Page 131 of Shadows of Ruin

We slowed, calming both ourselves and our horses when the inn came into view.

“One thing is bothering me,” Raya said, once we were all riding close enough together. “Why didn’t Andras take Illiana once he had her? Why stay and let us find her?”

Kade jerked his head to look at her. “Watch what you say.”

She held a hand up defensively. “I don’t know what is wrong with you, but relax for one moment and listen. He had her. He could have taken her away but chose to stay for what? To fight us? And then lose her again?”

Storm ran a hand over his jaw. “Between letting Ian escape the palace and this, there is something we are missing.”

“Andras referred to a ‘he’ twice tonight,” I said. “He told mehehas a plan for me. But who could he be talking about?”

“Whoever told him about the magical dream coat, maybe,” Jax muttered.

“He spoke in the dungeons like someone else was out there,” Ian added. “Like someone gifted him his extra abilities.”

“Which aligns with the idea that someone else is marking Fae with the darkness,” Storm said.

“Your father?” I asked Kade. “Could he be referring to him?”

A crease formed between Kade’s brows. “I don’t believe my father has a way to communicate with anyone in Brookmere.”

“Great, so Sir Cackles-A-Lot has someone worse than him calling the shots.” Jax snorted. “This day just keeps getting better.”

“We will figure it out,” Kade said, leaning toward me and brushing a knuckle down my cheek.

We had barely slowed the horses to a stop to dismount when Kade’s name rang out, bellowed across the trees.

“You better be dismounting quicker than that, Kade Blackthorn.”

My eyes widened, and despite it all I snorted, trying to stifle the laugh at the brash tone from the innkeeper calling Kade by his full name.

“Someone is in trouble,” Jax said in a singsong voice.

William, who I last saw when he gave me no aid while being kidnapped, had his hands on his hips. His face reddened in anger, or perhaps frustration. I didn’t know him well enough to read it.

We dismounted our horses and Kade approached the angry Fae.

“There’s a mad woman here. I didn’t sign up for crazed Fae walking around my rooms, scaring off my patrons.” He shook his finger at Kade.

“I’m unaware of sending any crazed women,” Kade said, calmly eyeing William.

Storm laughed. “Since when do you have patrons?”

The innkeeper threw up his hands. “Fine, I will leave you to figure it out without a warning.” William shoved the front door open, storming through it and leaving us out front, bewildered.

Kade ran a hand over his face. “We shouldn’t push him much further. Let’s board the horses and get inside.”

Corbin took the lead once we drew close to the barn, from habit, I supposed. I watched him brush a hand over each animal. He caught me staring, and I decided he had been pushed to his limits with warm words and affection. I gave him a soft smile and turned away, leaving him to tend to the horses in peace.

We entered through the door William had slammedearlier. As Storm predicted, there were no patrons, but he had been right about a crazed woman. Grey wiry hair peeked from around the corner among a flutter of tattered robes. Unintelligible nonsense spilled from her lips as she paced back and forth, her path evident by the disturbance on the dusty floor.

“Vivienne?” I cried out, running across the room.

I approached, standing in front of her, but she didn’t see me. Or if she did, she refused to acknowledge my presence.

She stopped her pacing, taking a few steps back until she sat on a wooden bench. Drawing her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth. Her wild hair was worse than I remembered, the strands jagged and frayed.

She chanted, “Blood of the heirs,” repeatedly.

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