No Solace (The Flames of Retribution - Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-Two- The Lies We Keep

I dove into a group of bushes just as soon as the homunculus zipped off of me, leaving me exposed. The speed of the transition left me with scrapes and bruises from my quick dive. I whined at the stinging pain a little, then pursed my lips.

The problem was Chevral. If he came back, my goose would be cooked. Although the temperature of the world was temperate, it was winter and Sanfelton City had a high enough elevation to make me cold. I shivered in my exposed state as I unzipped the emergency satchel around my neck, pulling out a bird mask, and a loose gown with a hood. I got the bird mask on, and was struggling with the gown.

My heart raced as I fumbled with the gown, my mind racing with worries about Chevral. What if he had already discovered my hiding spot? Would he recognize me in this disguise? I couldn't afford to be caught, not when I was so close to completing my mission. I tried to push those thoughts aside and focus on getting dressed, but each passing second only made me more anxious.

The gown was made of a thin, silky material that offered little warmth, but it was better than nothing. I quickly pulled it over my head and the fabric slid down my body. The hood was large enough to cover my face, and I pulled it up, hoping that it would help me blend in with the surrounding foliage.

I peeked out from behind the bushes, scanning the area for any sign of Chevral. The park was quiet and still, and I couldn't see anyone nearby. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that I had managed to avoid being caught.

I cursed myself for being so careless. How could I have let my homunculus run out of time? I should have been more vigilant, more aware of my surroundings. I knew better than to run around like a fool like that, especially when dealing with someone as unpredictable as Chevral.

I also scolded myself for letting my emotions get the best of me, when so much was riding on my success. Whatever Merx had done, it no longer had anything to do with me. I took a deep breath and tried to push the self-blame aside, focusing on the task at hand. I had to get back to the safety of the embassy and alert the authorities. There was no time to waste.

I made my way to the transport, trying to keep a low profile. The bird mask made it difficult to see, but it gave me an alibi. I was just a Calashan bride who snuck out and got lost. I climbed into the transport, feeling a sense of relief as the doors closed behind me. Quickly I lifted the mask and dashed the face changing makeup on eyes, cheeks, and lips, hoping it would be enough to make me look different should I be stopped.

Despite my fears, I managed to make it back to the embassy. My hang-dog expression was all that Ursula needed to see to know I messed up big time.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice low.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Chevral happened," I said, my voice tinged with bitterness. "He caused a disaster."

Ursula raised an eyebrow. She knew how I felt about him, so my wanting to help him had to be odd. "What kind of disaster?"

I filled her in on everything that had happened, from the ball to the park. Ursula listened intently, her expression growing more serious as I spoke.

 "He's in over his head, and Emily is in danger. We can't just leave her to become a soot."

Ursula nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I agree," she said. "But we need to be careful. Chevral is unstable, and we don't know what he's capable of."

"That I know. And I'm livid that the Magic Tower would let him get to this state. There are rules when it comes to Muses." I ran a weary hand through my messy brown hair. "I need to talk to Altair tonight. We need to wake up the ambassador as well. This is an emergency."