Page 206 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

I step back, struggling to keep the tremble of fury and grief from overtaking my body.

Annika is gone. She survived Neilina’s scheming, the near drowning, the poisoned blood—everything—only to succumb to the sea, at Tyree’s doing.

And here, I found this captain enjoying his pint in the tavern, a king’s ransom worth of jewels in his pocket, likely never losing a moment of sleep. “You figured that in the chaos, no one would miss a royal princess?” My voice has grown deathly calm.

“After all that you and your royal family have done to Islor, she deserved it, and far more.” Captain Aron lifts his chin and throws out his arms. He knows he’s about to die, so he figures he might as well say whatever he wishes. “Go ahead. You bring death to us all, anyway.”

A sword through his gut would be too kind. “Abarrane, please escort the captain out of the gates.” I flash a wicked smile. “Since he likes feeding beasts, I know of one that is hungry.”

57

Annika

“This way.” Destry steers her horse left.

But Tyree halts, not following. “Do you actually have a plan?” Irritation seeps into his tone.

“I told you, we will seek refuge in the mountain.”

“The mountain is that way.” He points behind us, but there’s no evidence of it. The misty ceiling is too dense.

I pull my hood down farther and, roping my arms tighter around Tyree’s waist, I rest my cheek against his shoulder blade. “Wake me when you two agree on something.” After darting along alleyways and through stables, we stole two horses from the outskirts of Basinholde and have been riding nonstop for hours, first through darkness and now through morning fog. We follow trail after trail through a densely wooded area with no pattern and no end in sight.

Tyree smooths a hand over mine, squeezing it with affection. “Perhaps we should rest.”

“Not yet. We must keep moving while we have cover.” Destry disappears down the path.

With a heavy sigh, Tyree guides our horse to follow.

I settle against the tree, its gnarly roots forming an armrest to lean on while I savor a slice of cured sausage. For meat from a street merchant, it is quite good. I’m not sure I want to know what it’s made of. “I did not see you grab the provisions from the table.”

“Understandable. You were panicked.” Tyree sits beside me, the satchel between his splayed thighs. “I have wandered the woods without food before, and it is not an enjoyable experience.”

“I am not pleasant when I’m hungry,” I admit.

“Yes, I’ve noticed.”

“Bite your tongue.”

“Bite it for me.” He slices off another piece of meat and hands it to me with a smirk before his gaze veers to where Destry rests nearby, her cloak wrapped around her childlike body. She’s been in that position since we stopped to water the horses at a nearby stream. “If she had not come when she had, I’m not sure what would have happened.”

I can only imagine. I was so focused on Tyree, I wouldn’t have noticed anyone until they were standing in our chamber. I shudder and lean over to forage around in the bag. “What else do you have in—” I gasp as I pull out a fresh jar of honey. “You stole this from Ezra!”

“And I don’t feel an ounce of guilt about it if he traded us in.”

“Maybe that’s why he did. The man takes his honey seriously.” I twist the lid and hold it to my nose, inhaling. The sugary floral aroma brings me back to the loft and Tyree’s skilled tongue. A need stirs in my core.

Tyree’s lips part as he watches me closely, as if waiting for me to dip into it.

I screw the top back on. “Maybe later.”

A crooked smile touches his lips. “The vest fits.”

I test the laces I strung while we rode. “Yes, it does. You chose well.”

“I preferred how you wore it last night, though.” He pops a soft elderberry into his mouth before tilting forward to kiss me.

I sink into his lips, slipping my hand around his nape to pull him closer, my mouth working over his with desperate abandon.

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