A Crown of Cursed Hearts (Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #3)

19. Tempest

19

TEMPEST

A s the sun slipped below the horizon, trapped bugs swirled inside glass globes mounted on posts, generating feeble light. We followed Vexxion through a sparse copse of thin silver trees with pale green leaves that tittered in the wind.

“Reyla.” I caught up with her on the path, but it was narrow going with my right leg snagging on pricker bushes and roots tripping up my left. Pain kept shooting through my thigh, slowing me down.

“Hey.” She shot me a frown that deepened when I stumbled over a branch and barely caught myself from falling to my knees. “There’s not enough room to walk together.”

“Do you have Ember’s Shadow ?” I asked in a low voice, shooting a glance around to make sure no one was listening.

Brodine walked not far behind us, his expression concerned, his sharp eyes studying the woods on our right. I kept my hand on the hilt of the blade strapped to my thigh.

Airia chatted in an animated way with Zayde and Brenna, none of them sparing a glance our way.

As for Vexxion, he walked ten paces in front of us, his attention focused on the rough stone buildings of the village ahead.

“I thought the book disappeared.” Reyla’s open gaze met mine, and while I found no subterfuge there, time had passed. We’d changed.

Everyone around me seemed to be harboring secrets.

“I thought the book disappeared too.” I wasn’t ready to say I saw it in her bag.

I should confront her, ask her if she stole it. Although, if she took it, I couldn’t call it outright theft. She’d originally taken it from the fae library before the Claiming, and if anything, I’d stolen it from her while she wandered the ether.

Borrowed it, I told myself. There had been nothing disloyal about my actions. I’d only taken it from her bag to show it to her, to see if making her read it aloud might bring her back to me.

“I think it’s lost forever,” she said. After feeding me a smile I tried not to take as deceitful, though her nostrils flared with her ragged breathing, she eased back to walk with Brodine.

I kept going, though I snuck glances at her.

Brodine continued to stare toward our right.

Her hand tightening on the strap of her pack digging into her shoulder, she leaned into Brodine’s side, speaking in a low voice. Whatever she said to him made him laugh, and for some reason, that made my dismay ease .

I’d ask her about it later or I’d find a way to peek inside her bag again. If the book was there, I wanted to read it. Even my friend couldn’t keep me away.

We left the path and stepped out onto a road so narrow, only one cart would fit between the stone buildings. It wove toward the center of the village and as we walked, I cricked my neck to take in the two-story homes made of brick and wood. Clotheslines stretched between the upper parts of the buildings, and shirts, pants, and dresses dangled, rustling in the light wind. Leaving the narrow road, we continued across a large open square where vendors had set up carts to sell their wares along the sides.

Squash and potatoes, one man called out.

Fine boots for a man or a lady, shouted another.

People bustled here and there, most paying no attention to us. Only a few sent surprised looks our way and shuffled to the side as if we were royalty and them unworthy peasants.

Vexxion was royalty, the son of the king and the heir to Weldsbane Court, though you wouldn’t know it from his simple leathers. Only the regal tilt of his head and the sharp way he scanned the crowd pointed to his possible parentage.

Even my sister didn’t give her royal status away. She’d dressed in leathers like us this morning, and other than whispering to me that we needed to talk soon, she’d remained with Zayde. They flew on the blue dragon with Airia, and Brodine had ridden again with Reyla on Glim.

As for me, I still hadn’t gotten over the fact that I was the heir to Lydel Court, let alone that I had a younger sister .

We reached an inn with a swaying sign painted with the Spotted Dragon in scrolling letters and went inside.

The proprietor swept over to us and gave us a curtsy. “Welcome. Welcome!” she said, smoothing her dark auburn hair across her shoulder. “I’m Marla. Are you here to dine, my fine fae lords and ladies? Are you staying the night?” When her gaze glided down Vexxion’s frame, her smile deepened.

“Four rooms. We’ll eat dinner here,” he said in a clipped voice, barely looking her way. His attention traveled around the room, taking in the long wooden tables nearly full of guests. Fae, I assumed. I couldn’t tell if there were Nullens among them.

“Of course,” Marla said, all business now, though her eyes lingered on Vexxion. “I have four rooms available. Will you be sharing with anyone?”

“Reyla?” He didn’t look Marla’s way. “You’re with Airia. Brodine’s alone . . .” His gaze shot to his brother. “I assume you’re with the lady.” He wouldn’t call out a name that might be recognized. “I’ll share with . . .” His smoldering gaze landed on me. “You.”

“I’ll bunk with Airia and Reyla.” I’d sleep on the floor if I had to. I was quite capable of magicking my own bed.

“You’re with me,” he growled. “ Always with me.”

For someone who stated he didn’t want me, he was awfully determined to keep me in sight.

“Very well,” I huffed.

Marla’s smile held, but a sharp edge had slipped into her smoky gray eyes. “I’ll show you to your rooms, then, my lord? You can leave your things there and come back down to dine. I’ll clear a table.” She glared at some men sitting at one closest to the window. “Move.”

They got up and took their mugs of ale to a smaller table near the door, saying nothing, though their lips universally twisted with irritation.

“I made a fine stew,” she told us brightly. “Biscuits. There’s a berry cobbler for dessert.”

“That will be fine.” Vexxion handed her some coins. “Do you have tubs? We’d like to bathe while we’re here.”

She grunted. “I’ll have the help bring them up, plus water.”

“Just a tub for my room. I can take care of the water.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you can.” Her lips thinned. “Do you need any clothing cleaned, my lord?”

“I can take care of that as well.”

Brodine held up his finger. “I’ll leave my current outfit outside my room. Could you arrange to have it cleaned and returned by morning?”

“Of course,” she gushed his way, though with less enthusiasm than she’d used to sidle up to Vexxion. “Ladies?” Her attention traveled to Airia and Reyla.

“We’ll leave our clothing outside our rooms as well,” Reyla said, Airia nodding.

“I’ll handle our things.” Zayde looped his arm around my sister’s lower back.

“Yes, my lords. Ladies. If you’ll all come with me.” Marla spun and started toward the stairs at the back of the room, and we followed her up to the second level. She opened the first door on the right. “For the two ladies. ”

Reyla and Airia stepped inside, their attention on the big bed.

Marla continued down the hall, opening the next door, nodding Zayde’s way. “For the lord and his lady.”

Another solitary bed.

“And for the single lord.” Marla’s gaze lingered on Brodine’s wide shoulders, traveling to his narrow waist before shooting to the gleam in his brown eyes. Her smile rising once more, she opened the next door on the right. “Why isn’t a nice-looking man like you with one of the ladies?”

“Because they keep turning me down,” Bro said with a snort.

My friend was back, and I adored his humor, like always.

“Fools.” Marla’s smile grew slick, and she studied his ass as he walked into the room and dropped his bag on the bed.

Bro might not be alone for long.

Marla leaned against the doorframe, watching as Brodine removed a few items from his bag.

“Our room?” Vexxion barked.

“Oh, yes, of course, my lord.” Marla startled, her cheeks brightening. She strode to the end of the hall, opening the last door. “Here you are.”

I walked into the room and glared at the solitary bed.