Jon Sprunk - Shadow’s Lure

“You won’t reconsider?” Keegan asked.

“Not a chance. Go on before I get arrested for cuffing the new duke, or whatever they’re going to name you.” Caim lifted his chin toward the others, still on their horses. “And take these old war dogs with you.”

Keegan laughed. “I wish I could, but they’re not here for me.”

The men watched him like they wanted a piece of him in the worst way.

“What did I do this time?”

But Keegan was walking away. As the boy mounted up, Caim cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. Keegan looked back.

“You can trust the Empress of Nimea! She’s got a good heart, too.”

Keegan made a final salute as he started down the trail back to Liovard. The brothers and Malig waited until he was gone, then they urged their steeds forward. Caim waited in a neutral stance, hands resting by his sides.

Malig leaned over as they stopped a few paces away and spat into the snow. “We figure you’re headed out of here. Out of Eregoth, at least.”

Caim looked from one face to the next. “I might be.”

Aemon broke into a broad smile. “We want to come with you.”

“Fucking right,” Dray said. “It’s going to be damned boring around here, now that Eviskine and his witch are gone.”

Caim started to shake his head, but when he searched for reasons why not, he came up empty.

“All right.” He walked between their horses. “Let’s get moving.”

“Where we going, boss?” Aemon asked.

Caim looked past the men, to the dark forest bordering his father’s lands and the mysteries beyond. His mother was alive, somewhere out there.

“North,” he said.

With a shared smile, the outlaws clicked to their horses and trotted up the trail ahead of him.

Caim looked over his shoulder. “Are you coming?”

Kit reappeared beside him with a lopsided grin. “Trying to get rid of me?”

“All the time. But you keep coming back.”

She patted his cheek. “That should be a lesson for you.”

“All right, then. Lead the way.”

With a laugh that drove away the clouds in his heart, Kit sped off toward the woods like a shooting star. Caim spared one last glance for the snow-covered ruins and the spot in the center of the overgrown yard that the daylight seemed to avoid.

Then he swung his satchel over his shoulder and set off after her.