by Bronwyn Eley
‘Walker.’ I had dropped my voice, but knew he heard when he gave a curt nod, now avoiding eye contact. He moved to a small crate at the end of the bar and filled it with the dirty cups, then knocked on a small, cut-out wooden square in the wall. It swung open and the crate passed hands, disappearing into the wall.
‘Where can I find him?’ I pressed.
The barman dragged a stool from under the bench and used it to reach a dusty glass bottle on the top shelf. The yellow liquid inside seemed mostly untouched. ‘He’s around.’
‘Helpful,’ I muttered. His heavy brow lifted in amusement and he pulled out the cork, grabbed two small glasses and filled them to the brim. He pushed one toward me.
I eyed it. ‘What is that?’
He winked. ‘It’s on Irey.’ With a smirk, he moved on to serve a group of men next to me.
‘Wait – what about the second drink?’
But he ignored me. With a sigh, I stared at the two drinks. A thought struck me. Maybe he was helping me after all. Unless he meant to get me pissed, maybe the second drink wasn’t for me. Maybe it was for –
‘I said sundown,’ a cold voice said as a lean body slid in next to me. I was suddenly grateful for the large group of men next to me, hopefully hiding me from prying eyes.
The man’s hair was as black as I remembered, his expression just as dour. ‘Can’t follow simple instructions.’
He grabbed his drink, downed it in one fluid motion and gasped, as if the liquid burned him from the inside out.
‘You’re Walker, then.’
He leaned back and smiled. ‘Been poking around, have we?’
I shrugged. ‘A mutual friend told me where to find you. So are we going to do this or what? Privacy would be nice.’
He chuckled, eyes flicking to the untouched drink still between my fingers. Without thinking, I threw it down.
He pushed off the bench and gestured for me to follow. My heart was pounding too much to take any notice of the burn.
No one would ever have noticed the hidden door at the back of the room, not with all that was going on around it. Most people’s backs faced it, thanks to strategically placed musicians. Walker and I slipped through without a backward glance, but my skin itched at the idea of Markus seeing us go.
Music crept through the door, following us down a long, sparsely lit hallway. Doors hung open, revealing rooms filled with crates of supplies. Other doors were closed. Walker stopped me outside one such door.
‘Wait here.’
He slipped in through the smallest crack, hiding whoever was behind. A moment later, the door cracked open again and with my fluttering heart rising up into my throat, I moved inside.
My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim candles. There were fewer people than I expected. Four middle-aged men sat around a table, scruffy and dirty, eyes on me. I didn’t expect any of them to answer to the name Bellamy.
‘Meet Kay.’ Walker waved a hand at me, almost bored. ‘She apologises for her tardiness.’
‘Kaylan?’ a startled voice came from behind me. ‘What are you doing here?’
As I turned, it was as if the yellow drink had its second wind. My entire body flared with heat and rage at the sight of a wide-eyed Elias now pushing off the wall.
‘Problem, kid?’ a tall man asked.
Elias flicked his eyes between the men and me. I was too startled to speak. All the things I wanted to say were burning inside me, though, pushing their way to the surface.
How was he here? Why was he here?
He was involved with the rebellion. It was the only explanation. But it made no sense. What use could they have for a sixteen-year-old boy?
Mr Alarn had warned me not to come here. ‘Don’t go. Don’t get involved. It’s too dangerous.’ Who was he trying to protect?
He must have known Elias was involved.
I clamped my teeth together so hard that pain leached up the side of my face.
‘Enough gawking.’ The voice belonged to a thick man sitting back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, chin resting low. He had a full head of brown hair and rough skin. ‘Elias, who is she?’
‘My sister,’ Elias breathed, sounding as shocked as I was.
‘I thought you said your sister was the Shadow?’ a bald man said. His small eyes and pinched voice unsettled me.
‘She is.’ Elias looked back to me now, wide eyes watering.
‘Oh, great!’ The bald man cooed, hauling his large body from his seat. ‘Walker’s gone and brought us Lord Rennard’s right hand.’ He puckered his lips and spat. ‘Nice going, arsehole.’
