Page 106 of Reaper's Quest

She extended her arm and pointed to me. “What is that?”

I knew of what she inquired. I lifted my left arm and peered at the dark veins running beneath my skin.

“The other prisoner never did that.”

What prisoner?

“Oh!” She spun around and peered down the dark tunnel leading to my cell. “He’s coming.” She glanced back at me. “Sorry. I have to run before he sees me. Plus, I want to check on her.” She took a step and then looked back once more. “I do hope, though, that you don’t die or disappear like the last one.”

The last what? What prisoner?

The questions never left my arid throat.

She ran on silent feet, vanishing into the darkness not a moment too soon.

The bastard?my captor?slinked from the shadows and pinned his cold gaze on me. “Ready for another round?”

27

Several feet ahead of Winter, Kira leaped free of the shadows pressed between the clustered buildings. She weaved around pedestrians and raced down the street toward her home.

Aoes motioned after the girl’s quick movements. “Isn’t that??”

“Yes.” Winter nodded. “That would be Kira.”

Where has she been that she would be out in the streets at dusk?

When Winter had left Camilla’s after brunch the previous day, Kira and her sister, Myla, had planted themselves in the upstairs room with Raven, watching over her healing sleep. Raven had passed out almost immediately after the girls laid their hands upon her, leaving Winter to suspect they were working a touch of twin magic.

He trailed Kira’s journey home with a keen eye, his chest lightening when she disappeared into the house.

“Where’s her twin?” Aoes shot Winter a dubious glance, as if he thought Winter was keeping secrets and should honestly know what the girls were up to.

Aoes was correct regarding the latter, but those secrets had nothing to do with the girls or their activities.

Winter shrugged. “Couldn’t say for certain, but I suspect she is at the house.”

The two males stood at the street corner, Camilla’s home a few buildings away. They’d come from the surprisingly active pub where Winter had made good on his promise to visit, talk, and drink.

A healthy number of patrons had filled the many pub seats, something Winter would need to give deeper consideration after Raven recovered. Winter had hoped to run into Raven’s associate Mr. Aldine, wishing to witness the old gent’s transformation for himself. However, the male had been out, apparently, tracking down any information he could find regarding the other two members of his team—Raven and Chace.

Raven’s whereabouts had almost slipped from Winter’s lips, but he’d stopped himself before uttering a single word. Chace had yet to return, and Winter feared the male had indeed gone missing. Foul play could not be ruled out, and if that were the case, Raven’s location was best kept a secret…even from Aoes.

Nevertheless, the fact that Mr. Aldine was up and not just moving around but out and about was a great sign. Based on what Winter had learned regarding the gent’s improvement, Winter hoped some sort of solution could be found for hisafflicted citizens. He prayed that solution would present itself sooner rather than later.

The stroke of luck for which Winter had begged over the last century from the gods might have arrived with Raven and her associates.

Winter rubbed his chest, blinked away his ruminations, and swung his gaze from Camilla’s home to the friend standing beside him. Aoes had his hands shoved deep in his pockets and his arms pressed tight at his side.

“So,” Winter began, continuing their earlier conversation. “You really haven’t seen Valen? He hasn’t visited your boarder?”

“Nope.” Aoes rocked on his heels.

A flash of irritation raced from the center of Winter’s chest to the tip of his head. Valen had committed to checking on the old gent. What was the medicine magician’s word worth if he couldn’t follow through on something so simple?

Aoes shivered as the sun dipped below the horizon, burning the sky with streaks of gold and amber, giving way to the descending midnight blue. A soft breeze set a string of nearby pennants fluttering. An exceptionally chilly fall had begun to test the citadel’s resilience.

Tucking his annoyance with Valen to the back of his mind, Winter smiled at his old friend. “You should probably get going.”