Page 32 of Revealing Fate

Kal and Rask rode past the stable he and Kitty had visited upon their arrival. He caught sight of Bandor leading a bedraggled mount with sweat-stained flanks toward a paddock. The stablemaster waved as they passed and pulled the poor beast to a halt.

“Kalevar!” he hollered after them.

Kal closed his eyes and worried that they might not reopen. He eased the gray to a reluctant standstill. The wiry man approached from the side, tugging along the horse that looked as exhausted as Kal felt. “What is it, Bandor?”

If the stablemaster was taken aback by Kal’s brevity, he did not show it. “A lady arrived asking after you. Not two hours ago.”

Kal perked. “Kitty?”

Rask, having noticed Kal’s delay, pulled up alongside him. “Who’s Kitty?”

Bandor looked quizzically between the two of them. Kal squeezed the bridge of his nose. “Was it the woman who accompanied me yesterday?”

“No. This poor half-dead creature is hers,” Bandor said, gesturing to the horse he led. “She said she came all the way from the capital. She said it was urgent that she find you. ‘Imperative,’ was the word she used.”

“Our sentries just let a random female from Asteros stroll past our borders?” Rask’s voice held a note of disdain.

Bandor turned his worried attention to the blond male. “Of course not. She gave the code. She requested Kal specifically.”

“A name, Bandor,” Kal pressed. “Did she give you a name?”

The stablemaster shook his head. “I’m afraid not. She was reluctant to share more. Penn, the lad, said you’d gone north and would return today or the next. He showed her to Palaver’s.”

Meress’s largest inn. On the opposite fucking side of town. Kal suppressed a growl. Kitty would have to wait another hour or so. He nodded his thanks to Bandor and kicked his mount more firmly than intended, whirling to the left. He didn’t look back to see if Rask followed.

Twenty minutes later, Kal slipped out of the saddle and pounded up the steps to Palaver Lodge. Nearly every head turned in his direction when he threw open the front door. He searched the faces of each occupant, a few recognizable, but none of significance.

Then he turned and saw her. The shock of seeing the familiar face sent a tremor through Kal’s solid frame like a lightning strike through a ship’s mast. There, seated at a booth in the far corner, away from the meager crowd, was Santhe.

The intensity of Kal’s gaze drew her attention. He was halfway to her when she shot up from the table and flung herself at him. Kal barely caught her.

“Oh, bless the stars,” she cried. “They told me you were here, but I didn’t believe it until now.”

“What in the name of the gods are you doing here?” he demanded.

Santhe raised watery eyes to his. “I had to find you. He made me come find you.”

He. Kal’s grip on her tightened. “Is Cinah⁠—”

“Fine,” she said, swallowing thickly. “At least, he was when I left him. The city’s locked down. I barely made it out, Kal. Cinah is worried. He said something terrible must have⁠—”

Behind them, Rask pushed through the front door. Santhe must have seen him past Kal’s shoulder. When she did, an unreadable expression settled over her features.

“Santhe, why are you here?” Kal urged, reclaiming her attention.

Wide brown eyes met his black ones. “Railah.”

Her one word had the beast inside him stirring. He leaned in closer. “What about Railah?”

Santhe turned mournful. “Then, you don’t know.”

Rask found them and pulled up short. “Is that…? Santhe? What in the seven hells are you doing here?”

Kal had the sudden urge to strike his fair friend if just to be rid of the distraction. “What about her, Santhe?”

Santhe’s eyes didn’t leave his face, but her voice lowered to a hush. “It’s not her.”

Rask looked between them, confused.