I ignored him, rounding on Elias. ‘Rebels?’ I exploded. ‘Seriously? Did you even stop to think about what would happen to Mother and the boys if you got caught? Do you think Rennard would spare the family of a traitor?’
Tears welled in his eyes. ‘You have no –’
‘No nothing, Elias!’ I shouted, ignoring one of the men as he urged me to lower my voice. And then I was laughing. Not in the way Shae made me laugh. In the way only my brother could. In absolute disbelief.
Elias took his chance. ‘You’re one to talk! Why are you even here? Finally sick of what he’s doing to you? Ashamed of the way you just let that guard take you? Not willing to roll over and die anymore, is that it?’
An amused chuckle from behind. ‘Ouch.’
I whirled on the men. Walker and the man with the rough skin, who I assumed was in charge, wore stern expressions. The rest, on the other hand, were fair game. ‘Keep your traitorous mouths shut!’ I snarled.
The corner of the leader’s mouth quirked. ‘Traitorous, is it?’
‘A loyalist,’ Walker said calmly. ‘Maybe you should roll over and die.’
I spat at Walker. Instead of flinching when it landed on his face, he smiled. A slow hand dragged the offending substance off his face. ‘Charming one, your sister. Boy, go –’
‘Go?’ I asked incredulously. ‘The only place he’s going is with me.’
The bald man scoffed. ‘Good luck.’
I crossed over to Elias and grabbed his arm. He sank back against the wall. ‘Don’t make me carry you,’ I warned, stepping close. He was as tall as I was, but youthfulness still defined his limbs. His rough hands pushed me away and I stumbled, feeling a pressure like stones bearing down on my chest.
I could feel every pair of eyes on me as they realised what I really was: a Shadow. Being shoved was never pleasant, but it would never have hurt me before. Not like that. My chest ached, almost as much as my pride. I straightened my posture, doing my best to ignore the way I felt ten times smaller.
‘You just worry about yourself, Shadow,’ the rough-skinned man said. ‘Although, you want to explain what you were doing here in the first place? Walker said you were poking around for information on Bellamy?’
I was beginning to hate that name. Whoever that man was, he was the reason we were all here, Elias included. ‘Who is he? Why did he start this?’
The man simply shrugged. ‘He has his reasons. We all do.’
‘But he’s your leader?’
A slow smile drew across his face. ‘What did you come here for, Kaylan?’
I wanted to keep it simple, to say I came here for my brother so I could take him and leave this all behind. But they knew it wasn’t true.
Elias.
What had dragged him into this life? What sixteen-year-old wanted to be involved in a war? How could I get him away from it?
There was no need to tell the rebels of Rennard’s suspicions, but what if I could use some information to get Elias out? Information was the most valuable thing to a rebel. It had to be more valuable to them than my brother.
I turned my attention to Walker. ‘I actually wasn’t going to come. That night in the tavern – I lied.’
No going back now.
Walker kept all emotion from his face and tone. ‘Go on.’
Giving up what I knew for free? I knew enough about deals to not be so liberal. I glan
ced over my shoulder at Elias, whose expression mirrored those of his employers – eager expectation. It made me sick.
‘Elias, give us a moment,’ I said sternly.
He scoffed. ‘Not a chance!’
‘Kid,’ Walker said quietly. He nodded at the door.
‘But Walker –’
‘Come on.’ Walker nodded encouragingly. Elias’ jaw clenched, but he moved toward the door. I almost gawked at the sight of my brother doing what he was told with so little fight.
When he was gone, I eyed Walker.
I steeled myself. ‘If I tell you what I know, you’ll keep Elias out of this.’
A sharp laugh escaped the bald man’s fleshy throat.
‘Enough, Harper,’ the rough-skinned man grumbled. Harper settled, rolling his eyes and diverting his attention to the far wall.
‘And you are?’ I nodded to the leader.
He considered. ‘Bex.’
‘So, Bex,’ I said loudly. ‘Is it agreed? You keep my brother out of it?’
‘What do you propose we do, exactly?’ Walker asked. ‘Just tell him to go home? That’ll go down well.’
