Chapter 31
Thirty-One
Ivy
After so long riding Toast bareback, it feels strange to have a saddle beneath me again. Also strange to be wearing fine linen rather than coarse, dirty wool against my skin.
Both Stavros and I took a new outfit from the temple’s offerings this morning. The former general particularly wanted to look more like his noble self for our current mission.
The tunic he’s wearing beneath his cloak is embroidered with regular thread rather than gold or silver, and the fabric isn’t quite as fine as he’d have worn at Sovereign College. But he looks more like his old self as he rides beside me.
I tug my own cloak closer around me against the chilly but not biting breeze and scan the countryside. We skirted the town about an hour ago and haven’t passed any close settlements larger than a farm since. Regardless, I’m keeping concealing magic wrapped around us.
For this particular task, we can’t be too careful.
As if picking up on my thoughts, Stavros glances over at me. “Are you sure you want to take this risk? We’ll be dealing with royal military security—and if we’re caught—”
I make a dismissive sound. “Sneaking in and out of places is one of my specialties even without magic. It’s not as if you could knock on the door and expect them to agree to your request.”
“I can occasionally make a case with words rather than weapons,” he replies in a wry tone, but his solemn expression doesn’t shift.
“I suspect this would not be one of those times.” For one thing, I doubt he’s ever had to contend with a royal notice for his arrest before. “This is the best way I can help. It’s not as if we have any better options.”
My magic is the only way I have any hope of stopping the scourge sorcerers’ current plans, as far as I can tell. I just need to be smart about it. If I don’t use it any more than I absolutely need to, I can hope my mind stays reasonably steady.
I haven’t had any strange impulses or glimpses of things that aren’t there since we hid ourselves away in the temple last night. Maybe all I needed was a little break from constantly tapping into my power.
And a chance to indulge in my men’s affections. The memory of our joint encounter sends a thrill of lingering heat through me—along with a twinge of guilt.
Casimir could obviously tell something’s bothering me. I did want all of them; I did want to lose myself in pleasure for a little while. But I was also deflecting further questions I’m not totally sure how to answer.
This is a rather daring exploit even for Stavros, Julita remarks. He’d better know what he’s doing. It’s been over a year since he left the army, hasn’t it?
Her uneasy rambling makes my nerves jitter.
“You’re sure that the mirror will be there?” I ask the former general. “And he’ll answer it quickly?”
Stavros nods. “I was stationed out here a couple of times during my former career. For each of the main royal residences outside of the capital, there’s a means to communicate quickly with the royal family from the primary military fortress in the area.
If fighting breaks out when they’re in residence, they want a swift means to communicate with the local forces. ”
“So you’re going to signal King Konram, and he’ll think it must mean war has broken out.”
Stavros offers me a crooked smile. “Isn’t that essentially what we’re dealing with?”
I guess he has a point. Imagining the battle we could be facing as soon as this evening makes my stomach clench up.
There has been unnervingly little military presence in sight during our ride. Stavros pointed out a couple of smaller forts that we passed at a distance, but I didn’t see much sign of activity around them. Not many soldiers on hand to form a solid defense.
Definitely the strangest part of this experience: wishing there were more soldiers around rather than fewer.
At least for me. As our conversation has been a clear reminder of, Stavros is used to being surrounded by military figures.
I take in his assured poise and the resolve on his handsome face. A deeper pang forms in my chest.
This is the man I’ve fallen for: strong and confident, determined to do what’s right. Looking to defend those who can’t defend themselves.
I admire those qualities, but they could also be what separates us in the end.
“When we had that clash with the patrol on the way here,” I venture, “you said your gift warned you. Has it shown you anything else since your injury?”
Stavros pauses. “Only once, also recently.”
“It might be returning, then. Adapting to the new limitations on your sight. Would you see about getting your old position back if that’s the case?”
I’ve done my best to keep my tone casual, but Stavros’s gaze has turned penetrating when he looks at me. “Gift or not, I’m hardly in a position to lead masses of troops when I can’t see clearly for more than a second at a time. And that’s assuming Konram ever does pardon us.”
