Page 4 of Blooms of Darkness

As I tilted my head back to breathe in the fresh air and freedom, Ian carefully replaced the grate, cautious of making any noise capable of alerting others to our location. While I appreciated his keen eye for detail and surreptitious skills, he took too long. I strode on ahead, determined to be on time for the meeting with the strangers who requested the Hidden Henchman’s services.

“You do know you’re going the wrong way,” Ian whispered loudly.

We may be on the other side of the wall, but eyes and ears were everywhere.

I jerked my head behind me, noting his playful smile as he tilted his in the opposite direction.

“I knew that…I’m not a total idiot,” I grumbled more to myself than to him. I spun around and darted through the last few remaining spruce trees, growing just on the outside of the city’s wall.

“I never said you were.” Ian threw his perfectly toned arm around my shoulder. “This isn’t one of the usual drop spots, just in case something wasn’t right,” Ian added after a few paces in silence.

“Well, I clearly would have been at the wrong meeting place and never learned what they wanted at all,” I said. “Guess you can accompany me after all,Captain.”

“Your Highness, what an honor you bestow upon me.” Ian withdrew his arm and held his hand out toward me.

I hated conceding almost as much as I hated being ignored. Regardless, I took his peace offering as we hopped from a dead log, before standing in front of an open clearing, overlooking a beautiful wildflower field.

Tonight’s crescent moon cast little light on us, but I could see enough. The wildflower field stretched far off into the night but had a small walking trail used for harvesting along the left side. It would be nearly a mile’s walk before we entered Eomer Forest, the vast tree line appearing small in the distance.

Ian took the first steps into the field, and I followed along. We traveled in companionable silence, so accustomed to one another, we didn’t speak until we’d breached the first row of trees in the forest.

“You’re awfully quiet,” I said. “No fun tonight at the pub?”

Ian flashed me his signature grin, one which always earned him such beautiful company. “I’ll have you know I had to turn down a breathtaking barmaid for you this evening.”

“Well, maybe if we hurry, you can make it up to her.”

Ian held his hand up, halting our progress. “We’re close.” He slipped on his black eye mask. Then, he stood in front of me, checking the black hood of my cloak, along with the same kind of black mask he wore, only mine hid the upper part of my face as well. Only my mouth remained uncovered. The hood came so far forward it also concealed my hair.

The disguise I donned, regardless of the discomfort and stifling heat in the warmer months, had worked so far. No one who’d heard rumblings of the mysterious Hidden Henchman had yet to even fathom a connection to their only Princess.

I swatted at his arms when he went for a second pass. “You know, you’re more mother hen than Captain of the Guard.”

“Yes, well, I do have a duty here,” he said gruffly.

I tensed. “We’re providing goods to the people of this kingdom who need them. We’re not doing anything illegal.”

Ian chuckled. “I know what we’re doing isn’t illegal, Lan. It's me letting the sole heir to the throne sneak past city limits to be part of these meetings with Fae we don’t know that worries me.”

Before I could make a move to shoo him away, he smacked my hands down and tested the mask himself with one final tug. “Add in the fact your father, myKing, has specifically told you not to get involved in the rumors of dark magic at the borders, and yes, I’m going tomother henyou about your concealment.”

“Fair point,” I grumbled.

Ian’s comment about my father not wanting me involved in the darkness in our land stirred the same questions they always did. But now wasn’t the time to let my mind wander. I pushed my issues aside, instead refocusing on the wooded forest around us.

“Ready?” I asked.

Ian rolled his wrists, cracking his knuckles, and shifting on his feet a few times, loosening up to prepare for any potential trouble. Then again, he always seemed ready for a skirmish. While lanky growing up, he’d packed on weight in the form of muscle as he trained all day, nearly every day, as a Royal Guard. Last year, he became the youngest captain in recent history, and just a few short months ago, named my personal guard as well.

Pride burst inside of me at his dedication to moving up the ranks and earning the spot. Of course I’d take Ian a thousand times over Ruppert, the miserable bastard who recently retired. Although, in reality, Ian had been single-handedly doing the job of protecting me since we were children. A part of me hated he had been ordered to protect me, no matter what. I didn’t like thinking about what it entailed, even if he claimed he would do it with or without the king’s will.

“What are friends for?”he’d always said.

We continued into the forest, moving silently through the trees. Although I may have lacked the magical abilities I shouldhave as a Fae princess, I’d learned plenty during my own extensive training about blending in with nature.

Ian held up a fist, signaling to stop. I followed his gaze to two figures ahead of us in a small clearing of trees.

Our meet.

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