Shadowguard

Silence stretched between them. As Pala retreated into herself, her eyes distant with old memories, Evelina turned to observe the town. Late-night meetings were nothing unusual for her; while the town slept, she worked. But times had changed. She'd traded her daggers for information and her leathers for an apron and a disarming smile.

Motherhood may have pulled her from the front lines, but it hadn't pulled her from the fight entirely. Shroud no longer had Pendel within their grasp, but their influence remained. There was always someone looking to stir up trouble, someone needing a swift reminder that the days of lawless revelry were a thing of the past. She and Pala assured their attempts never came to fruition; Shroud was dealt with and disposed of before the Guard caught wind and it fell into the hands of the law.

The Courts were as useless as Shadowguard.

And she wasn't much better, it seemed.

A bitter taste filled her mouth as that thought drifted through her mind. Arden died and her beloved daughter took the fall for it, taking them all by surprise. Pala hadn't seen it coming. Sir Swiftbrook was none the wiser. She and Ronan hadn't had an inkling of a suspicion that something was amiss.

Someone had plotted and conducted a successful assassination without even a whisper of a rumor preceding it. Only Shroud — not a handful of loyal stragglers acting in their name — had the influence to silence the information networks so thoroughly. It was not a good omen.

Damn it all. Evelina never should've left that night. Or, perhaps, she should've forced Ronan to stay with Everna, but her infuriatingly overprotective husband refused to let her deal with the matter in Trenbrook alone. Arden insisted she'd be fine, that he'd look after Everna.

She should've known. There was no reason for Shroud to be in Trenbrook; it was nothing but crop gardens and livestock pens. It was hardly larger than Pendel's southern outskirts. Yet, Ettie swore she'd spotted Shroud's vermin snooping about and Evelina couldn't ignore it. They were too close to Pendel for her liking.

"Did she respond?" Pala asked suddenly. "To the letter, I mean."

Evelina scoffed. "Really, Pala? You think my daughter's that stupid?"

"Stupid, no. Curious, abundantly so. Too much for her own good, I fear."

Evelina waved her off. "I raised her better than that. Besides, she wouldn't have made it out of the house. Ronan knew to keep an eye out. She'd never make it past the door."

Just as she reached for her spilled tea, the balcony door flew open. A young man with a shock of red hair draped in the Guard's uniform stumbled through, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His eyes were wide and full of terror, his hands trembling.

"Miss Pala!" he cried between breaths. "The Guard... Windmore... He..."

"Out with it, Gillan," Pala snapped, her previous exhaustion replaced with an air of authority.

Evelina's lips quirked. There was the Pala Ashburn she knew. No bullshit — straight to the point.

"Sir Swiftbrook's dead! Captain Windmore... he's blaming Everna!"

Before Evelina could utter a sound, Pala seized her by the sleeve, her grip like iron. Without taking her eyes off Gillan, she asked, "Why her?"

Gillan swallowed again, his gaze flickering between the two of them. A heavy, sickening weight lodged itself deep in Evelina's chest.

Don't say it, she thought. Tell me she didn't—

"Everna, uh.... Well, she broke into the Guard post—"

Evelina was on her feet and halfway over the balcony railing, spilling a string of curses so foul even the gods would cover their ears. Pala shot across the table. Dishware clattered to the floor, the table's legs screeching across the patio tiles as Pala snatched her by the collar of her dress and hauled her back into her chair. In the few seconds of silence that followed, Captain Windmore's voice carried through the night.

"Evelina, stand down. Now.” Pala’s voice dripped with an authority Evelina hadn't heard in years. "This is not the time for recklessness. Even you can't take on the Guard alone."

She could damn well try! Her daughter was down there, running for her life, and Pala wanted her to stay put? If that were Witt, she'd be tearing the town apart until she found Windmore and ended his miserable existence.

As if Pala could read her thoughts, she said, "You make one move and I will nail your hands to the table."

Though Evelina knew it was an empty threat, she swallowed her reservations and remained seated.

It's Pala, she reminded herself. Pala wouldn't endanger Everna. If she wasn't rushing into the streets to stop Windmore's rampage, there must be a reason.

Once Pala was sure she wouldn't bolt the second she had a chance, she turned to Gillan once more. "I need to know what happened. Everything."

As he launched into a hurried retelling of what transpired, Evelina's anger grew. Gillan knew little beyond what took place in the few moments before the chase began, but he knew enough. Windmore dared point a blade at her daughter.

