Page 4 of Of Nightmares & Fire
No! Astraea, keep your wits about you. It’s just a pretty face—striking blue eyes, full lips, and—nope. I am not doing this.The thoughts alone evoke enough to think I would remember him had I seen him around the castle.
While my father wished me pious, I am no prude when it comes to men. If I were to be given to a man for the rest of my life,unwillingly, then, as I saw it, while I was able to decide for myself, I would bed the men of my choosing...
In secret, of course. Only a few lost their lives because of it. They knew the risks. Even if it hurt me, my father only caught word of their indiscretions by their own mouths. No one who knew of my exploits would have betrayed me.
“Yes. I worked in the castle, but my assignment has ended, and now I seek my next adventure.” His blue eyes narrow as he tilts his head, surveying me. I tug my hood forward more, making sure that my face is well hidden in the shadows.
“Very well…” He quirks an eyebrow, the question of my name distinct in his tone.
“Sienna,” I extend my hand to him, relieved I took any rings I was wearing off, and he lifts it, kissing my knuckles. I send a silent apology to my deceased friend, hoping she can forgive me for using her name in aid of my escape. I don’t think she would mind after knowing what my life was like.
The people here in the wallows of the kingdom may be suffering, but wealth and position can’t buy happiness. Even those in great positions have demons they battle. That I know from experience. I am the highest matriarch of the kingdom, save the king himself, and happiness is an emotion that I can’t say for certain I’ve felt. At least not since my mother was taken from me. Since I was forced into this position by my father.
“Safe travels then, Sienna.” My cheeks heat at the softness of his words, and I say my thanks in return, then urge my feet to quickly get moving toward the dune ports. I can feel his eyes trail my wake, and I don’t look back.
With any luck, a convoy will be leaving today, and I will be out of the kingdom by nightfall. I’ve heard from talk around the castle staff that it’s not every day that convoys are safest to leave. Maelstroms of rain from the north threaten to bring back the long-since-dried sea on some days, and sandstorms from the east aim to bury those unlucky enough to find themselves in one alive on others. The best travelers have it down to a science, or so I’ve heard. With that thought, I look out at the horizon and the clouds that seem to be rolling further in by the minute. I have a feeling my luck is running out, and today is likely not one of the days that they leave.
Wrenching a door open, I step over the threshold sopping wet. My cloak clings to me and drips on the wood floor, causing a circle of puddles to form around me, but no one notices my entrance. It’s a welcomed feeling to be unnoticed. Able to enter a room without an audience of people gawking and pining over your every move. It’s freeing. Smirking under my hood, I stomp my feet and close the door behind me. Closing myself into the tavern and away from the monsoon that invaded the land only moments before I reached the ports. I won’t be traveling today. There are no travelers who will be heading out until the rain stops.
Keeping my head down and hood up, I cross the room to the back where the bar is. The barmaid looks up as I approach, and I place my hand down on the surface, sliding two coins to her.
“I would like a room for the night,” I say curtly.
“Very well, but it’s a full house tonight. No rooms are being unshared.” She says, sliding the coins into her palm and pushing them into the pocket of her dress. Leaving no room for argument, she lifts the bar, stepping through gruffly and shouldering past me. “This way.” She says, not waiting for a response, she cuts through the crowd of people blocking the narrow stairway.
I look around nervously, and my lip rolls inward, my teeth chewing on it. I can’t go back out into the monsoon, so I will be forced to share a room with a stranger. If they recognize me, all of this will be for nothing. Taking a steadying breath, I pull steel into my spine and take my first step in the direction the barmaid headed, only to collide once again with a hard body.
“Shit,” I curse, and the wide smile on the man’s face becomes even more prominent, his straight white teeth sparkling in the low light.
“Very becoming language for a lady, princess.” My eyes widen, my pulse ramping up by his words. He can’t know I am the princess. My hood surely still covers my face. I take a step backward. The urge to flee burning at my heels. I will find somewhere else to wait out the storm. Surely there is another tavern nearby. If I—
“Miss?” The barmaid leans from behind the man, still looking at me. Her words pull me from my internal turmoil. Reflexively, I glance up at the man who is causing my heart to feel as though it is going to jump out of my throat. His expression has changed from jovial to curious, and he tilts his head as he eyes me. “Did you want me to show you to your room?”
“Yes,” I cough, stepping around him. “Please excuse me.” I nod my apologies and hurry up the stairs. When I reach the top, I can’t help but look back down at the man.It’s the wrong thing to do.From this angle, he surely sees into my hood. The expression on his face changes once again. Whatever he sees causes his dark eyes to round as they meet mine.
The stranger with golden curls from the alleyway steps up to him, clapping him on the back, breaking the trance we were locked in. I turn the corner, letting my eyes fall closed while I try to take a steadying breath before quickly making my way to the door the barmaid impatiently holds open for me.
“Thank you.” I rush into the room, not waiting for her response before I shut the door between us and press my back to the wood. Chest heaving, I tip my head back with my eyes trained on the dark bedchamber as my mind races and those dark eyes haunt me.
Chapter four
Kyros
Thetaskissimple—wejust need to get in and get out. My magick is already thrumming in my veins, telling me that we’re close. Martier is a pain in the ass on any day, but I know the people of Eathian. While they normally revere mine and Mavros’ arrival, they are on edge with the princess coming of age to marry soon. The king is ready to find the suitor that best fits his mold. Everyone around knows that woman did nothing but bruise his ego. I shake my head as I look up at the cloud-heavy sky. It’s not a good sign.
Where the hell is Mavros?
We should have headed to the palace this morning, but my stubborn brother wants to play this his way. Every task we are set on, we flip a coin to see who will be in the lead. Luckily for me, he gets to be the one to play dress-up for the king. I just need to sitback quietly and pretend to be his guard while he is the pompous asshole heir of Diemos. It’s not entirely a lie. We are both heirs of Diemos by our queen’s word. She has chosen us to rule together if her death shall come. It’s the part that I am playing as Mavros’ guard and the part he will be playing as a suitor wanting the hand of the princess that is the lie.
Zinya couldn’t stop laughing when we were en route here, and we tossed the coin to see what role we would each play. While Mavros is charismatic, his exploits are usually sexual and not the attention of the king of a power-hungry kingdom and his prissy little princess. Mavros needs to be serious if he is to truly keep us here long enough to find what we are looking for.
Rounding the corner, I slow down when I see Mavros talking to the same cloaked woman I saved from sudden disfigurement only a moment ago with Martier. It’s not often I am surprised by people, especially here in Eathian. The good in the kingdom has mostly been run out or killed by King Connard Casimir. Even now there are bodies hanging from at least a couple of the cantilevers throughout the city; their crimes are unknown, but their punishment is clear enough to say it was plenty to anger the king.
He’s taunting her, and even as she tries to conceal her face, I see the blush that colors her neck and climbs to her cheeks. I roll my eyes.Asshole.I curse my obnoxious twin. When she takes off, nearly running away from him, I can’t hide my amusement as I lean against the clay wall of the shadowed alleyway and cross my arms, waiting for him to turn around.
“The fuck are you smiling about?” Mavros laughs as he turns around, finding me watching him.
“You need to be serious about this, Mav,” I scold, even if my smirk still pulls the corner of my lips up a fraction.
