Page 105 of To Bleed A Kingdom

“Huh. I just assumed you ate Lottie’s food and were starting to get the shits.”

“No!” I shout, appalled she would think such a thing. “That was my thinking face.”

“And your ‘I have the shits’ face.”

“How would you know what I look like when I need to shit?” I snap, irrationally angry at her for pointing that out to me.

She shrugs. “I'm observant.”

“You’re disturbing, is what you are,” I grumble in embarrassment, wondering how many other people have interpreted my expression that way.

“You know I’m thrilled you’ve finally decided to stay,” she says dryly as she lifts the coffee mug to her lips, before peering into it with a frown when she remembers it's empty, “but I have to say I wouldn't mind sacrificing a few of these Seboians to Brecca.”

I chuckle. “Me too.”

Amara scowls at the swinging doors. “Like Lottie, for starters.”

“Definitely Lottie.”

“Those asshole guards we met on the way in.”

“Every last one of them,” I reply, making a mental note to ask Darius what the pervert's punishment was. Hopefully it was painful and bloody. If not, I wouldn't mind extracting my own form of vengeance.

“The handsy drunk at The Quiet Harpy.”

“We don't even need to wait for Brecca to get rid of him. We’ll take care of him ourselves.”

“Griffin.”

“And Griffin.” I nod before rearing back. “Wait! What? Why would you sacrifice Griffin?”

“He's an asshole,” she replies, her expression darkening even more at the mention of his name.

“He rarely talks!”

“He’s always looking at me funny,” she huffs, folding her arms over her chest.

A shocked laugh escapes me. “He's an empath. He's not looking at you funny; he's reading your aura.”

“No he's not! He's always watching me with this pissed off expression.”

Squeezing my eyes shut, I rub my temples, unable to comprehend why she would want the sweet Air immortal dead. “Maybe he likes you.”

She gives me a dry look. “Nobody likes me.”

“What I mean is,” I roll my eyes, “maybe he's attracted to you.”

Oh!” she shouts in surprise, obviously having not considered the thought. “Yes, that's possible, but no. I left with a male the other night and when I came back to the tavern afterward, he was furious. He lectured me about how reckless it was for me to leave with someone I don't know.” A flash of anger sparks in her eyes. “He treated me like a child!”Shaking her head, she dismisses the thought altogether. “If he was attracted to me, he wouldn't have treated me that way.”

Biting my lip to stifle a laugh, I state slowly, “That's exactly how a male treats a female he's attracted to.”

“Lena, Lena, Lena,” she sighs, patting my hand. “I know you're accustomed to every male you meet fawning over you, but for us simple folk, the ways of love and sex are a bit more complicated.”

“You must be right,” I reply, unable to keepthe laughter out of my voice.

The bell tolls over the entrance, drawing my attention towards the door as it opens, casting a stream of light onto the dust motes swirling within the dingy inn as Aurora and Tristan walk in.

Tucked beneath Tristan’s arm, Aurora speaks quietly to him as they walk towards us. He smiles down at her, utterly absorbed with what she's saying, watching her with brown eyes full of affection. Aurora tosses her arms up, waving her hands animatedly as she recounts her story, and then he laughs. Eyes crinkled and smile wide, a loud guffaw punches out of him, deep and boisterous. A genuine laugh that I've never heard from him in all the years I've known him.

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