For the first time in several weeks, Lace knelt in prayer to the Creator.

She was more lost than ever. At least, while living in Small Miracle, the daily loop had been simple—make money, buy food, eat, sleep, repeat. These days, every task seemed to present a new dilemma.

The world had almost goaded her into thinking she wasn’t meant to be a Hero.

Almost.

She knew better, now—especially after today. Swift justice, no casualties, no loose ends. A mentor who actually recognized her achievements. She had gotten more of what she had expected from the Heroes’ Guild in a single day than she had in the weeks since joining.

“Creator, hear me, your servant,” Lace said. “Let Kiren and my mother be safe. I hope to do what’s right in your name, o’ Creator. My only desire is to strike down evil where I find it. Help guide my hand and still my heart, so that I may do your will.”

She hoped for a sign—anything to affirm her faith—but there was nothing.

The silence was broken as the door burst open and Kiren stormed in, looking both ways into the corridor before closing the door. He sat down on the bed, head in his hands. His clothes were stained with soot and he reeked of smoke.

Lace shot up, coming over to him.

“Twin Gods, what happened?” she asked.

“Something terrible,” Kiren said, an uncharacteristic quaver in his voice. “But you already knew that.”

“What do you mean?”

Kiren looked up, a twinge of rage in his eyes. “Don’t play dumb with me. I’m giving you a chance to come clean.”

“Come clean? Kiren, I really have no idea what you’re expecting me to say.”

“The bar you raided today with Ludenhaas. You didn’t just defend yourselves, did you?”

“We did! I mean, Hulda threatened to burn the bar down if they didn’t talk, but it was just that! A threat! She didn’t actually do it!”

“Funny,” Kiren said with a bitter smirk. “Because I was just there, and I found nothing but smoking rubble. Please tell me that bitch pulled the wool over your eyes. I don’t want to believe the alternative.”

Lace threw up her hands. “Why do you care so much about some ratty bar? It was full of criminals, worst scum you could imagine. At the first sign of trouble, they tried to kill us.”

Kiren gritted his teeth as he stood. Two steps and he was right in Lace’s face.

“Because that ratty bar happens to be my home,” he said. “And those scum happen to be my family.”

Lace frowned. Her mind struggled to connect the dots, a hundred thoughts racing through her head.

“So… you knew about Mug all along? You knew about the bar? Did you know about the book, even?”

Kiren diverted his gaze for just a moment. “Yeah. I did.”

“You could have made this so much easier for everyone—instead you kept it all hidden. You’ve been lying since we first met, haven’t you?”

“Oh, because you would have been so understanding if you knew the truth,” Kiren snapped back.

“That’s not fair and you know it. You didn’t give me a chance.”

“Because I didn’t trust you completely. Turns out that might have been a good thing.”

Lace shook her head, backing up a few steps. “Don’t say that, Kiren.” She fought back tears. “We promised to stick together.”

“I’ll give you one last chance,” he said, following her and pointing a finger in her face. “Ludenhaas went too far. Tell me you had nothing to do with what she did.”

“I didn’t!”

“Good. Then help me take her down. I’m not letting her get what she wants.”

“We can’t just do that! Hulda is a member of the Heroes’ Guild! We still don’t know if she had anything to do with the fire.”

“My source in the Slog seemed pretty convinced.”

“We’d need actual proof! Look, I’ll ask her about it tomorrow when—”

“Tomorrow?” Kiren asked with an incredulous smile. “So you’re still planning to strut about like her good little apprentice?”

“It’s my job, Kiren. I can’t just drop everything, presume guilt and take the law into my own hands.”

“I thought that was exactly what Heroes did.”

Lace was left spluttering for an answer. She wiped tears from her cheeks.

“Well, if you’re not going to join me, I suppose this is where we part ways,” Kiren said. He backed away from her and walked over to the window. He yanked the shutters open.

Kiren paused and slowly shook his head, looking away from her.

“I thought you were better than this. I really did.”

Lace was stunned into silence. Her mind couldn’t process this much all at once.

He stepped out of the window onto the thin ledge beyond.

“Wait! You can’t just leave.”

“Or what? You’ll have me thrown in a cell and destroy the key? I’ll take that chance.”

He jumped.

Lace ran to the window. Kiren tucked into a roll as he landed on the ground below and sprinted across the courtyard.

There were sentries on the wall. She could alert them.

