Page 89 of Fear the Flames
“There are caves somewhere near the border,” I offer. “It’s where Ailliard wanted to take me, but Garrick would have sent soldiers to scour them. It was too obvious of a hiding place.”
Saskia snaps her fingers in recognition, “Yes! I forgot about the caves.” She glances toward the coordinates on the side of the map and drags her slender fingers toward a point close to the border but far enough for Cayden and me to be able to rest. “The most difficult part of this is going to be getting behind the lines.”
I laugh under my breath and pinch my tired eyes. “Yes, infiltrating the castle will be nothing.”
I had close to no sleep last night, but I still got more than nothing, which is more than I expected. I rode here on the same horse as Cayden. Neither of us said anything while he lifted me and swung himself up behind me. He just pressed my back into his chest and kept me secure between his arms. Citizens of Verendus looked at us in a mixture of horror, confusion, and shock. But I noticed a definitive shift in reactions when we rode through headquarters and to the border. His soldiers looked at him with pride; some even cheered as we rode past. He’s a leader they’re happy to follow, and I don’t think Cayden even realizes it.
After we got back here, he said he had some things to take care of before his soldiers charge the border today, so I bathed first. Eagor’s mother wasn’t against using magic to make lives easier, so the tent has a bathroom, as do many of the other tents. Eagor doesn’t spend time at the border, but I’m sure magic has aided his life in other ways. Ryder gathered the intelligence of their soldier rotations, and we need to find a weak spot in their defenses for Cayden and me to enter Imirath.
“If anyone can do it, it’s the two of you,” she says, flashing her eyes up to mine.
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t think anyone hates Garrick more.” Her eyes darken, and a frown pulls at her lips before she clears her throat and wipes away her brief show of displeasure. She forces a smile in its place. “Plus, you have my brain on your side.”
Nobody wins harder than someone who once lost everything,my brain replays Cayden’s words for the millionth time. While it’s definitely a comfort to have someone as intelligent asSaskia working with me, my mind snags on her first statement.
“Why does Cayden hate Garrick so much?” I whisper. I can’t bear to say the words louder. It’s a question I should ask Cayden directly, but can’t stop the persistence of my curiosity.
Saskia’s shoulders stiffen, and she halts the fingers she was gliding over the map. “It’s not my story to tell.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry I asked.” Guilt ripples through me and weighs heavily on my chest. I don’t want to put her in an uncomfortable position.
“If I were you, I’d be asking the same question, and I honestly give you credit for not coming to me sooner. I don’t even know the whole story, and neither does Ryder.” She shakes her head, her long midnight braids slipping in front of her shoulders. “He’s the most guarded person I know.”
“Did Ryder or Cayden fill you in on everything we found out last night?” I ask, desperate to change the subject. She opens her mouth to answer my question but cuts herself off when the tent flaps swing open, and three tall figures stroll in.
My eyes zone in on Cayden. I rake my gaze over his body, clad in his black and silver armor and several weapons. He looks every inch the feared commander the continent knows him to be. His knuckles are still red and raw from last night. I offered to bandage them, but he said he wanted to remember every blow he made. When my eyes make their way to his face again, he’s staring at me with such intensity that my knees feel weak.
Ripping my eyes away, I steady myself before my mind starts replaying the memory of last night. Inhaling calming breaths and smiling at Finnian. His curls bounce against his forehead as he walks further into the tent and tosses the leather satchel that was slung over his shoulder on a chair in Cayden’s seating area.
“Did we miss anything good?” Ryder asks, walking to the other side of the desk to stand next to his sister.
“Elowen was just about to go over the details from last night.” My body stiffens at her choice of words; she doesn’t realize how suggestive they sound. I look anywhere other than Cayden, who now stands at the edge of the desk. My cheeks heat under his gaze and only worsen when Ryder’s mouth turns upward briefly before he covers it up. “Where were you?” Saskia inquires, looking over at me with a confused expression.
I lick my dry lips, “The brothel. Anyway—”
“The brothel?” Saskia cuts me off, not letting me skid past. My cool hand caresses my burning neck, and I let out an awkward laugh. I would love to bring both of my arms forward and bury my face in them.
“Elowen thought of a plan to catch the final assassin. Ryder, Finnian, and I showed up to help her follow it through,” Cayden informs her in an easy tone. At least he doesn’t look like a tomato.
“You could’ve sent word. I would’ve helped,” Saskia mutters. She came here before us last night, which is why she couldn’t come to the brothel. I guess neither Cayden nor Ryder caught her up on anything this morning. They were probably busy with army preparations.
“Honestly, Sas, I think Cayden and Elowen pulled it off perfectly. I’ve never seen Cayden quite so….” Ryder waves his hands in front of his face as if he could pluck the perfect word from thin air. “Dedicated to his mission.”
“Yes, I take some missions very seriously.” Cayden shoots daggers at Ryder with his eyes, imploring him to stop talking.
“You can be weird later.” Saskia raises her finger and pokes Ryder in the chest to amplify her point. She turns her gaze back to me, “What did you find out?” Bless her thirst for knowledge.
“The Head Guard of Imirath carries a key to the dragon chamber. If we can get the key, then it will overpower the runes. It has a red ruby on it to differentiate it from the others. He also confirmed the dragon chamber is in the East Tower of the castle.” Saskia’s smile grows the more I speak. I think knowledge and intelligence sustain her more than food and water.
“Brilliant!” she exclaims, drumming her fingers on the table. “The guard is easy to spot; they wear a black band on their right arm to differentiate them from the rest.” I feel my shoulders loosen slightly. I’m relieved she knows how to differentiate the head guard because I was never exposed to the hierarchy of the court. “Did you get the name of the assassin?”
This is the part I was dreading telling Finnian the most. He didn’t push me to talk last night after we got back; I was too drained. Robick kept all information about himself close, never letting any of his partners question his identity. I can deal with teasing when it comes to the beginning part of last night, but this is something that latches onto all the years I woke up screaming from nightmares.
“Robick, one of Garrick’s guards,” I state. Finnian’s hands shoot forward to grip the edge of the desk. I sneak a glance over at him; his skin has turned a sickly shade of green. Ryder and Saskia’s eyes shoot toward him, but I can feel Cayden’s eyes on me like a second skin. It feels like he’s tracking every emotion that flows through me.
“I would’ve stayed in the basement if I knew it was one ofthoseguards. Tell me you made him suffer,” Finnian grounds out. His eyes dart toward me, waiting anxiously for my response.
