Ever the Hunted (Clash of Kingdoms #1)(60)
I shove my clammy hands into my dress pockets and silently plead for Leif to be gone. I slowly twist to face her so only my profile is visible to the dining area. I don’t dare look in Leif’s direction to see if he’s still there. This way, he won’t be able to see my entire face. By the gods, my accent better be believable enough.
“My name’s Essa.” It’s all I could come up with on the spot and immediately regret as my response pricks through me. It’s too close to Enat.
Waving once more at the maid to end the conversation, I force my feet through the doorway. My muscles are screaming to run, flight instinct taking over, though I don’t risk making any quick movements.
“Wait.”
Twenty steps are all I’ve taken before Leif calls out behind me.
I could run for it, except the chase would draw too much attention. Pleading is an option, not that it did any good the last time.
My hands are in knots as I find myself praying that he won’t realize it’s me, that this costume will be enough. If my nerves weren’t wound so tight, I’d laugh at myself. It’s hard to believe I’m this girl, clean-faced, wearing a dress and a bonnet, and pleading with the gods like some fool.
Twisting slightly, I drop my chin so the bonnet shades my face. “Yes, sir?”
“The girl said you work for the tailor.”
I nod.
“I’m looking for a woman named Enat. She frequent your shop?”
I shake my head, itching to run. Relax. Focus is a weapon as much as your bow. “No, sir. I don’t know her.” I keep my accent true to Shaerdan.
He doesn’t answer, nor does he leave.
The moment stretches for excruciating ages, and my lungs burn from the breath I’m holding. He must know it’s me. Panic fires through me, lighting a blaze in my feet till they’re shifting and ready to run.
“Thank you, miss,” he says finally.
Shocked and relieved, I resist the urge to glance back as I hurry away.
Only when ten blocks are between us do I slip into an alley, check to see I’m alone, and then suck in deep breaths. Crescent marks of blood bubble to the surface of my palms where my nails dug deep.
That was too close.
Chapter
26
AN OLD CHURCH RESTS ON THE EDGE OF the cliff at the south end of town. Cohen meets me in the cloisters, and then, before either of us speaks, he has me follow him into the garden. When we’re tucked behind a row of towering hedges near the cliff face, with only a short-stacked wall separating us from the edge where violent waves crash below, he’s ready to talk.
“It’s better here.” Cohen’s mouth is at my ear because it’s too loud to hear him otherwise. The longing to press closer to him twists me up inside. I want to punch myself for even considering it.
“Delmar said the Archtraitor’s agreed to meet at Enat’s home in the morning.”
Millner’s possession of a charm to enter the tree cave speaks of Enat’s trust of the man.
“He said Millner wasn’t surprised that Enat wanted to speak with him,” Cohen says. Up till now the hunt for Papa’s murderer felt like we were chipping away at a glacier. What a relief it is to know we’re on the verge of an answer. “Millner knew we were in town.”
“How?”
“The guards have been talking to everyone.” The warmth of his breath cascades over my ear, clashing with the brisk wind from the ocean. I suppress a shudder and try not to focus on how our proximity makes me feel. I consider mentioning the run-in with Leif and decide against it. Leif didn’t recognize me, so it’s inconsequential.
“Delmar also mentioned that Omar and his men are leaving town tomorrow.”
Cohen moves back so I have a view of his face. He doesn’t look pleased about the development. He glances toward the horizon, where whitecaps line the deep blue ocean. “Omar isn’t the type to go on a wild-goose chase. He likes to lay a trap. You told Omar you wanted to prove I’m innocent. So Omar knows you’ll return to Malam. That’s where he’ll wait.”
I watch the seagulls fighting against the wind as they make their way closer to the cliff. I feel like I’m one of them, fighting against my position in life, fighting against the solitude, and now fighting for my freedom.
The breeze whips my hair across my face as I strain to hear him over the crash and boom against the cliff below. “I thought you’d be happy to hear they’re leaving.”
“He isn’t headed to Malam just to wait us out.” Cohen’s tone sounds dark, if not a touch troubled. “That army we passed this morning was headed east. There’s a rumor that the chief judge has declared war, whether King Aodren is ready or not. He’s even sent word down to the Akarians in the southlands, asking to join forces.”
“I thought only barbarians lived in the Akaria Desert. Why would the chief judge look to them for help?”
The grave set to Cohen’s features tells of his thoughts. “Barbarians don’t fight fair. The chief judge must be betting on that. Regardless, the guards are headed back because the war is definitely starting sooner than we realized.”
Cohen holds my gaze for a moment and then looks over my shoulder, but not before a rare glimpse of emotion passes over his hazel irises. A hint of fear.