Page 23 of The Fury She Holds
Silence filled the space between them for three breaths. Then Egan let out a cheerful holler and threw his hands in the air. Rain whooped and Carrick put two fingers in his mouth, sending a shrieking whistle across the river. Sybil and Tal laughed, in awe. Tal’s friends patted her on the back, ruffled her hair, and told her to do it again.
She managed to breathe a streak of flame three more times before she started to feel its effects. Her breathing labored slightly, and her hands shook, but she tried to hide it. She ignored the knot in her sternum altogether. Everyone still cheered, calling out pieces of rubbish for her to aim at, betting on distances, sizes, and how long she could go without collapsing from exhaustion.
“We’re going to need that,” Sybil said to no one. The comment sobered Tal immediately as she recalled Sybil’s warning from the other day.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Egan’s tone bordered on accusation.
The seer raised a brow and waited for Tal to respond. She continued when Tal crossed her arms and sighed. “We can’t wait around for the mages to find us. It leads to nothing good. It’s time to go hunting.”
Five pairs of eyes searched the space around them with anticipation. “No more keeping our heads down?” Carrick asked in a low voice.
Tal avoided his gaze. “I’m not fighting back. I just don’t want to be caught off-guard. We need to know for sure why they’re looking for me.”
“And then?” Rainier asked with expectation. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say more but closed it with a shake of his head.
“And then we make sure we’re prepared when they attack.” Tal knew they hoped for more, but she’d been through the argument before. They were only five people, barely into adulthood. They may have been in over their heads when they decided to take over Pochette’s empire. Perhaps the gods had been trying to say as much when everything fell. They had no connections, no armies, and only enough money to live comfortably in the slums. This wasn’t a decision Tal should be making alone, but her friends seemed too eager to save the world. Her eyes pleaded with Carrick for help.This life we’ve made is everything to me. I can’t risk losing it, she wanted to say.
“So, we do what we can to protect what’s ours,” he said with finality, leaving no room for argument.
Tal held his gaze, relief washing over her until a gentle smile pulled at her lips to match the one he gave her.
They jumped into planning. Sybil provided input on what visions she’d seen, and everyone else filled in the blanks, focusing on the most recent one first.
“How are we supposed to learn where the nobles fit into all this without looking suspicious?” Talwyn mused. “We can’t just waltz right up to the palace and ask for an audience with them.”
Rainier tapped his chin with a finger. “We need a way to eavesdrop without being noticed. The masquerade ball will be the largest gathering of nobility for a while.” He gnawed at a spot on his lip.
“You think we could sneak in?” Talwyn asked.
“Us, yes. But you’re going to walk right in.” Rainier smirked. “It’s time for you to accept that invitation.”
Sybil burst into laughter, stood, and walked out of the common area, doubled over at something only she could see.
Talwyn held up her hands. “Woah, woah, woah. You mean for me toattendthe ball? Are you nuts? I’ll stick out like a noble at the docks.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.” Rain stood and began pacing. “Do what you do best, and you’ll be the perfect distraction for the rest of us to gather information.” His voice held a command that had Tal forgetting about her reservations. “Keep Daire occupied, and keep your magic controlled. Remember, as far as we know, the mages can only identify you with your red hair. We’ll grab an extra potent hair elixir, and you’ll be able to walk right by anyone without notice.”
“Just don’t talk to anyone,” Carrick said with a hint of mirth in his voice, and Tal shot him a glare that promised violence.
“I, for one, cannot wait to see you in a dress,” Sybil added, entering the room with a red face and a glint in her eye.
7
They outnumbered her, and Tal reluctantly agreed to their idea. With a goal in mind, their plans solidified quickly. Sybil would attend as Tal’s chaperone. However, she would quickly make herself scarce to start searching for information on the Pyrie or mages in the offices and library. Egan would infiltrate the kitchens to talk to the palace staff. And Rainier procured an invite for himself as some unknown noble from a distant land.
Tal suggested Sybil attend as a potential bride presented by her brother, Rain. She argued their near-identical resemblance would not go unnoticed, but the roles were decided. Rainier reminded her that he needed to make nice with the bachelors to get invited into a separate room for private conversation, and he couldn’t do that while pretending to watch over his sister. Since Carrick’s size made him too conspicuous, he found a position as a footman for another guest, which would allow him to stay outside and listen to conversations with the guards and coachmen.
Tal thought she had the hardest task of all. She found Daire at the horse stables inside the eastern wall of the palace grounds, readying his mare for a ride—a beautiful, white Friesian named Aggie with an even temperament. She’d been a gift from the king upon Daire’s appointment. He coveted the horse almost as much as his own position.
He stood brushing the mare in only his trousers and leather boots, his training tunic hung on the stall. The early summer sun glistened off the sweat dripping down his muscled back, and Tal remembered the days they would sneak away to the woods. He had been her first, and while she never held any delusions about settling down, when they got along, she’d been content. His opinions on political and social matters ultimately put a rift between them.
She leaned against the wood post by the stable doors with her arms crossed while he brushed Aggie. The horse noticed Tal first and huffed a few times, nodding her head.I knew I liked you for a reason,she thought. She missed the mare.
Aggie whinnied and stepped toward Tal.
“Woah there, girl. What are you all excited about?” Daire asked the horse. He still hadn’t seen Tal yet, so she cleared her throat, and he turned his head. His face lit up when he noticed her. “I don’t usually see you around here anymore,” he said by way of greeting.
“I missed my horse.” Tal stepped closer to pet Aggie’s snout. The horse closed her eyes and snuffed, nudging Tal’s hand.
