Chapters (76)
- Title Page
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- PROLOGUE
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- PART III
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- INTERLUDE
- PART IV
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- INTERLUDE
- PART V
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART VI
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- INTERLUDE
- PART VII
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- PART VIII
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- EPILOGUE
- AUTHOR’S NOTE
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Newsletter Sign-up
Guy was speechless. He did not think he could feel more betrayed than he already did, but he had no doubt it was true. If Bassett had deduced that Arable had identified him, and connected that to Guy’s loss of faith in him—it was not unthinkable at all. The poor girl.
“I consider Miss Arable a personal friend,” the baron continued, stone-faced. “If you are successful in finding your man, I can assure you he will face dire consequences for this. So if you need any reason at all to question his disappearance, I would think you need no more than that.”
“There you have it.” The Earl of Warwick slapped his hands together. “I’ve seen this tale a dozen times. A Guardsman thinks he’s above the law, snaps one day and goes too far, then flees. If he’s with those outlaws of yours, it’s probably because he’s joined them!”
Guy refused to believe it. If Bassett were going to desert the Guard, he wouldn’t do it in the middle of a mission. Would he?
Given their history, there was no knowing what else Bassett was capable of. He had planned to beat a gerold, he had apparently assaulted Arable, and he was bitter about losing his status. If Guy had missed all the warning signs, he could easily have misinterpreted the man’s loyalty as well. And all of this, every last bit of it, fell on Guy’s head. If he had not told Bassett about the gerolds in the first place …
If de Lacy had not issued that infernal policy …
The Sheriff, against all odds, seemed to take a cue from Guy’s silence. “It’s not easy when one of your own turns against you, I know. Let him go. And try not to blame yourself.”
Beneath the baron’s words was an impossibly self-righteous snark. It said, It was your man, not a gerold, that betrayed you. It said, You never get to question me again.
Guy was too afire to fight back. “As you say.”
“Very well.” De Lacy pivoted in his chair. “As for this river gang, would you care to make a proper report? I’ve heard of your exploits in the city, but not from your own lips. We have a lot of damage to undo.”
Guy blinked, unsure he had heard the command properly. He had expected this conversation to end his career, but the baron seemed content to let it lie. He should have been relieved, but it was somehow even more insulting.