“And you think that means running off to fight someone else’s war?” she asked. There was no heat to the question. Simple curiosity.
“It is everyone’s war,” Cyrene told her. “Every person in Emporia will feel the ripples and impacts of what is coming. Malysa is recruiting. That’s why she sent Wara to Kell to align with the Guild. There is no doubt that she means to slaughter anyone opposed to her or anyone who poses a threat. If you don’t join her, then you are against her.”
“Why should we join you instead of her?” another voice asked.
The Commander straightened. “Didn’t you hear anything she just said? I don’t like the idea of walking into a war zone, but we have been living in one our entire lives. We are the war, Binx,” he said to the man. “And I would like to fight for a free world. For the honor to choose. Not subjugation.”
“I agree,” Haeven said. “But we belong to the shadows. How would we help in a battle?”
Cyrene smiled. “Working with the army doesn’t have to mean battles. I have an idea about how to use your particular skill set. It’s a challenge. If you’re up for it?”
Haeven quirked an eyebrow that said, I’m listening.
So, Cyrene laid out exactly what she had in mind for the Guild. All of the dirty secrets she had been keeping as she decided to trust her gut and enlist the Commander again.
By the end, she was met with silence…but keen interest. She could see it shining on all their faces. Their desire to prove themselves. And the challenge that she posed. And hope. Hope for a better world. One they’d never considered possible.
The Commander set his hand on her shoulder. “Give us some time to think about it.”
“We don’t have a lot of time,” she told him.
He nodded. “We’ll work it out.”
“All right,” she said. “Thank you for letting me speak.”
“It’s good to see you again, spitfire. I’m glad you came back.” He squeezed her shoulder and then released her. “And…I kept my promise about the other thing you requested of me.”
Her eyes rounded. “You did?”
He nodded. “If you want to go there.”
“I would,” she whispered.
“Go on. We’ll be here, debating into the night.” He held his hand out. “You can trust me.”
She eased her small palm into his. “Can I?”
He pulled her in closer until his lips were pressed against the shell of her ear. “The name is Tristen.”
A small gasp escaped her. She pulled back and looked up into his gray eyes. “Tristen,” she breathed, tasting his name on her tongue. A name that must have cost him much. A name he had given to her freely…to prove she could trust him. “Thank you, Tristen.”
He grinned once and then released her.
She stepped away from him and back toward Dean.
“What was that about?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“He told me his name,” she breathed.
Dean raised his eyebrows. “Why?”
“To prove that we could trust him.” Her eyes were wide. Tristen.
“So…he’s not in love with you?” Dean asked.
Cyrene snorted unexpectedly and then broke off into laughter. “Please tell me that you’re joking.”
“Hey! The way he looked at you…”
“He’s an arrogant ass, who is clearly in love with Haeven. Use your eyes.”
“I mean…a guy can love two women.”
She took his hand in hers. “Can you?”
He shook his head. “Never. It has only ever been you.”
“I want you to meet someone,” she said softly, glowing with his words.
“Another past boyfriend?”
She swatted at him. “He was not my boyfriend. And, no…it’s my older sister.”
“She lives in Kell?”
She nodded. “Come with me?”
“To the ends of the earth.”
36
The Trap
“You want to scale the building and sneak into your own sister’s house?” Dean asked.
“Well, last time, I brought a whole lot of problems down on her head. I don’t particularly want other people to see us,” she hissed. “Plus, they knew we stayed here last time. It’s where they would look again even if the Commander has kept her safe.”
“Okay,” Dean said with a sigh. “Climbing it is.”
“Get moving,” she told him.
Despite his protests, Dean scaled the side of the building with ease. Much of the buildings in the Triangle had been built with handholds for Guild use. She still thought it such a strange world that assassins were sanctioned. And not just that…but also helped along by the populace. Even the buildings were made easier for them to kill people.
But Cyrene could hardly talk. The royal family of Byern had been mass murderers for two millennia. Hardly normal.
And so she started to climb after Dean. She was glad that she had changed back into her fighting leathers. Her dress would have only hindered her progress. Dean grasped her wrist and helped her over the ledge and onto the balcony.
Cyrene was pretty sure that this was the room that she had stayed in last time. And that it should be unoccupied. She pressed the door inward and found that the entire thing had been redecorated.
“Creator,” she breathed softly as she realized she had entered a nursery.
And Aralyn’s new baby lay asleep in a crib against the wall. Aralyn herself was asleep in a rocking chair beside him.
Cyrene opened the door a little wider to allow Dean access as well. But, as she slid it open, the hinges creaked. Cyrene winced at the small noise. And Aralyn jolted awake. Fear crossed her features as she saw the two black-cloaked figures in the doorway. She looked like she was going to scream.
“It’s me. It’s me,” Cyrene said, rushing into the room. “It’s Cyrene.”
All the tension released from Aralyn’s frame. “Cyrene!” she cried, jumping to her feet. “What are you doing here?”
They embraced, bodies knocking together with abandon.
“I came to see you,” Cyrene said. “The Commander said that he had helped keep you safe. And I couldn’t come to Kell without stopping in.”
“I thought you were a Guild member come to kill me,” she gasped.
“I know. I’m sorry. We didn’t want anyone to know that we were here. I know that we brought trouble onto you last time.”
“Yes, but it’s fine now. Larsen has it all worked out. And your Commander did help where he could. It’s been kind of nice, having a Guild member on our side, actually.”
“I’m glad.”
“And who is this?” Aralyn asked, releasing Cyrene and looking to Dean, who had just closed the door and stepped back into the room.
“This is Dean,” Cyrene said.
“Your Eleysian prince?” Aralyn asked with a small, secret smile.
Cyrene laughed. “Indeed he is.”
“I’m glad to see you’ve reconciled.” Aralyn held out her hand, and Dean shook it.