lanterns, Rosalia and Xavier listened as she recounted the past two weeks since their departure to acquire the stone.
Initially, it was all amusing, especially when she regaled him with the guard’s attempts to gain access to his storefront two days after their disappearance. They’d returned with a mage but the protections blew them down the road like leaves on the wind. After a few more failed attempts, they surrendered, and it hadn’t been necessary to blow the shop after all.
Then they announced that the guild of magic was now an enemy to the kingdom and that all wizards within had only twenty-four hours to vacate the tower or surrender in their guild mistress.
They did neither, and then the war began, cannon fire against enchanted stone, battering rams against doors that wouldn’t budge. Ballistas and other weapons of war rolled in, but they remained in a vicious stalemate.
“Gods.”
“It gets worse. The spymaster sent his secret police into the city to round up anyone with suspicious links to the thieves. Anyone. They’re even weeding out traitors among their own ranks, supposedly. They did a sweep through the naval barracks as well, about, oh…maybe three or four days ago.”
A hard knot of tension tightened in Xavier’s stomach. He didn’t need to look at Rosalia to anticipate the expression that came over her features. He sought her hand blindly, squeezing it, and measured his breaths to remain calm, to impart that same sense of tranquility to Rosalia who needed it more.
He knew what was on her mind.
“Did they…arrest anyone?” Her question confirmed his suspicions that they were of one mind.
Moiranna nodded. “Many someones! They arrested a few city watchmen, and, um, a soldier in the army, and oh, even a naval captain!”
Rosalia turned rigid and the color drained from her face, leaving ashen gray in its wake. “A captain?”
“Uh-huh. Can’t recall the fellow’s name, but that one surprised me a bit. Imagine that, a captain hanging for treason against the crown. I think they were all swept away for court martial or something because none of them have been seen since.”
“That’s all you remember?” Xavier pressed gently.
“It is. There—wait. Actually…” Then her small mouth pursed thoughtfully. “Actually, no. That’s wrong. I saw notices around the square earlier about upcoming executions. I didn’t really look into it too deeply. Executions and the like…grisly business.” She shuddered.
Moiranna appeared so matter-of-fact about it that Xavier felt sick. He didn’t have a particular attachment to Adriano, but Rosalia did, and at that moment, she appeared close to bursting into tears.
“I think we’ve taken enough of your time. Thank you for keeping us abreast of the city’s activity, Moiranna.”
“No trouble. Go out the attic window again and onto the roof. No one will see you.”
True to her word, they exited into shadows and made their way down a drainpipe to the ground below. Moiranna had already dimmed the light at the rear of the shop, leaving the alley in pitch darkness for them, though lamps shone farther away at the distant end of the lane.
Xavier’s body still ached from the cramped ride, days of punishment, and the crash landing in his dragon form. Rosalia skipped ahead of him with movements swift enough that she appeared to be flitting from one pool of shadow to the next and blinking in between them.
By the time he caught up to her, she stood beside a wall staring at a posted notice announcing the upcoming deaths of numerous men and women. One name at the very top of the list stood out from them all.
Adriano Anamesco, sentenced to death for crimes against the crown, aiding and abetting a fugitive, destruction of naval property, and conspiring against the kingdom.
“No, no, no, no,” she breathed. “We have to do something.”
Do what? he wondered, staring at the notice and raking possibilities through his head. Every single person seemed to be an official in the military of some sort, and he recognized at least two names of guardsmen.
“They’re weeding out their own. Anyone who may be against them. It’s possible they don’t know of his ties to you.”
“They do,” she said grimly. “They know because of Lacherra. She’s told them everything.”
He knew she was right, and he could only imagine the pain of betrayal she felt.
“Hold on, there’s something else. There’s a message here,” she murmured, gaze skimming over the execution notice. Rosalia’s hands clenched at her sides. “They want the stones for his life. They’ll let him go if we submit.”
“Do you actually trust them to