of Kiran’s involvement. Preferably before Pello decided to denounce us both to the rest of the convoy.
“You said the deaths happened when mages fought. Maybe one mage started the avalanche, and another tried to save the convoy,” I offered. Better to start laying some groundwork now, in case of trouble. Maybe I could paint Kiran as having saved lives instead of taking them.
Jerik snorted. “Funny how none of Horavin house’s wagons were saved, then.” He shook his head. “I figure a rival house decided to get creative and hired a mage to ruin Horavin.”
“That’s crazy,” I protested. “Horavin’s too small. Any house wealthy enough to pay for a spell that powerful could’ve bought Horavin flat out. Easier, cheaper, and a lot less chance of nasty retaliation from Horavin’s allies.”
“Then maybe the head of Horavin looked cross-eyed at the wrong kind of mage,” Jerik said. “I’ve seen them destroy men for less.”
“Khalmet’s bones, I can’t believe this.” Cara pressed her fingers to her forehead and rubbed. “Shaikar take all mages! How are we supposed to know if some asshole’s about to bring down another slide on our heads?”
“Nothing the likes of us can do about magic.” Jerik jabbed his pole into the snow as if he imagined it piercing a man instead. “You’ll have to warn Meldon and let him weigh the risk.”
Cara sighed. “I’ll go talk to him, but you’re coming with me. I want you to tell him exactly what you remember.”
“I’ll head back to the wagon and set up camp,” I said. I needed some time to think. Cara nodded, absently. She squared her shoulders and strode back to Meldon’s side. Jerik stumped after her. I didn’t envy them. Meldon wasn’t going to be pleased.
Overhead, wispy clouds faded from the pink of sunset toward the gray of twilight. I hurried past groups of men dragging dead mules off the trail. Cara had said earlier that Merryn had taken Harken and a few of the other unconscious men back to his wagon, saying their pulses concerned him, but he’d thought us competent to tend Kiran. Last she’d heard, Kiran hadn’t woken yet. If Khalmet favored me, I’d get a chance to search both him and his gear before Cara and Jerik returned. I didn’t know if I’d find anything, but I sure wasn’t going to miss the chance to try.
The wagons nearest ours were abandoned and silent, their drovers either downed like Harken, or away helping with clean-up work. I rounded the back corner of the outrider wagon and stopped dead.
Pello stood bent over Kiran’s limp body. His eyes were rimmed with white, and metal glinted in one hand.
“Get the fuck away from him!” I shoved Pello back without stopping to think.
Next thing I knew, I was face-down on the trail with my arms wrenched up behind my back and Pello’s knee planted on my spine. I heaved against his hold. He jabbed his fingers into a nerve in my neck. Red agony unstrung my muscles.
I gasped a curse into the dirt. Should’ve struck first with my boneshatter charm, if I meant to tangle with a shadow man. I’d never been much good at fighting—you don’t need fists when you’re Tainted. I’d learned a few dirty tricks after my Change, but I’d spent far more time climbing than brawling.
Pello snarled into my ear, “You think a few years stealing trinkets qualifies you to play shadow games? You don’t even know what board you’re playing on.”
“I’m not the one Shaikar nearly took today,” I gritted out. He yanked my arms higher, and stabbed the nerve again. Black spots danced in my vision.
“If I killed you now, I’d be doing you a favor, little thief.” Pello’s laugh held a bitter edge. “But today, I am in no mood for favors. Far more satisfying to leave you to face the truth of how foolish you’ve been.”
All at once, his weight left me. I rolled and freed the boneshatter charm from my belt, but it was too late. He’d already vanished beyond the dark bulk of the next wagon, and I wasn’t dumb enough to try chasing him down in front of other drovers.
I rubbed abused arm muscles. Fucking shadow man. Did he really think I hadn’t figured out this was a mage’s game? I spat between forked fingers, and turned to Kiran’s pale, still form. The blankets were unwrapped, and Kiran’s clothes looked rumpled. Pello must have searched him. Maybe he’d taken anything there was to find, but I’d search again anyway.
The