Page 115 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury
“They’re the best source of information. Clients spill their guts and with the right amount of coin, that information is ours.”
I fought a smirk. Brothels were something so many highborns overlooked, thinking themselves too good to talk to prostitutes.
“Kieran,” a warm voice said. A shapely older woman stood in the doorway. Her dark brown skin contrasted nicely with the cobalt blue of her dress and dainty gray shawl. Her entire image was perfectly crafted. Weak but powerful. Unassuming but in charge. The woman oozed gracefulness with every step she took, even when she pulled him into a hug. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you. You should be ashamed.” She pulled away to give me a calculating onceover. “You may call me Madame Bareea.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Selena.”
The softness in Kieran’s eyes immediately had me curious. It was the same look he had when he looked at Finn. Kieran didn’t just know this woman. He was close to her. “I would have visited sooner, but the king has been running me ragged. You know how it is.”
Madame Bareea folded her arms. “I do. You executed one of my biggest spenders. I should bill you for that.”
“I can get away with a business charge.” Kieran flashed a grin. “I already plan on it, since we need some information.”
“I do love how that mind of yours works,” she purred before turning to me and smiling.. “The boy likes to act tough, but he’s a huge softie.”
I snorted. “I know.”
Her smile widened. “The first time we met, I found him crying over a bird with an injured wing.”
“To be fair, I was five,” Kieran deadpanned. “I would’ve been a psychopath not to get upset over it.”
“You’d be surprised.” I fought a frown. Not many cared for wild animals, poor or rich. It spoke to his character that he cared deeply over an animal, even when young.
Bareea studied us, delight shining in her eyes. It was a look I knew spelled trouble.
“We don’t have time to reminisce,” Kieran said. “Bareea?”
“Of course.”
Bareea led us inside an office tucked into the far corner of the room. Unlike the rest of the brothel, there were no extravagant decorations. Plain would be an apt word to describe the space. The cramped quarters were only big enough to house a desk, a bookshelf and two chairs.
Bareea took a seat and placed her hand under her chin. “I assume you want to talk about the gryphons, correct? About a week ago, a traveling acting troop passed through here and said they heard sounds from the woods. It gave them a proper fright. Some dismissed it, but these actors are experienced travelers. I don’t doubt their words. And one of them is known for their… delicate senses. They’ve never been wrong when they’ve sensed danger.”
I thought she was being superstitious until I sawKieran’s expression. It wasn’t one of doubt. When we locked gazes, he shot me a warning look.Oh.Some areas believed the idea we were descendants from fae, and that everyone—or almost everyone depending on who you talked to—had Gifts. This town must’ve beenequally superstitious.
Kieran inclined his head. “Thank you for the information. We’ll try to visit tomorrow, but for now, we have everything we need.”
Madame Bareea patted his hand. “You don’t need to have business to visit. The girls and I miss you. You’ve grown so strong and terrifying. We couldn’t be prouder. Just be careful out there. Those gryphons have no mercy. Don’t get overconfident.”
My mind raced as we left the brothel and meandered through the streets. For such a solitary place, it bustled with life. The scent of fresh bread filled my senses, and I had half a mind to go hunt down the bakery.
I glanced sideways at him. “How did you manage to befriend a brothel? There’s no way your family approved of that.”
He snorted. “I would’ve been flayed if they caught me. But I was discreet, and since Adelaide preferred I stay out of the castle as long as possible, I spent most of my days outside. The townspeople saw me more than my father did.” A soft smile formed on his lips. “They’ve shown me so much kindness. That’s why I want to repay them.”
I smiled. As we walked through the streets, I spotted a handful of kids, no older than eight, playing outin the streets.Strange.Aesva, the capital back home, wasn’t like that. Only the richest could afford to be carefree. Even though these children clearly weren’t rich, they looked alright. Now that I thought about it, even when we wandered to the brothel, I saw no homeless elders or children.
“Despite all my reservations, we take care of our own here, especially Wes,” Kieran said, following my gaze.
“Not many places do.” Maybe Wes wasn’t totally terrible for my sister if a lot of this was his doing. But if he hurt her, I’d kick his ass. I studied the children. Some of them had wooden swords on them and taped pointed ears.Guess the rumors were true. The Caddel Province believes in fairytales and reallyarethat superstitious.
“Someone get the gryphon!” a small boy shouted. “The great evil has awoken them!”
“The great evil didn’t wake them up,” a girl argued, wrinkling her nose. “They found the gryphons, and they befriended them.”
Another kid shook his head wildly. “No, they didn’t!”
“They did!
