Page 133 of Blooms of Darkness

“You think I don’t know that? You think I wanted to change our plan?”

Storm finally looked at me, his fire died down around him, but his eyes were ablaze as if the fire magic now burned within him. “Ourplan? You mean the prophecy,” he spat. “Fuck, Kade. It’s a prophecy, not some random idea we made up underneath the stars one night.”

“Ugh,” Lana groaned as her head rolled to the side. She had started to wake.

I wrapped my arms around her, preparing myself for her anger.

She lifted her head, her body going rigid until she realized where she was. Or at least that she wasn’t inside the palace anymore.

As expected, she immediately went into fight mode. She beat at my arm, scratching at my side, anything she could do to release my grip.

“Get off of me, you monster,” she said. “Where are you taking me?”

“I will tell you everything when we stop for the night,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice calm and reassuring, despite her panic.

“And what the hell do you know about the prophecy?” she asked.

I stilled on the saddle, although the horse pressed on. I frowned, trying to catch a glimpse at the woman in my arms. “What doyouknow about the prophecy?” I retorted.

Wiggling herself forward, she tried to break my grip as the space between us grew, but I stiffened my arms and brought her back to me so she wouldn’t fall. We were still galloping across open fields. I wasn’t willing to slow down. Not until we had more distance between us and the siege happening in Ellevail.

“Why have you kidnapped me?”

“We aren’t kidnapping you,” I grumbled.

“Technically, we did knock her out and are taking her against her will, so…” Storm chimed in.

“Not helping,” I gritted out through clenched teeth.

“You killed my father! You hurt Ian! Why would I go anywhere with youwillingly?” Her voice rose in panic.

I sent a tendril of a shadow down her back, attempting to calm her as they’d always been able to do in the past. “Please. You don't understand, there's more than what you saw.”

“I know what I saw. There is nothing you could say to explain killing the king.” Lana seethed.

“Stop fighting me or you will fall,” I said, trying to regain control.

She gripped the saddle tightly, hissing, “I don't want to touch you.”

Finally, we were able to slow as we approached a small village close to Demarva. It was on the outskirts and not frequented by many. They didn’t even have their own town name. But it was perfect for us, especially since we wished to come and go unseen.

Slowing the horses to a walk, allowed the animals to catch their breath as we approached a small inn.

The centuries-old inn,The Knotted Willow,stood before us, and despite its tattered windows and thatching, the flowers surrounding the knotted wooden door were beautiful. Pinks and purples wove in and out of an ivy vine. This inn had been home too many times to count over the last few years, and the loyalty of the innkeeper had been bought with coin time and time again. This time would be no different.

“Go secure the rooms, Storm,” I instructed. “We’re right behind you.”

Lana, who had refused to look at me until now, turned and glared. “They will know who I am. I am a princess after all. I will scream the entire time we’re here.”

“Please don’t make me knock you out again.” I was exhausted.

Her eyes narrowed even further. “You really are a monster.”

“You have no idea, Little Rebel.”

Storm returned quicker than expected. “Last one on the second floor. The one on the left.”

“One room?” Lana snarled. “I amnotsharing a room with you two heathens. Let alone the man who snapped my father’s neck like it was nothing,” Lana proclaimed.

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