Page 69 of Blooms of Darkness

“Noted,” Storm said, nodding.

Kade shook his head once, too.

“Leif Ivans, he works in the kitchens and handles securing most of the food requests.” Ian turned and then pointed at Corbin. “Corbin Jansen. He works in the stables, securing transport, and serves as the point person receiving all requests and letters for aid through a network I’m not sure even I’ve deciphered yet.”

Corbin’s lip twitched as he shook Storm and Kade’s hands.

“Technically, you met at the last drop, sort of,” I said. “Informally.”

Leif and Corbin readily accepted Kade and Storm, making me wonder if Ian had already let them know we needed more muscle. Which meant my buy-in was the only hurdle left to conquer.

“Lan?” Ian asked.

“Right, well, thanks to Fredrich’s blabbering during his time with me, Starhaven seems to be the place where the darkness has lingered the longest,” I said. “However, it’s also the place with the least issues. There are no Hidden Henchman requests, something he quickly pointed out, and his business is thriving.”

“How does that make sense? Others are falling easily, and they withstand it the longest with no dip in his coffers?” Storm asked, frowning.

“Exactly,” I said. “I think it’s a fairly good place to start looking for answers.”

“It’s only a day's ride from the drop site at Logan Lake,” Corbin said. “You could go straight to Starhaven and return from there. One and a half days out, one day back. It’d be a hard ride, but doable.”

“Leaving us more vulnerable if we’re attacked, given the exhaustion of the horses,” Ian added. “Though, there may not be a choice.”

I swiveled my gaze between my companions to gauge their responses.

“How soon until the goods are prepared?” Ian asked.

Leif shrugged. “We’re all set. Just need to get the carriage out the day before and we'll be ready from there.”

“How do you do all of this with no one noticing?” Kade asked suddenly. “Is there so much surplus missing items don’t matter?”

“We’re strategic with when and how much we take. We store extra items in various places until we are able to meet letterrequests,” I said. “We’ve been doing it for so long, it’s second nature.”

“And if you’re caught?”

“Technically, we’re stealing from the Crown,” Leif chimed in. “For Corbin and I, we’d be executed.”

He said it so casually. As if it weren’t an issue at all.

I gaped at Leif. For the first time, I realized just how loyal these men really were. They risked their lives on a plan I’d come up with haphazardly, perfected by Ian. He’d done it alongside them, with their input and help, but the risk to me was a scolding. The risk to them? I’d selfishly never considered it.

Neither Leif nor Corbin had asked for protection if anything were to go awry.

“I’d never let it happen,” I said, suddenly needing them to know I valued their trust.

“You do this, anyway?” Kade asked.

Leif’s gaze shifted to me as he spoke. “I believe in the future of Brookmere and the queen who I bow to even as a princess.”

A lump formed in my throat, listening to Leif proclaim his devotion in a way no one outside of Ian and Kalliah ever had. In a way which sparked that deep-rooted fire inside of me. The one I felt when I knew people were suffering. The reason I wanted to be the Hidden Henchman.

That same spark had driven me to strengthen myself, to train and break from the shell I’d become after enduring years of torture with Andras.

Kade’s eyes locked on mine. The way he watched, Fates, it rattled me. My chest tightened, waiting to hear his response. Finally, he grinned, clearly making a decision. “Then I suppose I’ll bow as well.”

He took a step toward me, undeterred by the others observing. “I gave you my word to keep your secret, but I give you my sword for whatever else you need, Little Rebel.”

“Thank you.” My heart skipped a beat.

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