I shrug. “I’d imagine your gift could still be useful in some sort of military role. It’s bothered you, not being able to participate at all—being relegated to teaching.”
He can’t deny that fact when he’s told me as much outright.
Stavros exhales in a rush, but he doesn’t argue. “I don’t think any of us can make decisions about what the future might hold beyond the next few days, Ivy. I’d rather focus on making sure all of us have a future.”
His voice softens. “But whatever does happen, I wouldn’t want to go back to exactly the way my life was before. I’m not leaving you behind.”
My cheeks heat. “I wasn’t saying—”
“I know.” His smile has softened too. “I simply thought I should say that. My life has felt awfully empty for a lot of the past year—but it would also feel empty without you in it keeping me on my toes. I wouldn’t mind being back at the royal college feeding you crescent rolls right now.”
Even as I snort at the remark, my mouth waters at the memory of my favorite pastries.
Stavros cocks his head. “Honestly, it’s hard to picture carrying on without Casimir and Alek in the mix somehow too. I think you’re stuck with all of us permanently.”
I roll my eyes and wish the affection in his words had eased more of the tension in my gut.
I can tell he means them in this moment. How much he will if so many more possibilities open themselves up to him, who can say?
I think I’d hate feeling I’ve held him back even more than I’d hate losing him.
Julita hums to herself. I’d trust him on this one, Ivy. I may not have ever gotten all that close to Stav while we were working together, but I can see how much he’s loosened up since he figured out he wants you. You’ve been good for him.
Coming from the woman who was once jealous of the attention her former companions offered me, the sentiment does warm me a little.
We pass through a thin strip of forest. On the other side, a broad stone structure looms at the top of a low rise.
Stavros gestures for us to slow down. “That’s our destination. I wasn’t able to get this close yesterday. I’ll need to determine the most direct route to the room we need…”
Movement by the side of the building makes my pulse stutter. “Someone’s coming.”
The former general stiffens. “They can’t see us, can they?”
“No, but we should probably get off the road to be safe.”
Even as we direct our steeds onto the overgrown grass along the throughway, I realize the figures I noticed aren’t heading our way. Three men on horseback set off to the west. Two wear soldier’s uniforms, but I catch a flash of purple robes beneath the cloak on the man in the middle.
And when he shifts his tall frame in his saddle, the sight of his lopsided body sends a shiver through my nerves.
“Lothar,” Stavros says, identifying the king’s secondary magic advisor at the same moment I did. “Obviously he’s returned from the front. Perhaps he’s consulting with the local forces on techniques for combating scourge sorcery in case the threat we warned about is real after all.”
He speaks without much hope in his voice. I can’t summon a great deal myself. “Well, at least he’s leaving so we won’t have to deal with his riven-hunting inclinations.” And whatever immense gift he received for sacrificing his entire arm to his chosen godlen.
We come around the front of the fortress, giving the building a wide berth. No one’s posted right at the door, but Stavros points out a few guards on watch in the towers at the corners. We definitely can’t stroll right in.
Wetting my lips, I consider the magical strategies I’m most confident in. “How close to the front entrance is the room we need?”
Stavros pauses, his expression going distant as he must navigate the building in his memory. “One floor up, but the stairs are just past the main hall. It’s only a couple of doors down from there. Locked, of course.”
“That won’t be a problem.” I drag a breath into my lungs. “I think I can let us stroll right inside. We’ll just have to be careful about it. And obviously the horses can’t come with us.”
Since I’m not yet confident in my ability to work magic multiple places simultaneously, we secure Toast and his unnamed companion in a sheltered spot amid the trees. Then we tramp back to the fort on foot.
As we approach, I concentrate on the door in front of me. I visualize how large a space I need to carve out for us to pass through without needing it unbarred.
The guards up top can’t see the door from their positions, but I don’t know about the other side.
“Would there normally be anyone stationed in the front hall?” I ask Stavros.
He shakes his head. “Not unless they were preparing to defend from an attack.”
That’ll have to do. I’ll keep our entrance as discreet as possible just in case. “Walk right behind me, straight through the door.”
“What—?”