Change of Darkness (The Change Series Book 3) by Jacinta Jade (best new books to read txt) 📕

she had been awakened by Chezran that day in the arena, she hadn’t yet had a chance to venture out beyond the walls.

Maybe she could join one of the scouting parties … yet that would mean being escorted by her elite unit. And dealing with Drosni’s smile. She grimaced. Still, if it gave her the chance to stretch herself, and she laid down some ground rules for the unit …

A knock at her room door distracted her from her thoughts, but she didn’t turn as she listened to the light but quick steps of Trelar travel across the room behind her as she went to answer it.

A quiet conversation, some more light steps, then, ‘Archon Renhed for you, my lady.’

Siraay shifted enough to indicate with a gesture that Trelar should let the spymaster in, then pivoted back around to the view before her.

A moment later, a different set of boots sounded against the polished floor of her room.

It’s amazing what you can tell from someone’s steps, Siraay thought. While Trelar’s were light and flitting, her uncertainty at times conveyed by the pauses in her steps, Archon Renhed’s were assured, even. Practiced. As should be the gait of a spy who needed to blend into enemy territory.

The confident strides grew louder as Renhed emerged out onto the balcony, and Siraay watched from the corner of her eye as the female archon came to a stop at the railing nearby and placed her hands and arms leisurely on the stonework as she, too, gazed out at the city.

Siraay could have smiled to herself, so well did Renhed play this game. But if the spymaster wanted something, she would have to speak first.

Siraay counted three breaths before the archon finally spoke.

‘So I heard some intriguing gossip this afternoon.’

‘Did you?’ Siraay made sure her own tone mimicked that of the spymaster’s. Light, bored, and distant. She didn’t doubt at all that the female had heard some interesting things. If she hadn’t by now, one might wonder just how she’d earned her post.

‘Yes,’ responded Renhed, looking away to the right. ‘Seems that a pair of guards on an upper tower spotted two figures having a tussle on the stairs that lead to the elite units training area. They couldn’t make out who they were, of course—until one of the figures Changed and escaped up the stairs, leaving the other bloodied.’

Siraay felt a small smile try to work its way onto her face at the thought of Pyron injured and bleeding, but she forced it back. ‘Ah,’ was the only comment she made.

The archon shifted slightly towards her. ‘They identified the animal that sped back into the palace as a sevonix.’

There it was, then. Siraay turned to the spymaster, keeping her face interested but otherwise giving away nothing. ‘Hard to mistake it for anything else, I suppose.’

‘Mmmmmm. Want to tell me what happened?’ Renhed nodded at the marks that could just been seen poking out from the high collar of Siraay’s tunic.

She shrugged at the archon. ‘We had a disagreement. Tempers flared. He marked me, I marked him. That was the end of it.’

The spymaster nodded. ‘This will make things a bit more exciting around here if you two keep up a running dislike of each other.’

Siraay nodded. ‘It may.’ A thought popped into her head. ‘I want to leave the city tomorrow. Run with a patrol, maybe.’

The archon’s eyebrows rose. ‘I could set arrange that. I know that His Lordship set you up with an elite unit. I can schedule you for a patrol starting in the morning, if you like.’

Siraay nodded, pleased. ‘But not too early. I still need to train.’

Renhed’s eyes shifted back to the marks on Siraay’s neck. ‘Even after today?’

Siraay pivoted away from her, looking back out at the city, the winter light softening now as the sun sank still further. ‘Especially after today.’

The archon nodded and, pivoting away, began to walk back into Siraay’s room, her footsteps sounding out an even beat.

Then they paused. ‘You know I’ll have to say something?’

Siraay nodded, her eyes on the rocky mountains beyond the city. ‘I know.’

***

Her meal had been brought up and Trelar was laying the table while Siraay lounged in front of the fire. She was in her sevonix form, giving her body a rest and allowing the greater healing abilities of the large feline form an opportunity to repair the damage done to her throat.

Her neck was hurting more now than it had earlier, the swelling having taken effect, and the recovery process seemed to be taking longer than usual.

Yet with nowhere to be at that particular moment, and with the warmth of the fire against her back, Siraay wasn’t complaining. And the smell of her dinner was definitely making her mouth water, even in this form.

Or maybe because she was in this form.

Whichever it was, Siraay could smell with a high level of precision just what it was that Trelar was laying out on the table.

Meats and a range of grains and other foods that were wafting delicious smells towards her.

Stretched out on the rug before the fire, Siraay watched Trelar turn towards her.

‘Your dinner is—’

A knock sounded at the door, and Trelar broke off, uncertain.

Siraay remained as she was, her tail twitching with curiosity, unstartled. In this form, she had been able to hear the footsteps approaching from down the hallway. She watched as Trelar collected herself and made her way quickly to the door, obviously not wanting to delay seating her mistress at the table. The servant opened the door and Siraay saw the female’s face go through a number of reactions.

First surprise, then flustered, then gravely respectful.

‘Where is Lady Siraay?’ the visitor asked.

Clearly hearing the words and identifying the speaker all at once, Siraay raised her head off her paws, squaring her shoulders.

Trelar’s quiet response swiftly informed the visitor of what he wanted to know, then the servant was stepping back to pull the door open, bowing her head.

Quick, powerful steps. Chezran entered and walked