‘I’m sure you’ll come up with something,’ I sneered. ‘I know what he can be like. Don’t let him talk you out of it. You want this information from me, you send him home. Agreed?’
‘Why exclude him?’ Bex asked coolly.
‘He’s sixteen. Do you need any more reason than that?’
‘In Rennard’s eyes, he’s no child.’
‘Is it agreed?’ I repeated, jaw clenched.
Bex leaned forward and laced his fingers together. ‘No.’
‘No?’
Bex shook his head. ‘One flimsy piece of information isn’t enough for me.’
‘What do you want, then?’ I braced myself for what he might consider enough.
‘You are in a unique position, little Kaylan.’
Little?
I drew in a slow breath; his next words were already clear to me. A unique position, indeed, but espionage was not my strong suit.
‘If you see or hear something that would be of interest to us,’ Bex said, ‘pass it along.’
‘There’s no guarantee I’ll come by any information. Rennard doesn’t exactly discuss such things in front of me.’
‘I hardly expect him to hand you his deployment schedule, but we’re on the lookout for unusual activities.’
Bex stood and approached. He was taller than me, and closer up I could see his rough skin was flaking away, as if he were slowly decaying.
‘Particularly in regard to his scouts. We don’t have as many eyes as we’d like, and keeping track of their comings and goings is proving difficult. If he sends men out, it’s likely they’ll be looking for Bellamy and other followers. If we can give them a warning …’ He shrugged. ‘Well, that would be worth the headache I’m going to get from your brother.’
‘How would I even get information to you?’ I asked. ‘I’m not usually allowed off castle grounds.’
‘We already have a system in place.’ Bex’s smugness was unsurprising. If he had connections in the castle, he had forged them right under Rennard’s nose.
‘I’m not your only spy inside his walls?’
‘Perhaps.’ A smile. ‘What do you say?’
‘I won’t do anything to jeopardise my family more than I have to,’ I said flatly. ‘If I happen upon relevant information, I will pass it along. But I won’t go digging for it, understand? If I’m caught, my family suffers.’
‘Fair enough.’
Talking quickly, Bex relayed how I could get information to them without Rennard knowing. When he was done, he gave me a slow once-over. ‘So, you lied to Walker?’
I sighed. ‘Yes. That night, I wasn’t looking for Bellamy for myself. Rennard sent me in to find information about him.’
A spark of surprise lit in Bex’s eyes. The same look was on all their faces – all except Walker.
‘Interesting,’ was all Bex said.
‘You gave Min up.’ The bite in Walker’s voice was as frosty as a winter morning’s air. ‘He was taken. His wife came to my house in tears. They didn’t even bother coming up with an excuse. They just took him.’
‘Unlike Mr Alarn,’ I replied.
‘Shoran?’ Harper said.
‘I knew it was a lie,’ Bex scowled. ‘They ruined his crops, didn’t they?’
‘That’s what he suspects. Rennard’s been poking him for information.’
Walker eyed me. ‘You spoke with him?’
‘Rennard used me to get information out of him.’
‘Why involve you?’ Bex asked quietly. ‘What need does he have for his Shadow to do such work?’
‘I can only fathom that he thought threatening both our families would be enough to get Mr Alarn to talk. We’re old family friends.’
‘And did he talk?’
‘That’s why I came here tonight.’ I thought of Layla’s desperate hands crushing mine. If only I hadn’t gone inside that house. ‘Mr Alarn thought it best to give Rennard some harmless information, something to satisfy him for the meantime. He – we – gave him Neplar.’
Harper swore under his breath.
Bex’s mouth twitched. ‘We sent men there last week.’
I nodded. ‘That’s what Layla said. I went to see her tonight, to tell her that her husband was alright. But she knew that you’d sent men to Neplar.’ I looked to Bex. ‘I told Rennard last night. I’m sure he’s sent men too. Layla begged me to warn you, for the sake of those men and their families.’
‘I’m surprised you cared at all,’ Harper sneered.
‘I don’t approve of any killing,’ I snapped. ‘From any side, for any cause.’
