: Chapter 27

After what happened in the barn, I shouldn’t be surprised when I find Lord Alek blocking the doorway out of my pantry, but somehow I am. As it is, I’ve got my arms full with a sack of sugar and a platter full of butter, and I nearly walk straight into him.

He catches the bag of sugar before it can spill out on his boots, and I somehow manage to avoid getting a face full of butter. We’re down the hallway from the main part of the bakery, and I can hear the bustle of the people waiting in line. I scowl up at him. “Have you ever considered announcing yourself like a gentleman?” I demand.

“What do you know of gentlemen?” he says.

“Not much from you.”

He smiles, but there’s something tense about it. “Do you have any letters from Lady Karyl?”

I frown. I was ready for him to banter back, and the fact that he doesn’t is … disappointing. But of course that’s ridiculous. He’s never here for me, he’s here for business.

I square my shoulders and shove these thoughts out of my head.

“No. I haven’t seen anyone since I tried to stab you with the pitchfork.” I peer past him. “My lord, Nora is alone with the customers—”

“This is important.”

“So is my sister.”

He sighs, then moves to set the sack of sugar on the floor.

“Just give it to me,” I say, gesturing. “I need to get back into the bakery.”

“Callyn—”

“If you didn’t want me to be busy, you shouldn’t have sent all these customers my way!”

Alek moves closer and drops his voice. “Tycho has returned to Briarlock. Lord Jacob is with him this time.” He says this with the gravity of someone delivering news of a death in the family, and his blue eyes are burning into mine. “They were seen approaching your friend’s forge.”

I feign a gasp. “Not Lord Jacob.”

He nods, but I stare back at him and respond with equal gravity, though mine is a little mocking. “I don’t know who that is.”

He swears and looks away, running a hand through his hair. “He is the king’s closest friend and adviser.”

Oh, is that all. “Well, you’re from one of the Royal Houses. Surely he can’t be too intimidating.”

“He’s not intimidating, he’s—” He breaks off and swears again. The sack of sugar hits the floor, and he grips my arms. “Do you not understand? If he’s here, I need to know why. I need to know what he’s doing. We chose Briarlock because it’s not a popular town. Lady Karyl chose Jax because his father had been loyal in the past. But the King’s Courier has been seen here many times—and now he’s joined by Lord Jacob. How do you not see—”

“I see!” I try to wrench free. My heart won’t stop pounding, and I can’t believe that a moment ago there was any part of me that was hoping he’d come here for any other reason than to save his own neck. “Would you let me go?”

He doesn’t. “Have they been here?”

“I haven’t seen Lord Tycho.” Alek’s eyes are dangerously intent on mine, and I swallow. “I haven’t. And I haven’t talked to Jax.”

After a long moment, his hands gentle on my arms, and he sighs. “Forgive me.”

“I need to get back to the front.” I hesitate. “My lord.”

“I need you to find out what they want. Why they’re here.”

I want to punch him in the face. “I’ve hardly talked to Jax in weeks, because of you, and now you want me to suddenly ask why two lords were visiting his forge? Maybe they needed iron work.”

“Maybe they’ll visit the bakery next, and when I see you again, you’ll be swinging from a rope.” His voice is cold, but surprisingly … that doesn’t sound like a threat. It sounds like a worry. I can’t tell if it’s for himself or for me, and I hate that there’s something about him that’s even raised the question in my thoughts. “Callyn. Truly. I need to know why they’re here. You need to know why they’re here. Think of your home. Think of your sister.”

I swallow. “I’m always thinking of my sister. It’s the only reason I’m helping you at all.”

His expression doesn’t flicker. “Is it really?”

Yes. No.

Maybe it was. But it’s not anymore. I wet my lips and shake my head. “What—” My voice is breathy, and I tell myself to knock it off. “What do I do if they come here?”

He pulls coins from a pocket and presses them into my palm. “You’re going to tell the truth. I came here, gave you a few coins, and took a few pastries. You don’t know my plans.”

“What are your plans?” I say.

He smiles. “If I tell you that, your answer will be a lie.”

“Cally-cal!” Nora calls from the main room. “Cally-cal, I need you!”

I glance past him. “I need to get back.”

“Of course you do.” He picks up the sack of sugar and hands it to me. “Until later, Callyn.”

“Until later,” I say flippantly. I turn away, but then think better of it, and turn back to ask what will happen if this Lord Jacob brings more than just questions.

But Lord Alek is already gone.