Kalian slammed Asar into Bellamy's iron sword, relishing how the move jarred his limbs. The pain and soreness were a welcome distraction from...himself. Kalian flipped backwards, his wings dragging through the dust. Bellamy circled him as he straightened. Kalian wiped sweat from his brow, then tugged his shirt off.

    Spring would last for a few more weeks before summer set in, but already, the heat was less than bearable. Today was even hotter than the day they'd gone swimming, and Kalian doubted swimming was going to be an option. More thunderheads loomed on the horizon, promising another brutal storm.

    The coast had been plagued by storms for several days now, ever since Kalian and Samson had buried the Day Faeries. This was a rare reprieve from the rain, though the humidity remained. Kalian pushed hair out of his face and reformed his grip on Asar's hilt. The blood ruby in its engraved crossguard flashed in the sunlight.

    "The Commander hasn't said much to you of late," Bellamy remarked, readying himself for a strike.

    "We argued again. Sort of."

    "About what?"

    "Personal matters."

    "Oh." Bellamy's gaze darkened and he lunged. Their blades locked with a resounding clang. Kalian snapped his glamoured wings out to steady himself.

    "How goes your pursuit of Samson?" Kalian asked through gritted teeth.

    "Far better than Delilah's pursuit of you."

    "That doesn't take much."

    Bellamy flashed him an amused look. "I know." He whirled behind Kalian, aiming a kick at his lower back. Kalian rolled in time to dodge it. "We're going into Selcouth tonight. Just the two of us."

    "What about the storm?"

    There was a slight flush in Bellamy's face as he answered. "We don't plan on coming back until tomorrow."

    Kalian lifted his brows. "Things are definitely going well then."

    Bellamy nodded and their swords clashed once again. Sweat gleamed on Kalian's skin, but he didn't bother to wipe it away. His senses were honed in on Bellamy, anticipating his every move and ready to counter them. Bellamy ducked beneath one of his blows and popped up a few feet away.

    "Samson and I discussed the night you were gone, and when he saw you leave the Commander's tent the next morning," Bellamy said, keeping his voice quiet. "He says you claim nothing happened."

    "Nothing did," Kalian confirmed.

    "Then where were you?" A grin crept onto Bellamy's lips. "There's no shame in it, you know. You'll be a legend. The only man who was allowed to sleep with the Commander and didn't lose his limbs or his life in the process."

    "I didn't sleep with her," Kalian repeated. "I mean, I did, but not like that. We didn't fuck. We just slept."

    "And she didn't kick you out or kill you?"

    "No. She wanted me to stay. She asked me to."

    "Why?" Kalian pursed his lips, wondering just how much he should say. Bellamy shrugged the next minute. "Don't worry about it. It's none of my business anyway." Kalian gave him a grateful smile and they carried on sparring. "I am curious though. Is there something going on between you two?"

    "Nothing that will end well," Kalian sighed.

    "You never know until you try." He gave no response. "Are you holding back because of your wife?"

    Kalian landed a kick to the back of Bellamy's knee. He went down, but was on his feet before Kalian could strike again. "I don't know anymore. At first, yes. But now... Whenever I admired women in the past, I was always overcome by guilt and grief. That hasn't really happened with Moira. I'm not sure what to make of it."

    "Maybe it means you're ready to move on."

    He wasn't. He knew he wasn't, and he wouldn't be until the man who murdered Calandra and Yara was dead. But after that...perhaps he'd truly be ready to open himself up to someone else. Kalian didn't voice those thoughts. Instead, he asked, "Maybe, but is she?"

    "Deirdre!" Malachi barked from beyond the training ring.

    Kalian sighed, sheathing his sword. "I'll see you lat...tomorrow." He winked at Bellamy and joined Malachi. "What?"

    "The Commander wants to speak with you about something. She said it was important."

    "Where is she?"

    "Her tent." Kalian broke away from Malachi, already heading towards it. "You seem to spend a lot of time there," the man added. "That doesn't look good for either of you."

    "Are you jealous because she trusts me enough to be alone with me and she doesn't feel the same about you?" Kalian retorted, swiveling around to face Malachi, even as he continued walking backwards. "I wonder why that is." He shot a pointed look at the scar on Malachi's hand.

    Malachi clenched his palm into a fist, but didn't bother with a response. Kalian reached Moira's tent and knocked on one of the tarp poles. He waited until she offered admittance before entering. Moira faced him without speaking, holding out a folded piece of paper. Kalian knit his brows and took it. He read over the contents briefly, trying to make sense of what had been written.

    Kalian glanced up at Moira. "What is this?"

    "I thought about what you said during our argument. About finding your wife and daughter's killer. I promised to look into the attack on Cosette for you, so I did. I didn't find much, but I did find the name of this man."

