“I’ll do it,” Kol agreed easily and squeezed past me. I needed to buy that dragon some good spirits. I could kiss him for saving me.
“We will be back soon. Don’t go anywhere.”
I heard Kol’s groan at being nagged as he headed down the hall to the next door and smirked at Nyx. He really wasbecoming group daddy, and he shook his head, unwittingly playing up to the role even more. I was chuckling as I shut the door.
“Doyou know how bad I need a drink?” Alaric said, sitting up from his prone position on the bed. We’d had a hearty meal downstairs in the inn, and then Dragon Daddy Nyx had commanded us all to bed like errant younglings.
“I can go down and see if the innkeeper has any ale…” I trailed off when he gave me a look.
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
“You want to leave the inn?” I couldn’t actually blame him. I wouldn’t mind a drink or five.
And it was far too early for bed. But I was supposed to be the responsible one, though how I’d ended up the responsible fae in any situation was just laughable after all the years I’d spent defying authority.
“Don’t you?”I didn’t make eye contact because he would see my answer, and then who would stop us both, Kol?
“It’s a bad idea.” Which was so true, but having the idea of freedom planted in my head might have made it inescapable.
“But you want to, too, yeah?” Alaric gave me a rueful smile.
“Fuck off. We can’t.” I glanced out the window, my skin crawling for the freedom.
“It’s just a drink. No one recognized me this morning. How dangerous could it be? Everyone thinks we’re still in the Light Kingdom, locked down. That’s leagues away.”
“He’s got a point,” Kol added from the other side of the bed where he’d stretched out.
“We are still strangers here, which means we’ll draw a lot of attention to ourselves in taverns full of locals.” I couldn’t take any more delays with this trip, and getting caught would only make it harder to get back to the First Kingdom.
“This is a damn port city in the River Kingdom.” Kol sat up. “Who’s going to notice?”
“And? Locals keep an eye on strangers.” I asked, not knowing what he was getting at. I’d been in hundreds of them.
“The River Kingdom is the biggest trade center in the Twelve Kingdoms. There are fae in and out of this Kingdom every day,” Alaric said with confidence. “Even at a smaller port, we won’t be looked at twice. Why do you think there are so many inns? How do you think a place like this is after a big ship docks? I bet it’s all sailors and entertainment. My brother used to love coming to the River Kingdom trade fairs after the harvest.”Alaric had my interest.
“You’re kidding? He’d expose himself that way?”
“He thinks he’s untouchable. It wasn’t until the war started up again in earnest that the King made us stay in the First Kingdom. He hates being cooped up there—that’s probably why he’s such an arse now.”
“Did you go with him?” I asked.
“Sometimes.” Alaric wouldn’t meet my eyes, and I was starting to realize I didn’t know much about the prince. We’d spent a lot of time together but never had an in-depth conversation.
“Oh?” I asked, looking between them, but Kol didn’t seem surprised by this revelation.
The prince shrugged with a coy grin. “I’m not an innocent just because I don’t have the same proclivities as my brother.” He finally lifted his eyes, and they shone black. Almost haunting.
“This is a bad idea,” I said, even as I tried the old window that looked like it had been painted shut, but shockingly, it cameslowly up only after a few tugs. I stuck my head out, finding it shouldn’t be too hard to sneak out. “But I want to hear more about your proclivities, so we’re doing this.”
“Whatever it takes.” Alaric came up behind me.
“Nyx will hear us,” I all but whispered. “He never switches off.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Alaric smirked, waving his arm to cast some magic. Snoring started up, filling the room. Three different snores, in fact. He waggled his eyebrows. “Sneaking out is kind of my specialty. It’s a little illusion I crafted. He can’t hear us leaving either. The magic will block the sound. You coming?” he said over his shoulder to Kol.
Kol shoved off the bed.
I blinked at the prince. I’d far underestimated him.
