Page 99 of Ashborne Forged

I went very still, because it felt like my ribs might shatter if I moved too fast. “I’ll get her back. Even if it means asking for help. Kham’s been telling me to do it for years,” I said cryptically. Because even Gil didn’t know.

Gil tilted his head like a curious dog. “Seriously? You’re going to leave on that? What’s the story?”

For the first time, I wished I’d told him about my past. Wished I could put this in front of him and see if he had ideas. He was a sneaky fucker—in different ways than me. I wished we had time. I wished I’d trusted him earlier. That I could have his advice on how to handle this. He would have protected these secrets, just like he had with everything else. But now it was too late. And besides, I didn’t want him embroiled in my steaming cesspit of a life.

He needs to be able to deny knowledge just as much as Donavyn and Ronen. He’s a leader, too.

“How about a deal?” I said after a moment.

“A wager?”

“No, a deal. I suspect that the man Grace killed was either a criminal Breckon hired, or an actual spy of Fyrehold. Either way, he’s close to something dirty. You find whatever is needed to uncover that he deserved death. And you make certain no one knows it was Grace’s hand on that blade. Ever. Then you find me, and tell me everything you learned.”

Gil nods. “Done. And you?”

“I’m going to save my mate. And pray that I can bring her back here. And that you haven’t stolen my rank before I do.”

He huffed. “Even with the murder, they’ll all want you back. You know they will. Donavyn will discipline you for the false orders, but he’ll let it go.”

“And Ronen?” We both knew Ronen was a good man, and as steady as they come. But he’d never been inducted into Shadowfang because he was good in very black and white ways. He struggled with deception in any circumstance.

Gil’s lips thinned. “I’ll talk to Ronen. Leave him to me.”

I blew out a breath. “Thank you, brother.”

Gil nodded and stepped forward. I offered a hand to clasp, but he grabbed it and pulled me into a hug.

I was startled, but nodded and thumped his back.

A few seconds later, I shivered when he didn’t release me.

“I’ll see you when you get back,” Gil muttered in my ear, still holding me into the hug.

“I hope so.”

“I’ll bet you five gold coins you do. Payable the day you arrive, so get out there and hustle while you’re gone.”

I huffed. “Sure. And… thanks, bro. For everything. All these years.”

“Thank me by coming back.”

I nodded, but my skin was beginning to crawl. “Gil?”

“Yeah?”

“You aren’t going to try and kiss me, are you?”

Gil scoffed and finally released me, clapping my back extra hard a couple of times before he stepped back. We both found a reason to look elsewhere for a moment.

The dust was bad in the stables today.

My skin was starting to feel tight. I had to get out of here.

I wasn’t worried about the time needed to catch up to a horse and carriage. Even with half a day’s lead on us, Kham flew far faster than horses could run. But who knew what it might take to actually get her back? I couldn’t use my Furyknight resources. And the options that remained were harrowing. I needed to go.

“See you soon then,” Gil said, scratching the back of his neck.

I nodded and threw my bag over my shoulder as I started out of the stable with Kham, who walked quickly, steam and vapor pouring from his nostrils on the exhale.