Shadowguard

Pendel had changed.

Visually, it remained the same, but there was a crackling tension in the air that had not been there before. The guards were tense as they passed through the south gate, their backs straight as rods and eyes flickering about with nervousness. When the braver souls questioned why Corden had brought Everna back, unbound, despite the accusations against her, he sent them back to their post with a snappish reminder to mind their duties.

Wil and Lisette, who refused to allow her to leave unsupervised, despite her insistence that Corden was capable enough, disappeared into the side streets as they came into the town proper.

Worry wormed within Everna’s chest as she hurried after Corden, her sword bouncing at her hip. She'd swapped her dress for her leathers, one of Lisette's spare cloaks thrown hastily over her shoulders. Leah's ring was warm on her finger, the magic radiating from it a source of comfort. Corden insisted she come prepared for a fight. If Shroud had the audacity to attack the town hall, they might target her in the streets or in the tavern.

"They're getting desperate," Corden said, leading her down an all too familiar path — one she never thought she'd see again. "Whatever Shroud's trying to accomplish here is falling apart on them."

She didn't bother to question how he knew of Shroud, or their interest in her. As a High Knight, Corden likely knew of every entity that threatened the kingdom, be it as trivial as orc tribes encroaching on the borders or vile death cults bent on regional domination. The High Knights frequently worked with the Courts as well, and as far as she knew, Shadowguard kept the Courts informed of the situation. Corden probably knew more about it than she did.

"But why target Mom and Pala? What do they have to do with this?"

Corden threw her a sideways look. "Pendel's history isn't what you think it is, but we'll discuss that later. As for Mom and Pala, Shroud's going after anyone investigating Mayor Ashburn's death or meddling in their affairs. I don't know if Mom was snooping around or just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we won't know until one of them wakes up."

"Will they wake up?"

"Most likely," Corden said. "I brought a cleric with me for the interrogations. Without her, they may not have lasted another night, but they should be fine. She took care of Pala this morning and was tending to Mom when I left."

They rounded a corner, and Everna's chest ached at the sight before her; the Dancing Dragon loomed in the distance. Though only two stories tall, dwarfed by the row houses surrounding it, it dominated the corner of the street. The doors sat ajar, the usual drunkards bumbling about on the curb Lazy Eye Earl vomited in the same rusted pail as always; Thad and his surly wife, Gwendoline, were in the middle of another drunken argument over their mangy cat; and Gyles, Lyra's betrothed, lay face down in the snow. Lyra herself stood over him, a bucket of steaming water in hand, her face set with irritation.

"Five coins says she'll drop it on his head," Corden muttered.

"Ten coins says she's debating it, but she'll dump it anyway because she'd feel bad," Everna countered. "Fifteen says it won't work."

No sooner than the words left her lips, Lyra's shoulders slumped in silent defeat and she tipped the bucket. Water spilled over Gyles, soaking into the back of his cotton shirt and dousing his ragged brown curls. He didn't move.

Everna held out her hand, expectant.

With a muttered curse, Corden pulled the coins from his coin purse and slapped them into her waiting hand.

Just as Lyra turned to head back inside, she spotted them. The bucket tumbled from her hands, striking Gyles in the back of the head. Corden held his hand out, but Everna slapped it away.

"That doesn't count."

Gathering her skirts, Lyra hurried through the thick layer of snow blanketing the streets. "By the gods, Everna! I was worried sick about you! Where have you been all this time!?"

Though no one explicitly told her not to mention the safe house, she had enough sense not to bring it up. She trusted Lyra, but the fear of being overheard by other, less trustworthy individuals had her reaching for a more suitable excuse. Suitable, but embarrassing.

"Trenbrook," she said, the lie easily slipping off her tongue. "Turns out my Aunt Ettie is good for something other than marrying a different man every three years."

Lyra cocked her head, a frown tugging at her lips. "I thought she lived in the Old Capital."

