only be interested in one of them,” she answered with a smile.
“What do they offer as payment?”
“I was never told.”
He found himself intrigued. “Oh?”
“It’s the Emperor.”
He gave a toothy grin. “So Ryuuhan needs me once more? He has always known how to pique my curiosity. Inform him that I’ve shown interest.”
The woman bowed. “It shall be done.”
“Have you heard from the others?”
“Yes.”
“Anything I should know?”
“Raven reports that the situation in the Kingdom of Zinox is growing more volatile by the day. King Lindred has begun to punish any who speak of Asteroth. Apparently, the Fat King still denies his existence. Considering his personality, Raven predicts that he will likely declare war on the yog’murgarr in xenophobic fear, disguising it as an attempt to quell the growing disconcertion among the common folk.”
Killmar rubbed his chin. “Fear often presents opportunity. Did he mention any impressive contracts?”
The woman shook her head. “Large sums of gold, but nothing of real interest. Kingdom nobles don’t seem to grasp the conditions they need to fulfil to present an enticing offer.”
He sighed before throwing a small pouch to the woman. “Here. I am pleased to see that it was not a mistake to designate you to this region.”
The pouch’s contents chinked as she caught it. “Thank you, I—”
She looked up and realised she was alone.
Jessica stood, satisfied with the efficiency with which she had broken down the camp. She noticed the absence of carrion birds and walked over to where Killmar had thrown the black bear carcass. But instead of a rotting corpse, she found bones, each completely stripped clean.
“We should start moving,” said Killmar suddenly from behind her.
“Vendrious’s blood! Don’t scare me like that!”
He only smiled slightly before leading the way. They continued on in silence for most of the day until he broke the quiet and asked, “To which family did you belong before you were sold to Kingdom slavers?
Jessica’s stomach froze. “What do you mean?”
“You’re obviously of noble birth, and yet you are currently a slave. The Kingdom’s code of honour prevents any local noble from ever becoming a slave, so you must originally be from somewhere else. Not too far, based on your slight accent.”
“But why would you think I’m a noble lady?”
“You are not as talented an actor as you believe. You do not speak as a low born girl would, nor do you react to the scandalous as you should. Your time in captivity has helped you appear coarser than your peers, but a lady’s pedigree is not so easily discarded. You probably don’t know this, due to Willow Way’s isolation, but there are very few things that would make a common girl your age blush. You see, the common folk do not have galas and the like, so they entertain themselves in . . . other ways.”
Jessica stood stunned. She had been found out; if it were anyone else, she might have tried to refute all he said, but Killmar was no fool, and she knew it.
“So where are you from, little rabbit?”
She was silent a moment longer, then answered, “Evershade.”
“Ah, the Coalition of Lords. I was there once or twice; never been to Evershade, though. So you escaped when your house was destroyed?”
She smiled. Of course he knew. She didn’t even know why she bothered to hope he didn’t. “Since when have you known?”
“About the destruction of your house?”
“No, since when have you known who I was?”
He shrugged. “I once heard that all the Raeons had a very distinguishable birthmark. A strange star? But I also heard that all the Raeons were slaughtered in the siege of Mistveil . . . So I have suspected ever since I first saw you naked.”
“It seems you examined me very thoroughly in that cave,” she said dryly.
He smirked. “I had to make sure you were uninjured.”
“I’m sorry I deceived you.”
“No need to apologise; there
“What do they offer as payment?”
“I was never told.”
He found himself intrigued. “Oh?”
“It’s the Emperor.”
He gave a toothy grin. “So Ryuuhan needs me once more? He has always known how to pique my curiosity. Inform him that I’ve shown interest.”
The woman bowed. “It shall be done.”
“Have you heard from the others?”
“Yes.”
“Anything I should know?”
“Raven reports that the situation in the Kingdom of Zinox is growing more volatile by the day. King Lindred has begun to punish any who speak of Asteroth. Apparently, the Fat King still denies his existence. Considering his personality, Raven predicts that he will likely declare war on the yog’murgarr in xenophobic fear, disguising it as an attempt to quell the growing disconcertion among the common folk.”
Killmar rubbed his chin. “Fear often presents opportunity. Did he mention any impressive contracts?”
The woman shook her head. “Large sums of gold, but nothing of real interest. Kingdom nobles don’t seem to grasp the conditions they need to fulfil to present an enticing offer.”
He sighed before throwing a small pouch to the woman. “Here. I am pleased to see that it was not a mistake to designate you to this region.”
The pouch’s contents chinked as she caught it. “Thank you, I—”
She looked up and realised she was alone.
Jessica stood, satisfied with the efficiency with which she had broken down the camp. She noticed the absence of carrion birds and walked over to where Killmar had thrown the black bear carcass. But instead of a rotting corpse, she found bones, each completely stripped clean.
“We should start moving,” said Killmar suddenly from behind her.
“Vendrious’s blood! Don’t scare me like that!”
He only smiled slightly before leading the way. They continued on in silence for most of the day until he broke the quiet and asked, “To which family did you belong before you were sold to Kingdom slavers?
Jessica’s stomach froze. “What do you mean?”
“You’re obviously of noble birth, and yet you are currently a slave. The Kingdom’s code of honour prevents any local noble from ever becoming a slave, so you must originally be from somewhere else. Not too far, based on your slight accent.”
“But why would you think I’m a noble lady?”
“You are not as talented an actor as you believe. You do not speak as a low born girl would, nor do you react to the scandalous as you should. Your time in captivity has helped you appear coarser than your peers, but a lady’s pedigree is not so easily discarded. You probably don’t know this, due to Willow Way’s isolation, but there are very few things that would make a common girl your age blush. You see, the common folk do not have galas and the like, so they entertain themselves in . . . other ways.”
Jessica stood stunned. She had been found out; if it were anyone else, she might have tried to refute all he said, but Killmar was no fool, and she knew it.
“So where are you from, little rabbit?”
She was silent a moment longer, then answered, “Evershade.”
“Ah, the Coalition of Lords. I was there once or twice; never been to Evershade, though. So you escaped when your house was destroyed?”
She smiled. Of course he knew. She didn’t even know why she bothered to hope he didn’t. “Since when have you known?”
“About the destruction of your house?”
“No, since when have you known who I was?”
He shrugged. “I once heard that all the Raeons had a very distinguishable birthmark. A strange star? But I also heard that all the Raeons were slaughtered in the siege of Mistveil . . . So I have suspected ever since I first saw you naked.”
“It seems you examined me very thoroughly in that cave,” she said dryly.
He smirked. “I had to make sure you were uninjured.”
“I’m sorry I deceived you.”
“No need to apologise; there
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