The Confectioner Chronicles Box Set by Claire Luana

Author:Claire Luana [Luana, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780997701890
Publisher: Live Edge Publishing
Published: 2019-08-11T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

The Apricans retreated far sooner than the flames did.

Wren sat on the roof for hours after the worst of the attack, thinking and worrying. She wished she had some brilliant scheme to help Thom and rescue the Gifted hostages, but she had nothing. She had no idea where to start looking.

That was where Lucas found her. Her stomach had been rumbling for some time and she had been contemplating going inside. But somehow, on the roof, she didn’t have to confront anything yet, didn’t have to admit her utter uselessness. So she was hanging on to this moment as hard as she could.

The bench creaked in protest as Lucas flopped down next to her. Without a word, he scooted down to lay his head in her lap. She stroked the hair at his temple, admiring the flecks of gray, overcome by sudden tenderness.

“They have my brother,” Lucas said flatly, closing his eyes wearily.

“What?” Wren said, her hand stilling. “Which one? Trick?”

“Keep doing that. It felt nice,” Lucas murmured. “Well, yes, someone has Trick. But no, the Apricans. My brother Casius.”

“Which one is that?” Wren tried to recall which of the sour-faced men standing at the front of the temple was Casius.

“He’s the next in line after Zane. He thought he’d prove his heroism by commanding the defense of the harbor himself. His ship got hit and he went into the water. Some of the other men saw him pulled out by the Apricans.”

Wren shuddered, trying not to think of how horrible it must be to be plunged into dark, cold water, surrounded by hungry flames and falling debris. “That’s awful. Your father must be furious,” Wren said, though in truth, she had little sympathy for King Imbris.

“It weakens us,” Lucas said, finally sitting up. His face was pallid, his brow furrowed. He looked as if he had aged five years in the last five days. “The attack on the harbor weakened us as well. We lost three of our ships—the Centese lost two. We have to keep the harbor closed, which means it will be that much harder to reprovision the city when Evander’s army arrives.”

“When is that?”

“Days. Hours. Maybe. The reports say soon.”

Hours? Dear gods. Wren’s stomach somersaulted within her. To be in a besieged city…there was no telling what would happen. Starvation, riots…and if the Apricans got in…Wren clutched at the key beneath her blouse, struggling to keep calm. If the city fell, she could get out. Lucas had seen to that.

“It will all work out,” Lucas said with a halfhearted smile, taking her hand in his and squeezing.

Wren nodded, offering a smile back that was no doubt equally unconvincing. She tried to center herself. One problem at a time. “Lucas. I know it’s not a priority with all that is going on…”

“The Guild members.”

“Can you help us?” Wren pleaded. “I was thinking if we got you and Virgil together, perhaps you could brainstorm places your father might be hiding them.”

“You aren’t going to like it, but who we need is Ella.

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