Chapter 30
Talon
Knowing the Devourer left behind walking corpses and seeing one nearly tear Zara’s throat out had turned out to be two very different things.
The thought of what could have happened if I hadn’t gotten there when I did tormented me.
I would never let her sleep alone in her room again, even if I had to torture myself by standing guard and not touching her.
I stole another glance at her, now thankfully changed out of that sheer nightgown. She was too damned beautiful.
Even now, when I should have been focused on finding the spy, I wanted to kiss her again.
The way her soft lips felt under mine, the little breathy sounds she made, and the way her cinnamon smell had enveloped me made me burn with desire.
As soon as she fell asleep, I had to disentangle myself from her warmth and scent to keep myself from falling upon her again like a starving man.
I had stood beside the bed, guarding her while she slept. My thoughts had tortured me.
But last night didn’t change the fact that she was promised to the emperor.
I gritted my teeth at the thought of having to watch her marry Altair—how could I endure it now that I had finally acted on the fantasy that had tormented me since we first flew back to the palace together, of finally touching her, kissing her?
I couldn’t stand aside and let her tie herself to Altair, not only because I wanted her for myself, but also because I couldn’t stand to watch her suffer at his hands.
But her looming marriage to Altair was a problem for another time.
We made our way quietly through the plain and cold servants’ quarters.
Here, the same stony walls of the mountain continued, but there were no tapestries or art to break up the monotony.
As we walked, I noted how few servants we came across.
The palace had a staff of over two hundred people, not including guards, so we should have seen someone by now. But the halls were empty.
We passed many doors that led to individual servants’ rooms. Finally, we arrived at a set of double doors near the kitchen. The head steward position came with a larger set of rooms that included a small sitting area, bathing room, and bedroom. “This is Bran’s room,” I told Zara.
“I hope we’re not disturbing him,” she said, a line of worry creasing her brow. “It’s still so early.”
A smile pulled at the corner of my lips. Altair wouldn’t have given a single thought to disturbing a servant in the middle of the night, much less dawn, but Zara thought of others, no matter their social status.
I knocked on the door lightly. After a moment, we heard footsteps. Bran answered, looking disheveled with rumpled clothing and mussed hair, but he was still wearing his steward attire of a dove-gray tunic and pants.
He paled when he saw us. “Future Empress Zara, Commander Talon,” he said with a bow, “how may I serve you?”
I glanced behind us at the empty hallway. Still, someone could be around the corner listening, and I didn’t want the potential spy to get spooked if he heard we were seeking him out. “May we come in? Just for a moment,” I added when his eyebrows shot into his hairline.
“Of—of course,” he said, stepping aside so we could enter.
I held out my hand for Zara to go first. “We hope we didn’t wake you,” she told Bran as she passed by him.
“Not at all, Future Empress,” he said.
Once inside his sitting room, he had us come sit before the fire on hard-backed chairs, worry etched on his face.
“You must forgive me for not having more comfortable seating,” he said with another bow toward Zara. “I don’t entertain many people here.”
“It’s perfectly comfortable,” Zara said, which seemed to ease some of his concern.
“We won’t keep you, so I’ll jump right to the point,” I said, and he nodded.
“We are looking for a servant, and I hope you remember him. When you first came to speak to me about the missing staff, we encountered a man with a reddish tint to his hair.” Bran looked thoughtful but not as if he knew whom I was talking about.
“You were upset when he retrieved the emperor’s journal,” I prompted, and his face lit up.
“Yes, yes, I know exactly who you mean. His name is Caelen.”
“Where can we find Caelen?” Zara asked eagerly.
“He works during the night, so he should be asleep in his room,” Bran said. “Shall I show you the way, Commander?”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said.
Bran nodded. “Then you’ll find his room in the east wing of the servants’ quarters. It’s the fourth door on the left.”
I stood. “Thank you for your help, Bran.”
“Of course, Commander,” he said, bowing again to us both. Before we could leave, he cleared his throat. “Has Caelen done something wrong, Future Empress?”
She hesitated. “We just need to speak to him about an important matter. We’re so sorry to disturb your privacy so early in the morning, but thank you for helping us.”
