Page 1 of Fate of Echoes and Embers
1
MAREK
Valewood Bay, Estmere, Elydor
“She lives less than a full day’s ride from here.” I stopped, waiting for the serving girl to clear our meal. She’d not taken her eyes from me last eve when we arrived or this morn, but I wasn’t interested in a dalliance.
Not today, at least.
“How long will it take to secure your lady’s acquiescence?” Kael asked, leaning back into the wooden seat and stretching out his legs. His partner, Mev, watched him with a look that I knew well. One of desire.
I’d been introduced to the Gyorian prince and Aetherian princess only a fortnight ago but could appreciate their tight bond, even if partnering wasn’t in the cards for me.
“Attempt to secure it,” I clarified. “There is every likelihood she won’t come with us.”
Mev took a sip of ale. No one at The Maiden’s Rest seemed to notice anything unusual about her. By outside appearances, she was an Aetherian woman… Princess Mevlida’s long pearl-white hair overshadowing that she was also half-human. If patrons knew the long-lost daughter to King Galfrid sat in the same tavern as them, we would be surrounded. As it was, the few that remained this early in the morning were more interested in their own ales than us.
“That’s not the first time you’ve said as much. What’s the deal?” Mev, the only human to have come through the Gate from the human realm in nearly thirty years, often used words not familiar here.
“The deal?” I asked.
The corners of Kael’s mouth lifted. “The scoop. The dealio,” he said in his best Mev impression.
“Pretty sure he won’t know those either. Besides, I’ve never used ‘the dealio’ before.”
Kael’s brow raised. “No? Then would you care to tell me where I learned it?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe from one of the other humans in Elydor? We’re in an entire kingdom of them.” She waved her hands around. “If you haven’t noticed.”
“I don’t associate with any other humans. As you know.”
“Not true. You associate with Issa.”
My hand froze. I put down the mug of ale and asked Mev to repeat herself.
“Did you say… Issa?”
“It’s short for Isolde. She’s literally one of the only humans, besides me, Kael likes. Actually, when I first met her?—”
“Lady Isolde Hawthorne?” I asked.
Kael answered. “You know her?”
Oh, I knew her well enough. “I’m certain I mentioned going to Hawthorne Manor when we arrived in Valewood Bay. You made no mention of being familiar with it.”
Kael sat up in his chair. “I’m certain you didn’t.”
“I’m pretty sure,” Mev cut in. “Your exact words were, ‘After we drop off Rowan, I need three days in Valewood. There’s a woman there who might be useful for this mission.’”
“And when we asked,” Kael added, his gruff, Gyorian manner more on display now than it had been before Issa’s name had been mentioned. “You refused to say any more.”
That was entirely possible. I didn’t talk about Issa.
Ever.
To anyone.
“How do you know her?” I asked, half-afraid of the answer.