    She came closer and tapped a name on the paper. "He helped plan the attack. He might know who led it, and who killed your wife and daughter." Kalian stared at the paper once more, rereading the report carefully. Moira waited for a moment, then continued. "He's in Glensbrook right now. That's a four day ride."

    "There's one problem," Kalian said, pointing to a sentence. "He's a guest of Governor Novak and staying in the Governor's house. Getting to him won't be easy."

    But it is doable, Kalian thought to himself. I've infiltrated places more secure than the Governor's house. This unit, for example.

    "If you decide to go after him, I'll go with you."

    That caught his attention. "Why?"

    Moira held his gaze, her onyx eyes appearing more warm than burning. "Because we've both faced our families' killers on our own for far too long. You've faced Faeries with me. Let me face this man, and whoever killed your wife and daughter, with you." Kalian crumpled the report in his palm, giving her the faintest nod.

☽◦༻◦☽◦༺◦☽

    The next four days passed with unrelenting slowness. Kalian had fallen into a cold brooding silence, leaving Moira with nothing but her own thoughts to occupy her. She rode silently beside Kalian, stealing glimpses of him from time to time. She'd never seen him like this. His behavior hadn't even been this bad when he first arrived.

    He might learn the name of his wife and daughter's killer, Moira told herself. A man he's been hunting for two years. I can only imagine what he's thinking.

    In fact, she was doing her best not to. When she looked at him, she couldn't help but notice the shadows around his face, accentuating the harsh angles and soft curves that made up his features. Some might call it the Shadow of Death. They would be right. One way or another, regardless of what they did or didn't learn, this man would not escape Kalian with his life. Moira had done enough killing herself to understand that.

    They were just on the outskirts of Glensbrook when Kalian finally spoke. "We're going to need a secluded place to take him."

    "We can find one before nightfall," Moira replied. She tracked Kalian's hand as it fell to the obsidian dagger on his thigh. "Are we going to need restraints?"

    "Ropes, not chains." That was the only confirmation he gave.

    They rode into Glensbrook silently. Moira kept her eyes peeled for someone who might be selling what they needed. It wasn't long before she spotted a fish merchant's stall, set up on the side of the street. Kalian waited while she purchased a length of rope.

    They then rode on, searching for the perfect place to... Interrogate didn't seem to be the right word. Moira knew they would do much more than interrogate this man. The cold glint in Kalian's eyes proved it. "Somewhere underground would be good," he said at last. "It'll take longer for officials to find the body, and no one will be able to hear anything."

    "There are old catacombs and sewers running beneath the city. We could try to find an entrance near the Governor's house."

    "Sewers I can understand, but catacombs?"

    Moira guided Jasmine down an alley, heading towards the townhouse belonging to Governor Novak. It had previously been owned by Governor Marcelle, until her act of treason and loss of title. "Where do you think the people hid when Glensbrook was attacked by pirates and bandits in the past?" She asked. "Where do you think those same pirates and bandits stashed their goods?"

    "Mm." They rode past a livery yard and Kalian reined his horse to a halt. "We should leave the horses here for now. We won't need them for a few hours."

    Moira dismounted and led Jasmine over to the stable hand. Another took Kalian's mount, while he negotiated a price with the livery manager. When the matter was settled, Kalian joined Moira and they returned to the street.

    "If we split up, we'll find something sooner," Kalian pointed out. "I'll search the streets to the right of the house. You take the left."

    "I think we should stick together," Moira protested.

    Kalian's dark eyes met hers. "Meet me back here if you find something."

    "Kalian..." He turned away. "Kalian." She grabbed his arm, but he wrenched himself loose.

    "Do not touch me," he hissed. "Either help me, or get out of my way."

    Moira stared at him in shock. This was not the man she'd come to know. This was someone completely different, but someone she recognized. This was...her. This was what others saw when they looked at her. A bitter, cold, and angry killer.

    "I will help you," Moira said softly. "But I think we should stick together." He jerked his gaze away. "Kalian?"

    His shoulders rose and fell with uneven breaths. Kalian closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Moira reached for him on instinct. Her hand closed over his, but Kalian didn't acknowledge her.

    "I see you," she whispered. "I see your wrath and pain, and it doesn't frighten me. I know it. I share it. I see you."

    Kalian pulled his hand away. "You don't see all of me. I don't let you."

    "I see enough. I see enough to know that you will lose yourself if you do this alone." Moira's throat bobbed. "That has already happened to me. I don't want to watch the same happen to you. You are so much better than I could ever be. Let me help you. I want to help you."

    Kalian ran a palm down his face, breathing a heavy sigh. "I need a fucking drink."

    "Then let's get one, and let's find these catacomb entrances."

    He gave a short nod and finally met her gaze. "You're wrong, you know."

    "About what?"

    "You haven't lost yourself entirely." He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. "I see you." Kalian's hand fell and he set off towards the nearest side street. Moira didn't hesitate to follow him.