Episode 3 Sneak Peek #30

Some day I will have something to preview that doesn't come from the Veyer branch, but today is not that day. 

For continuity:

• MC still has high approval with Aeran
• MC slept with Veyer
• MC was fired from the Lethalis mission

“You seem to know where you’re going,” you remark, drawing up beside Aeran. Tall grasses and undergrowth rustles against your serithan. You’re thankful for the shade; after the boat ride and the long climb, it’s good to be out of the sun.

He stiffens. This familiar stance—the pair of you, pressing onwards to your destination side by side—feels alien. “Been here a while,” he mutters. “Got a good look at the place. Didn’t Zenaida tell you?”

“No,” you reply sharply. “It seems our employer only sees fit to inform me of changes the moment before they happen.”

He sighs. “Then maybe you should have asked.”

Your jaw clenches, biting back the urge to snap at him. What do you say? What can you say? Is it better to pretend nothing happened at all? You’re not sure if you can do that. Guilty though you feel, he’s as much at fault, albeit in a different way. It’s impossible to ignore the hurt he caused last night.

You carry on in silence, the awkwardness gnawing at the pit of your stomach. A dozen questions circle your mind, but you can’t choose a place to start. The further you walk, the heavier your pack feels. Just thinking about it makes it easy to visualize the full coin pouch stuffed within. Malsara hand-delivered your payment to you, but what about Aeran? Did he receive his recompense?

“This is a lot of work,” you say bluntly. “Did Zenaida pay you extra for this or did you volunteer to do it of your own accord?”

He pauses. “I’ve been paid, same as you,” he replies stiffly.

So he has his three thousand crowns…

You wet your lower lip. Considering how much he hates mages and Velantis, it’s a wonder he didn’t take his payment and leave. A viable option, all things considered… Maybe you would have done it if you didn’t have Malsara as a personal escort.

“Then why are you here? Why didn’t you run?”

He rounds on you, a hurt look crossing his face. “Believe it or not, I do have some integrity. And besides… there’s no way in hell I’m letting you do this alone.”

You flush. “Because you don’t trust I can get it done?”

“Because this is Guild territory—and they have enough Wayfarer blood on their hands.”

A chill runs down your spine. You’ve heard such words from him before, even as recent as last night. Too weary to think about the implications, you distract yourself by adjusting your scabbard. You tug on the straps, sliding $blade over until it sits comfortably against your hip.

“I scouted the perimeter this morning,” Aeran continues. “There’s a lakeside gate in the western wall that will put us at the base of the citadel. It’s unwatched, and I’ve already dealt with the single surveillance orb in the area. It’s our best point of entry.”

[CHOICE] 1. “You should leave those things alone.”
2. “Good. Glad to know you’re on top of things.”
3. Say nothing.

He catches your eye. “You think?” he grunts. “You were happy enough to attempt to take one out yourself—”

You grit your teeth. “Don’t make this an argument—”

“I’m not.”

“Aren’t you?”

He grimaces and rakes a hand roughly through his hair, scratching the back of his neck. “Fine,” he manages. “I’ll be careful.”

You exhale a long breath. Eager to let this go, you glance behind you in search of the others. Aeran’s pace has put some distance between you and the party, giving you unanticipated privacy. Nova is in the lead, bickering with Veyer, while Malsara and Zenaida bring up the rear.

You don’t know what to make of the dark-haired mage. Escaping Ruval Palace can’t have been easy without help. She’s a dustforger; her magic is of the sphere of transformation, capable of transmuting one thing into something else. Unless you’re missing a major piece of the puzzle, Nova’s appearance here is far too coincidental for your liking.

“Did you know about Nova?” you mutter under your breath.

His expression darkens. “Don’t underestimate those three, alone or together. It’s a mistake both Lethalis and Solarath have made.”

You pause. There’s so much you want to ask him, but the memory of last night gnaws away at the pit of your stomach. Now you’re face to face, there’s a hollowness you cannot shake, a raw wound in your relationship that cannot be healed—and you both know it. You’re dancing around the subject as if everything is fine, when you know full well it is not.

1. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
2. “When did she show up? How? Did you have something to do with getting her out of Ruval?”
3. “And what about the mistakes you’ve made?”