“Friends?” Thom snorted. “Oh, that young man there isnotyour friend. Do you even know who he is?” Something cold frosted over her, making it difficult to breathe. Her non-response was all he needed. “Didn’t think so. Might I introduce you to the son of the tyrannical King Ulfaskr Erickson, the misguided and cruel Prince Leighton Erickson of the corrupt crown of Irongate. And you’ve seemingly allied yourself with him.”
Kestrel’s mind was reeling. The truths, the lies, the omissions—they were all amassing into some giant tidal wave and threatening to crash down on her.
She didn’t know who King Ulfaskr was. Had never heard of Irongate. And Leighton, a prince? She had kissed a prince? Itdidn’t make sense—none of it did. Princes came from noble families and were betrothed to noble ladies, she knew that much from her books. They didn’t just wander into alleyways and kiss any girl that asked them to.
This had to be another one of Thom’s lies. A way to manipulate her.
Kestrel glanced over at Leighton, searching for any signs of reassurance, apology, or even denial.
But he gave her none.
In fact, he wasn’t even looking at her. His focus had fully shifted to Thom.
“You’re going to pretend like I’m the one she should be worried about allying with?” He smirked, but there was a sharpness to the curve of his lips. “I supposed you’d rather have her trust a man like you, Darius Graeme?”
The name jostled awkwardly in Kestrel’s thoughts. It was so unexpected, so unknown and foreign, that at first, she thought she might have heard him wrong. But the conviction with which Leighton had spoken left no room for doubt. He had said that name intentionally.
Kestrel had never heard that name before.
But apparently Thom had.
All the blood had drained from his face. It had drained from all the other patrons he had been with as well.
That chill that had settled over her chest earlier was beginning to crack, sending icy torrents of betrayal through her in surges.
“Thom?” Kestrel said softly. Amidst the murmurs spreading across the tavern, she wasn’t sure if he was able to hear her. But it was all the volume she could muster. All the effort she had left to give. “What is he talking about?”
Thom shook his head, a pained expression twisting his features. “It’s…not an easy answer, and one I can’t give here?—”
“No,” she said, cutting him off before he could stall any longer. “I need to hear it from you. It’s better than hearing it from—” she turned to Leighton, tempted to call him a stranger, but still wanting to call him something more. But according to Thom, she hardly knew him either. Kestrel clutched her braid, staring down at the end of it. “It’s better than hearing it from anyone else.”
Out of her periphery, she saw Thom hold out his hand again. “Then let me tell you outside whereprying earsaren’t listening.”
If he hadn’t sneered at Leighton when he said it, she might have taken him up on the offer. But their mutual disdain for each other had her on edge. It made her feel as if neither of them could be trusted, as if she shouldn’t be left alone with either of them.
Kestrel shook her head.
“So what?” Thom said—or Darius, or whatever his name was. He threw up his hands in frustration. “You’ve been out here a few days and now you think you’re ready to take on the world? You think you know who to trust? How to make your own choices?”
“Clearly, I do.”
Thom looked upon her with pity. “I hate to be the one to keep telling you this, but clearly you don’t. I mean look at you. What’s the one thing I’ve told you to be wary of your whole life? People out here are not as trustworthy as they would have you believe. Ask yourself, why are these young men hiding their faces? And what are they doing out here so far away from their own homelands?”
Kestrel frowned. “I?—”
She tried speaking, but what would her argument be anyway?
Thom was right. She had only known them for the blink ofan eye compared to how long she had known him. But if the day had taught her anything it was that knowing someone for a long time wasn’t a reliable way to gauge whether or not they could be trusted either.
Besides, they were getting off topic.
“I’m not here to talk about them!” Kestrel shouted so loudly her ribs ached. Or perhaps that was just her heart finally shattering for good because she was finally starting to understand.
Thom had never intended on telling her the truth.
Even now, when she was confronting him directly, he was doing everything in his power to avoid answering her very simple questions.
“I only came here to make sure you were alright. And you are. And…” Tears obscured her vision, but she kept her attention trained on the blurriness that was his silhouette. “I thought that when I found you, you’d be proud. To see that I had survived out here, just like you. But you’ll never see me as more than that frightened, stupid little girl who nearly got herself killed by cinders, will you?”
