Page 115 of The Ballad of a Bard

He hated how scared he felt, how his emotions were tied to her fate. How close he was to toppling into the darkness and falling for her entirely.

Damien cleared his throat. “We’ll try to sort out a way to distract the guard, bribe them or something for you, Captain. You’ll see her, one way or another.”

West respected these men because they knew who he was,whathe was and yet they didn’t cower to his magnificence like other mortals did. They didn’t treat him like a god or worship as he walked by, kissing the very ground he walked over. They treated him like a man who earned his place, and it was for that reason that he trusted them wholeheartedly.

“Thank you. For that and for bringing Cobalt to me. Send Leysa in once a day if you can so that she can keep up her examinations of him. I don’t want him to have an episode while we’re stuck here and not be able to do anything about it.” He ordered them.

Thalias dipped his head in understanding. “We’ll do our best considering the circumstances.”

His brother stepped forward. “I think you should know that we’ve been keeping an eye on the Bronzed Goblet and Grimm like you asked us to, and Red Lyric’s name has resurfaced in the establishment.”

His gut curled into an ugly thing.

Terror spiked claws down his back, over his shoulders, through his tall spine as he asked, “In what way?”

“There’s talk that he’s to start in the Blades of Blood again.” He elicited with a long sigh. “And that they’ll be facing a full Saint in two days’ time.”

His blood chilled to the point where West thought that it had become pure ice. There, the largest part of Altivar’s plan surfaced at last. He’d been stuck in the dark, unliking it even if he ruled over it all.

“He’s going to make her face War.” He uttered and brushedhis hand over his mouth, tracing at the stubble that had begun to grow there out of his isolation induced madness. The Imp would have found it hilarious, welcoming him to their ever-shifting world. “There isn’t going to be anySaints-damnedtrial, he’s just going to send her to her execution, to make a show of it.”

Cobalt jerked upright in the bed behind him. “Crimson’s going to die?” His little voice wavered as terror struck him hard. “What?”

Guilt hit him as West turned to face him, striding over to the bed and taking his freezing hands in his. Not a good sign. “I promise you, Blue, that I will do everything in my power to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”

Cobalt didn’t look as though he believed him. “Because you’re a Saint?”

He opened his mouth to respond but he wasn’t done yet.

“Or because you love her?”

He immediately shut it, jaw flexing. That single word rippled over him, sending the brilliant moon to crash with the sea, jagged shoals tearing through every bit of him. “You have my word that I won’t let her die.”

He looked sceptical as West didn’t answer either of his questions but found it a decent enough response to fall back into the bed and tug the blankets back up to his thin chest. West stood and rotated back to the door where Damien and Thalias still stood, waiting for him.

“Damien, get back down to the Bronze Gate and see what other information you can retrieve in regards to Red Lyric making another appearance in the Blades. I want to know who she’s fighting, when she’s fighting and who’s sponsoring her if there’s anyone at all.”

He clapped an arm to his chest, bowed at his waist and departed without so much as another sound.

West looked to Thalias. “Find out how I can get into the dungeons unnoticed, or bring me information about Crimson’s wellbeing if you’re able to get in yourself. Heartache, as well if he’s truly down there.”

“Can do.” The man repeated his brother’s action before swiftly turning on his heel and disappearing around the bend.

With a swift poke of his head, West caught sight of the two sentries that headed his way, a changing of the guard that allowed for the brief window of time that his loyal companions found him in. They must have planned for it, working in the schedule and finally slipping by to speak with him at all costs. To bring him Cobalt, even if it was a treacherous thing to do.

He shut it quickly before they could see him and released the handle, swinging back around to the boy in his bed. Cobalt sniffed, and he could make out the tiny tears that fell into the sheets, vanishing.

“I’ve got a pack of cards in my drawer if you want to wipe the floor with me at King’s Crown?” He offered up in hopes to dissuade him from crying. “Along with a handful of sweets somewhere if you win.”

Cobalt shook his head. “I don’t feel like candy.”

He might have been surprised had the situation around them not been so dire.

“Then what do you feel like?”

He thought about it, drawing his gaze up to meet West’s. “I feel…blue.All of my life, my sister took care of me. She put on the mask of Red Lyric to pay for us, to feed us. She gave up everything for me and I can’t help but feel like this is all my fault.”

West pulled himself into the bed, sitting against the headboard as he tugged Cobalt into his arms. “It’s not your fault. It couldneverbe your fault. It’s not even Crimson’s fault for this entire mess.”

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