Page 21 of Fate and Flame
She laughed. A heinous, spiteful laugh. “He hasn’t told you?”
“I’ve not asked. I don’t care.”
“You should care. If you’re to save this world before one of us kills you, you should know the moves that are made. It was brilliant really. I nearly had him.”
I waved my hand through the air. “In case you haven’t noticed, nearly doesn’t mean shit.”
She huffed. “Autus knows about you. He knows there’s a power greater than anyone else tied to the southern prince. How long until he figures out how to steal you away? Better yet, how long until he kills your prince and traps you when you try to seek revenge? Clearly, you have a penchant for danger.”
“You can’t possibly think you’re a danger to me. You’re hardly a danger to yourself anymore. When I kill you—and I will—I hope you’ll go straight to the deepest pit of hell.”
“I’ll be sure to tell your father hello.”
“You fucking bitch.” I grabbed the bars, standing on the precipice of utter rage, as I considered dropping that iron wall.
“Time to go.” Greeve snatched my arm
I gave him a pointed look, and he returned it. He let go long enough to put her gag back in place. Her muffled laugh echoed through the dungeon as I was swept away. I was still fuming in the hall.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“No, the fuck I do not,” I answered, jamming my hands to my sides and staring at the ceiling.
“Did you learn anything?”
“No.”
“Want to punch her?”
“Kind of.”
His deep laughter calmed my racing heart. “I thought overall you were pretty nice to her. On Ara terms, that is.”
“At least we know for sure Autus knows about me. Fen was already worried about it.” I reached out to him, but there was only silence through the bond.
“Hungry?” Greeve asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
“Always,” I answered.
We made our way to the quiet kitchen, and I sat in the same seat I did last night while Greeve perused the larder and then the cupboards. He worked on his concoction as I sat watching him. He held a bowl under one arm, whisked in the other, and chopped vegetables like he was born doing it. Soon, the room was filled with the smell of whatever he was making, and my stomach growled just as Kai walked in with Loti hot on his tail.
“What in the gods’ names are you doing in my kitchens, Greeve?” She peeked into his steaming pan and her shoulders sank. “Ah. Just like I taught you.”
Greeve beamed when Loti praised him, and I guessed he’d spent a lot of time with her in the kitchens.
“She still likes me better.” Kai took the seat beside me.
Where are you?Fen asked down the bond.
Kitchen.
Who’s cooking?
Greeve.
Be right there.
I laughed, and Kai looked at me like I was crazy. I shrugged and looked down at the plate that Loti sat in front of me. I breathed in the sweet smell of fluffy honeyed bread, picked at a pile of red and blue berries, and let my eyes feast on the poached robin eggs over seasoned potatoes. I moaned as I tasted each thing and eventually everyone was looking at me.
