Page 40 of Keldori By Daybreak

“You could—”

“I’m not talking to you,” I snapped at Tiernan, then focused on my tether with Ciarán.

“Knock him out, and lock him up,” Ciarán instructed. “And fast.”

“Okay. Right,” I said, psyching myself up. “Just knock him out. Easy.”

I turned a fist into metal and delivered a blow to the back of the guard’s helmeted head. The sound rang out louder than I’d hoped, but the man slumped in my arms, unconscious.

“Why are you here?” Tiernan rasped.

“We’re looking for Iseult.” I dragged the guard into Tiernan’s prison cell and dropped him in the opposite corner.

Tiernan shrank away, and I frowned at him. He’d been a callous and fierce warrior just a few weeks ago. Now he tried to disappear into the corner of his cell, bruised, filthy, and absolutely reeking. Worse than all that, however, I’d never seen Tiernan truly afraid. Not like this. I didn’t recognize this cowering boy.

I let go of the magick I’d used to alter my appearance. Heavy blue hair fell over my shoulders, and my beard flaked off. Tiernan’s shoulders relaxed as Ferrin’s face gave way to my own, though he tensed again as my clothing reverted back to something that more suited a Grimguard.

“It’s okay,” I said, back in my own voice. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You’re with the Grimguard.” Distrust colored Tiernan’s tone, but he at least wasn’t pressed against the wall anymore.

“Yes, and we’re stopping Ferrin. You’re free to join unless you’d rather stay with your new roommate.” I extended my hand.

Tiernan hesitated, then took it, and I heaved him to his feet. His knees buckled, but I caught him under his arm and let him lean against me as I led him out of the prison cell.

“How’d you know I wasn’t Ferrin?” I locked the door behind us.

“No Skal-goggles.” Tiernan’s entire body quaked against mine as we retraced my steps back to the stairway. “Two years, and Ferrin only ever took them off to bathe.”

“Oh.” It was an embarrassingly stupid detail to forget. “You haven’t seen Iseult, have you? We need her.”

“I haven’t seen anyone in over two weeks.”

Two weeks. It was hard to believe only two weeks had passed since I’d last seen Tiernan. Our fight had culminated in him unconscious and Galahad dead.

“What happened?” I asked. “After we fought.”

Tiernan hesitated at the top step of the stairs to give the city below us a wary look. He took a deep breath, and then urged me onwards.

“The last thing I remember from our fight was Caitria’s face, and then her Magick coursing down my spine to knock me out,” he spat. “When I woke up, she was there.”

“And?” I prompted when he fell quiet.

“And I was so excited my sister wasn’t dead,” he said. “Until she started to explain. She told me Orla and Fana would have to die, that we’d be leaving the next morning to take them to release the Frozen God. She thought I’d be on her side, but instead, I wished she’d stayed dead. I’d rather her be a martyr than a murderer.”

Tiernan had loved his sister. He’d grieved her when he thought she’d been killed. He’d hated me for the role he thought I’d played in her apparent death.

But not even a resurrected sister could uproot his loyalty to Fana.

“I’m sorry.” We’d never been fond of each other, me and Tiernan, but Ferrin’s betrayal had collapsed his world as catastrophically as it had mine.

“I waited until night to slip out of the infirmary and warn Fana and Orla, but Ferrin was waiting. I tried to fight him, but he’s stronger than he’s been letting on. I’ve been locked up since.”

“And now we’re getting you out.”

“By we, you mean you and the Grimguard.” He winced as I pulled him down the steps. “You’re using his magick. He’s your new nocturmancer.”

“His name is Ciarán, and he’s not your enemy. Don’t worry, Orla’s here too.”