Page 62 of Between Smoke and Shadow
“The priority?” I press, not wanting to indulge his curiosities. My room’s kitchen is fully stocked. There’s plenty of food for Rune and the others to gorge themselves, but I know she’s never tasted anything like this. I want her to try it, and for whatever twisted reason, I want towatchher try it. To see her enjoy something, to know it’s me giving her that pleasure.
Kean still hasn’t responded when the server hurries toward him, whispering in his ear. He gives a tight nod, eyes narrowing in my direction. As the woman leaves, he bares his teeth at me, any cordiality gone.
“The priority,” he says, jaw tight, “Should be to keep your damn hunters out of my city.”
He shoves from his chair, and both Joran and Dae echo his movement. Joran stands with readied hands, flashes of magic emanating from his bare fingers. His power comes from the Pit, and he’s capable of crushing someone to death in under a minute. Though Dae isn’t a descendant, he’s nearly as lethal with a blade. His hand wrests at his hip, waiting for my word.
“Don’t,” is all I say. I get to my feet slowly, hoping to loosen the tension in the air. To Kean, I say, “I will work to resolve this. You have my word.”
Kean’s eyes flash, and I know he thinks I’m lying. The truth is, I’ve wanted the hunting to stop since I was young. I’ve never known how, and now that Malek will likely be king, it feels like fighting the wind. Knowing my brother, he’ll want to make it legal again. He’ll want to encourage it.
Maybe that’s how I can repair Savoa. Not by leading in the Tower, but from leading beyond it.
“You’ll have to excuse me,” Kean says tightly. Then, after a brief pause, he adds, “There are several out there. We’ll be cleaning bodies this evening.Multiplebodies.”
Before I can respond, Kean turns on his heel and strides from the restaurant. I remain in place, watching until he disappears.
“My prince?”
“Make sure they send up that food,” I say. My mind is still reeling from Kean’s announcement, from the promise ofmultiple bodies. “I’m going out on the streets. I’ll see if there’s anyone I can chase off for Kean.”
I say it like I’m trying to win his favor, when really, the thought of those bodies makes it hard to think of anything else. I wait for Dae to challenge me, or at the very least, to question me. Instead, he only nods.
I leave the guards in Mimeo’s and head up to our stay. I know Rune is safe in the Chapter Building—it would ruin a hunter’s fun to kill someone here. Still, I’ll feel better when I see her, when I can make sure the door is locked and she’s safely behind it.
As soon as I enter the stay, I am met by the sound of arguing. The two remaining guards stand at a table near the kitchen, heads bent over a piece of parchment. They’re squabbling with each other, loud enough it takes them a moment to realize I’m here. They immediately straighten, standing at attention.
“Apologies, my prince,” one says. He is short and thin, barely reaching my shoulder. “We were just?—”
“There are hunters out,” I interrupt. I walk past them, heading straight for the master suite. Over my shoulder, I add, “Once Dae and Joran return, you are to come meet me. We’ll chase off as many as we can.”
I don’t hear their response. I move from the empty master suite through the entire western wing, checking the bathrooms, library, and office. My heart stutters when I don’t immediately find her, but I force myself not to panic.
“Joran and Dae will stay with the servants,” I say as I pass the guards again.
The main areas on the eastern wing are empty, too. I pause, only briefly, before throwing open one closed door after another. My magic pulses faster with each empty room, as if it realizes the truth before I do. I open that final door to an unoccupied washroom, and everything stops. My entire body seizes as I try to accept the impossible:she’s not here.
My vision narrows, and I storm back to the kitchen, feeling sparks of magic at my fingertips. I close in on the guard until I’m towering over them.
“Where is she?” I demand. “Where. The. Fuck. Is. She?”
“The—the servant, my prince?”
I don’t respond. My chest heaves as I try to regain control of myself, but I can feel everything slipping. If she’s not here, if she’s out there…
“T-they went to take care of the laundry,” the second guard stutters. He’s taller, heavier than the first. “About an hour ago. They left together, the two of them.”
“They left?” I repeat between my teeth. With a rattling breath, I grab them each by the throat, pulling them closer. They flinch beneath my hold, but I only tighten my grip. “You will find her. Understand? If you wish to live, you will find her. Alive and fucking untouched.”
“Yes, my prince,” the short guard says. He sounds terrified, but not half as terrified as he should be. As he will be if anything has happened to her.
“My prince—” the tall guard starts, but I’m already halfway out the door.
I sprint down the hall, sending orders to Joran and Dae through my arm piece. I surge into the stairwell, and immediately, my steps falter. A bag of laundry sits in the corner, slouched and abandoned. They left an hour ago, and they didn’t even make it off our floor.
“Fuck!” I scream.
I slam my hand against the wall and take off down the stairs, finally letting my magic go. It coils in my palms, growing hotter and brighter with each passing second. My surroundings blur around me, but I don’t try to calm myself.
