Stormcaster (Shattered Realms #3)(53)

Ash couldn’t help thinking of Micah Bayar, his father’s default when it came to villains. “You’d probably know better than me,” he said.

“Anyway. I need to get back to Ardenscourt before everyone forgets how very helpful I can be. Out of sight, out of mind, you know.”

“You’re going back there?” Ash stared at her.

“I’m leaving within the hour.”

“I thought maybe you’d stay here permanently now that you don’t have to watch over me at Oden’s Ford.” Though keeping Lila here had its risks, Ash was suddenly eager to have someone around who didn’t remember him as a thirteen-year-old runaway. “I’m sure Captain Byrne could use your help to—”

“No!” Lila said. When Ash stared at her, she added, “I hate it here. Isn’t that enough of a reason? This is just a job to me. The family I care about is at Wolf’s Head, on the coast.”

“Wolf’s Head?”

“You wouldn’t know it,” Lila said. “You’re not supposed to. Anyway, they’re the ones who raised me. I’m traveling south by way of Spiritgate so I can visit with them.”

“Oh,” Ash said. “All right then.”

But Lila seemed compelled to make her case. “You don’t think the queendom needs eyes and ears in Arden with a new king and a civil war in the offing? Anyway, the food is better down there. I’ve never been much for barley, and I do love me some Tamric wine.”

“Don’t you think that with King Gerard dead and the thanes in rebellion, King Jarat will have enough on his hands without turning his eyes to the north? Especially since my mother didn’t spurn his offer of marriage.”

“Maybe,” Lila said. “I wouldn’t count on it. Besides, if this war ever ends, I’ll be out of a job.”

“Maybe,” Ash said. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

After a brief silence, during which Lila showed no inclination to leave, Ash said, “Is there something you want, or are you just trying to fill the empty hour until you go?”

“Who will be at this reception tonight?” Lila was staring up at the ceiling, but Ash couldn’t help thinking she was focused closely on his answer.

“I don’t know,” he said. “My mother said that it would be family, close friends, and high-ups. The general announcement of my resurrection isn’t until tomorrow, so I can’t imagine it would be a big crowd tonight.”

“What about Shadow Dancer? Will he be there?” Lila cut her eyes toward Ash, then away again.

“If he’s in town, I expect he will be,” Ash said. “I haven’t seen either Shadow or his father in years, and they were practically family, growing up.” He paused. “Why?”

“Oh, I worked with Shadow quite a bit on various . . . projects . . . having to do with Arden,” Lila said, nibbling on a fingernail. “The last time I saw him was at Chalk Cliffs. It was right after his fiancée was killed in an Ardenine attack. He was in pretty bad shape.”

Ash was embarrassed to know so little about what had been happening in his homeland. Lila had never lived here; in fact, she said she hated it here, yet she was much more up on the latest news than he was.

“Bones,” he said. “I didn’t even know he was engaged. Who was she?”

“Her name was Aspen Silverleaf,” Lila said. “A clan leatherworker. I suppose that’s what he . . .” Her voice trailed off. “Anyway. I thought I’d better mention it.”

“I didn’t know about that. Thank you for letting me know, so I can avoid saying anything stupid.”

“I’m mainly looking out for him,” Lila said. “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for you to be stupid on lots of other topics.” She said this with an echo of her usual snarkiness, but Ash could tell that her heart wasn’t in it.

Just then, the cathedral temple bells sounded the quarter hour.

Ash draped his wizard stoles over his coat. They weighed on him, more than silk and stitchery ever had before. “I suppose I’d better go. Are you going to stop in for a little while?”

Lila came to her feet and shook her head. “Nah. I’ve seen the people I need to see. If I stay any longer, I’ll see the people I’d just as soon avoid.”

“Well, be careful,” Ash said.

“I’m not the one with a target on his back.” She hesitated a moment, then grudgingly embraced him. “Take care of yourself, healer.”

As soon as he was ushered into the queen’s reception chamber, Ash all but ran into Micah Bayar. The wizard took a quick step back, nimbly avoiding the collision.

“Welcome home, Your Highness,” Bayar said, inclining his head in a polite bow. “Your sudden resurrection has brought joy into your mother’s heart after an unusually dark season, and for that I am glad.”

Ash’s heart-to-heart with Lila had kindled old suspicions. Did Bayar know I was alive all along? Did my mother tell him or not? Did she trust him to know? Was he the one who betrayed me? He tried not to stare at Bayar’s High Wizard stoles—the colors he’d last seen draped over his father’s shoulders.

Bayar made no attempt to hide his own slow study of Ash. “I see your father in you more clearly now than before,” he said. It was impossible to tell from the wizard’s tone and expression whether he thought that was a good thing or a bad thing.