Prior to this whole debacle, Yazmin had tasked me with a quick errand into Wilheim. Taking you to Cruor is simply on the way.”
“Sure. And this sudden journey doesn’t have anything to do with Noc’s supposed doppelgänger, right?” Unease flared in me, and I reached for the ring on my finger, only to come up empty-handed.
“Right. Though admittedly, there are other things prompting me to escort you.” Gaige’s eyes bounced to Kost, walking a few feet behind Noc, along with Calem and Oz. Kost cast a cursory glance in our direction. Light glinted off his glasses, and he smoothed his hair before looking back to the path ahead of him.
Gaige’s smile deepened, revealing small dimples at the points of his mustache.
I couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping. “You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
“Good.” He winked.
My gaze traveled back to Noc, to the strong, corded muscles of his back peeking through his thin tunic. We’d gone through a special kind of hell to find each other, yet here we were. It wasn’t over yet, either.
As my hazy memories slowly showed signs of returning, I was increasingly sure Raven was the one behind Wynn’s delusions and the oath still lingering on Noc’s wrist. But why would they need an army for anything? The last war the continent of Lendria had seen was some fifty years ago when the prince of Wilheim murdered the princess of Rhyne. A lovers’ quarrel gone wrong, and we weren’t even involved in that skirmish. So why did Raven think the Charmers needed to protect ourselves? And what did her spell entail?
Gaige whistled beside me, twirling the ends of his mustache while tipping his head to the heavens. The gods only knew what he kept hidden in that library brain of his.
“What exactly are you doing in Wilheim again?”
Gaige waved away my question with the brush of his hand. The jeweled, citrine shade of his symbol reflected in the sun. “Just research. Join the Council, and I’ll be able to share every lovely detail with you.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Maybe. I need to see what’s happening at home first.”
Gaige’s brows disappeared into his hairline. “Home? Interesting.” But he didn’t push the matter. Instead, his gaze shot back to Kost. “Guess I’d better get to know some of your new brethren.” Straightening his vest, he quickened his pace and left me alone with my surprise.
Home. Not Midnight Jester. Not Hireath.
Cruor.
Oz. Calem. Even Kost. But most importantly, Noc. They were my family. My home. We’d endured so much over the past few weeks, and we were finally done.
Noc peeled away from his brothers to return to my side. Harsh obsidian eyes trained on Gaige, he wrapped an arm around my waist. “Something I should be concerned about?”
“I’m not sure. But Kost, on the other hand…” I bit my lower lip to keep my grin masked. Gaige was already rubbing elbows with him, talking with animated hands and a wry smile.
Ease wiping the wrinkles from his forehead, Noc smiled. “I guess we’ll leave him to Kost for now.”
I nodded. “He can handle himself. If Gaige really is a historian, I’m sure they’ll have plenty to talk about. Speaking of, what was he getting at with that doppelgänger bit?”
Noc’s gaze flashed to Gaige, as if worried he’d hear our low conversation. “It’s tradition in Cruor to leave your past in the ground when you’re raised. Most of us don’t talk about the lives we had before.”
“But what does that have to do with Gaige?”
“Nothing. Possibly something. Look, Leena,” he paused, interlocking his fingers with mine, “some things are better left buried. I wasn’t the greatest person before I was raised. I made…horrendous mistakes.”
I squeezed his hand tight. “That won’t change how I feel about you.”
Something darted through his dark eyes. “Maybe. I haven’t talked about it in so long. My past could invite…problems. And there’s already so much to do here. I need to make sure Cruor is safe from Darrien. I need to find a way to sustain the guild without bounties.” He dipped his head low, whispering against my temple. “And I need to enjoy what I’ve found with you.”
Leaning in to him, I let out a contented hum. “Fine. But after everything at Cruor is settled, we’re revisiting this. You’re not the only one who wants to solve this puzzle.”
He chuckled. “Understood.”
“I just hope things settle down for a while. I want happiness—for all of us.”