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“I doubt this one will attempt to kill me.”
“You’re a brave soul.”
“It’s not bravery. It’s logic,” he answered. “I haven’t used the waxways because I still don’t understand what happened to Clyde. It wasn’t logical. How he died… it doesn’t make sense. I have no answers to that particular mystery. That’s why it scares me. The wyvern attacked because we were passing through its territory. It acted logically. Logic, I can handle.”
Ren tried to rein her thoughts in. There were several secrets that loomed between them. Some that she would need to reveal eventually, if she was going to convince Theo to take up her cause and fight his own family at her side. But there were other secrets that she could never reveal—for fear of destroying everything. It was Ren’s fault they’d been pulled into the wilderness last year. Her spell had merged their distances and locations. It was also likely that her spell had placed Clyde at the mercy of the waxways. She’d effectively killed him. In a way, she was responsible for all the deaths that happened in the wilderness.
Theo was frowning at her. She’d given those thoughts—and the tangled emotions that went with them—far too much room to breathe. He was feeling those feelings across their bond. She snuffed them out before whispering, “It’s just hard to imagine being alone again.”
As always, he accepted her answer. Trusted her word.
“You won’t be alone. Your mother is here. You’ll have new work to focus on.”
“You know what I mean. Your family hasn’t embraced me. There’s no help for me in those circles. Any event or gala or dinner they host—I’ll be alone. I won’t have you as my shield.”
He warmed to that notion. She knew he would. Being painted as the hero always had its appeal. “I’ll be working night and day to figure out how to solve this. And we can arrange for you to come out and visit. You won’t be alone. I promise, Ren.”
Outside, there was movement. Ren buttoned her coat and followed Theo. The wyvern landed with no more than a gentle thud. The quiet was a trick. As they walked forward, she saw the creature was nearly twice the size of the one they’d encountered in the wild. A helmet had been fashioned on its head. Blinders, she remembered, to keep the creature focused on the intended destination.
The rider wore a thick coat, round-rimmed goggles, and the padded leggings she’d often seen equestrians wear. He offered Theo a simple nod, like the two of them had met a hundred times before. Ren was even more surprised by Theo’s casual approach. He went straight for the pouches dangling against the creature’s flank. He stuffed his belongings inside, cinched each pack, and turned back to face Ren.
“Not your first time, then,” she said. “Flying a wyvern.”
He smiled at her. “I told you I wanted to fly them when I was a boy. My father permitted it, because he thought a real flight would terrify me. He was wrong. I only wanted it more after that.”
Ren could see the parallel he was trying to draw to this moment, to his feelings for her. She didn’t point out that his father had succeeded. Theo was not a wyvern flier. His metaphor did not bode well for their chances. Instead of speaking those thoughts, she did what was expected. She stumbled into his embrace. They held each other tight as the great creature shifted on its haunches. Theo pulled far enough away to kiss her forehead.
“I’m not leaving you alone.”
She snorted, but before she could point out that he was literally doing just that, there was a flutter of movement in the air. Claws sank painfully into her right shoulder. Vega imitated a ruffle of feathers before going stone-still in her usual pose. Theo grinned at Ren’s expression.
“You’ll have time to get used to her landings. I decided that Vega will stay with you.”
Ren stared at him. “Theo. No. Take her. You’ll be without half your spells.”
“So? I’m defending a mountain pass that has not been attacked in more than a century, Ren. I am going to be bored beyond belief. I’ve already made a list. I’ll work on adding those spells to my other vessel. Besides, this way, you’re not alone. I’ll feel better if Vega is here with you.”
The bird’s claws tightened on Ren’s shoulder. It was a sort of confirmation. The stone creature had no intention of disobeying Theo’s command. She felt an unexpected turn of emotions. He’d guessed her fear and had chosen to do the one thing he could to counter it. He was weakening himself to strengthen her. It was an unexpected boon. Ren nodded her thanks. Theo offered one more unreadable look before sweeping forward. He embraced her again, but before he could pull away she caught him by the collar. She kissed him. Normally, it was the other way around. Not this time. It was just a whisper of a thing, and then he turned around in a swirl of cloaks.
Ren felt absurdly like one of those characters in romantic novels as she watched the rider reach down. Theo accepted the offered hand, moving his feet along built-in footholds; then he was up on the creature’s back saddle. He waved down to her like he was riding off to war. Ren couldn’t help waving back. Why not? She’d already tied her entire future to him. Might as well send him off in style. There was a clinical nature to what came next. Compared to the wild creature that had attacked them in the mountains, this wyvern was a docile thing. It responded to every command with neat efficiency, turning, spreading its wings. Ren heard the sound of a tongue click, and they launched breathlessly into the air. She was gusted back a few steps, but she stood there, offering Theo one final glimpse, as the creature soared free of the Heights—beyond the city proper.
When she was certain he was gone, Ren marched back inside.
She had packed a bag too. She had a plan of her own.
Somewhere in the city below, there was a boat she needed to be on.
* * *
Her mother’s house was the only place Ren felt certain that Landwin Brood was not watching. She’d set magical charms to monitor infiltration, and all of them were still intact. At least in here, she was free to act and speak without fear of being heard.
As she entered, she heard laughter. The sound had her pausing midstride. That was not her mother’s laugh. Ren stood there in the doorway, unsure of how to announce her presence.
Eventually she decided on making tea. The kettle offered a loud clank when she set it on the stove. She got the fire burning. The voices—free and bright a moment before—were now hushed behind her mother’s door. Ren let the tea start to scream before removing it, pouring two steaming cups. Ren had sent word ahead about this visit. The letter had included a few requests from her mother’s contacts down at the docks. Had she not received the note? And if she had, why would she have someone over?
Ren hadn’t thought much, over the years, about the company her mother might be keeping. It was only natural for her to seek companionship. Roland Monroe had died nearly a decade ago. It would be unfair to expect her to spend the rest of her life alone. Ren had spoken that very truth to her mother a dozen times. Still, when they emerged from the back room, Ren’s mother looked embarrassed. The man she was with did not.
“Ahh. Here she is. Finally,” he said, all confidence. “The brilliant daughter. Your mother speaks about you at all hours of the day.”
