Page 39 of A Vow of Shadows

I, on the other hand, still struggled to control my trembling hands hours later. My thoughts vacillated between relief and rage.Tyr Anighhad been my safe haven, my sanctuary. It was the one thing I still possessed from my life, and Death had tainted it just as surely as he had the other aspects of my existence.

In a flash of firelight, he’d nearly undone my vow to Katrin. Her gold may not be enough to free me, but it would see me closer than I’d ever been. Once, I’d contemplated the worth of trading her outright, her life for mine, but Behryn had reminded me who the real monster was between the two of us. I would not stand to see her taken by such a demon even if it meant my freedom.

The weight of our bargain pressed down on me. Combined with the constant pull of my indenture, I felt like I was being torn in two.

“Evander.” Katrin’s voice floated to me through the small window into the carriage.

I sighed. The first time my name had spilled from her lips, I’d been too shaken to offer more than a clipped response. Now, the sound of the name I’d left behind scratched at something I kept buried deep inside. When Behryn used my name, it was a cruel reminder of the man I used to be. With Katrin, it was a call to the man I could be again. It grated on my cursed soul, and yet, I did not correct her again.

“Miss Fil’Owen?” I pitched my voice low, verging on menacing.

“Why are we here?” Her breathy words managed to reach me over the din of the horses and carriage wheels, my attention snagged by the wary shift in her tone.

With a start, I realized she might be fearing for someone she loved, a friend or relative.

“My territory covers only this kingdom. I’ve no jurisdiction beyond its borders. The souls beyond do not call to me.” I trailed off as the rumbling hoofbeats grew louder, wishing I could see Katrin through the tiny grated opening. When only silence answered from within the carriage, I cleared my throat and pressed on. “You have nothing to fear, your town is not our destination for tonight.”

Was she pulled home the same way I was toward the recently departed? Did her feet point the way without her realizing?

It occurred to me to tell her what I’d witnessed at her family home—that her parents mourned her as though she’d died. I’d held onto the information for selfish reasons, but now things were different—or were they? I shook my head.Somethinghadshifted between us, brought on by the involuntary tell-all that I’d been unable to stop.

I pulled my hood lower over my face though there was no one around to see the heat that rose to my cheeks. My face contorted into a grimace, knowing she’d borne witness to my humiliation. She hadn’t mentioned the incident, aside from using my name, but in her eyes I’d seen the difference. The concern. The understanding. Thepity.Everything I’d shielded myself from, all those failures, now reflected in her deep brown eyes.

Felwyck came and went without another sound from the cabin. We followed the road as it wound through the countryside, the shifting winds carrying the scent of pine from the distant mountains. As the next village came into view, the small farms of the outskirts gave way to tightly packed hovels.

The horses stopped before one such home. Little more than stacked stone with a thatched straw roof, the structure leaned into its neighbor like old friends sharing a secret.

I leapt from the carriage, landing in a cloud of dust that coated me from head to foot. The door of the cab swung open, and Katrin peered out from the darkened interior.

“Stay,” I ordered.

“But—”

“No.”

Her chin drew forward, mouth puckering in an effort to contain the fire she wished to spew. Though my features were hidden beneath my hood, I returned her obstinate glare with one of my own.

One of the horses stamped his impatience, effectively ending our silent battle of wills.

With ahuff, Katrin flopped back against the bench, crossing her arms over her chest. “Fine,” she said. “But at least leave Storm and Inky with me.”

I cocked a brow, freezing as her two sentinels broke away from my shadows without my command. They took up positions on either side of the door like actual guards. Recovering my wits, I closed my mouth and nodded once.

“Fine, then.” I turned on my heel and strode for the hovel, squashing the seed of fear that sprouted at the thought of leaving Katrin. There was work to be done, and her distractions would see my task unfinished. Something about that niggled at the corner of my mind, but I turned my attention to the soul within.

The door to the ramshackle dwelling clattered as it swung on a single hinge. Parts of the frame had crumbled, and the remnants of a primitive lock lay scattered in the dirt before me. I hesitated before the narrow opening, waving back the shadows that had gathered around me. The interior was dark enough without their presence.

I ducked inside, and my stomach dropped when I beheld the scene within.

Funeral customs rarely varied among those in my territory. By the time I arrived to shepherd the soul, the empty vessel would be cleaned, dressed, and laid out for final farewells. Some nights, I arrived before those rites could take place. If it was a sudden death, or one that occurred late in the evening, most would wait until morning to begin those rituals. Even so, a level of care would be evident.

Then there were nights like this.

A single room lay beyond the busted door. Embers were all that remained in the small brazier, casting the scene in a warm glow that contradicted the harsh reality. Every piece of furniture was upended. Broken bits of pottery littered the ground around an overturned table. I traced strewn bits of straw to what remained of a crude pallet in the corner. The few cabinets were open and, upon further inspection, bare.

I picked my way through the debris to a slumped form half covered by the remains of a shattered chair. There were no visible wounds, but the unnatural angle spoke to what had happened.

In my many years, I’d seen plenty of violent deaths. The fact that there had been many did little to lessen the blow of each new one I faced. I turned from the empty vessel, knowing my quarry would not have wandered far. A soft sound caught my ear, and I whirled toward the source, black cloak billowing behind me.