Page 203 of Harbinger

Bishop laughs gruffly. “It seems your brother and I can agree on something.” He glances between us. “Just stay clear of the Cinderwald and try not to get in trouble.”

Like I have any interest in walking through the forest that separates Damalis from the ruins of Ravenell’s home territory.

Isidore lights up like he’s given her the keys to the entire outpost, confirming that she’s not really here to see me. “We will.”

“You aren’t the one I’m worried about,” he says, his mouth tugging into a smirk, but he grabs my baldric. “And remember to take this.”

I roll my eyes. “We’re surrounded by your troops.”

“The deal was that you’d stay armed the whole time.” He crosses the room and fastens it over my shoulder. He leans closer as he tightens the straps, lowering his voice. “Plus, it looks good on you.”

A thrill rushes through me, chasing heat onto my cheeks. I glance back, suddenly wishing my sister wasn’t two steps away.

“Do you actually know how to use that?” Isidore interrupts.

“We don’t pass them out like toys,” Bishop says dryly, as if he spotted Laurel’s gift to Andry at Journey’s End.

“I won’t be long,” I tell him. I want to know what he thinks of the queen’s summons. Although, honestly, there are more important things on my mind. I still need to decide what I’m going to say to Kieren tonight. There are so many things I never got the chance to tell him. So many things have happened since he died.

Isidore is quiet, fidgeting with her skirt as we stroll through the yard. “So,” she says, finally breaking the silence, “what’s going on between you two?”

I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m not a child.” She rolls her eyes. “He can’t stop looking at you.”

So much for hiding it. “He feels a duty to protect me.”

“Maybe I can find someone here interested in protecting me.” She scans a group of soldiers playing a round of Liar’s Hand near the barracks.

I grab her sleeve and steer her away. “Try again.”

“I really came to see you,” she says as we edge closer to the watchtower.

I snort. “And the plethora of soldiers has nothing to do with it?”

“Okay. I mostly came to see you,” she admits with a sheepish smile. “It’s just nice to get out of the house. Broderic says we shouldn’t go into the village.”

“There’s always the fields.” And plenty of work to do.

“He says it’s not appropriate for patrons to lower themselves,” she explains.

I slow to a stop. “He said what? That doesn’t sound like Broderic.”

“It’s her,” Isidore says glumly, her shoulders sagging. “He hasn’t been the same since we came back from Wintour. Then he met her, and it got worse.”

But it started with me. Guilt twists in my gut. I chose not to come home. I left Isidore to clean up the mess here. It might have kept my family safe, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt them.

“That’s why he doesn’t want me to come here. He’s worried I’ll meet a soldier and marry him.” Her gaze skips back to where the soldiers are laughing over their cards. He might have a point.

“Is that what you want?”

She sighs. “Part of me. Just to get away from this place like you did.”

“You can’t get married before your Kindling,” I remind her.

“Why? Because I might be marked by Ravenell?” She spins to face me. “I wouldn’t mind, you know. It gave you a way out.”

I want to tell her about the poisoning. About the assassins. But I change the subject. “How …” I take a steadying breath and force myself to ask about what really matters. “How is Andry handling it?”