‘You might say differently if there was a knife to your mother’s throat.’ Bex worked his fingers together. ‘You can’t know what you’re capable of until moments like that.’
He was right. My heart hammered at the idea of someone hurting my family, Shae or even Markus. ‘Regardless, I knew I had to warn you. Get them out.’
‘I just hope we can get to them first.’ Bex flicked a hand at Harper. He left wordlessly with the other two men, whose names I was probably better off not knowing.
‘I appreciate the warning,’ Bex continued. ‘Information like that will keep your brother out of this fight.’
‘And if I stop delivering?’ I countered, eyes narrow. ‘If I find nothing?’
He merely shrugged.
I wanted to smack that smug smile off his face. ‘Fine.’
‘Fine?’
I leaned in close, eyes locking with his, ensuring he could see the intent there. ‘Fine.’
‘Pleasure, Kaylan.’ Bex placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. I dipped, letting his hand slide away. He merely chuckled and used his meaty arms to remind me where the door was.
‘One thing.’ I paused, my hand on the doorknob. ‘I don’t want my brother knowing I’m the reason why he’s off your team.’
Bex ignored my sarcasm. ‘Don’t want the headache of arguing your side?’
‘No,’ I said quietly. ‘Don’t want him thinking further ill of me when I’m dead and buried.’
It was enough to wipe the smugness from his face.
I locked eyes with both Bex and Walker, a final agreement, before retreating into the quiet of the hallway.
Elias, a few paces to the right, dropped the ring that hung on a chain around his neck, and sprang forward from the wall.
‘I’m not a child,’ he snapped. ‘Excluding me like that only reminds them of how young I am.’
‘So young,’ I mumbled. ‘You’re right. I am sorry. I just –’ I cleared my throat. There was more to Elias in this moment than I had seen from him in a long time. Something I thought he had lost. There was no mistaking that spark of passion in his eyes.
Not to mention that he was in a tavern ... and sober.
‘I wasn’t comfortable with you there. I couldn’t concentrate.’
‘
What did you tell them?’ he asked, crossing his arms. ‘The others tore out of there like the room was on fire.’
‘I had some information, something to help,’ I replied, trying to remember the last time I saw him sober and comfortable at the same time. He wouldn’t drink every day, mainly because the free-flowing drinks open to those who worked in the local taverns depended wholly on the mood of the owners. Theirs was a toxic little club. It was why Irey’s Tavern was his favourite. He didn’t work there, but a few of his closest friends did. They supplied his alcohol and fuelled his addiction.
‘Help?’ Elias scoffed, shaking his head.
‘That’s the end of it.’ Lie. ‘I have to return to the castle now. I’ve already been home.’
Elias’ mouth twisted, eyes spiking with something I hoped was pain. Hoped – because I never wanted him to hate me. While I never wanted him in that kind of pain again, right now I needed to know he cared. Sometimes I thought he forgot that I cared. He couldn’t see past his own embarrassment or anger, couldn’t see the love that drove everything I did.
My eyes drifted to the ring dangling from its wearied chain around his neck. Elias tucked it under his shirt.
‘To say goodbye?’ he said, jaw clenched.
‘If you stay involved in this …’ I exhaled. ‘It’s not about you. The boys will need you when I’m gone. Please, don’t stay here.’
I reached for his hands. They were shaking.
‘Come home with me and forget this.’
Elias drew in a breath and dropped his head back. I watched silently, hoping he would hear my reason, for once. When he looked at me again, tears were threatening.
‘But you’re not coming home, are you?’ His voice strained. ‘Just go back to your Lord. I hate goodbyes, anyway.’
‘This isn’t what Father would want.’
‘Father?’ He glared at me. ‘I knew him better than you ever did, and I know he would want this.’
‘He wouldn’t want you endangering your life.’
‘He believed in what was right,’ Elias countered. ‘He never agreed with Rennard’s rule. He would be proud of me.’
Something twisted in my gut. ‘What are you saying, Elias?’
Elias gave me a look then, one that unsettled me to my core. It was a look of superiority, as if he knew something that had power over me.