Deciding against it, she watched him run.

*****

Lace stood in front of number 22 of the apprentice rooms, a half-empty wine bottle clutched precariously in three fingers.

She knocked on the door, swaying slightly from side to side.

This wasn’t exactly her first choice for company, but Tommyn and Haden were both busy, and Gantho was working late on an order, so she wasn’t exactly swimming in options. Besides, he had saved her life. She still hadn’t thanked him properly for that.

There was a rustling of papers from inside, then footsteps.

The lock clicked open and the door swung inward. Bits stood in the doorway, dressed in an unlaced tunic and a pair of loose hose. His eyebrows shot up at the sight of her, his angular face framed in candlelight.

He grinned.

“Finally come to see what the fuzz is all about?” he asked. “Sorry, darling, but I must say I’m a little busy at the moment. If you come back tomorrow, I can take you for a spin under the sheets.”

Lace blushed a shade deeper than the already flushed color on her face. “Not anything like that, you idiot. I’m here to say thank you.”

Bits frowned. His grin faded a little.

“Thanks? For what?”

“Saving my life.”

“Oh, that? Trust me, darling—it wasn’t intentional.”

Lace shrugged. “Even so, you have my thanks. We got off on a pretty terrible start, so I thought…” She held up the bottle and sloshed the dark wine inside. “I could come in if you want. Talk for a bit. I understand if you’re busy, but…”

“How generous of you,” Bits said, taking the bottle. “Saved me going down a flight of stairs. Very well, you can come in. Just give me a moment.”

He closed the door on her. There was some rustling, and a minute later he opened it back up and let her into his room.

It was sparsely furnished. Nothing had been added to the room apart from his clothes and a set of candle stubs on the desk, the wax all pooled together in a large blob. Papers stuck out of the desk drawer.

“Avid reader?” Lace asked, pointing at the candles.

“You could say that.”

Bits motioned for the bed and she sat. He lit another candle off the one on the desk and placed it on the nightstand. He had a swig of the wine, then she did.

A drawn-out silence followed as they drank.

“So…” Lace said. “What’s the deal?”

“The deal with what?” Bits asked.

“With you. Why are you such an insufferable asshole to everyone? You make Kiren look like a saintly grandmother.”

Bits shrugged and that signature grin came back in full-force. “I suppose I just like playing the bad guy.”

“I think there’s more to it than that,” Lace said. “That smile you always put on… it’s not genuine. It’s a facade. Do you think people can’t tell?”

He put his hands up. “Woah, darling. This got way too deep way too quick. You’re gonna have to get me a lot more drunk than this if that’s what you want to talk about.”

“I’m serious. I don’t know why we have to be enemies. I never did anything to you.”

Bits went quiet. His grin wavered just a hair.

“Uncomfortable as it might be, I’m not leaving until you talk to me.” She burped against the back of her hand, pungent alcohol fumes wafting against her nose. “I think I might be too drunk to get up, anyhow.”

“I thought I was the one who saved your life,” Bits muttered. “I figure I should be the one bossing you around. Yet here you are, interrogating me.”

He had another drink.

Lace crossed her arms. “I’m waiting. If you’re gonna try to chase me off with insults—don’t bother. I’ve got endless patience for these things at this point.”

He sighed. “Alright, man. Unmaker’s tits. It’s like you’re a proper little Hero already with all these questions. Half expecting you to break out the nail tongs. Well…”

He ran a hand through his sandy blond hair with a sigh. The smile all but faded as he stared into the floorboards.

“I suppose you’re right. Kind of. It’s an act. The smile. The swagger.

“I don’t like… people. When they get too close. Creeps me out. The only people I trust are my brothers and myself, and they’re obviously not here.”

“So you’d rather push everyone away and assume they’re your enemy than risking a betrayal?” Lace asked.

Bits shook his head and the grin returned.

“Listen, don’t look so deep into it. If anyone asks, I didn’t tell you this. If you tell someone else, I’ll give you a repeat of what happened at the applications. I trust you still remember that.”

“I remember.”

“Good. I wasn’t joking when I said I was busy.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve got to write letters back home, so I’d appreciate it if you left. I’m keeping the wine, by the way.”

Lace nodded and stood with great effort, fighting the heaviness of her limbs and the numbness in her extremities.

I think I got through to him a little bit, there.

As soon as she was out the door, her thoughts returned to Kiren and her countenance fell.