Page 76 of Pretense

Jalissa blinked, frowning. What was wrong?

“Jalissa, amirah…” Elidyr paced away from her. His use of her title stabbed her heart. He had not used her title in months. When he turned back to her, his face was solemn. “I cannot. We should not. I am sorry.”

“Elidyr?” Jalissa tried to step closer, but he just backed away from her.

“I joined the army.” His words were as good as a slap. “I leave for the border in the morning.”

Jalissa sank into the nearest chair, staring at him. He was leaving for the war. Despite knowing how much she worried for her brothers, he was still leaving her to put himself in the same danger.

Jalissa trailed behind Edmund as they left Winstead Palace and made their way through the semi-lit streets of Aldon. Sarya stayed behind Jalissa, and whenever Jalissa glanced back at her, Sarya had her hand on her sword.

They had left the palace an hour later than planned. But Edmund had gotten word that five of the suspected spies who ran the Sentinel had not been apprehended, including the head editor. Likely, they were on the trail of five spy-assassins instead of only one.

When they reached the tenant house, they tiptoed up the stairs to the top floor, not wanting to wake any of the actual tenants of the building.

At the top, Edmund held up a hand. “Wait here a moment. I’ll scout the place first. If I’m not back in five minutes, assume the assassins got me.”

“I do not think this is a joking matter.” Jalissa frowned at him, but somehow she could not put any actual anger into the words.

“I’m not kidding. Not entirely.” Edmund’s grin quirked his mouth. “I would appreciate a rescue if I stumble across a pack of Mongavarian spies hiding in there.”

“We might consider it.” Jalissa attempted to look stern. “If you scream loud enough.”

His grin widened. Then he turned back to the hallway, his expression sobering into his focused, spy look. He tiptoed down the hall until he reached the door. He pressed an ear to the door, then dropped to the floor and peered through the crack beneath. After another moment, he drew a knife and poked it under the door from one side to the other. He then used the tip of the knife to explore the crack where the door met the jamb.

Only then did he slowly turn the knob and disappeared inside.

Jalissa bit her lower lip and tried not to fidget as she waited. What if he got into trouble? Would she and Sarya hear anything? Or could those Mongavarian spies kill Edmund silently?

After what felt like hours but was probably only three minutes or less, Edmund appeared in the doorway and beckoned to Jalissa and Sarya.

Jalissa hurried down the hallway and entered the room, stepping to the side so that Sarya could walk in and shut the door.

A match flared, then Edmund lit one of the Escarlish gas lamps.

In the orange glow, Jalissa took in the mess that filled the room. The chairs were no longer neatly pushed into the table. Several of the cupboards stood open, cans and packages of food scattered as if someone had picked them over. Some of the costumes that had once been in the bedrooms lay on the table and the chairs.

“They were here.” Jalissa grimaced at the mess.

“Yes. They were likely in a hurry to get to the train station by midnight.” Edmund picked up several of the shirts and skirts. “That’s when the last passenger train of the day leaves the Aldon station. The next train doesn’t leave until six this morning.”

Jalissa grimaced. That meant they had four hours to wait until they could leave, and they would be six hours behind the spies.

“If you are tired, you should get some rest. I’m going to clean up this mess and see if I can tell which costumes are missing.” Edmund gathered more of the scattered items.

Jalissa’s bones ached, and her eyes were gritty, but she was far too keyed up to sleep.

Instead, she picked up some of the items as well. “I will not be able to sleep yet. Sarya, please rest. That way you can keep watch on the train while Edmund and I sleep.”

“Yes, amirah.” Sarya strode past Jalissa and entered one of the bedrooms, leaving the door open.

For several minutes, Jalissa and Edmund worked in silence, picking up the main room. They set aside the items that belonged in the room where Sarya was resting, then carried everything else into the other room.

There, they had even more picking up to do. Edmund made notes on a small sheet of paper on the items that appeared to be missing.

After she straightened the last wig on its stand, Jalissa sat back on her heels and surveyed their handiwork. “That looks better.”

“Yes.” Edmund set aside his pencil and paper. When he met Jalissa’s gaze, his eyes were a deep blue, though other colors swirled in their depths. “I am truly sorry that this plan of mine has placed your family at risk. It was never supposed to be used. Not like this.”

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