Page 61 of The Cursed Crown

Reina led the way to a small gathering of nightmares. They were all dark of skin, various shades of blues and green.

"What have we here?"

"It's the child," Reina said dismissively.

She was anitnow. Curious glances took her in. As they scrutinized her, Rissa shamelessly did the same to them.

Growing up, she'd assumed that what didn't come from Titus, she'd taken from her unseen mother, but she had to come to terms that these people weren't like her either. Her skin did have a tendency to turn bluish when she was ill, or using too much power, but other than that—and the fact that her face was a copy of Reina's—they had little in common. No one was boasting thorns and vines. No one was covered in feathers. The things that set her apart were all hers; not Titus's, and not Reina's legacy.

"She has good taste in boys," one of the nightmares crooned. Her skin was so dry it looked like it might peel off. She must be ancient, though she remained stunning to behold. "Do you share, child?"

"Sorry, not in my nature." Khal and Teoran weren't hers to share, but they didn't need to know that.

The nightmare cackled. "You're your mother's daughter. She kept that pretty father of yours all to herself, you know."

Rissa winced. She could have lived a long, happy life without hearing that.

"Come. Sit by the fire, child. Your boys may join, too."

Rissa opted to accept the crone's invitation. "Are there any male nightmares?" she asked out of curiosity.

The crone chuckled. "Of course. Do I need to explain how babies are made?"

She rolled her eyes. "Are they all gone, then?"

One of the nightmares—a long-haired beauty—held a hand up. "I'm male."

"Me too!" another one chimed in.

Khal blinked. "Are you sure?"

Rissa chuckled, but she couldn't blame him.They were all so beautiful and delicate, she'd made the same assumptions.

"Last I checked, yes. I piss upright," the first one announced, quite proudly.

"So, child, what brings you to our parts? Did you come to visit your old lady?" one of them asked, as though it was the most natural thing.

Rissa supposed it might have been, in an alternative reality, where Reina had bothered to get to know her before now.

"Not really." She would have preferred to leave it at that, but all eyes were on her. "I've never been to the Wilderness before. I was curious."

She wasn't sharing her travel plans for all to hear. There may be a truce of sorts within these walls, but there was no telling what would happen after the rain. Besides, friendly as they appeared, she didn't trust the nightmares. They were her mother's people. They could have been hers, but it was a century too late to attempt familial rapport.

"At least you had the sense to come with an escort," the crone said. "You'd get eaten alive here."

She pursed her lips.

"Rissa can take care of herself," Khal said.

"Hm," Reina replied noncommittally. "If you'd like to eat, we have dried meat."

Teoran accepted the offered food readily enough. Khal and Rissa remained silent. She was glad to be out of the storm, but that was the extent of what she'd take from Reina.

Warming up by the fire, Rissa listened to the nine nightmares gossip, never offering more than a word here and there. Teoran fell asleep soon after their arrival, but she and Khal remained vigilant.

"You should sleep," she told him.

"Back at you."

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