Chapter 20 #2
A shadow falls across our table, and Dezi reappears, his presence like a cool breeze.
“Council finances the fights,” he murmurs low enough that only we can catch it.
“Fighters are willing... and the masked fae fighter? A mystery wrapped in silence. He only shows up a few times a month from far away. Nothing new on the legend.”
“Great,” I mutter, my appetite for this farce of a dinner vanishing. “We hit the woods tomorrow, then. No reason to wait.”
Before another word can be drawn out of us, the hall’s chatter spikes into a crescendo of shocked whispers. A law officer, uniform crisp against the backdrop of evening gowns and tuxedos, pushes through the crowd towards the council table.
“Murder,” the officer announces, voice cutting through the murmur like a knife. “Young girl, dark-haired, about her age—” His eyes flicker to Fiadh, and I feel her hand go icy in mine.
“Behind Twig a stark contrast to the fiery warrior I know.
It’s not hard to figure out that she’s worried that someone stalking her to Faerie means someone could stalk her sister’s trek through the wilderness.
“Come on,” I murmur, guiding her with a gentle tug. She looks at me, her eyes wide and haunted, then nods, steeling herself for the trip through the crowd of asshole press and scared townspeople.
We weave through the throng of bewildered guests, their faces painted with varying shades of horror and curiosity.
Khol shoots me a look, his eyebrows raised in silent communication—’We need to get out, now.
’ Tiernan follows close behind, his protective gaze scanning the room for any threats that might’ve slipped in with the chaos.
“Excuse us, pardon us,” I mutter, deploying my most gracious smile despite the situation’s grimness. It feels like wading against a tide, each step away from the pandemonium a minor victory.
Finally, the night air hits us, crisp and sobering after the stifling atmosphere inside.
We pause just beyond the reach of the venue’s lights, the surrounding darkness suddenly comforting.
Here, we are not the center of attention; we’re not under scrutiny.
We can breathe and process what just happened.
“What do we really know about this murder?” Dezi’s voice is low, but it carries an authoritative edge that pulls us all back to reality. He’s already piecing together clues from the scant information we have, his mind always working ahead.
“Nothing solid,” Tiernan answers, crossing his arms. He looks every bit the bodyguard, ready to face down whatever threat comes our way.
“Arrowwood’s secrets are deeper than we thought,” I say, taking in the worried faces of my companions. “This murder... it’s no coincidence it happened tonight, with all of us here.”
“Or that it happened to someone resembling Sassypants,” Khol adds darkly, his protective stance beside her unwavering.
Fiadh nods slowly, her earlier bravado washed away by the gravity of the news. “We find out who did this,” she says, her voice steady despite the shadows in her eyes. “For her sake, and for ours.”
“Tomorrow,” I declare, “we start at the forest.” The others nod, their determination mirroring my own. In the silence that follows, a pact forms between us, unspoken but understood.
“We have to watch each other’s backs,” Dezi says. “There are far too many enemies in this hamlet, and I grow concerned that it will only get worse as we move to bigger cities or more dangerous courts.”
“Always,” Khol agrees, and Tiernan grunts his assent.
We huddle closer, our resolve hardening like forged steel. Whoever—or whatever—is behind the murder, we will uncover the truth. For the town, for the girl, and for the dark threads weaving through Arrowwood, threatening to ensnare us all.