Her daughter, who, if not for that damned Shadowguard rat, wouldn't have been in the post.

"Are you absolutely certain Everna is innocent?"

Evelina threw Pala a withering glare.

"I know she is," Gillan affirmed. "Windmore had blood on him when he summoned the Guard. He tried to cover it, but I saw it on his tunic. I followed to see what was going on...." He paused, swallowing once more, then continued, "Miss Pala, I don't think it's just Windmore. I think some of the Guard might be in on it. The ones with him... they were the same ones that were in the room when he supposedly found her sword."

Evelina cursed.

Pala rose from her seat. "Return to your post. If you can get ahold of Everna before the others, bring her here. If she's caught, break her out."

"That won't be possible," Gillan said. "Windmore. He's called for no quarter for both of them. It's kill on sight."

Evelina released a sharp breath. Damn him! And damn Pala!

"Then I suppose it's time to test a theory we have."

Pala reached into the pocket of her coat and produced a pin of black metal — a snake coiled around a crown of rose thorns. It shone red beneath the light cast by the torches set into the exterior wall, and Evelina tasted bile. She'd hoped she'd never have to see that pin again.

Pala pressed the pin into Gillan's hand, a wicked smile on her lips. "Tell him to call off the chase. That it's an order from Shroud."

Though confused, Gillan snatched the pin and disappeared through the doors.

"You kept that?!"

"I kept many things," Pala said. "Some even Arden didn't know of. You never know when it might be useful."

Evelina pursed her lips. "Do you think that will stop him?"

"That's what I intend to find out," she said. "If Windmore yields, then we know for certain Shroud is pulling the strings. Then we can begin countering them."

"You have a plan," Evelina said. She should've known. Pala was nothing but prepared; she had plans for when plans went awry and contingencies for contingencies.

"I do, and it requires you keeping your temper in check. Let Windmore dig his own grave," she said. "I know who Everna is with — and no, I will not tell you, as I promised to keep silent. Windmore's in for a nasty surprise if he touches him."

"Oh, I have my suspicions," Evelina spat. "All the more reason I don't like this."

"Your preferences aren't a consideration," Pala reminded her. "Let him handle Everna. In the meantime, I want a list of every member of the Guard that may be involved, and I want it in my hands before the Harvest Festival."

Evelina chuckled. "You're going to expose them all in front of the town."

"Oh, no," Pala said, a wry smile turning her lips. "The Courts and the Guard no longer have my trust, and because of that, they will not have any authority in my town. If all goes well, the Harvest Festival will be Windmore's execution."

"Is that legal?" Evelina asked, though she knew Pala couldn't care less.

"You didn't think I cut a deal with the Courts and let them have total control, did you? They can't argue with an agreement signed by the Crown."

"And what of my daughter? Surely you don't expect me to abandon her."

"I know you won't, but she can't stay in the town any longer. It's far too dangerous for her, even with us here. Let Shadowguard watch her for now. They have more resources at their disposal and places they can keep her that even Shroud doesn't know of. If they are indeed behind this, you, of all people, should know we've only scratched the surface."

If that, Evelina thought. Shroud's plans were both thorough and complex — tangled messes that only made sense once they finished. Everna could be a red herring. Windmore could be a distraction. They wouldn't know until they achieved their goal, and the pieces came together at the last second. By then, it would be too late.

Yet, convoluted as their plans were, Shroud's obsession with perfection left them vulnerable. Their operations hinged on finer details, with everything transpiring exactly as outlined. They trained their agents to the pinnacle of efficiency: quick, precise, and obedient. They didn't allow error, and mistakes came with dire consequences.

Where they excelled, however, was manipulating laws in their favor. Everna's execution would force the Courts to close the investigation and force the capital's attention elsewhere. With them no longer an issue, Shroud would be free to operate without scrutiny. This would not be the first time they used such a tactic.

But this time, it failed. Shroud was not what it once was, and they no longer held the power and resources necessary to see it through. Not within Pendel, and not within the kingdom. Arden's assassination succeeded, but they failed to execute Everna. Both the capital and Shadowguard now had their sights set on Pendel.

If Shroud, or whoever was responsible, wanted the capital's attention elsewhere, then Evelina would have to do everything in her power to ensure it didn't stray.

Her son was long overdue for a visit, after all.