Kai stepped forward then, his ever charming smile sheepish as he rubbed at the back of his neck, hinting at his regret. “Our apologies for interrupting, Potion Maker. We saw a woman cornered upon the street and acted how we saw fit, without truly understanding.”
I noticed how that golden searing gaze trailed over me. Searching, I realized, for any injury. My anger snuffed, like a candle blown out with the soft breath of sleepiness at that realization. The worry that clearly nagged at him.
Sniffing, nearly indignant, but lacking the heart of any true annoyance, I slid my blade back up my sleeve. Securing it within the straps of leather, I said, “Yes, well, next time perhaps you should try asking the woman if she’s a damsel in distress before running to play shining knights.”
My words had a snort coming from the Kinslayer, eyes narrowing upon him, before Kai clapped a hand upon his shoulder, his head dipping into a playful nod of acquiescence. “Duly noted, though perhaps you’d at least allow us to accompany you home? There’s been talk oftrouble brewing within the Old Quarter and we’re heading back from patrolling the area. Soli forgive me, but it would tarnish my reputation if a lady were harmed only minutes after encountering us.”
A smooth talker, he was indeed. My teeth caught my lip as I raked my gaze over him. He was unlike any soldier I had encountered before, whether it be in taverns or the streets of Amori City. He was too finely spoken, his clothing too expensive. There was an air of superiority that clung to him like a rich perfume, thick and overpowering. The air of nobility.
I glanced towards Roan Delmar then, taking in his gaze that was already upon me. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, the chill of the night once more began to sneak into the edges of my coat. My adrenaline finally wearing down, my heart once more beat steady.
“I’d rather you didn’t,” I finally replied, my attention sliding from the Kinslayer back to Kai. “I don’t prefer to associate with brutes that roam the Old Quarter.”
“Not brutes, little menace,” Delmar drawled, a lazy finger sliding open his cloak to show the tunic beneath where–crested in gold–was the sigil of the King. “We’re of the KingsGuard, Captain of the Guard, in fact.”
Teeth grinding at the name, I had half a mind to let my dagger slide free once more, but I merely retorted, “If a flametoad howls like a wolf or runs like a wolf, does that make it any less of a toad?”
I knew I should be scared. Too fearful of his notorious reputation, his power, to speak so carelessly, but frankly? I was too damn tired to care at the moment. My mind and body were so frayed that I feared a single tug upon the threads of my soul would unravel me completely.
Kai’s laugh had both of us startling, gazes breaking to turn our exasperated attention towards him. Eyes bright as the midday sun, hesqueezed the Kinslayers’ shoulder and exclaimed, “She’s fiery, isn’t she? She’ll be perfect.”
His green and silver eyes rolled, full lips pulling into a frown as he made a rather unimpressed sound, but I was too caught up in what his companion had just said.
She’ll be perfect.
“We have a proposition for you, Potion Maker,” his words cheery, “perhaps we could discuss it over a pint of firemead somewhere much warmer?”
Curiosity was a dangerous temptress. One that had been enticing me my entire life and she would certainly be my downfall. For even as my shadows writhed and my mind screamed my denial, my mouth spoke my damnation.
“Fine, but you’re buying. I’ve had a shit day.”
Chapter Five
There were many moments in life where I seemingly found myself in positions entirely too preposterous to make any sense.
Sat across from Roan Delmar, the Kinslayer, with a pint of firemead warming my chilled fingers, had to be at the top of the list. In a tavern I so regularly visited, nonetheless. His feet were propped upon the table, crossed at the ankles, as he twirled a small knife he had pulled from his boot between his fingers. I could feel him watching me. Both the men had the hoods of their cloaks pulled over their heads, hiding within the shadows from the rest of the tavern patrons.
Kai appeared fidgety, his head never moving, but those golden eyes were on a constant swivel around the packed room.
Leaning forward, my voice became a mocking whisper, “Are you two on the run or something?”
The Kinslayer’s brow quirked as Kai snapped his focus to me and asked, “What makes you say that?”
Gesturing to their cloaks, to the hoods that concealed them from all but me, I shifted uncomfortably. “Well for one it’s hotter than Soli’s wrath in here and secondly, you’re so nervous and fidgety it’s puttingmeon edge. Are you expecting someone within this room to snatch you from your chair?”
A snort had my gaze shifting to Delmar, to the blade he balanced delicately between two fingers. “I’d like to see someone try to snatchus,” he retorted, his smirk venomous as his feet dropped to the floor below. Leaning forward, his elbows upon the table, his face inches from my own, he mused, “my friend here is just surprised you visit a tavern so populated with Solerian army recruits. We’re a rather notorious pair among the ranks.”
My own body leaned forward, accepting the challenge. “And why exactly would it be so surprising that this is the tavern I frequent?”
I was transfixed as his strange eyes roamed down the length of what was visible of my body, before trailing back up to my face. “Because we didn’t take you for a barracks whore.”
My dagger slipped into my hand before either of us could blink, the tip pressed softly to his throat. His near feral grin gave me the faintest suspicion that if he had wanted to, he could have stopped me.
Leaning closer, my nose nearly brushing his own, my voice low and sultry, I crooned, “I’ve learned, Kinslayer, that when a man insults a woman based purely upon her sexuality, it simply means they’re insecure and lacking,” I let my eyes drop, lips pursing with mock sympathy, “in their own. Let me hear you call another woman awhore,barracks woman or not,and I’ll hang your balls in the forest for the firesprites to play with.”
His gaze was searching, but not in the way I had come to despise. There was no sympathy, nor pity. He wasn’t searching for the comfort of a Potions Apprentice. There was only a challenge awaiting in his gaze. A raging, burning fire that reflected within my own soul. He was rage andwrath and ruin. He was waiting for me to drop my gaze, to cower, but Goddess I was so sick of hiding.
Let them see.
