The man stared at the sack of coins. His weary eyes welled as he pictured the image she painted, and the things he might have dreamed of. He gave her a watery smile. “Aye, I think you’re right. Thank you, truly. Permit me to ferry you out of Corron so I don’t feel as though I have swindled you.”
“There’s no need. If the gold unsettles you so, accept it as payment for your boat.”
“You want my boat? But I was to ferry the man and his lot this morn.”
She gave him a dark smile. “I’ll see to it. He and I have a matter to settle.”
He chuckled nervously. “Ah, then, I suppose this is farewell?”
“Yes. And take my word for it—go,” she warned. “You do not want to be here when they come searching for me.”
The man didn’t know who they were, but he nodded from the severity in her tone. As soon as he closed the door, Lucenna cast an invisibility spell over herself. She walked along the street of wattle and daub houses, her heels clacking on the cobblestone to a steady rhythm.
She gathered her Essence, excited to wield magic freely. Lucien confirmed the Enforcers were two days out. There was enough time to enact her plan.
She wouldn’t leave without the Lūna Medallion. It was a family heirloom, the making of a legacy she tried to live up to, and it represented the hope of every sorceress in the Magos Empire.
Commander Von made the greatest mistake of his life the day he crossed her.
Lucenna closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Her consciousness slipped into the Essentia Dimensio where Essence became alive. It brought her to a pitch-black environment devoid of anything, but its energy hummed through her in welcome.
Her Essence appeared as a vivid sphere of purple lightning that convulsed and swirled before her. She flicked her hand up and the sphere zoomed high above into the empty blackness. It exploded in a rain of light. Streaks of purple spread outward, expanding like a net in the dark for her target. But it thinned and lost color the further it went out until her Essence completely faded away.
Someone else had already cloaked Commander Von.
Lucenna clenched her fists. He had the services of a mage! But none of the men with him had been one. She would have sensed it.
Well, it didn’t matter. The Moonstone may be missing, but the medallion was created by one of the most powerful mages in history. His Essence had eternally infused inside, and it was not hidden from her.
She cast out another tracking spell, searching for the Essence that closely resembled her own. This time her power moved surely through the Essentia Dimensio, and it landed in the distance on two glowing bulbs of light. One was the radiant mauve Essence trapped in the Lūna Medallion, and the other was green.
That was Dyna’s Essence. It was odd that the tracking spell targeted her, and she was within immediate proximity of the medallion. Was that a coincidence?
There was no time to waste thinking about it.
Lucenna hooked her spell onto the medallion and opened her eyes to the real world. A trail of translucent purple fire, visible only to whoever she wished, appeared at her feet and snaked down the quiet street. Leading her exactly where she needed to go.
Chapter 38
Dynalya
Dyna hardly listened as Zev rattled off the list of provisions they needed to purchase for their journey. She followed him to a merchant selling grain. He asked for a pound of this or that, his voice muffled in the buzz of her thoughts. Cassiel lingered a few feet away, but his presence pressed against her back. She could feel his eyes on her as she felt his agitation.
Her elbow was still sore from where it had slammed on the floor when he pushed her off him that morning. It startled her awake as much as his feeling of horror and shame had also hit her. He then bolted from the room without a word.
Dyna fisted the sleeves of her dress, crushing the soft linen in her fingers. There was a pressure on her chest and a mist in her eyes.
She was sure now that she could feel his emotions. Why? How?
It was too much and too confusing. None of it made sense. But she would rather focus on that than the humiliation she felt when Cassiel pushed her away like she was a vile thing.
“There, a couple of pounds of oats,” Zev announced to them as he added the sack to his pack. “What next?”
“Produce,” she mumbled.
He led the way into the crowd with a cheerful whistle. “It’s a nice day isn’t it?” When no one answered, he frowned at them and nudged Cassiel. “Did you not sleep well? You were gone when I awoke this morn.”
Dyna stiffened at the sudden bout of tension that gripped her.
Cassiel glanced at her. “I needed some air.”
Zev chuckled and whacked his shoulder. “You drank yourself into a tizzy last night.”
“I’ll never partake again.”
She tried to ignore the sick feeling that brought.
The bustle of voices in the market grew louder as the sun rose higher, and the crowd thickened. They reached a street lined in carts of pumpkins, squash, radishes, carrots along with every fruit and vegetable in season. Zev’s pack grew bulkier with each purchase added to it. He asked them to make selections, but for once, Dyna wasn’t in the mood.
Distracted, she bumped into Zev when he halted in the middle of the street. His sharp yellow eyes scanned the throng.
Cassiel moved closer to her, eyeing the sea of faces. “What is it?”
Zev frowned in confusion. “I had a sudden feeling we were being followed, but it must be nothing. I am unaccustomed to being around so many people”
“Yes, it is making me edgy as well.”
Zev shook his shoulders to get rid of the feeling and continued onward. “We’re almost done here.”
“Can we explore the rest of the market?” Dyna asked. “We didn’t have the chance to do so yesterday.”
“Cassiel, do you mind?”
