Page 94 of House of Embers
She nodded. “She said she has a contingent for Sayair as well.”
“My cousin lives on the outside of Devinwell,” Gerrond said, scribbling into a notebook. He tore the paper out and offered it to Clover. “He’d be the best first contact. Is she planning to give some to the drifters as well?”
“I’m meeting Islay and Ruen after this to see if they’re interested.”
A light shone in Gerrond’s eyes. “This is beyond my wildest dreams. When I thought the drifters would be a part of the Society, I didn’t ever think they’d have dragons. Thank you, Clover.”
“Well, thank Kerrigan,” Clover said with a shrug. “She’s the one who works miracles.”
“When I next see her, I’ll tell her exactly what I think of her.”
Hadrian cleared his throat. “Did you have any news for us?”
“Oh, yes. Bastian is throwing the Society Ball. I have an invitation.”
“A ball?” Hadrian asked in confusion. “Why is that of consequence?”
“The last time he got everyone together, he killed half of the arena,” Gerrond deadpanned. “Seems important.”
Clover took the invite. “I’ll let her know. Thanks.”
“Stay safe out there, and give Islay and Ruen my love.”
“We will,” Clover said.
Hadrian put an arm around her shoulders as they went back out the way they had come. Clover fiddled with the invitation.
“This is not good news,” she muttered.
“No,” Hadrian agreed, glancing at the town house over his shoulder. “It feels like a trap from Bastian.”
“We’ll see what Kerrigan says.”
Clover didn’t relax again until they were in the Dregs, at the edges of the city. While the whole city had a stronger guard presence, the Dregs were the hotbed of human and half-Fae living quarters. The guards here were particularly violent, and it was best to avoid them at all costs.
It was a few blocks before Clover had the distinct feeling that someone was watching them. Each turn felt like a pair of eyes. She couldn’t hear the sound of pursuit or the clomp of feet, but the feeling remained.
Hadrian met her gaze as they took another turn closer to headquarters.
“Do you think we’re being followed?” she whispered.
He looked behind him. “I don’t know.”
She bit her lip. Life had gotten harder in Kinkadia, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle. She clutched the amulet at her chest. Her father’s amulet now gave her magic just like the Fae had. It wasn’t internal and took a lot of work to make it function, but it was all hers. If someone was stupid enough to follow her, she’d be ready.
When they reached headquarters, Clover looked over her shoulder one more time, but there was nothing there.
“Thea?” Clover called, removing her cloak and hanging it on a peg.
Headquarters was dark. The meeting for Rights For All should have already ended, but a host of new humans and half-Fae who were interested in joining their amulet army should have been lingering.
Hadrian used a tiny bit of fire magic to light a lantern, illuminating the narrow room that had a long table down the middle. Papers littered the space but no people.
Clover had a bad feeling about this—the same bad feeling that had been hounding her since she left Fallon’s house. Had the person tailing her beaten her here? Was that possible?
She opened the amulet and reached for the thread of magic at the center. “Thea?” she repeated.
A sound came from the back room. Clover dashed forward, pushing open the door that led to their workroom. During the day, a dozen tinkerers worked on the amulet design and trained those who were learning to the use the magic. Tonight, it was almost empty.
