Ascendant by Casey White

Author:Casey White [White, Casey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781718038356
Published: 2018-12-05T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

I had a single moment to stare wide-eyed over my shoulder at Olan as I stumbled out of the alley. He smirked, his arms folded across his chest. He was still wearing the face of some guardsman. A real guardsman, I suspected from the way he’d been chatting up guards without any of them getting suspicious. Clearly the whole business was just hilarious to him - and to his lieutenants, who lingered in the shadows behind him with matching grins.

Perfect.

Before I could so much as say a word, much less collect myself, I was back in the thick of it - exactly where I didn’t want to be, considering the situation. I glanced around warily, blowing the suddenly silvery-blond strands of my hair out of my eyes. The goal had been to not get in a fight, and instead to lay the groundwork for something we could use in the near future. We all knew where the war was going, of course, but I hadn’t wanted to get caught in the middle of it.

Right. Best to play it safe then. Straightening and doing my best to act casual, I turned back towards the alley-

And froze. There was only a brick wall where the passage had been a moment before. The breeze drifting across the plaza was floral-scented.

“Olan,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“Like I said. Get to it,” he said, his voice drifting out through the wall. The illusory wall, I knew - but even if it was an illusion, it wasn’t as though I could break it without spraying fire across the courtyard. That would be entirely counterproductive.

I inched closer, glaring at the brick. “Let me back in right now.”

I froze, any words I’d been dredging up dying on my lips as I realized for the first time that people around me were staring. And whispering. The plaza behind me was still loud, filled with the sounds of people enjoying their day, but there was a lull beginning to fall.

“Is that-”

“No, no. Can’t be.”

Godsdamnit. I turned my head slowly, still trying to maintain that casual air.

Yes, they were staring all right - brows furrowed and leaning in to peer closer as though that would somehow change the sight before their eyes. This was the Upper City, after all, filled with Rellan’s most devoted followers. Even if Darren had stayed hidden in Goldenvale for most of his life, they had to know what he looked like. He’d visited, and probably been on damn parades, and somehow I just knew there were paintings of him around. Of me.

They flinched as they saw me staring back at them, but didn’t stop. I could feel the blood draining from my face, leaving me even more pale than Darren’s body already was.

I licked my lips slowly, seeing them creep closer.

The first man leaned in. “Hey. Are you-”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” his wife said, slapping his hand away as he reached out.

I flinched back, feeling the hot pressure of bodies behind me. Olan hadn’t emerged from his hiding place, and he hadn’t made me a door.

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