State of Sorrow (Untitled #1)(69)

“How did this happen?” Luvian demanded of the guards.

The men turned slowly, looking at Luvian, their eyes shifting to Sorrow and finally resting on Dain, offering her a respectful nod.

“We don’t know,” said one of the men; he was small, wiry, with pointed features.

“You don’t know how someone managed to vandalize a bridge that is supposed to be under round-the-clock guard?” Luvian asked.

“It was dark. They were very quiet.”

Luvian’s face was thunderous. “I see.”

Sorrow looked at the men. Their expressions were insolent, the same hint of a sneer Meeren Vine had worn gracing their lips. And she knew then that it was deliberate. That they’d wanted her to see this, before she crossed the bridge. Perhaps they’d even planned it. Last night hadn’t been a one-off, but a beginning.

Sorrow’s eyes darted to the woman beside her, her supposed protector, and her fear grew. Was Dain part of this? How much danger was she in?

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Dain spoke. “What is this? Get this filth cleared,” she said in a low growl.

The men looked at each other, clearly shocked, as Sorrow looked at the commander, an identical look of surprise on her face.

Commander Dain wasn’t finished. “And you make sure it doesn’t happen again. Because if it does, I will take it as an act of disobedience against me personally. And I won’t like that one bit. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Commander.”

Dain looked to Sorrow and nodded, and Sorrow returned the gesture, still taken aback by the Decorum Ward commander’s actions.

Luvian covered for her. “Come, Sorrow, we’ll be late. Let’s leave these good men to their jobs. It looks like they have a quite a lot to do, and the sun is only going to get hotter and higher.”

With that he turned, taking Sorrow firmly by the elbow, guiding her to the Alvus gum waiting for them.

Sorrow said nothing else until they were both seated in a new carriage on the Rhyllian side of the bridge, Dain up beside the driver once more, and the carriage was on the move.

“They did it.” Sorrow moved to Luvian’s side and pitched her voice a fraction louder than the carriage wheels. “The guards, they painted it, and they wanted me to see. I think they’re trying to align themselves with the Sons of Rhannon. I’m the common enemy to them both.”

Luvian turned to her, staring for a long moment before he gave a single nod. “I think you’re right.”

“What do we do? If they control the bridge then they control who’s crossing it. What if someone comes after us – me – when we’re out there, miles from home?”

Luvian chewed his lip, falling silent as he contemplated. “We’re safer there,” he said finally. “We’ll be safe at the castle; it’s well-secured and there will be guards everywhere. And no one knows we’re going to Ceridog apart from you, me and Irris.”

“And the coach driver, presumably,” Sorrow said.

“No,” he said thoughtfully. “I didn’t want to tip Vespus off, so I hadn’t planned to tell him until we’d stopped. The inn is booked under a pseudonym, for the same reason. By chance, it’ll keep the Sons of Rhannon off our tail. They won’t know we’re there, and they won’t have time to get to you even if they do find out. Win-win.”

Sorrow was impressed. “That’s sneaky.”

Luvian shrugged, his cheeks darkening. “Quite. In the meantime, you need to write to Lord Day. Tell him everything.”

“I can’t. He has to be impartial.”

“This is impartial. This is the country’s police turning on their potential leader. And that only ever leads to martial law. Sorrow, if Dain hadn’t been there today, Graces knows what might have happened. You have to nip this in the bud. If they’re being this blatant about it, they must already think they could win.”

“Win what?”

“Rhannon.” Luvian leant forward. “You’re not only fighting Mael for the country any more. You’re fighting the Sons of Rhannon too. As is he, but I don’t care about that. I care about you, and they’ve made it pretty clear that they have a grudge against you. Without the power of the chancellorship behind you, you’re vulnerable to them all. It’s more important than ever that you win.”


The rest of the journey to Ceridog was sombre, and silent, Luvian working through his list, circling cases he thought were of note, and Sorrow writing to Charon, then watching the Rhyllian countryside roll by.

She sent the letter when they paused to change horses, staying close to Dain while Luvian informed her and the driver of the change of plan. He didn’t seem put out, only commenting that he’d have to stay in Ceridog overnight too, in order to take them the rest of the way to Adavaria the following day. Luvian, it seemed, had already thought of that, and had booked him a room at the inn.

“I didn’t anticipate you,” he said apologetically to Dain. “Though I’m sure they’ll have something.”

“I’ll be fine on the floor outside Miss Ventaxis’s room,” Dain said.

“You can’t—” Sorrow began, but stopped when Dain tilted her chin up, her jaw set, gaze steady. “Well, we’ll at least get you a pillow,” she said feebly, following Luvian back into the coach as Dain closed the door firmly behind her.