Page 81 of Once the Skies Fade

I clicked the door shut and drew in a deep breath before turning to face her. Widening my eyes a bit, I donned my best air of innocence.

“I took a walk. Why?”

Isa’s already weary expression now darkened knowingly. “I know you, Calla. Your heart is racing erratically, almost as fast as you ran down that hallway. Add in you wringing your hands in your dress, and I assume this has something to do with your shadows.”

I shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

“That shake in your voice—that one you think no one hears?—says otherwise. Now what happened?”

“The asshole had it coming,” I said, rolling my eyes as I strolled over to the sofa and plopped down, kicking my boots off and pulling my feet up under me.

Isa calmly joined me before the cold fireplace. She didn’t seem at all shocked by my answer as she sat and draped her arm casually over the back of the sofa.

“Which asshole was that?”

“I think his name was Korben.”

“Was?” Fear sparked in her eyes, but vanished when I clarified.

“Is. He’s still alive.”

“You’re sure?”

I nodded.

“And? What did he have coming exactly?”

“I might have strangled him. Just a bit. Enough to knock him unconscious.”

Isa leaned forward slightly, fresh concern washing over her face. “Did he try to hurt you?”

“Not me.”

“Then who—” Understanding shifted her question into a whisperedoh. “Matthias?”

I pulled my lips into a thin, pathetic smile, but said nothing.

“Is he okay? What about the healers? Where were they? And how did Korben even get down there?”

“I assume he’s fine, but I didn’t stick around long enough to find out. I thought it best if he didn’t see me.”

“But your shadows…”

“Yes, obviously he knows it was me, but I couldn’t deal with him and his wholekillerthing.”

Confusion twisted my general’s brow. “Whatkillerthing?”

Rolling my eyes again, I gave small shakes of my head. “It’s just a dumb nickname he’s given me.”

Isa lifted a hand to her mouth, whispering, “Interesting.”

“You don’t think it means something, do you?” She merely leaned her ear toward one shoulder in a silent gesture ofuncertainty. “Either way,” I continued. “They were in the hallway, not in the infirmary.”

After a few moments of quiet, Isa peered up at me from beneath her thick lashes. “What were you doing down there? Did you run out of the tea? Jocelyn said she’d deliver more so you wouldn’t have to venture down there.”

Shit. I didn’t have an excuse ready. I sat there looking at her like an idiot, and by the time I thought to lie—to say I’d simply had a question for Jocelyn—I’d been silent for so long, she’d never believe it. I prepared myself for another displeased glare and the accompanying rebuke.

The corners of her eyes and lips twitched slightly as she worked through her thoughts, but when her expression finally settled, I found what looked like an unnerving mix of worry and…hope.

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