Page 62 of Wilds of Wonder
“Driscoll.” I massaged my temples. “Just let the man get dressed.”
Maverick smirked, the first smile I’d seen on his face since we’d met.
The woman continued to scowl down, not saying anything as Aron tugged on his brown trousers and stretched a tunic overhead. Then two black boots dropped down and thudded on the ground. He pulled one on each foot and looked up expectantly. Next a thin rope dropped, swaying until Aron caught hold of it.
He grabbed on with his powerful hands and shimmied up as we watched, too stunned to move. Aron got to the top, and the woman, El, pulled him out.
He poked his head back in. “Well, are you all coming?”
Chapter Thirty-One
EMORY, THREE YEARS EARLIER
Blood and frost, it was scorching. Sand, dunes, and rocks surrounded me as I stood in the boiling land of Gilraeth, the sun so hot it shimmered in the air, making the horizon waver in my vision. I swiped an arm across my brow and adjusted the scarf I’d draped over my hair and the one covering the lower half of my face. I’d traded my fur cloak for the traditional clothes of the fire court: baggy harem pants with a light, long-sleeved linen shirt to keep the sun from burning my skin.
When the bone collector and I had met to draw the artifact for our annual challenge, we’d picked a dagger located in the highlands of the sky court.
I’d immediately stuffed the paper back into the jar and proclaimed I had a better idea, one I was very much coming to regret as perspiration dripped over my brow, stinging my eyes. I’d known my husband had an upcoming trip to Gilraeth to speak with the council members, who were ruling in the absence of their cursed queen. Or trying. A sorceress had risen up, rumors swirling she was from the shadow court. She’dtaken control of the castle, was using her shadow magic to wreak havoc, and no one had been able to best her.
Gregory was here to represent the sky court, to show them they had Valoris’s support, but to also remind them they needed to get their shit together—and fast. With no official ruler named in Princess Seraphina’s absence, a decision needed to be made before the realm sunk into chaos. We’d see if my husband was successful in his dealings with the fire court council.
A vulture soared overhead, then dove toward what looked like a snake carcass, landing and picking at it.
With my husband’s upcoming trip in mind, I’d suggested an alternative to the bone collector. When we’d first started this whole thing, I’d made it clear we needed to stay within the parameters of the frost or sky court. I wouldn’t be able to venture farther than that. But with my husband’s trip, I figured why not?
Sweat trickled down my back, in between my breasts, down the sides of my face. I wished I could go back in time and kick myself.
“Look at you,” a voice said, and I turned to see the bone collector standing before me. “A little out of your element?”
“Well, it’s only fair.” I spread my arms wide. “You’ve been out of yours a few times now in Fyriad. Time to even the playing field.”
He wore all beige, his signature black cloak gone, his clothing similar to mine. Those copper eyes that reminded me so much of the burnt oranges of the desert sparked with delight. “How do you know I’m out of my element in Fyriad? I’m always in my element, little rabbit.”
I snorted.
“Is this your first time here?” he asked, strolling toward me.
“That sounds like a personal question, bone collector.”
He raised an eyebrow, then ticked fingers. “I know that you think eyeballs are disgusting, but you’re perfectly fine with mummified bodies. I know that you have a weakness for sour berries. I know that your most prized possession is a golden helmet because it was the first item you ever found.” He cocked his head. “I know that you are impatient, stubborn, that you’re always running late. Yet asking if you’ve ever been to Gilraeth is too personal?”
I held back a snort. He’d learned more about me than I’d realizedthese last few years. The frequency of our notes had increased. I was traveling to that little spot with our hidden jar more often than I’d like to admit. It happened to not be too far from my house in Fyriad, and it was so tempting to make the short walk and check if the bone collector had left me a new note. We talked about so much and hardly anything at all. We never revealed personal details, yet it felt like he knew me better than anyone.
I shot him a smile, even though the lower half of my face was covered. I could always tell when he smiled, could see it in the crinkle of his eyes. So maybe he could tell too. “Let’s just get going.”
I had a dinner to attend later with my husband. I’d told him I wanted to get out of the manor where we stayed, explore the beauty of the court. He had barely heard me, so excited to go to the meeting with the council members and speak on behalf of the sky crown that he couldn’t care less what I did, so long as I showed up at the right times to look good on his arm and, in turn, make him look good.
“Well, I only asked because I wanted to warn you of the dangers that lurk in the fire court,” the bone collector said. “But if you’re so reluctant to give me any personal details, I guess you’ll just have to find out for yourself the risks of going after The Book of Yaraho.”
With that, he spun and strode toward a cluster of caves that nestled into a tall, rock structure. It stretched along the flat piece of land, dunes surrounding it. The Book of Yaraho was rumored to be here, in this area, buried somewhere in that cave.
I ran to catch up. “I’m aware of the risks. So how did it go with the sunken ship?”
“Ah, I forgot to update you,” he said from beside me. “Too busy packing for our trip.”
Our trip. Like it was a holiday we were taking together, like my husband wasn’t in the picture at all. Guilt niggled at me. Going behind my husband’s back to create a secret identity, stealing priceless artifacts and hiding them in our home, lying to him for years—none of that made me feel bad. But something was growing between me and this bone collector, and that felt very wrong.
I swallowed. Nothing was happening. We didn’t even know each other’s names, for spirits’ sake. I didn’t even know what he looked like.We were friends, and my husband couldn’t fault me for making a new friend who happened to have the same interests as me.
