Page 44 of A Deception of Courts

I contemplated lying, but that would go against everything I had promised him mere moments before. “A couple of days ago, I asked for his help with locating Jesibel. He refused. It’s nothing serious, but I get the impression if someone else asked the same thing of him, he might’ve been more willing to offer his help.”

Duncan paused, taking a moment to read the underlying accusation woven through my comment. “You think Kayne has an issue with you?”

“It doesn’t matter if he does or not.” I shrugged, feeling strangely awkward discussing matters of Duncan’s closest and oldest friend. Especially with him. I hadn’t even voiced my concern to Althea. I waited to see how Duncan reacted to the conversation. Searching for a hint that Duncan may already know what I was suggesting.

“It matters to me, darling.”

I offered him a smile, trying to reflect the emotion in my eyes, but failing. “I think I’m just being sensitive?”

“What, you, sensitive? No.” Duncan winked. “Care to tell me what he has said to you?”

I tore my hand from his and placed it over his chest. His heartbeat thundered up my arm. Duncan might’ve pretended he was calm about the topic, but the way his body reacted suggested otherwise. “Nothing to merit you worrying. Forget I said anything. What matters is I trust Kayne. He’s been pivotal in seeing our success up to this point. Perhaps what I asked of him was too much. I’m just surprised he didn’t bring it up with you, that’s all.”

Duncan’s mouth twitched. “If you ask me to talk to him, I will. Just say the word.”

I shook my head, looking back toward Wychwood. “I shouldn’t have brought it up. It’s nothing, really. Kayne said it would threaten our position if Lucari is seen by Aldrick, and he is right.”

Duncan didn’t reply again, and I was glad of that. Swaddled in warmth, we both watched the Icethorn Court draw nearer.

Our destination was clearer to see now. The closer we moved toward Wychwood, the easier it was to pick out details. Towering, verdant pines tipped white with snow. Sharp cliff faces of stone that rose from the sea and stretched toward the darkened sky. I scanned for a beach but couldn’t see any location that suggested where we would dock. The only variation to the sheer face of the cliff was what looked to be a cove. The shadowed mouth was carved into the face of the rock itself. Jagged rocks extended beyond the water’s rough surface like reaching claws. There was no chance of our ships getting close enough without finding one of those stone claws piercing their hulls.

Talking of Kayne, Lucari screeched as she flew, dancing among the drifts of snow. Unlike the hawk, the Nephilim didn’t fill the skies. Instead, they stayed in their ship, which stalked our fleet like it was its shadow. Since the winged monster had cut across the skies, I hadn’t seen Rafaela take to the skies at all. But her presence was always close, standing guard on the deck of her ship, her attention never once straying from our direction – from me.

“Boys.” Althea announced her arrival, interrupting our silence with her presence. “Enjoying the view?”

The wind caught strands of her red hair and tussled it from her shoulders. Dark splotches hung beneath her eyes. I had noticed more, with each day that passed, that Althea’s skin had taken on a slight green tinge. Although she did well to hide it, Seraphine had reported having seen Althea bent over the railing as she spilled the entire contents of her stomach into the ocean. When I asked if she was okay, she waved my concern off with a hand and threw herself back into the briefing of her conversations with our captain. Anything to divert the attention from the way the sea made her sick. To Althea, showing such sickness translated to exposing weakness. And, surrounded by Cedarfall soldiers, she’d never have allowed that.

If I was to learn anything from Althea, it was her steel resilience.

“Just relieved we have almost made it,” I said.

“Because of you.” Althea nudged my shoulder, pale lips cracking when she smiled. “Captain has assured me that this is the agreed location for our arrival. We are to anchor out at sea and move to land in smaller vessels.”

“And we trust his judgement?” Duncan asked dryly. “The man has had one hand gripped on the wheel and the other on the neck of a bottle this entire journey.”

“Got us this far, and in one piece, Hunter. I suppose you think you would do better? General was it, or did they call you captain in your ranks, too?”

“General,” Duncan replied coyly.

“Ah, yes,” Althea brushed her hair across her shoulder. “How could I have forgotten?”

I cleared my throat, demanding their attention. “Althea, not that it is my turn to belittle the captain, but I thought we were meeting our welcome party on the black sand beaches you spoke of?”

“We were. But plans have since changed, Robin. With everything that has occurred, I took it upon myself to alter our arrival destination rather last minute. I didn’t like the idea of our plans becoming known by being exposed to the open for so long. Never know who is listening.”

Aldrick. That was who she spoke about, I knew it without asking.

“Good decision,” Duncan replied.

“Why, thank you.” Althea mocked a bow. “I do live to please.”

A stone dropped in my stomach. It was impossible to ignore the feeling. “We have an uncanny ability to hold information back from one another, don’t you think?”

“You trust me, don’t you, Robin?” Althea asked. “Because I’ve learned to trust you and all your quirky ways.”

“Of course I do.”

“Then the answer is mutual,” Althea replied, eyes wide in genuine shock. “If it makes you feel better, no one knew but the old drunkard over there.” She gestured toward the captain, who was singing a sailor’s song as he navigated the lead ship toward Icethorn land. “Surprise.”

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