The giant had leftthem outside the southern city Civelle .
They’d managed to find lodging in a rundown inn connected to the local brothel. Lia kept her hood pulled up when they entered, noting all the scantily clad human women strewn about the room. Their far-off gaze haunted Dahlia, reminding her too much of her own mother. Her nose wrinkled at the scent of sex and incense.
She went unnoticed for the most part, apart from a few lingering male gazes, which Loshika quickly dispelled. Their room was simple but clean. The healer had secured the door and promptly fell asleep. Lia hardly slept a wink amidst all the moaning, the wind, and Loshika’s snoring.
Lia rubbed her tired eyes and gave up any pretense of sleeping. She perched by the window and pulled back the threadbare curtains, scowling at the weather. Even though dawn had come and gone, it was still dark outside. The snow fell heavily and swirled through the air. She could barely see the alehouse across the road. At least Serenity wouldn’t be spotted in the bad weather. That was something. Her skin itched with the need to move on.
You don’t have time for this.
Her pulse picked up speed, as did her breathing. While Dahlia had done what the queen had demanded, she knew it wasn’t enough to stay the royal’s hand. People like that never kept their word. The queen would have Lia’s mother executed, and then someone would be coming for her. No loose ends would be tolerated.
If she was not dead already.
Because of you.
Dahlia wrapped her arms around herself and began rocking, trying to calm herself. They’d hardly rested in the last fortnight. She’d set a grueling pace to get to her mother, but she couldn’t help but think that she was too late. Wasn’t that just the story of her life?
Too little to save her mother.
Too late to save her brother.
Too late to escape the schemes of monarchs.
Too late to realize she was falling in love with...
She slammed her eyes closed and bit her bottom lip to keep from crying.
Warm arms encircled her, and Lia breathed in Loshika’s familiar rosemary scent. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. She didn’t deserve comfort, and yet she clung to her friend’s arm.
“Follow my breaths,” the healer murmured softly.
Lia shook and panted, trying to ground herself. Each slow breath felt like a fight. One she was sure to lose.
The tremors stopped first, then the gasps, and eventually, the tears, which left itchy trails down her cheeks.
Sagging in Loshika’s embrace, Lia shook her head, ashy hair hanging in her face. She brushed the dirty locks from her cheeks, fatigue weighing down on her like a ton of bricks. “I’m sorry,” she croaked.
Loshika squeezed her. “You do not need to apologize.” A weighted pause. “Did you get any sleep last night?”
“Some.” A lie. “We need to leave.” The snow fell harder as if to contradict her words.
“You need sleep,Reilleve.”
She glanced over her shoulder and shrugged out of Loshika’s grasp. “Don’t call me that.” Lia reached out and laid a hand on the healer’s arm to take some of the sting out of her words. “I am no longer your queen. Just your friend.”
Loshika’s thinned lips softened as she searched Dahlia’s face. The healer opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it quickly. Her attention moved back to the window. “It’s not safe to travel in this weather. It’s easy to get lost and freeze to death.”
Something Lia knew well, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that they were being followed. The royals were always one step ahead of her. And if the Haunts knew who had assassinated their king, no doubt they would be hot on their trail already. The frost giant elite were merciless.
It’s why Lia had made sure the coins she used were a mixture of Asteran and Loriian coins—so it would be harder to trace them. Also, why she’d darkened her hair with coal from the fire and asked Loshika to wear a scarf around her face to hide the scars. She wouldn’t lead anyone to her mother or to the village that had taken care of her for the last fifteen years. They didn’t deserve that.
“We must go,” she replied woodenly. “There’s no time to waste.”
Loshika nodded. “We need to be alive to reach yourmommar.Rest a few hours.” Dahlia almost argued, but the healer held up her hand. “You won’t make it to the next village. I need you strong. Perhaps if we give the weather a little time, it will get better.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
The healer sighed. “Then we will go.”
