Page 42 of The Bone King and the Starling

I trudge deep enough into the woods that I can still see the road, but cannot easily be seen from it. Mostly, I follow the sounds of horse hooves and horse carts. This road is well traveled. And as night descends and frightening sounds start to make themselves known in the forest surrounding me, the gods finally see fit to show me mercy. Mercy. The word curls my toes and makes me think of the easy way he smiled at me, the soft way he stuttered when he said I want you to consider coming with me, Calai. But is it Calai that is Davral’s incarnate, or the king?

Lights flicker in the trees ahead. My mud-soaked hem is weighing me down, as is the pack on my back. I took very few possessions, but as much food and water as I could carry, unsure if I’d be able to barter the few coins I’ve amassed over the yearsfor a roof and food or just one or the other. It’s cold tonight. Not a night to sleep in the stables, if I can help it.

As if to press that point home, the wind whips through my cloak, flinging my hood back from my face as I step out of the woods, finally emerging onto the packed dirt road. The bank is still muddy and I hear the slap of my hem against my boots with every step I take to the front doors of the tavern. I’m halfway across the road when two women burst through them.

“Can you believe it?” The one slurs, drunkenly falling over the other. Both women have bright blonde hair piled high on their heads and very low necklines revealing large breasts.

The other answers, bringing a wine pitcher to her lips. “The king of Wrath — here at this place?”

I stop walking and hold my breath. The lights reveal my face fully and I rapidly pull back up my hood as I watch the two women who don’t even notice I’m there.

“You think he’ll take me to bed if I’m real sweet on him?” The women are walking around the tavern now, crossing the short square between the tavern and the inn. Three sides of a square, the horse stalls making up the third side that connects the inn and the tavern together. Their boots make clacking sounds on the cobblestones.

“Maybe, both of us. A male like that would have a ravenous appetite.” They make lascivious sounds that honestly make me smile a little — would have, had the female not immediately followed by adding, “Have you heard the rumors?”

“About him taking a wife?”

“Yes. But I don’t see a woman with him now.”

“I think we should fix that…” They both devolve to laughter as they push open the inn doors and disappear inside the large, squat two-story structure, their keys and coin pouches jangling at their hips.

I remain frozen on the walkway, unsure of what to do. I need to go into the tavern to make payment for a room from Moira the innkeep, but if what the women were giggling about is true, then Calai is already here. Of course he is. And I’m the fool. I can’t risk being seen by him.

The doors open and three men with deep hoods step outside. I quickly avert my gaze to my feet, tug my own hood lower, and start walking around to the shadowy back side of the tavern.

Along the flat wall of the back of the structure, several doors hang open. They lead to the kitchens, workers — paid workers — moving through them rapidly. I recognize one of them — an orphan girl who was once a thrall in Winterbren until Moira purchased her freedom from Rosalind — and quickly rush forward to grab her arm before she can go back inside.

“Dimitra,” I whisper, pushing my hood back so she can see my face. “It’s Starling of Winterbren. Do you remember me?”

The girl’s panic dissolves and a smile comes to cover her pale, freckled face. “Starling! Of course I remember you. You were always so kind. It’s lovely to see you, but what…what are you…” And then her voice gives out. Her hand moves to cover her mouth, diffusing the visible clouds of her warm breath. “Are you… You are the king’s woman now. That is what everyone at the inn tonight is saying. The king made a large pronouncement when he arrived an hour ago that anyone who has information as to your whereabouts should come forward and receive a reward…”

I wince, my lower lip quivering. After making it all this way, I’m already found out. I was a fool. A stupid, silly little girl who thought she could outrun shadows on foot in the dark. “I…”

She frowns and leans in very close to me. Two men move behind her carrying a large tun of ale and she quickly pulls me further around the building until we stand at the corner of thetavern and the stables beneath a low hanging eave where light cannot touch us.

“You do not wish to be discovered?” she hisses.

I wince, then nod. It feels like a confession.

“Has the king been cruel with you?” she asks, sounding so sincere, her eyebrows pulling together.

I shake my head. “Just cruel. I’m very afraid of him and I don’t…don’t…” Don’t know how to say what I mean to say next.

Dimitra nods, her face setting. “Wait right here. I will fetch Moira. She will help you, don’t worry. She has helped many women in your position before.”

Dimitra leaves in a flurry but does not keep me waiting long before returning with Moira. She was the first person I’d ever seen as a young child with a skin color to match mine and my mother’s. She’d been kind to us, the few times we’d had occasion to cross her path, and had always gone out of her way to speak to me when she traveled to Winterbren.

She frowns down her straight nose at me now and pushes her waist-length curly braid over her shoulder. Then she takes my hands in both of hers.

“Your hands are cold, Starling.” And when her frown clears she looks like an entirely different woman. “I had hoped to see you again.” She wraps me in a warm hug that I don’t understand until she says into my hair, “I don’t know if your mother ever told you, but she and I are from the same land. I tried to help her flee with you, but she was too afraid to leave your father. When I heard of their passing, I sought to purchase you from Rosalind but she would not sell you for a fair price.”

She pulls away from me, holding me out to look at me with straight arms and a brilliant smile that lights up the darkness. “You are a beautiful woman now. It is no wonder.”

“She fears the king, Moira,” Dimitra says just behind her. “We should provide her shelter.”

I’m surprised by Dimitra’s boldness, and by Moira’s ease. Moira simply nods. “Of course. I’ll sneak you in the back. There is a spare room on the ground floor on the opposite end of the building. The king is on the second floor. You should avoid notice. Come. Dimitra, can you go ahead and prepare the room?” She nods and runs off towards the inn while Moira takes my hand and guides me around to the back of the stables.

There, under the shadow of the building where moonlight does not reach, she pushes me down onto my knees so that we sit below the half wall of the horse stalls. Inside, I can hear them happily braying. “Wait here and stay out of sight. I will come get you when the coast is clear and I’m certain none of the king’s men are roaming about.”

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