“Fuck off.” I shoved him on the shoulder and marched on, ready to get this trade done so we could get back to the clan.
Bezaliel strode after me, laughing to himself, the bastard. “I was proposing that you actuallyfuckher.”
“Vix’s blood,” I cursed under my breath. “It won’t be happening.”
“When you discover that I’m right, I want an apology.”
“You’ll be waiting for that apology until you’re wandering the afterlife.”
Another laugh echoed to me. “We shall see.
Chapter 13
JESSAMINE
Flaxon had given us bags of ground wheat, barley grains, and some dried beans. He’d also given Tessa a small bag of herbs she said had great healing properties. She’d had trouble growing them in Vanglosa.
“The beans are great in stews. You’ll like them.” She rode her wolf, Mishka, while Saralyn slept in her pouch on Tessa’s chest. The sprite was curled into a ball upon the babe’s head.
I rode upon Wolf beside her, remembering how Haldek had taught me to cook stew and bake bread when I’d worked at his tavern. Though I never ate the ones with meat, I’d also learned to make a hearty mushroom and root vegetable soup for myself. I thought the beans and barley might make it even better. It was strange that cooking, something I was forbidden to learn back at the palace in Morodon, had become a comforting chore when I worked for Haldek. I’d even kept a book of recipes, which was still sitting on my desk back in the Borderlands.
I contemplated how I might contribute to the clan as we traveled north toward Ghasta Vale, thinking I might offer my services as a cook. Anything to keep my mind off the broodinggiant beast fae lord tromping along at the head of our party. Now that the wolves were laden with our goods as well as me, Tessa, and her babe, the men walked in front and behind us.
We passed Lake Moreen, seeming to give it a wide berth for some reason. I’d heard the trappers speak of it in Haldek’s tavern, how plentiful the fish were in the spring. Right now, it was a white sheet of ice, dark at the center where the ice thinned. Reaching out with my magick, I sensed no naiads here, but I’d bet they returned here in the warmth of summer. I imagined it was beautiful then.
Redvyr had been doing his utmost to ignore me since we’d returned from Hellamir last night. I must have offended or embarrassed him when I’d tried to calm him down, to keep him from storming into Hellamir and killing Lord Gael. Not that I’d regret him killing the lord who I’d been betrothed to by my father, but I certainly didn’t want Redvyr to be captured in doing so. Or worse, becoming injured or killed.
Though I wanted to ask him if he was angry with me for interfering, we’d had no time alone. And I wouldn’t embarrass him further by interrogating him in front of his men. Besides, there was nothing I could do for having offended him in whatever way that I had.
We finally entered a forest that was thick with snow-laden evergreens. Even this far south of the mountain range, there were large boulders littering the woods. We’d come upon one of these clearings with a few large boulders when Redvyr came to a stop.
“We’ll stop here for the night,” he called back.
He unloaded one of the wolves with Dayn, hauling off saddlebags of grain from their backs. Then they piled them near a wide boulder. It would be the perfect spot to make camp because we could sleep with the rockface at our backs, able to watch for attackers or predators.
I’d learned to look for the most defensible places to sleep since I’d run away from home, especially after my incident with the robber in that inn. I was much wiser than I’d been when I left home as a naïve royal.
Bezaliel helped his wife and daughter down from the back of Mishka. “You and Jessamine can take Saralyn to wash at the pool.”
“I remember.Làveen Orla,” she whispered in a teasing way, her accent thickening as the words should be said in demon tongue.
Bezaliel grinned. “I can’t join you this time.”
Tessa glanced over at me as I slid off of Wolf, adding louder, “I’m sure Jessamine would enjoy a quick bath much as I would.”
“I would.”
“I have some toweling here we can use.”
“Be quick,” warned Bezaliel. “It won’t be long before the sun sets.”
“Don’t worry,” Tessa laughed. “It will be too cold to enjoy. We’ll make quick work of washing.”
The three of us, with Hallizel fluttering above, wound our way past the others. I couldn’t help but observe Redvyr, hoping he might acknowledge my existence if even with a small glance. But he continued unloading, never looking our way, as if he didn’t even know we were there.
My heart squeezed with disappointment. I’d thought we’d become somewhat friends. But apparently, I’d overstepped my bounds when I persuaded him from heading off into Hellamir and getting himself killed.
That was fine if he didn’t want to talk to me. At least I could do something special for my actual friend Tessa and her little one Saralyn. I tapped into my magick, a small touch, letting it warm my blood without summoning it forward just yet.
