Page 136 of Blooms of Darkness

Alone.

I would find a way to rid myself of this murderer and his sidekick and gain my throne. Without a king, I’d be the queen Brookmere deserved. A queenallof my parents knew I could be.

The sound of birds chirping a joyful tune seemed wrong as I opened my eyes in the bright sunlight, streaming through the cracks of the worn-down window.

Perhaps it had all been a dream. A terrible, horrible nightmare.

I felt warm, and…safe?

The comfort I’d been so desperately seeking yesterday was with me now, although that had to be impossible. Because there was no comfort to be found with everything I’d lost.

I peered over the bed, finding Kade on the floor beside me, but all around me were his shadows, like an extension of his arms, holding me. They wrapped around me like a blanket.

It was a good thing I’d always thought of them as separate from him, because they’d somehow kept me safe, even from my own thoughts so I could sleep.

A nightmare-free sleep, too.

Now I would be rested enough to escape from Kade and Storm and return to Ian and the others.

Kade rolled to the side, stretching as he immediately directed his gaze to the bed. His eyebrows shot up, as if he were surprised to find me covered inhisshadows. He pulled them back into himself without a word.

The moment they were gone, I missed how they felt, but I kept my mouth shut. I’d never ask Kade Blackthorn for anything, ever again.

“We only have an hour’s ride ahead of us,” Kade said. “We should go.” Although he didn’t even look at me as he spoke, I knew it was for my benefit. Storm would know where we were, and where it was we were going.

“Demarva is only a few miles, it shouldn’t take an hour,” I argued.

“We’re not going to Demarva.”

Before I could ask anything further, Kade rose from his uncomfortable-looking spot on the floor and walked out of the room.

I glanced over at Storm, half-expecting the man, who I’d thought was becoming a friend, to offer me words of wisdom. Something to tell me they weren't the villains of my story.

But he said nothing, giving me a sad sort of smile as he followed Kade.

The innkeeper handed me a basket of bread and cheese before I walked out the door. I managed a “Thank you,” even though I was furious, they seemed to know who I was and had done nothing to help me.

Kade and Storm were already mounted when I exited. I stalked toward Storm, but he trotted away, leaving me no choice but to get on the horse with Kade.

He held his hand out to me, but I refused. After three attempts of not being able to get on myself without knocking him off, his shadows lifted me, depositing me in front of him.

“Hold on,” he said as he wrapped his arms around me.

Fates, I wanted to kill him.

No, it wasn’t true. I wanted him to hurt, though, the way he’d so easily hurt me.

The ride was hard, especially in silence, but as we approached the edge of Brookmere’s landscape, Kade reined in the horse. Storm dismounted, taking the steed by the bridle, and walked.

Kade easily slid off the mount and held his arms out to me. This time, I used him for what I needed before stumbling away a few steps.

“What are we doing?” I demanded. “What’s the point of standing by the ocean?”

I needed them to tell me something of whatever their plan was so I would know when I’d be able to escape. Aware it would be two against one would make escape near impossible due to their unnatural strength. But if they’d be going to get supplies, or setting up camp, it would be a perfect opportunity to run.

“It’s not an ocean,” Kade said.

He and Storm were both quiet as Kade swirled his hands around and in front of him, in some sort of a wave, as though he could see something I couldn’t.

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