“Because there could be another one of thosethingsout there. That’s why.”
His icy reply had me momentarily speechless. When I was finally able to speak, I whispered, “There could be?”
“It’s hard to know for certain, but yes, it’s possible.”
“And you want our doors open to...protect me, should one come into the village again?”
He glanced away, his jaw ticking. “Yes.”
Warmth bloomed through me, but just as fast, my hands began to twist. “But then others could be at risk too. We need to warn them. We need to let the village know that?—”
“They already know.”
“What?”
“They already know that it’s unsafe to be roaming the streets tonight. They’ve been ordered to stay inside by their local kingsfae.”
I thought back to what Nivinity had said below. “Everyonewas notified?”
“Yes, Primelle.” He sighed, and for the first time, I could tell the events of the night were catching up with him too. “The second I left you in that street, I contacted my superiors. Dillemsills were promptly sent out. While you were racing through the Wood, everyone else was being alerted to stay inside and shelter in place.”
“You contacted them that fast?” I furrowed my brow. He’d done that on the move. But before I could contemplatehowhe’d done such a thing, my eyes widened. “Does theentirevillage know? Including Nym, Jessip, and Felix? They don’t live here. What if?—”
“They should know. Dillemsills were dispatched to all travelers, salopas, households, and farms in the surrounding area. Everyone was ordered to stay put until they were told otherwise.”
“Oh,” I said dumbly.
My thundering heartbeat began to slow, and for the first time, I felt like I genuinely understood why Kole was here. It wasn’t because of the Stone. It wasn’t to keep the peace. Not truly. That was just a cover. Thatcreaturewas why Kole was here. The Imperial Warriors had been tasked to track down and kill whatever those creatures were, and apparently, there were more of them.
“Now, if you would appease me, you need to stay in your chambers.” Kole placed his hand on my lower back, his heatsearing me, and he guided me back to my room through our adjoining doors. From there, he locked my door to the hallway again, then retreated back to his room, only stopping at the threshold of our adjoining chambers to address me one last time. “I need to go back out. I have to check the Wood again to ensure there aren’t more of thosethings, before restrictions on movements are lifted.”
Before I could comment, he was gone.
The fairy lights were doused in his room, and the sound of his door closing and locking rang through my ears.
A second later, a pulse of magic washed through his chambers and into mine. It took me a second to realize he’d just placed protection wards around the perimeter of both of our rooms, stronger ones than the inn offered.
And realizing he truly was worried enough about my safety to do such a thing, I listened to his request and didn’t follow him.
Instead, I changed into nightclothes and slipped under the sheets.
But despite the dark night, warm covers, my aching body, and tired magic, it still took forever to drift off to sleep. I kept thinking about Kole, that creature, and what was to come. And it struck me that he’d never told me what it was. Not really.
Regardless, tomorrow I was traveling north into the Wildland Mountains. Toward wherever the Wishing Stone had landed. Toward where thatthinghad come from.
And who was to say if another creature like that would be waiting for me along my path.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The fresh scent of coffee roused me in the morning.
Sleepily, I opened my eyes and immediately squinted. Sunlight blazed through my chambers’ curtains, and I wondered what time it was. Groggily, I pushed to sitting. Long hair cascaded around me, falling across my eyes and disrupting my view.
I shoved it out of the way and searched for the clock. I finally found one near the window. Grumbling, I wasn’t surprised that it was already after eight. It was much later than I’d planned on leaving, but after a night like last night, I decided to cut myself some slack.
Yawning, I stretched again, then realized the coffee I’d detected was due to a steaming mug of the delicious brew waiting on my bedside table.
Steam rose from it, so I knew it was either an enchanted cup that didn’t allow the coffee to cool, or someone had justdelivered it. I glanced around, wondering if the inn staff magically transported coffee to every traveler’s bedroom chambers each morning, or if someone had?—
