Within two blissfully free hours,I was making my way into an inn with fresh-baked pastries and a pouch of gold. Nyx stood out like a sore thumb among the wiry River Kingdom fae. But it wasnot spotting him through the windows that told me where they would be. It was her. I’d be able to find her hidden among a million fae.
Nova’s eyes lit at the bundle in my arms, even they could smell the sweet, buttery goodness with their regular fae senses. I handed them the parcel without a word as I took a seat at their table, and they eagerly unwrapped it, sharing the bounty around.
“Did you have any success?” Nyx asked, barely looking my way as he took the piece of pastry Zaria offered him with his teeth and a wink at his mate. Yeah, they definitely had more than tonic last night. Bastards.
I tossed him the pouch of coins, and he weighed it in his hand. “Good work. This will keep us going until we can get home.” He tipped the coins into his palm under the table so as not to advertise it to the inn’s patrons, then retrieved what he had in his own pouch and began counting quietly. We all watched, not sure what he was calculating until he lifted his head and then held out a stack of gold coins to Kol and another to me. I frowned, exchanging a glance with Kol.
“What is this for?” Kol asked.
“In case we are separated or someone tries to pickpocket me. It doesn’t make sense for everything we have to be in one purse.” I didn’t miss that he said if someone ‘tries’ to pickpocket him. As if they would stand no chance of succeeding.
I nodded slowly in agreement. That was smarter than one of us carrying it.
“Wait, why you three? If there is trouble and we get separated, you three will dragon out on us and bye bye clothes!” Zaria stated, folding her arms. She stared Nyx down, ready and waiting for any argument he could come up with.
Nyx glanced at Kol, Kol glanced at me, and with heavy sighs, we all relinquished our coin to the three females of the group, who would—hopefully—retain their clothing at all times.
Nova took hers and slipped it into the small drawstring pouch she kept at her waist. Zaria pulled something similar from the pocket in her leathers. But Calytrix… Oh, Calytrix, determined to be the ruin of me, reached between her full breasts and produced her coin purse.
I died.
Kol gave me a look which said,you’re so fucked, and I kicked him under the table.
That image would never be erased from my memory. But at least I’d have a little something to replay in my head over the years. After I’d taken myself far, far away.
Zaria cleared her throat. “We got two rooms for a couple of nights at least, so we have time to find transport heading back south.
I nodded, still spinning from Caly’s little taunt. I knew it for what it was. Why else would she keep it there? She had a side to her that I knew would be my undoing—I could see that now. I was beginning to think she was two fae in one body rather than one fae in two as twins were thought to be. There was Caly, Nova’s caring sister, and then there was Trix, this wily temptress she hid just beneath the surface.
Caly, I could handle. Trix was going to be my end.
Then my thoughts landed back at the table and that piece of news Zaria had so casually shared. Two rooms…for seven fae. “How are we divvying up the rooms?” I asked, wary of how Nyx would divide the seven of us.Because I knew it would be his call, and it was probably already decided. This was what a couple of hours of freedom got me!
Nyx looked between all of us. “Zaria and I will guard the Daughters of Light. Faolan, you and Kol take the prince.We’ll alternate sleeping and keeping watch. I’m not expecting anything, but we need to be prepared for the worst. Both rooms have windows we can leave out of if there is even a twitch. Do not wait if something happens or come to check on the others. Take the prince and go. Do you understand me? If we are separated, just get back to the First in one piece at any cost.”
Kol and I exchanged a look, then nodded.
“Sure.” I was just grateful Nyx didn’t want me in the room with Caly and her sister. I’d do whatever he asked for that small blessing from the Goddess.
A waitress came by with a pot of the hot sweet tea that was popular with the River fae. I guessed it was still breakfast time and a little early for ale, but I wouldn’t have turned it down if it was offered.
After our breakfast of pastries and tea, we went back out to the market and split into two groups. We wandered the stalls, picking up necessities and taking in the bustling town, just trying to assess the area and listen in to the port rumor mill. This was where any news came into the kingdom, so it was where we would hear the most up to date information. Fortunately, the cooler weather of fall allowed us to wear our hoods up without looking conspicuous, so we went largely unnoticed.
All we managed to ascertain was that the Light Kingdom had been attacked, presumably because they were targeting the prince, who had travelled to escort the two royal brides back to the First Kingdom. There were no other sightings reported, and it was assumed that the prince and the brides were being guarded in the Light Palace for now. And with the confirmation that we were as yet undiscovered, we made our way back to the inn to rest and discuss the plan for what came next.
We all got settled into the rooms. Ours was furnished with one double bed and a sorry-looking couch. Obviously, the bedwas going to Alaric, that was not in question, so the couch was something Kol and I would have to flip for.
“There’s room for one of you to share with me,” Alaric said easily.
We both looked at him incredulously. I liked the male, but certain things could not be overlooked for the sake of friendship, and the fact that he was second in line to the throne of the entire realm was one of those things. This was not a younglings camping trip where we all bunked down together. He was the fucking prince!
“Oh, come on both of you. I’m a twin, I’ve shared space my entire life. I’m not having one of you on the floor while there is room in this bed. Kol, you’re used to sharing, the same as me. We can share, and Faolan can have the couch. Problem solved.”
Kol shrugged in acceptance, so I didn’t object either. Then a knock at the door took our attention from sleeping arrangements.
Opening it, I was greeted with Nyx. “Would one of you guard the sisters while Zaria and I head out to try and find a captain who might take us. I figure they must have all unloaded by now. We have more chance of chatting our way in while it’s quiet and they have time.”
I open my mouth to agree. He was right, it was the perfect time to find a happy captain now that the work was done for the morning and unloading had lined their pockets nicely. But that meant going into the room next door and trapping myself with her.
