friend from my mind.

We had Halflings to rescue.

We nestled behind one of the large piles of blasted stone at the edge of the city. It was the perfect lookout for Fyrel and Gwyn. I checked their necks for the matching glamours hanging on Elvish chain that Feron had made them. As long as they kept to the shadows and didn’t make any obvious movements, they would be hidden from view.

Gerarda let go of Elaran’s hand and pulled something from the side pocket of her leathers. She handed thin, silver tubes to Gwyn and Fyrel. Spyglasses. “Watch for movement along the city streets. Signal us with the faebeads I gave you if you spot trouble.”

Gwyn’s hand wrapped around the spyglass and her lips thinned. “Surely we can be of more help going with you.”

She gave Gerarda the sweetest smile.

Fyrel elbowed Gwyn’s side, but the girl didn’t drop her stare. Despite her years of servitude in the palace, Gwyn had not learned to respect the wordno. Not that I could blame her—I had done far worse in the dawn of seventeen.

Gerarda leaned three inches to the side to look at me. She always set me up to be the disciplinarian with Gwyn.

“You will do as ordered,” I said bluntly.

Gwyn scowled. “I don’t need to be coddled.”

I raised a brow. “If I was interested in coddling you, you would be in Myrelinth with Vrail. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

Gwyn turned to Gerarda. She was like a toddler pleading with one parent after the other said no.

Gerarda threw a knife into the air and caught it in the thin holster along her forearm. “Don’t turn to me for solace.” Her expression was unyielding. “I would have sent you home for arguing against orders the first time.”

Gwyn’s mouth snapped shut.

Elaran chuckled and stroked Gwyn’s cheek and then Fyrel’s. “If you’re quick enough, you can take a few soldiers during the escape before I get to them.”

Fyrel’s eyes went wide with anticipation. For someone whose legs had been burned to the bone only a few weeks before, she seemed eager to draw her sword again.

I gritted my teeth. I would not make these girls killers unless absolutely necessary. “The point of the mission is toavoidsoldiers, Elaran.” The scars along my body tightened, pulling at my skin, a thousand tiny reminders of the true cost of a kill.

Elaran gave a coy shrug. “I like my missions a little wild.” Her green eyes trailed over me in a way that made me shiver.

Gerarda cleared her throat and handed Elaran a fully stocked quiver. “Dynara’s message said that they would expect us at nightfall. The time for quips has ended.” There was a slight edge to Gerarda’s voice that only seemed to encourage Elaran.

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