Page 114 of A City of Flames

Dread pounds against my head and I slide the dagger Idris gave me from my thigh. The twin blades unsheathe as I press my fingers under the trigger point. Freya lurches back, as the creatures gasp.

I creep across the tavern, cautious of the crunching glass under my boots while Tibith slides down and curls into a ball.

Moving the ripped drape aside, I enter Leira’s room, and I’m greeted with the same mess, jars smashed on the ground, and the table I’d sat at with Leira overturned.

My throat closes and I think of the worst until my name is softly spoken from the side.

Leira crouching on the floor, dusting off dirt from books. Aelle is behind her, cleaning the rest of the room.

“Leira,” I breathe, sheathing my blade back in and rushing to her. I grab her arms, helping her up as Freya does the same with Aelle. “What happened?”

Her face flushes in fear amongst the dimness. “Venators raided the place a few hours ago. We didn’t get here until after.”

Venators... hearing that alone makes my body stiffen.

“Why did they raid the place?” Freya asks as she steps over a piece of wood and picks up a few jars, trying to clear the place. “Did they have a reason for it?”

Darius is what first comes to mind, but how? He’d never mentioned Leira, unless somehow—

Bile fills at the back of my throat wondering if the queen had managed to get answers out of him, but Leira banishes that thought when she shakes her head and says, “The barmaid said they came in search of all the witches living in the Draggards, they wanted to know if we’d worked for the Golden Thief. Apparently, he’s used glamor to wander around the city at times.”

As Archer.

I’m exasperated, not knowing where to go from here before Leira’s eyes flicker over my shoulder and her brows pucker. “Who are these—”

Glancing behind I answer, “Creatures I salvaged.”

The goblins nervously blink their glossy eyes and then Tibith’s feet patter towards my side, smiling. “Hello there Miss!”

Leira’s frown turns into peculiar amusement, and I let go of her arms, taking a step back. Freya and Aelle continue to salvage what was not damaged but I focus on what needs to be done. This place is no longer safe for Leira or Aelle, and their cottage likely could be the same.

My sigh alerts Leira to shift her gaze to me. “Look, I need your help,” I say.

Based on the sleepless night I can imagine I already look rough, but Leira detects my worry and clasps both her hands around mine, bringing it to her chest. “Anything.”

Perturbation ripples off me and onto her. I’d not had much affection apart from my brothers since my parent’s death. But then I came here and found Freya, Leira...

My breath quivers as I inhale, and I tell her everything I can remember. The attack, the creature, how Darius took me to the shifter’s den, and I hated it because I enjoyed every minute, every second of it until Darius pushed me, letting that arrow hit him.

I’m panting by the end, describing the shock of Lorcan and Darius’s history before finishing with what I have chosen to do.

It’s so quiet even with Freya and Aelle cleaning in the background, the shattered glasses scraping the wood, books hissing as they pick them up. Leira finally sighs, lowering her gaze as well as her hands. “Nara this is you risking—”

“Please, Leira.” Desperation reeks off me, but I don’t care. “I can do this and—and—” I glance at Tibith for a second “—Tibith can take you to the den.”

Tibith peers up at me, a nod followed by a smile, and I return it just as I look at Leira again. “You just need to hold the shifters off for a little while until I sort a way to get Darius out.”

Tibith would be protected, Leira, Aelle and the other creatures, at least for now.

“What about your brothers?” Wariness floods her eyes as my heart caves in, it might as well grind into dust.

They were the first thing I thought about as soon as I returned, Idris had mentioned they would be back to watch the trials, but that was another added issue to the many I had going on right now. “I’ll handle it when they come.” A further promise, I am not going to let anything happen to them.

Leira bites her lip, glancing at Aelle behind her who simply gives her an encouraging nod. “Alright, I’ll—”

“What’s this?”

We turn our heads to Freya, holding a large, leather-bound book, amethysts adorn the center of the cover as she narrows her eyes at it.

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