Page 85 of Shrine of Fire

“What are you going to do about it?” The man crossed his arms over his chest.

“There’s nothing—” The Duke stopped and looked at us. The other man looked surprised, and then angry, before he covered it up with a blank look.

Stefan cleared his throat. “We should not have barged in, we apologize.”

“No, no, please come in.” Duke waved us into the room. I was glad Lord Baylin was off charming the local merchants and not here to collect his arsenal of possible blackmail material.

“I’ll see you later, Your Grace.” The guard bowed, his body language stiff.

Hashir cocked his head. “Perhaps we need more guards?”

The man stiffened and looked at Duke Antu.

“We have prepared for a hike to the Library of Souls.” I smiled at both men, trying to look like the picture of serene grace. “Please bring whomever you wished.”

I didn’t know what was going on between the two men but, judging from their body language, they weren’t only friends.

Duke Antu eyed us warily. “That is…very kind.”

“Perhaps we should give you time to prepare.” Stefan nodded. “I see we were too hasty in our excitement.”

The guard looked at the Crown Prince. “Taking an omega on the brink of her heat into the jungle isn’t the best choice of action, your Royal Highness.”

“You’re right,” I said. “I’ve been out of sorts and not the best company. Our hope is that the Spirit Oasis in the Library of Souls will have a restorative effect on my magic.”

The guard glanced back at Duke Antu. “His Grace has the final word, of course. But if you can manage the trek, then you might find it worth it.”

He glanced at the rest of the pack, assuming if push came to shove, they could carry me if need be.

I didn’t think I’d have a problem walking through the jungle. I wasn’t suffering from exhaustion, but the grinding on my nerves of being around people who weren’t my pack, who I couldn’t curl up next to on a couch and just let my guard down.

“Please give us a short while to prepare,” Duke Antu said finally. “We will meet you at the Southern Gate.”

We went to the Southern Gate and waited. I didn’t mind since we had basically ambushed Duke Antu. The palace sat on the largest of the islands, so we would take a boat ride to the mainland. The spray from the waterfall was refreshing on my face, and the sound of the water soothed the static in my mind.

I leaned against Cuan until Duke Antu sailed around the canal in a large boat.

The guard from earlier was with him. I didn’t clap, but it was a near thing.

They both got out of the boat and helped us get settled.

“Are you alright with going on the hike today?” I set my backpack down on the bottom of the boat. “I fear we have been pushy.”

“Of course not.” The Duke shook his head. He wore a white linen shirt and loose pants, the same as we had been advised to wear. “This is Maruis, one of my personal guards. It will be easier to have another knowledgeable person on this trip, so thank you for allowing him to join us.”

Maruis’s shoulders stiffened at that. He had a good courtier’s face, but nothing beat the politics at Ember Island. He wasn’t happy.

Stefan nodded at the man. “Thank you for accompanying us.”

“Of course.” His tone was short.

“Are we going near the Temple of Ultios?” Hashir asked. It was nowhere near us on the maps I saw, but I knew Hashir well enough that he was trying to get the two men focused on something other than the strange tension between them.

We landed on a small dock on the mainland and got ready to trek into the jungle. The Duke had organized small brown donkeys to carry our packs, and the first part of the journey was pleasant.

It was hot and sticky, and many birds called in the trees, monkeys hooting across the jungle canopy at each other.

Everything was wet and green around us, the brightest green I’d ever seen. Hashir soon had Maruis sharing stories of brave exploits, and the Duke even laughed a few times, chiming in with their antics as teenagers.

---