"She did," Everna sighed. "She got caught committing adultery and her husband divorced her. Why do you think my parents went to Trenbrook a few weeks ago? She got married. Again."

Everna wished she could say she fabricated the story, but everything bar staying with her aunt was true. Everna once swore she was the only normal person in her family. She couldn't even claim that anymore.

Lyra scrunched her nose. "That couldn't have been fun. Though you picked a bad time to come home."

"She wouldn't be here otherwise," Corden said. "Beyond what happened last night, I need everyone present at the time of Mayor Ashburn's murder to re-testify. Windmore destroyed the reports from that night."

"Oh, who would've seen that coming?" Everna muttered.

Lyra shook her head, her blonde hair falling from its sloppy bun. "I don't have a clue what's going on in this town anymore. First Mayor Ashburn's murdered, then Windmore kills Sir Swiftbrook and blames you. Now the town hall burns down while Pala and Evelina are inside?"

Corden narrowed his eyes. "How did you know about Windmore?"

Lyra jerked her thumb, almost a bit too harshly, at Gyles. "Apparently, my insignificant other knows a guard who was in the post the night it happened. Said the guard saw him do it." Then she jabbed her finger into Everna's shoulder and asked, "But what were you doing there?"

"Allowing my stupidity to get the better of me," Everna sighed. "I suspected Windmore tampered with the reports. I thought I could prove something."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Not like you've never done that before." She waved her hand and said, "As much as I'd love to hear about your insane stunt, I have to get back to work. Since you've been gone, I've had to run the bar. Honestly, I don't know how you do it."

"A lot of patience," she called over her shoulder as Corden ushered her through the tavern doors.

The tavern was as busy as she expected. Patrons, mostly townsfolk and the odd traveler, crowded the tables. A small party of adventurers sat in the far corner, a map and several posters scattered across their table. They were likely targeting bounties. The orc tribes in the forest often attempted raids on the town in the winter, when food was most scarce. Banor, halfway into a drunken stupor, sat at the end of the bar. It was almost a normal evening, save for the significant lack of activity.

Though busy, the tavern was unusually quiet; the patrons subdued. Conversation hardly rose above a whisper. There were no bards ambling about, telling fanciful tales or playing half-learned tunes. The waitresses were slow, almost lethargic. Even the usual arguing from the kitchens was absent.

"Mind Lyra," Corden muttered as he led her up the stairs to their home. "Don't trust her."

"What? Why not?" Everna asked.

He threw her a wary look over his shoulder. "I know the guard she was talking about. It's the same one who questioned you the night of Mayor Ashburn's assassination."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Gillan didn't see Windmore kill him. He saw the blood on his uniform and overheard him admit to it," Corden said. "He only told three people about it, and Gyles wasn't one of them. Lyra shouldn't know about it."

"Perhaps it's not the same guard? Corden, you know she's a terrible liar. I get that you have to be open to possibilities, but you're being a bit too paranoid."

"And you're being too naïve," he opposed, irritation bathing his voice. "You went to school for this, Ever. You should know better than to ignore something questionable based on personal bias."

While he was correct, she could not bring herself to believe it. It would mean Lyra was involved, and that just wasn't possible. Lyra couldn't bring herself to end her relationship with Gyles without feeling guilty. She couldn't even kill a mouse without crying. She couldn’t be part of Shroud's plans.

"The Guard isn't as honest as you'd like to think it is. Several of them are in on Windmore's ploy, and who knows how many more in the hall witnessed it?"

"I hope, for your sake, you're right," Corden said, clearly unconvinced. He glanced behind her to Wil and Lisette, who'd abandoned the shadows once they entered the tavern. "Your friends coming all the way up?"

"Probably.” She sighed, just as Wil and Lisette voiced their affirmations. "They're as paranoid as you are."

"I don't think you understand the severity of your situation."

"I understand it just fine," Everna grumbled. "But not being able to take a piss without someone hovering outside the door's getting old."