Page 94 of A City of Flames

“Did I interrupt something?” Link asks, cautious and anxious.

I shake my head at him and smile. “Not at all. Is everything alright?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Since there is no one else I can send a letter to, I was hoping you could help me write one for Illias.”

My face glows. “There is nothing I would like more than to help you write that letter.”

* * *

Leaves crackle under my boots as I walk deeper into the forest. Talk of dragons causing havoc here had made it back to the venators, and just before nightfall, most were out hunting.

The hope that we don’t find any dragons grows the more we move through thickets. At first, I thought that if we did, I could convince venators not to react, or with some luck, find the dragon first.

I do not want a repeat of my village, nor can I endure another second of pretending to be ready for the trials. Solaris how I’d laugh at myself in the past if I knew the more I’d spend time in the city, my hatred for dragons would lessen.

“Why are you frowning?” Rydan asks, a sword in his hand as he waits for any attack. “You finally got a mission that doesn’t involve patrolling.”

Because the general and Lorcan are too occupied elsewhere to give out the orders...

And though I’ve not seen Lorcan as much during the week, despite our moment together after the dungeons, he’s become distracted.

“Must be because you haven’t stopped following me since we left the barracks,” I grumble as I watch the ground for any marks or potential hazards where one might trip at night.

Rydan chuckles and then exhales dreamily. “Ambrose, it’s okay to admit you’re trying to run away from our love which I get it; I mean, I’m such a great warrior Lorcy is even intimidated by me.”

Well, now I know Rydan would get along with a certain self-obsessed shifter.

I look over at him, one brow up in complete disbelief. “Are you sure you’re not the one who is intimidated, considering you’re always blushing around Lorcan?”

He scoffs, but I know even in the darkness, he’s likely going red again. “That’s just allergies.” He waves a hand. “Now tell me what is really going on.”

Great, he’s onto me.

I huff and turn to him. He does the same, and now we’re both looking at each other, pursing our lips in stubbornness. I glance at the venator symbol on his armor and pull a face, knowing I have the same, we all do. “Why did you decide to join the venators?”

That throws him off, and he blinks, looking away. “Well,” he starts, clearing his throat. “I never met my parents. I was raised by a woman instead who died a year ago. I didn’t have anywhere to go, so what better place than to join where free meals and shelter are given.”

I tilt my head, wondering how hard that must have been, never knowing who your parents were, and then the one person who did look after you like one... died. “And you’re okay with killing dragons?” I ask softly.

“If I’m honest, I’d rather not kill anything, but you must not care considering you were a trapper, and well—” Brown eyes skim over me from top to bottom “—seem deadly.”

I’m somewhat tempted to roll my eyes as I walk off again. “I’m not as deadly as you think I am.”

He catches up to me. “That’s what all the guilty people say.”

Solaris, how many guilty people has he come across that have said that?

“Would you look at that,” he cheers. “She smiles!”

To my distaste, I start laughing and hit the side of his arm. Behind us, two trainees murmur to one another. I recognize them as Alex and Jaron—both never keep quiet.

“Yeah, right.” One of them scoffs. “I doubt the shifters will stand a chance now that they’ve found the Neoma tree’s blood weakens—”

shifters... Blood?

Planting my feet on the ground, I turn and grab Alex by the neck of his armor. Frowning, I demand, “What did you say?”

Alex’s face turns ghostly even in the dark. Bringing his hands up in surrender, he widens his eyes.

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