Page 85 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

“He would if… if he thought it would make him the hero,” I said quickly. It was a discussion I’d had with Donavyn, and something I knew about Ruin. “He’s always wanted to be admired. Applauded. If he thinks doing this for the king gets him a promotion or… or something else important. He’d do it.”

My brothers looked at each other again, and I thanked God that I wasn’t the person on the receiving end of their quiet rage.

“Well, whatever this little fuckwit thinks he’s doing, doesn’t matter. We know what he’s already done… right?”

Gil smiled viciously, his fists so tight at his sides, his knuckles turned white. “I can barely wait to greet my brother.”

I winced. Was I going to go through the same problem with my brothers that I’d faced with Donavyn? “We need to be very careful. What happened between me and Ruin isn’t the point of this mission—”

“Oh, don’t worry, Bren,” Voski said with an eerie smile. “We’re all about being efficient.”

“Maximum impact for minimum effort,” Gill added, his smile growing broader. “And always in secret, of course. Some of us don’t need to be applauded for the good we do.”

Voski nodded. “If we can save the kingdom from a traitor and punish this cockbubble for his crimes against you, well… that’s what I call a perk of the job.”

I was both afraid of their anger, and touched by their care.

“Donavyn’s already broken his nose. Twice,” I said with a small smile.

“See, this is why we follow the man,” Gil said with a grin at Voski.

But Voski just got to his feet and patted his leathers until he found his sheath, then drew the blade and checked it like he knew he’d need to use it soon. Then, as he slid it back into the sheath, he looked at me. “Is there anything else we should know?”

I shook my head. “Just… that I’m glad you’re here.”

“Us too,” Voski said with a menacing smile.

Gil gave a wicked laugh. “Let’s go say hi to our old friend.”

27. Make a Plan

~ DONAVYN ~

Her brothers had worn themselves out to reach us quickly, and I appreciated it. But now we had a new battle to fight.

As her seniors, and squad brothers—both in the Furyknights, and as Shadowfang—they were naturally protective of Bren. The news about Ruin had their hackles up in ways I understood. But I now needed to lead them through.

“We cannot lose sight of the central mission.”

“But, sir,” Voski began, both he and Gil standing at attention in our quarters. I shot him a look to shut his mouth.

“No one understands better than me, the offense of that man’s presence here, especially with Bren,” I growled. “And no one is more committed than me to bringing him to justice—trust me,” I said when Gil opened his mouth. He closed it quickly again. I paused until both of them were staring at me with mouths closed, then nodded. “Bren will be the first to tell you that we cannot undermine the safety of the kingdom to take revenge on that bastard. And so… we wait. We bide our time. We learn what we need, and use him as required. And when we return to Vosgaarde, we stand for her then.”

Voski looked angry, but nodded once—an order he would submit to, reluctantly.

But Gil’s jaw rolled. “Sir, the king admires Ruin, and the queen… there was talk of their closeness before the squad left.”

“I am aware,” I muttered. “I also know that gossip is not always true, and even if it is… it is precisely why we must gather irrefutable evidence of his darkness so that even the king cannot brush it aside. Show me Ruin’s treason, and I will make sure the Royals know it.”

“And if he’s not a traitor to the crown? Only to honor?” Voski asked bitterly.

“Then even more reason for us to conduct ourselves as a Furyknight should, so that when we bring accusation, we are heard as men of integrity.”

Gil glanced at Voski, who nodded again.

Bren stood aside, watching all three of us. I’d warned her to let me quell the men’s anger—I understood it, and could use it, if they listened. But she was nervous.

Not that I could blame her. She’d seen me lose my shit over this more than once.