Page 44 of The Threadbare Queen

He hoped Cynera was getting a good look from his high windows.

He rode through the open gates, and Revek and Massi were suddenly on either side of him.

He said nothing, but he was happy to have them there. Even Rev.

“I’ll go, if you want me to,” Rev said as their horses crunched up the crushed stone of the drive.

“Go where?” He didn’t understand what he meant.

“Back to Fernwell with the message.”

Luc turned to him in surprise. “You’d go back?”

Rev managed a small smile. “I’m not saying I want to. But I will, if you’d prefer me out of your sight.”

Luc said nothing as they approached the door, but the hard, tight feeling in his chest loosened for the first time since Revek’s lover, Haslia, had tried to kill Rev to stop him from sharing anything she’d told him.

It was clear she had told Revek things that would have been useful to the Rising Wave and dangerous to Kassia, and equally clear that Revek hadn’t passed that information on.

It had been hard to get over what seemed like a betrayal, but Ava had assured him that if Revek couldn’t recall what had been said, Haslia had probably spelled him to forget, and her attempt to kill him was simply her tying off loose ends.

Before he could speak, the door opened, and a terrified man stood in the doorway.

“Get out! Get away from here! This is the property of Lord—”

“Lord Cynera, I know. I am the Commander of the Rising Wave. I would very much like to speak to Lord Cynera, immediately.”

The man stared at him, white lipped, panting, close to fainting with fear. “He . . . He isn’t here.”

“And where is he, then?” Massi asked politely.

The man’s eyes darted to her, and fixed on her, almost with relief. Massi had always looked friendly, except when she was pointing an arrow at you. “He’s in Fernwell. He left four days ago.”

They might have passed him coming through the gates as they were leaving, Luc thought. However he’d found out, Cynera had obviously sent one of his people back to set up this ambush.

“Well, it looks as if one of my people will have to deliver this to him in Fernwell, then.” Luc tapped the missive on his thigh. “And a word of warning. If you shelter one more Kassian soldier in this manor, when I return from my journey I will raze this house to the ground. Do you understand?”

The man’s eyes widened at the mention of soldiers and slowly nodded.

“Treason is an ugly, ugly crime,” Revek said, and there was a slight catch to his voice. “And those convicted of it are subject to the full force of the Queen’s law.”

“To be honest,” Massi leaned down a little toward him, “I would not want to be associated with a traitor for anything. I’d pack my belongings and run, if I were you.”

The man crept back, step by step, until he was through the door, and then slammed it in their faces.

They turned their horses and moved at a trot back to the gates.

“I don’t think you are a traitor, Rev. And I know you weren’t responsible for what happened. It’s just hard to get my heart to agree with what my head already knows.” He reached out and put a hand on Rev’s shoulder. “I know you want to protect our home, and I wouldn’t ask you to play messenger instead.”

Revek blew out a breath. “Good.” His voice was thick.

“And now, can we finally be a family again?” Massi asked, and the exasperation in her voice made Luc chuckle.

By the time they reached the gate, he realized the hard knot in his chest was gone.

Chapter 12

“Are you all right?” The whisper was light and high—a child’s whisper.

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