Page 23 of A Fate Unwoven
Lena clenched her fists to stop herself from throttling him. She couldn’t afford that—and by the smirk on his face, the smuggler knew it. “Aren’t you supposed to help people? The rumors say you’re an ally to heretics, but all I see is a man who’ll do anything for some extra marks.”
Casimir paused, his expression darkening for the briefest moment. And then he merely shrugged. “Alright, twenty-five marks.”
Lena sucked in a breath through her nose, trying to calm her rising anger. Fates, this man was infuriating. Part of her wanted to twist his threads into submission just to spite him. Instead, she ground her teeth together and said, “Fifteen.”
“Fifteen …,” he agreed after a moment’s pause, his eyes trailing to the blade tucked into her belt, “and your blade.”
Lena’s hand instinctively wrapped around the hilt. It was all she had left of her mother—the only piece of her that this world hadn’t taken. The thought of giving it up made her blood run cold. “It’s just a simple dagger. Why would you want it?”
“I have an eye for rare pieces, and that dagger is worth a lot more than you think. Besides, I became rather fond of it after you used it to try to slit my throat.”
Lena hesitated. She brushed her thumb down the length of the carved hilt, each groove as familiar to her as the surface of her own skin.It’s just a blade,her mother would have said, the carefree smile she always wore crunching the corners of her dark eyes.You worry too much, Lenora.
Kelia Vesthir had sacrificed everything for her daughter’s safety, and Lena would be damned if she was going to let it have been for nothing.
“It’s a deal,” she said, throat tight. “Now get me out of this fates-damned place.”
They spent the rest of the evening forming a plan.
“There are two options to get you into Verlond,” Casimir said, looking over the array of worn maps spread out across his desk. “The first is by sea. I can secure you safe passage on a trading boat departing from the city of Rosvayle. Whilst it cannot get you directly to Verlond, you’ll be able to dock on the island of Orecia. From there, one of mycontacts will take you the rest of the way on a smaller vessel. The boat is due to leave Rosvayle in precisely two moon’s time.”
Lena stared at the map, exhaustion blurring its edges. The city Casimir was pointing to was one Lena had heard of more times than she could count: like Deyecia, Rosvayle was a trading town. It also happened to be the empire’s onlylegalport city, and as such, it was under heavy imperial control. Trying to stow away on one of the trading boats was about as dangerous as entering a pit of starving wolves.
Besides, she couldn’t afford to wait another two moons. Not with the Ehmar heir on her trail.
“That all sounds simple enough,” Lena said. “Except, of course, for the part where I sneak onto a boat monitored by dozens of imperial guards. What’s the second option?”
Casimir pointed to the most southern point on the map. “We travel here, through the Frozen Wastes, and try to make it up the mountain summit and down the other side without falling, freezing, or being eaten by whatever beasts are waiting around for a tasty snack. Admittedly, itisrisky. But luckily for you, you have the help of an infamous smuggler to aid you through such a dangerous task.”
Lena glared at him. Hard.
Casimir held his hands up in mock surrender. “Look, I said I’d get you to Verlond, and I will. You just have to trust me.”
“I’lltrustyou when I’m out of this fates-damned empire.” The words came out harsher than she’d intended. She was tired, and there was a throbbing pain behind her eyes that made looking at the map almost unbearable. “Both options have their risks, but I vote for the option where wedon’thave to deal with imperial soldiers.”
Lena had risked enough coming to Deyecia. So far, it seemed the guards weren’t on the lookout for her, but she couldn’t guarantee how long that would last. Besides, after surviving so many years in the Wilds and coming face-to-face with the creatures from her mother’s stories—creatures whom she could, in some way, seeminglycommand—the whispered dangers of the Frozen Wastes seemed a lot less terrifying.
“The summit it is, then. I’ll need a day or so to get things ready. Supplies, papers for safe passage into the capital once we reach its borders.” Casimir ran a hand through his curls. “You’re welcome to stay here until we’re ready to leave. You’ll be safe.”
Lena’s throat tightened. He seemed so genuine that, for a moment, she almost let herself believe him. But the voice in her head, the one that had spent so long telling her to hide her true self from the world, wouldn’t let her pretend. She would never be safe here, in Næbya’s lands. Not with the Fateweaver’s magic running through her veins. Her only chance at safety now was to get out of Wyrecia as soon as possible.
Still, the thought of trying to find a place to sleep for the night was an exhausting one. The few marks she had left were now promised to Casimir, and finding a place to rest in the city’s surrounding forests would involve sneaking past the guards again. She didn’t completely trust the infamous Raven (or his claim to that title), but for now, his home would have to do.
Still, she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Before I agree, how much extra will yourhospitalitycost me?”
Casimir blinked, and for a second Lena had the notion that her words had actuallyhurthim. His jaw tightened, and the easygoing, almost smug smirk he seemed to be so fond of wearing was replaced by the ghost of a frown.
“It’s included in the price,” the smuggler finally said, the teasing note in his voice gone. He gestured to the fur-covered bench in the corner of the room. “You can sleep there. Admittedly, it isn’t the most luxurious, but it’s warm. And there’s some food in the pantry. You’re welcome to help yourself.”
“Thank you,” she said, surprised to find how much she meant it.
Casimir stared at her for a second longer, something unreadable passing across his features, before he began folding up the map on his desk. He tucked it into one of the drawers of the desk.
“I’ll be upstairs if you need anything.” Casimir lingered for a second longer, as if unsure of himself. And then he was gone, and Lena was alone once more.
She glanced toward the window, her heart fluttering in her chest.It’s just one night,she told herself.
The wind howled against the walls of the smuggler’s house, and beyond it, Lena was sure she could hear the faint whisper of something else, something powerful, calling her name.
