ravaged hearts

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO,

RAVAGED HEARTS | CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

THE THREE AGENTS sent as reinforcements were both people Louis knew from during the war. Older agents with a few good tricks up their sleeves, who'd be used to dealing with wiccai. That meant, of course, avoiding them, since neither had the capacity to beat one in any kind of fair situation.

  Not precisely what Louis was looking for, but he supposed it'd have to do for now. It wasn't as if he'd be getting any agents who could downright lead a frontal assault against the Falcons unless the Saians mobilised a few more wiccai, which seemed extremely unlikely. They'd have to do with the Briar, who was a one woman army on her own anyways.

  Anita and Celinos filled them in in the corner as the rest of them geared up for the day's expeditions. The innkeeper made himself and his other guests scarce, not wanting to intrude upon their business, or so Rhys said.

  If that was the truth, Louis decided that he very much liked the innkeeper after all. He extremely appreciated civilians who knew to stay out of the way when they came along.  The people who tried to insert themselves because they thought it would be a good experience were the worst of the bunch. They almost always either got killed or forcibly removed from the equation in some other way.

  Adoria Salvador was blonde-haired and brown-eyed, in her late-twenties, and as immovable as a stone. They'd worked together on multiple occasions during the war, when Salvador was just a member of the Vayantean independent fighters and Louis a Caershireen agent. They got along well, though Louis wouldn't consider the two of them close by any means.

  Vinicio de Paul was much like Louis as well. A Vayantean nobleman who'd chosen to become a spy in the height of the war, helping the shattered remnant of his country as much as he could. Their family were friends, and they'd met as children. They'd grown apart through the years, but they were still well-acquainted.

  Evita Enciso was the one Louis wasn't familiar with. She was one of Castrillo's, a fledgling of a girl who couldn't be older than twenty-one. She looked frail, almost reminiscent of Io when she was younger. She probably had eastern blood too, he thought as he studied her features fleetingly.

  He wondered if Io had any siblings. Probably not. It didn't seem like her mother would have had time to bore any other children, between graduating from Lady Kuroki's, becoming the prince's mistress and getting murdered by the very same prince.

  Her father, though. The prince may have other bastards. He wondered if Io knew about them, if so, if she had ever met them. If she had, though, she'd never said anything about it. So probably not.

  His thoughts were straying down the wrong path. He  had other things to be worried about other than Io's potential siblings.

  The other three women were gathered together, which left him free to roam. He strapped a few daggers and knives to himself, making sure all his tools were neatly tucked in his pocket before sneaking out of the room into the corridor.

  -♡-

  INSIDE, IO WATCHED from the corner of her eye as Louis left the room without anyone else noticing. She said nothing. He wasn't needed right now anyways, he could do what he wanted. She turned out to look at the window as Constanza and Rhys helped each other with  their disguises—she was already ready, armed and dressed up for the scouting mission. She flexed her fingers.

  Rhys looked at her, one brow raised. "You good?" It was then Io realised her expression had slacked.

  She nodded. "I'm fine. Just remembering something."