Page 63 of A Thieving Curse

Alexander’s wings folded against his back. He turned toward her. Somehow, he seemed closer once he was facing her. “Thank you,” he said, his silky voice humming through the air.

“You’re welcome,” she replied softly. She shook herself. “Books. How do you have books, anyway?” She scurried over to the little shelf and crouched in front of it.

“Jasper and Meredith grabbed a few before we fled. Jasper’s contribution was three very dry books on politics and kingship.” Alexander shrugged. “So unless you’re wanting to fall asleep, maybe avoid the ones on the top shelf.”

“Ah, thank you.” Raelyn selected a thinner tome with wood covers finished in blue linen from the bottom shelf. Golden embroidery on the front depicted an armored knight. She opened it to the title page with black, intricate lettering.The Legends and Tales of Sir Roderick the Brave.Her hand trembled.

“I… I changed my mind.” She shoved the book back onto the shelf and rushed out of the room before Alexander could see her distress.

“Wait! Are you all right?”

“Fine!” She ran through the dark. She’d forgotten to pick up the torch, but she could see a faint glimmer of orange light down the tunnel from the dining cavern.

“Raelyn!”

She stumbled over an uneven patch in the floor and caught herself against the wall. Alexander stopped next to her, her torch in his hand. She turned her face away from the light as emotion built in her chest.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.” A tear slipped down her cheek.

Alexander’s fingers hooked around the side of her chin and turned her head toward him. His brows drew together, and his lips pursed. “Raelyn?”

She pulled away from his fingers and slid down the wall, wrapping her arms around her legs. With a choked sob, she hid her face in her knees. A rustle made her lift her head. Alexander sat down across from her and set the torch beside him.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not,” she said stubbornly, even as another tear ran down the side of her nose.

He sighed. “All right.” But he didn’t get up.

She fixated on the spade-shaped end of his tail. After several moments, she rested her chin on her knees. “The book,” she said quietly. “It’s Gareth’s favorite.”

Alexander didn’t answer. He probably didn’t know what to say. She chewed on her lower lip.

“Gareth would distract my tutors so I could sneak out,” she found herself saying. “And we’d run and hide from our responsibilities and read to each other. The palace has lots of unused towers, and all kinds of hidden passages and rooms. We have…wehada few stashes with books and things. But Gareth’s favorite was always Sir Roderick. He loved reading it. I probably have it mostly memorized.” She released an empty laugh.

“I wish I could be friends with Gareth.”

His words caught her by surprise, and she looked up into his eyes. The red seemed less disturbing every day. “I think you two would get along,” she said. “You’re both cocky and like to tease. And he can have a bit of a temper.”

“He sounds great.”

After several moments of silence, Raelyn asked, “Do you miss your parents?”

Alexander shifted. His wings opened partway so he could lean back on his hands. “My father was…distant. He loved me, but he wasn’t affectionate. I got my temper from him.” He chuckled. “On my eighth birthday, I begged him to let me sit in on a meeting of the Court of Lords. So he did, and I was bored out of my mind, except for when he yelled over the arguing lords and scared me right out of my boredom. My mother was kind and loving, but my father thought she would coddle me, so we didn’t spend a lot of time together. I have difficulty remembering what they looked like; it’s been so long. But they were my parents. I loved them. And I miss them. That’s not a pain that ever really goes away.”

Raelyn rubbed the hem of her skirt. As much as she missed her family, at least they were alive. At least there was a chance, however slim, that she might see them again.

But they thought she was dead. Would they still feel the pain of her death in twelve years? If she ever could return home, would Gareth forgive her for letting him think she was dead?Yes,a voice whispered.He’d be happier you’re alive than angry he mourned you for no reason.

She watched the flickering torchlight cast writhing shadows on the walls. “You can turn into a dragon. Haven’t you ever thought about killing your uncle?”

Alexander’s tail rasped against the floor as it curled tighter. For a long moment, he didn’t answer, and she worried she shouldn’t have asked. He stared down at his lap, unmoving.

“Yes,” he said softly. “I’ve thought about it.” He leaned forward and folded his hands over his crossed legs. “But it wouldn’t bring my parents back. It wouldn’t change me back. I won’t become like him to get revenge. And it wouldn’t endear me to my people. They’d just see a bloodthirsty dragon. I won’t act like the monster he…” He made that strangled noise again. “I’m not a murderer or a violent beast.”

Raelyn looked back at the torch, feeling guilty about his sad expression. She imagined she would want to kill Henry if she were in his situation. Maybe Lucas was right. Maybe she was just mean.

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