“If Nikolas finds out that you saw that brute again, he would be furious!” Shiloh exclaimed.
“Well, he’s not going to find out, at least not yet, anyway. I will tell him once I know he’s over the entire ordeal. Besides, it was one time,” Adalia said as she sat back up.
Shiloh shifted, and the sun caught the gold tips of her wings, sending little sparkles across the courtyard. “And it will be the only time, right?”
Adalia didn’t answer.
“It will be the only time this happens . . . right Ada?” Shiloh questioned again.
A smile tugged at the corner of Adalias’ mouth as she turned to face her friend. “Yes . . . like I said. It was just one time.”
Thoughts of the dark-haired prince crossed her mind, and she held them captive for a moment. She didn’t need to see him again. But maybe she wanted to? Shaking her head, she pushed the thoughts away. There was never a time to dance with the enemy, even if it was just in one’s mind.
“What’s he like?” Shiloh’s question brought Adalia back to reality.
Adalia stood, placing her hands in the pockets of her well-fitting, pale blue trousers, and walked to the cherry tree—admiring its blossoms. “A beast,” she replied humorously.
“What sort of beast? A wicked and ugly one?” Shiloh’s brow raised.
“Definitely a wicked beast,” Adalia answered, “but not an ugly one.” Her voice trailed off.
Shiloh rose to her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re not getting any ideas, are you?”
Adalia’s head turned slightly in Shiloh’s direction. “Not at all. The man makes my blood boil with his snide remarks and wandering eyes. Not all the treasure in the world could tempt me to pursue him.”
“I hope you mean that. The last thing I need is a best friend who has heart palpitations over the enemy.” Shiloh gathered the cups and headed inside. “I think the cakes are ready.”
Adalia nodded and followed her friend.
A flash of grey and blue came to mind again, and Adalia’s wings twitched. Taking a deep breath, she scolded herself. She needed to stop thinking about him. Or there was going to be trouble.
Chapter Ten
The Irk
Asoft, whooshing sound echoed through the air as Matthias winnowed onto the balcony of his room. Suddenly appearing in the palace was risky, even in his room, for that matter. Snake or Jes could be sneaking about his private chambers for all he knew. To keep his secret, Matthias instead winnowed to a place that would be empty before entering the castle.
He’d been gone for almost three weeks and, as he suspected, upon his return, all was as it should be. The continuous sound of clanging metal still rang through the Kingdom.
Looking from the balcony, he could see the palace gardens filled with courtiers and noblemen, all trying their best to impress one another with tales of grandeur. Rolling his eyes at the pathetic souls, he stepped into his room. He found it empty.
Striding across the floor, he gently eased the door open. The hall was also empty. Of course, his father was nowhere to be seen.
If he really wanted to find his father, all he had to do was go down to the dens. The king would be there amongst his minions,watching them build weapons for the war that only existed in his head. Something Matthias himself had no interest in.
Locking the door behind him, Matthias was as silent as possible while heading towards the kitchen. He’d only returned to gather the food that he couldn’t hunt or harvest himself–some extra clothing wouldn’t hurt either. Matthias didn’t need to take food from the kitchens; he could easily live out in the woods with Bones, hunting and foraging, but it was easier to appear now and then to keep the servants’ chatter to a minimum, not wanting to draw attention to himself negatively.
If he was honest, he felt surprised that no one had come looking for him. Yet, he was glad for no unwanted interruptions. These last few weeks at the cabin had solidified his dream of getting rid of this place, of finally finding peace and solitude somewhere else. But the fear of the unknown and what lay beyond the comforts of the palace walls currently kept him inside the realm of Oscuro.
Slipping inside the kitchen, he glanced about to find minimal people, a few cooks, and the odd servant. No one paid him much attention as he walked to the large open pantry and started rifling through jars and small wooden crates. He took a few small loaves of bread that looked like they’d seen better days, and some tinned sardines. Bones would enjoy them.
He was about to leave the pantry when he spied something wrapped in cloth. Opening it revealed fresh cheese. It felt like forever since he had freshly made cheese. Placing it in his pocket, he left the pantry.
He circled the large bench in the middle of the room, surveying the produce upon it, choosing a bunch of carrots, four small green apples, and two figs. One cook eyed him for a second and offered him a small smile, but said nothing as he went back to the pig roasting on the fire.
Matthias took a canvas bag from a hook by the door and placed all the items he collected into it. Grateful that no one spoke to him, he left the room. This would do him and bones a few more weeks before he would have to come back to the palace and gather newitems. He also made a mental note to purchase some seeds the next time he went into town.
He walked the dreary halls back to his room, wings tucked in tight. The lock jangled loudly as he unlocked the door to his room. The canvas bag he was carrying dropped on the bed as he rummaged through his cupboard for a few sets of clothing. He could take a lot more with him on this trip as he wouldn’t be flying back, he would just winnow.
