Page 60 of The Devil In Blue
“She murdered our prisoner,” Elanor said coldly.
“She—”
“Enough,” Rune barked. “Let the hounds feast on the kelpher. They earned it. And take Briar back to Ferrothorn.”
“What about you, my dear king?” Lura whimpered, hanging on his shoulder like an attention-starved cat.
He turned to her, gently placing his hand on her cheek. “I will be fine. You know I will. Now, do as you’re told.”
And just like that, Rune turned his back, groaning quietly as he stretched his wings, and launched himself out of the clearing.
“Where’s he going?” I asked.
Elanor stepped forward and looked at the bloody beast on the ground. Wrinkling her nose, she snapped her fingers, and the hounds, forgetting their injuries, trotted toward the thing and began to eat, ripping at flesh and breaking bone. The sound was unnerving, but I dared not look away. Violence was no stranger and watching the skin tear only reminded me that I’d survived yet another horrible fate. It was like death was mocking me.
“Come, sweet,” Naeve said. “They smell even worse when they’re dead.”
Lura walked beside us as we headed back to the palace, her arms hugging her torso.
“He’s hurt,” she whined.
“Stop your crying,” Naeve said. “He’s been hurt worse. Much worse.” She said the last part under her breath as if recalling something awful.
“Where did he go?” I asked.
Naeve wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “Our instructions weren’t to wonder where he’s gone. They were to bring you back. Gods, you’re shaking.” She rubbed her hands up and down my arms. “We’ll get you all better. Won’t we, Lura?”
“He needs us,” she pouted.
“Ugh.” Naeve rolled her eyes.
We returned to the palace sometime later, which made me realize how far I’d run. My feet were bleeding and my throat burned and I could still feel the blood on my hands and smell Father Eli’s burning body in my nose. It was disgusting and foul.
When we arrived on the second floor, Lura was still pouting. Naeve brought me to a door only a couple of rooms down from my chamber and walked inside. Scented floral oils were strong in the air. Lura, still frowning, walked over to a footed bathtub and turned a little faucet handle on the spout, letting the metal tub fill with steaming water.
Since I’d arrived, I had been bathing with cloth and wash bowls. I hadn’t even thought of having a real bath. I’d been too overwhelmed.
Like every other part of the palace, the bathroom was like a dream. Fresh vines covered the walls. Tall windows let in the light from outside and flooded the whole chamber with it. Preoccupied, Lura sprinkled the filling tub with oils and then sighed sorrowfully as she started to pace.
“Don’t mind her,” Naeve said, helping me to undress. “She’s rather attached to the king. We all are, but poor Lura has been infatuated for many years.”
“Infatuated?” I said.
“It’s hard not to be when a man like him decides to make you when he needs care the most,” she chuckled. “Lura just wants to see him happy because he made her when he was at his saddest.”
“And you? When did he make you?”
She sighed. “Just before you disappeared.” Her smile was hesitant. “He made me when he was happiest. Mostly to be your friend,” she chuckled.
“And… Elanor?” I didn’t want to ask about her, but since we were on the subject.
“Elanor is the oldest. Neither of us even know how old she is, but I do know he made her when he was… how should I put this… his most violent self.”
“I don’t understand.”
Naeve started helping me out of my garments.
“Rune was damn near ruining this place before you came along. Slaughtering souls.” She winced. “Terrible, vicious business.”