She made a face. Since when were they so friendly that they asked each other for permission? Why was she so annoyed when this was what she wanted?
Cassiel shrugged. “I suppose.”
Zev smiled at her. “Go with him while I continue buying the provisions. That should give you some time to look around.”
She and Cassiel looked at each other, then away. “You’re not coming with us?”
“No, there are a few more items we need.”
“I’ll go buy the provisions,” Cassiel blurted. “You stay with her.”
Zev chuckled. “Oh no, I will buy the food. I cannot live off pomegranates and seeds. I’m going to the butcher for salted meat.”
Dyna kept her gaze on the ground waiting for Cassiel to protest further. He didn’t want to be alone with her any more than she did.
He sighed and handed her cousin some coins. “See if you can find a farmer that sells rice milk. And don’t take too long or we will miss the caravan.”
“Aye, I’ll meet you here in an hour.” Zev patted her head. “Take care of her,” he told him then merged into the crowd.
She and Cassiel stood in the middle of the street, looking at anything but each other. She fidgeted with the tapered sleeves of the sapphire dress she wore, the sun catching on the hem decorated with embroidered roses. Yesterday, it had thrilled her to receive the dresses. They had been gifts, evidence that he cared. Now she only wanted to give them back.
“Silly girl. Men don’t buy dresses for acquaintances.”
Ridiculous. Namir had filled her head with scandalous suggestions and illusions.
But Cassiel had given her his blood. He had defended her against that man. He held her all night and reassured her of her fears. He was there for her. Why do any of it if he didn’t mean it?
Dyna wanted to ask but couldn’t bring herself to. She waited for him to say something. To explain, to give an apology, or even to call her stupid for making assumptions. Anything to relieve the air full of things left unspoken.
He said nothing.
She really was a stupid human.
Fighting the embarrassing urge to cry, Dyna wandered away. She stopped in front of a stall at random. It only sold weapons, though. Before she could move on, Cassiel lined up beside her.
She lifted a crossbow, feigning interest. The thing was crude and heavy, a bolt sitting in the groove. The weapons merchant finished a sale and ambled over to them. He was a willowy man in a showy taffeta waistcoat and gold rings on his bony fingers.
He gave her a haughty simper. “Poison is a better-suited weapon for a woman. That crossbow is too much for you, love.”
“You’ll refer to her with respect,” Cassiel’s cool voice drifted over her.
“Of course, milord. Your pardon, miss.”
They remained side by side, both stiff and unmoving. Dyna held the crossbow awkwardly, not knowing what else to do with it or with herself. She fiddled with the string and with a lever.
The merchant chuckled nervously. “Careful. Don’t pull the trigger.”
She raised it, trying to get a feel for how it was supposed to shoot. The merchant jumped out of the way.
“Keep the stock steady,” Cassiel said. He lifted the bottom of the crossbow until it butted with her shoulder and helped her aim at the wall. The current of his touch trickled down her arm. She lowered the crossbow, putting deliberate space between them. He shifted on his feet and cleared his throat.
“Do they fit well?” Cassiel eventually asked, indicating her boots. “I assumed your size.”
She nodded, fiddling with a spring on the weapon, eliciting a click. “Yes, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” After a long silence, he muttered under his breath. “Last night, I—I was sozzled.”
A flush worked its way up her face. “Oh, yes, I know.”
“I didn’t mean to—”
“Please leave it be,” she rushed out, deciding she preferred not to discuss it after all.
“I should not have—”
“It’s fine!” The crossbow slipped from her hands. She lunged to catch it at the same time he did. They caught it between them with their noses a hairsbreadth apart. Cassiel didn’t shove her away this time. Neither of them moved—locked in a stare—until the crossbow went off. The merchant yelped and ducked a split moment before the bolt pierced the wall above his head.
“Ah,” he said nervously, “You nearly got me there.”
“Why is this thing loaded?” Cassiel snapped at him. He took the crossbow from her and laid it on the counter.
“I am so sorry!” Dyna told the stunned merchant, appalled that she had almost killed him. “Please forgive me.”
“Have your husband make a purchase, and all will be forgiven.”
A blush blazed in her cheeks. This was the second time someone made that sort of assumption. “He’s not—”
Red-faced, Cassiel slammed his hand on the counter, getting ready to shout at the man.
“He will,” Dyna cut him off before they made a further spectacle.
But at realizing she confirmed them as life-mates, she thought she might faint from mortification. She kept her head low, not daring to look at him.
Her fingers brushed over two matching knives. They had beautiful, luminescent opal hilts. She lifted one against the sun, admiring the changing colors in whichever way it caught the light.
After an uncomfortable pause, Dyna put the knife down and made herself break the silence. “Forgive me for having caused you such trouble.”
“It is much anticipated now,” Cassiel retorted.
It was an answer she should have expected, but she didn’t anticipate how much it would hurt. Dyna turned away to find Zev.
“Wait.” He caught her hand, stopping her in the middle of the street. “That was uncalled for.”
She kept her back to him. “I had nearly forgotten how uncouth you truly can be.”
