“Why did you bring those two with you?” Zander flicked his head to the table in the corner where the guards sat, each drinking a beer.
“It wasn’t up to me.” I frowned and wiped a rag over the sticky spot on the wood. “They’re here on orders of Prince Sutton, or at least that’s what I was told. I have no say in thematter.” I shrugged and made a face. “At least they’re paying customers?”
“Two drinks won’t make up for the hundreds of drinks I’m losing in sales,” Zander griped.
As if on cue, two more people walked into the business and, upon seeing the guards, promptly turned and left.
“There’s nothing I can do. I’m sorry.” I said.
Zander grumbled as he walked away, leaving me to work on drying a dozen glasses.
I moved across the room to where the men sat. Fisher rose while Hunt leaned back and took a long drink from his mug. “You both need to leave,” I demanded.
Hunt smiled. “Sure, right after you agree to stay at the castle.”
“This is my only income—my father and I depend on this,” I sneered.
Hunt stood. “Come on, just get your ass to the castle so we can all leave this shithole.”
“The prince will take care of your father in your absence,” Fisher chimed in. “He’ll send a stipend and has even agreed to send a land wielder to repair the field. Several if needed.”
The guards seemed to have a solution for each of my concerns, but it all circled back to leaving home. I couldn’t possibly depend on the Suttons to fund my father’s life in my absence, especially when they destroyed my family.
I growled and returned to the bar. Several more patrons eyed the guards and then me. They quickly asked for their bill and departed.
The door chimed, and Jaspar strolled in with two males at his side. The constant rotation of resistance members was dizzying. I shot my eyes at him and then at the guards repeatedly, silently begging him to see the men seated in the corner. He nodded his head, not breaking eye contact with me. Hedidn’t walk past the bar, but walked up to it and sat at the counter.
I went to speak, but he waved me off.
“I know, I was already told,” he said, his voice low. “How long are they with you?”
“Apparently, indefinitely.” I blew out a breath. “The prince is insisting I go to the castle or his goons stay with me.”
“That’s the thing,” Jaspar whispered, “you need to go to the castle. I have further intel, but I can’t share it here.”
“Are you serious? What is it?”
Zander strode over. “Alright Audryn, that’s over fifty people that’ve left because of your … friends. I hate to do this, you’re a good worker, but until you can ditch them?—”
I threw up my hand. “That’s fine, I understand.” I grabbed my bag in one hand and Jaspar’s hand in the other. “Come on, it’s your lucky night.”
“Well, all alright then, but first let me grab a change of clothes for work tomorrow.” He laughed at his own joke and gestured away the two men he'd arrived with. They grinned as if they too were about to come home to my bed.
I dashed out the door with Jaspar in tow. Fisher and Hunt rushed to catch up as we jogged down the street. The cool evening air danced on my skin as we dashed around walking fae. I was so used to going home in the late-night silence that seeing the people wandering about was jarring.
I stopped on the porch and looked back at the two guards. “Unless you’re looking to join us in bed, I’d suggest you call in the next shift.”
Hunt went to speak, likely to make some foul remark, but Fisher pushed him back and scowled. It was like Prince Sutton himself admonished the guard for putting a foot in his mouth. The moment was brief, but the respect Hunt showed to the older man was there, and I couldn’t be sure why. It was an odd moment for two men who held the same rank.
Jaspar pulled me through the door and into the darkness. He knew my home as well as I did. We’d both grown up within the walls, my mother and father practically raising him as a brother to Kamden. We moved to my room, and I let out a quiet thanks that my father was already in bed, presumably asleep.
“Okay, so what do you know?” I asked as he took a seat on the edge of my bed. I lit the candle on the small cedar table.
“Is this your idea of foreplay?” The corners of his mouth turned down. “I’ve got to be honest, I expected it would be better than this.”
“Come on, don’t be a tease!” I pushed.
Jaspar raised a brow. “I could say the same about you.” He patted the bed next to him, but I stayed standing. “We got confirmation that the Book of Public Records is at the castle. It’s held in either the library or the king’s personal collection.”