Bran didn’t ask anything else, but I could see he very badly wanted to.
We hurried quietly toward the east wing of the servants’ quarters, still passing no one else. When we arrived at the fourth door, I didn’t knock this time. I pushed on it, only to find it barred from the inside.
None of the servants were allowed to keep their doors locked. With a signal to Zara with my eyes to stand back, I rammed the door with my shoulder. It took several tries, but the weak wood finally splintered under my assault, and I burst through it.
A man I recognized as Caelen stood in front of his cot, face pale as new-fallen snow, with a death grip on a dagger.
He was dressed like any other servant, in a somber gray tunic and pants with quiet cloth shoes.
His facial features were even and unremarkable, with brown eyes to match his brown hair.
In this dim light, it was hard to discern whether his hair held the reddish tint I remembered.
“Possession of a weapon by a servant is forbidden in the palace,” I said with a meaningful glance at his dagger. “I suggest you drop it.”
He did so warily, never taking his eyes off me, even when Zara came into the room behind me. Caelen’s eyes widened when he saw her, and he bowed.
“Future Empress,” he said, “to what do I owe this visit?”
I remained in front of the door, blocking the only exit. “Tell me your name,” I said gruffly before Zara could respond to him. She would be too kind, and Caelen needed to know I would do whatever was necessary to get the answers I needed.
“Caelen, sir,” he replied.
“Caelen—if that’s your real name—I know you’re not a servant.”
Caelen stayed silent, as though appraising the situation. “What makes you say that?”
“I’m more observant than people give me credit for, and I’ve spent a lot of time with a sharp-eyed eagle.
” Caelen didn’t answer, while I turned the full weight of my stare on him.
“If you feel like holding your tongue, I could always take you to stay in the west wing for a night or two. I think we’ll find you to be more forthcoming after that. ”
Caelen paled even more, his face taking on the faint sheen of nervous sweat.
“This is how I know you’re not a simple servant. Not even the guards know what dwells in the west wing, but I think you do. Whatever skills you may have, I guarantee you can’t win in a fight against the two of us.”
I took a threatening step toward him.
“If you know about the dark sorcerer,” Zara said, and Caelen’s gaze instantly jumped to hers, “then I think you’re in need of allies. We”—she paused to gesture toward herself and me—“want the same thing you do: to get rid of it.”
“But if you’re unwilling to do it the easy way, I won’t hesitate to lock you in there with it,” I added.
“I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Zara cut in. “Maybe there’s a way we can all help each other?”
Caelen was silent, and I knew even that wouldn’t be enough to convince him.
“In order for the king of Mistral to know that creature is here, there must have been a spy, because word hasn’t spread beyond the mountain.
I tend not to notice servants, like everyone else, which makes your position here perfect for gathering intel.
” I leaned toward him. “I may not be very observant of servants, but I remember seeing you. You were the one who retrieved the emperor’s journal.
I’m sure you read it before the head steward and I came upon you.
You positioned yourself close to the emperor this whole time.
You wanted to be close by when your king sent word. ”
Caelen’s gaze shifted to Zara’s and back to mine. “I am a servant, as you see, Commander. If I were a spy, then I’d be put to death by the emperor the moment I revealed myself.”
I didn’t let his words sway me. There could be other servants who had features similar to his, but then I remembered his reaction to what was in the west wing, and I knew I was right.
I pushed on. “You have my word as an Eagle Rider you won’t be executed.
We will need your help if the emperor is to accomplish the impossible task your king has given him. ”
Caelen looked at Zara again, and she nodded in encouragement. “You have my word as First Daughter—however helpful that may be,” she said, “for your protection.”
At last, Caelen said, “I have been here six months now. I was sent originally to assess the war between the empire and the Children of Earth, and I was there in the throne room the day Emperor Altair brought the Devourer to the palace. It was clear the emperor had no idea what devastating evil he’d unleashed. ”
I held very still. He’d used the same name we did. So the people of Mistral still remembered—the knowledge lived on. Perhaps that was why they still feared it. “Your people call it the Devourer.”