“You will stop that at once,” Elysia chastised in a mimicry of her mother. She could practically see the nonsensical words building up against the girl’s sealed lips, but not a single one wasuttered, her eyes round with fear. Pleased the girl had stopped yammering, Elysia pulled her into a corner. “Where’s Lynd?”
The worker nervously played with her apron, still looking around as if someone might do something about the rogue wanted woman holding her captive in the corner, but the kitchen was a tired, well-oiled machine and no one even bothered to glance up from their work.
“She’s not here anymore. They questioned her about you, and no one’s seen her since.”
Elysia closed her eyes. That was not what she wanted to hear. Bracing herself for the answer, she asked the next logical question. “She’s dead then?”
“No…”
Elysia didn’t need her magic to know this girl knew more than what she was saying.
“Tell menow.”She growled. If the threat wasn’t clear in her voice, then it was in the defined point of her dagger now tipping up the girl’s chin.
She pressed back against the wall, whispering, “I think she’s at the House.”
“You tell anyone I was here, and I’ll slip into your room when you’re sleeping and end this conversation. Do you understand?” She dug the dagger into soft skin, knowing her visit would be gossip fodder within minutes. Elysia smiled as she disappeared. She hoped it made Garrison scream when he heard she’d been in his kitchens.
Elysia traveled to the Doorman,and by the gods, did she immediately regret it.
She truly would never be able to unsee such a thing.
Her sister’s bare ass and tits. Stalking closer to the Doorman, who was sprawled like an artful goddess across her silk bedding and practically purring as she enticed Beatriz closer.
Elysia’s voice came out in a hurried squeak as she slapped her hand over her eyes. “Oh my gods,stop, stop, stop.Please, for the love of all that is good in this wretched world, stop.”
Her sister’s annoyed voice scratched at her ears. “You have the worst timing of anyone I’ve ever met, Elysia. I’ve half a mind to throw you outside and call the king’s guards.”
Elysia peeked through her fingers, only to see her sister still as naked as the day she was born, glaring forcefully. The Doorman had rolled over onto her stomach and was watching as if this were an entertaining bit of theater rather than her sex life being interrupted.
“How was I supposed to know you were here and doingthis?” Elysia hissed right back. Grabbing a pillow off the floor, she shoved it at her sister’s tits. Gods, it was like they were staring at her. How did someone built like a knife manage to have tits like that? The gods were unfair. Very, very unfair.
Uninterested in modesty, Beatriz chucked the pillow straight back at her head. Elysia ducked. The pillow soared past and crashed into a fake potted plant, knocking dirt everywhere.
The Doorman emitted an aggrieved sound. “Perhaps we can jump to the part where you tell uswhyyou’re interrupting our evening? I only have so much time before guests begin arriving, you know.”
Elysia stared at the ceiling since no one seemed to feel the need to put clothes on. “Yes, because Iwantedto have to bathe my own eyeballs later. Can you just tell me where to find Lynd? Some girl in the castle kitchens said she was here.”
Both Beatriz and the Doorman’s eyes narrowed simultaneously.
“You went into thecastle?”
Elysia flinched, hurrying to defend herself. “I had to! The fates sent me to find Lynd. Take it up with them!”
Beatriz took a stomping and naked step closer. “You are the most idiotic, frustrating person I’ve ever met in my life. You can’t keep coming back to Relaclave! We’ve got things handledhere, okay? The market, the rebels, just leave that business to us.”
Elysia deflated. “I know, I know. I won’t come back unless it’s necessary, but what if you need something? How are you supposed to contact me?”
Triz spoke slowly. “Elysia, you need to doyourjob. The talisman is your only concern.”
Her heart dropped even further, and she mumbled, embarrassed. “The fates really did tell me to find Lynd, but you know I worry about you. You’ve made it impossible not to over the years. And now, what if you die and I don’t even know?” Her fingers intertwined fretfully, and she avoided her sister’s gaze.
Beatriz’s face softened, but the Doorman interceded, and she spoke far more gently than her other half. “Lynd is in the kitchens, of course. We’ll be shipping her out as soon as we can. Not even I can hide her for long without consequence.”
Elysia nodded mutely and slipped out the door to find the kitchens. She’d known it was a risk coming here. But the instructions had told her to visit the safest place in the castle, and as far she was concerned the safest place in the castle was a person, and her name was Lynd.
Elysia reached the kitchens and poked her head inside, stilling at what she saw.
Lynd.
