Kordia hitched her backpack up higher as she and Kassin passed the gate of Montmorency.
Above that gate, a corpse had been strung up— the demon who'd volunteered to fly in Kir's letter.
That had been two days ago. Now, Kordia was volunteering to scout ahead and hopefully find a sympathetic person who would deliver Kir's request. She said a silent prayer for the dead messenger, willing herself not to join them.
Kassin had come along because, by his reasoning, Kordia shouldn't go alone and he should protect her. Purely chivalrous nonsense, but she was guessing Kassin was mostly using chivalry as a front to mask his fear and jealousy of Kir, which seemed only more pronounced now that Kir was Duke.
In other words, he only felt safe with Kordia around.
As they walked the streets, it became clear that news of the march had come. Soldiers stood at every street corner, and she felt the tingle of the city's defenses in the air as it drew on the local mana.
