Page 29 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“I don’t know of many aengels in the Spring Kingdom.” I actually don’t knowanyaengels inanykingdoms, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“There are a few.” He runs a hand through his hair, making his massive bicep flex from the movement of pushing the waves off his forehead.“But you’re right. I’m here on business.”

It’s not lost on me we’re both being intentionally vague, but I still feel intrinsically safe around him, and not just in the physical sense. He may be built like a giant, but I get the feeling he would never hurt those he cares about. Not that I’m someone he cares about.Gods, this male makes my brain turn to mush.

“And what business would that be?Skyswornbusiness?” I push for more information, though I’m doubtful he’ll give me anything of significance.

“I’m a liaison, of sorts. For the Winter Kingdom.” For some reason, his being from the Northlands doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.

“That must be… exciting,” I say awkwardly, having no idea what a liaison actually does. Walking along the road, we’ve passed a few people here and there heading into town, but they’re few and far between at this point. Without the buildings to shelter us, the wind has picked up, and I pull my cloak tighter around myself.

“It has its moments,” Finn says gravely, his somber attitude a far cry from the smirking male he normally is. He shakes his head and pastes that cocky grin back on his face before turning back to me.“So what do you say? I’m heading to Elsreth to meet with the king and queen on behalf of my employer. It’s on the way to the Westlands, so we might as well stick together.”

I try to think of a reason why we shouldn’t travel together, but I’m coming up empty. Especially if he has connections. It could be a good way for me to meet people who might be sympathetic towards my cause of de-throning Selena. But unfortunately for me, and the guard I’m trying so desperately to keep up, I actually like being around Finn; it’s easy and feels natural, like we’ve known each other forever.

“Fine. Just to Elsreth.” I keep my face blank and try desperately not to notice the ridiculous, genuine grin that takes over his handsome face at my words.

Dafina help me.

∞∞∞

A few miles outside of town, Finn asks me,“Did your brother teach you how to fight, too?” We’ve been walking mostly in companionable silence, and while it hasn’t been uncomfortable by any means, I find myself desperate to know more about him.

“I basically forced him to show me everything he knew, which admittedly wasn’t much, until eventually I became a worthy opponent.” I smile softly at the countless memories of sparring with Killian, but my stomach knots as I think of home. Finn smiles at me earnestly, so I open up a little more.“My mother was always mumbling about how she ended up with a daughter who would rather roll around in the mud than one who wanted to have tea parties with her dolls.”

“Yeah, tea parties don’t really seem like your thing.” Finn chuckles, low and husky.

I shrug, a hint of bitterness arising at the thought of my mother, now knowing the truth of her lies.“I’m sure she would be happy to know that all that ‘rolling around in the mud’ has paid off these last few days.”

“You mean you’ve had other confrontations besides the two men last night?” Finn asks, his brow furrowed.

I nod once, anger rising in me as I recall the nasty insults the thieves in the woods hurled my way.

“What happened?” Finn stops cold, his tone menacing.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” I stop next to him on the road and do my best to hide the shiver that makes its way up my spine.

“Hazel,” Finn says, his voice full of an authority I haven’t heard from him before.“Tell me what happened.”

It still feels weird to have him call me by a false name, but Isigh and tell him about the encounter in the woods, crossing my arms to keep out the chill of the wind.“Some men had seen me in Ockchester and somehow came to the conclusion that I had a coin to spare. They followed me on the road and ambushed me in the woods.”

Finn’s eyes grow dark, his pupils nearly doubling in size as I recount my experience. His physical, seemingly involuntary response is unnerving, but I continue with my story.“There were three of them, and they were obviously desperate. When they didn’t heed my warning to leave, I shot one of them in the shoulder, and they got spooked and left.”

“You didn’t recognize them?” he asks, his jaw tensed as he stares down at me with a darkness that I know isn’t directed at me, but is still disturbing to witness.

“I was only there for one night. I doubt I would even recognize them if I saw them now.” I shrug.

“Did they threaten you?” His gaze is unwavering.

The image of the man whose eyes had greedily roamed over my body and who suggested I would be useful inother wayscomes to the front of my mind, but I push it away.“It’s done.” I dismiss his question.“It doesn’t matter.”

“I disagree,” Finn says, his body language and tone communicating that he won’t relent until he gets the answers he’s searching for.

I make to start walking down the road again, but he reaches and grabs my hand, sending that now-familiar zap of lightning all the way up my arm, straight to my heart. I yank my hand out of his grasp and walk on, calling out over my shoulder.“You can disagree all you want, but it doesn’t change anything.”

He takes a few of his extremely long strides to catch up with me.“It could change something if you ever saw them again.” When I don’t respond, he persists.“Do you know what the punishment is for rape in the Winter Kingdom?”

This time, I’m the one to stop in my tracks, shocked that he somehow knew what the thief threatened against me.“They didn’t even touch me, Finn.”

---