Page 89 of Revels on an Angel’s Grave

“Lola,” Emmeline gasped as cries and shock echoed from the shoving crowd. She whirled, finding a pair of stricken blue eyes locked on the body. An elbow slammed into Emmeline’s ribs, but she repeated, “Lola!”

Lola’s attention snapped to hers.

“Get to Roremar!” Emmeline instructed. “Make sure he’s okay!”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Desmond growled, bracing his wide stance and pulling Lola and Myrella in front of him to stop them from getting shoved. Graves and Eston surrounded them, facing out and hands on their weapons. “She’s not going anywhere alone! None of us are.”

“He’s right,” Graves tossed over his shoulder.

“She can’t stay here,” Emmeline argued. “She’s tied to Anphrosia. And someone needs to make sure Roremar is okay, too. They’re going to think he did this.”

Desmond growled, “You think the killer is going to hang around here? This is the safest place for her.”

“Dryvius—or someone recreating his ritual, or someone he’s using—isn’t a normal person, Desmond. Their mind is twisted. I saw it in those murders.” She scanned the crowd of hysterical expressions. “I absolutely think whoever did this will be watching it unfold.”

“She shouldn’t be alone, though,” Myrella agreed with Desmond, who was muttering to Lola.

“I’ll go,” Lola decided, silencing Desmond with a tense look Emmeline couldn’t quite read. “The barracks have a heavy guard. I’ll be safe there.”

Desmond’s jaw ground as he held her stare, finally conceding. “Stay on lit streets and don’t leave the barracks alone. Take one of the fools with you,” he added as an afterthought, waving at Graves and Eston.

“I’ll go with her.” Eston nodded over his shoulder, obviously too quickly for Desmond’s liking based on his squinted evaluation of the guard.

He said to Graves, “You go.”

Eston scowled, but Graves looked at Emmeline, shoving away a man who stumbled into them without breaking eye contact. “I take orders from you, not him.”

“Go with her, Graves,” Emmeline said. She had no patience for the men’s power games right now. To Lola she added, “Be careful.”

“Of course,” Lola said, and they were swallowed up by the masses.

Desmond’s jaw ticked as he watched her go, but he didn’t follow.

Emmeline took a deep breath, grabbing Myrella’s hand and shoving through the crowd. “Come on, we need a better look.”

Valyn City Guard had already arrived and was clearing the scene, forcing the onlookers behind a boundary line. Perry of all people was standing at the front of it, along with another competitor who, Emmeline thought, was named Khasson.

“Emmeline,” Perry said grimly. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Emmeline said, blinking up at the scene, then back to Perry. “What are you doing here?”

She still wasn’t entirely on board with his proposed alliance. He always seemed to be where she was, almost as if he were watching her a little too closely. While that could be justified by wanting to work with her—and whatever interest he’d expressed in the Constellation Isles—that attention scratched against her skin.

Had Rocarri asked him to watch her? He was the favored competitor, after all.

Perry nodded at the man beside him who couldn’t pull his stare from the body. “We had a meeting with the Governors.”

“Guess we won’t be getting that drink on our way home,” Khasson said, finally looking over Emmeline, Desmond, and Myrella. Curiosity flashed through his stare, gone so quickly she thought she imagined it.

“Might need it now more than ever,” Perry said, eyes flicking to Emmeline. “Will you be okay?”

“I’ll be fine.”

Perry dropped his voice. “You know who they’re going to blame for this.”

“I’m aware,” Emmeline snapped. “Go get your drink and let us handle this.”

Perry held up his hands, about to argue, but Khasson squeezed his shoulder. One corner of his lips curled, a probing stare on Emmeline that, for reasons she wasn’t quite sure of, had chills dancing down her spine.