“Uncouth and a degenerate, it seems.” He sighed. “We … we should discuss last night. Will you look at me? Please?”
He tugged her hand, an invitation instead of a demand.
Dyna shook her head. If she looked at him, he would know everything she thought about it. Maybe he already knew. She could feel him somehow. His uncertainty, worry, and frustration. It came to her in overwhelming waves, melding with her own.
Cassiel lifted her chin. They were silent as they locked eyes, letting the sounds of their surroundings fill the void between them. “Dyna, I—”
A baker across the street hollered that he had fresh loaves for sale. A crowd gathered around the bakery, allured by the smell of baking bread. And it was the perfect excuse to get away from him.
“I … I’ll buy loaves for our journey,” she said and pulled her hand free.
“Wait—” Cassiel moved to follow, but the merchant called out to him.
“Milord! You agreed to make a purchase.”
She took advantage of the distraction and quickly escaped across the street to the baker’s shop. She needed some space from him to untangle her thoughts and right her head. She was relieved when Cassiel went to keep his word.
Dyna squeezed into the crowded shop and got in line. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The delicious smell of bread gave her a small thing to look forward to. When it was her turn, she requested half a dozen rolls, and the baker’s wife bagged her order. Leaving the bakery, she bit into a roll. Steam billowed out as she moaned happily. She had missed the taste of fresh bread.
“Is it good?” someone asked with a chuckle.
Dyna looked up at the man she nearly bumped into and a chunk of bread lodged in her throat when she gasped. She coughed, hitting her chest to dislodge it. “Commander Von!”
He laughed and patted her back. “Pardon, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“This is unexpected.” She smiled back, but everything in her immediately tensed in alarm. The last time she had seen Von, she had told him about Mount Ida. “What has brought you here? You disappeared in Landcaster.”
“Aye, I had been in a hurry to be on my way, but I came looking for you. It so happens that I know an old acquaintance that is well-traveled. He has offered to be your Guidelander.”
“Oh, is that so?” she said airily.
“Forgive me, I had not thought of him at the time.” His deliverance was smooth with sufficient sincerity on his face, but she wasn’t convinced.
“Well, I must discuss it with Cassiel.” Dyna mentioned him as an excuse, and to let Von know she wasn’t unaccompanied.
She rose on her toes, barely glimpsing Cassiel’s head above the crowd. He would know what to do about this. The commander following her here from Landcaster could not be good. She lifted a hand to call him.
Von grabbed her arm, lowering it. “If you would like to employ the Guidelander, you must come with me now. He is not a patient man.” His tone was a little more insistent, his smile a little more forced.
Dyna jerked her arm away, steeling her expression. “In that case, I’m no longer interested. If you’ll excuse me, have a good day.”
She gave him a stiff nod and turned to go. She needed to tell Cassiel and Zev right away. They needed to leave—
A calloused hand clamped over her mouth and wrenched her from the street into an alley. Her startled cry cut off as the ground vanished from beneath her feet and Von tossed her on his shoulder. He sprinted away, taking her further and further away from the light of the market and Cassiel.
Fear arrested her heart, squeezing it tight until only her unheard screams echoed in her ears.
Chapter 39
Cassiel
The merchant haggled Cassiel for all the coin he could get for the pair of matching opal knives. Cassiel wanted to believe he chose them because the edges were fine, and not because Dyna had liked them. But he had seen how she had admired the knives.
They would fit perfectly in her small hands. She may not have strength but he could teach her how to defend herself with a weapon. God of Urn knew she had an uncanny knack for attracting trouble. A part of him hoped
the gift might restore the bridge he had knocked down between them.
Well, if he could ever face Dyna again.
It had been a shock like no other to wake with her soft, diminutive form pressed against him. With his hand on the curve of her waist, feeling her warm skin beneath the thin fabric of her chemise, his body had immediately responded.
Horrified and ashamed, he had shoved Dyna off, startling her awake when she flopped on the cold floor. The hurt and confusion had been clear in her eyes as it churned through him. He hadn’t known what else to do or say. So, he ran out of the room like a coward.
All those emotions he left her with had swelled through him all morning. She wouldn’t even look at him. He hated it, but he didn’t know how to talk to her. When he tried, he couldn’t get a proper apology out. He kept thinking about the feel of her, and the humiliating things he said last night.
Cassiel groaned and rubbed his face. He had confessed that he found her eyes beautiful. Gods. Perhaps he could pretend he did not remember anything at all.
He tucked the knives into his boots when a rush of fear throttled him in the gut. It was sudden, jarring. And it had come through the bond.
Cassiel launched into the crowd, shoving past protesting people to get to the bakery. He slammed through the door only to meet startled customers and the angry baker.
He ran back outside to the street and scanned the faces around him. “Where have you gone? Dyna!”
No one answered. His worry grew into panic as he felt her terror grow. He pushed and thrust through the mass of people, searching for her. She didn’t appear, no matter how many times he shouted her name above the market noise. He checked the bakery again, but she wasn’t there. She wasn’t anywhere.
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