Page 146 of A Crown of Lies

“Fuck,” Niro repeated. He yanked the chair away from his desk and sank into it, rubbing his forehead.

“Redrock is behind this.” Ruith’s fury was evident in his tone.

“It could just as easily be any of the other clans,” Aryn said, moving beside him. “Everyone has an agenda, and the chance to get their claws in the next Primarch is an enticing one. Taratheil’s death will have left a power vacuum, and no one has stepped forward to fill that here. All the clans will be scrambling to grasp at the hem of his shroud.”

Niro looked up at Aryn. “We have to get her back.”

Ruith frowned. “A rescue mission is too dangerous.”

Niro’s fist came down on the desk without force. “Then what do you propose we do? Just let them have her? Let them win?”

“I’m not saying that.” Ruith uncrossed his arms and closed on the front of the desk. “I’m just saying we wait, see what their demands are before we act. The Shikami have the advantage here. Any attempt to free Saya would be a suicide mission.”

A cold calm spread through Aryn. He lowered his hands to his sides and lifted his chin. “Not for the Shrike.”

Ruith’s back stiffened. “The Shrike is no more, by your own design.”

“No,” Mercia said firmly. She crossed the room and grabbed hold of Aryn’s arm. “No, Aryn. You had peace! The Shrike nearly destroyed you. You can’t go back to it.”

“If I don’t, we lose everything,” Aryn replied, pulling away from her. He couldn’t look at her, at the watery look of betrayal in her eyes. “If I don’t, Saya dies. Do you think, even after they get what they want, the Shikami will release her? If they’re allowed to threaten the most powerful elf in this city while we are here, what do you think they’ll do when we’re gone? We must send a message. I have killed the Shikami already, Mercia. This is just its ghost. I will become the same.”

“A ghost to fight a ghost.” Niro huffed out a loud breath and ran his hands over his face.

Mercia turned away, and Aryn’s heart broke in two. He ached with the need to go to her, to hold her and assure her this wouldn’t break him, but even he wasn’t sure.

“We will need to keep their employer’s eyes on us so Aryn can work,” Ruith said. “Whoever hired the Shikami can’t know that we aren’t preparing to comply.”

“No.” Aryn stepped forward and put his hands on Niro’s desk. “That’s exactly what you want. Don’t sweep this under the rug. The Shikami can only operate in the dark. Shine a light on them. Immobilize them with attention and the corruption they foster.” He looked at Niro. “Position yourself above it. Against it.”

Niro frowned. “That is a progressive stance, Aryn. I’m running on a moderate platform.”

“It is a firm stance,” Aryn said, sweeping around the desk to stand beside Niro. “Your enemies think they’ve weakened you with this blow. Don’t retreat. Come out swinging. Use this as your fire. Show them you’re passionate about it. Tell them a story, Niro. Make yourself the hero, not the victim.”

Niro sighed. He lowered his head before lifting his eyes to Isheda. “Your thoughts?”

Isheda glanced at Ruith and Aryn before nodding once. “They have drawn battle lines, thinking they control the field. Step over it and show them they don’t.”

At length, Niro nodded to Ruith. “I need to make a speech. Can you arrange it?”

Ruith nodded back. “Give me two hours. I’ll have you a platform in the Runecleaver district.”

“The Runecleavers?” Aryn blinked, surprised. He knew Ruith had gone to get their backing, but if he thought he had enough pull to get them to host a rally, that was something else. “What did you do?”

Ruith looked away. “What I had to. We’ll discuss it later, when the clock isn’t ticking. Isheda, come with me.”

Isheda bowed to Niro and followed Ruith out of the office.

Niro waited for them to leave. He tapped his fingers on the desk a moment before he stood and went to stand before Aryn. “Tell me you can do this. That you can bring her back unharmed.”

Aryn took a breath, glancing over at Mercia. “I can’t. But the Shrike can.”

Niro frowned. “I don’t understand the difference.”

“The Shrike is a cold-blooded killer,” Mercia said. “A weapon. He won’t stop until the mission is complete, no matter how many people he has to kill.” She turned around, eyes watering. “Even if it destroys him.”

Niro’s expression softened. He reached out to cup Aryn’s cheek, brushing a thumb along his jaw.

Aryn glanced at him before pulling away and going to Mercia. “Let me do this. Let me put this to bed once and for all. I can’t be at peace until it is done.” He lifted the back of her hand to his lips. “I need the people I care about to be safe, Mercia. Right now, they aren’t. They could have hurt you. Could have killed you.”

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