Page 5 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
We paused before a massive stone door, which was as large as the cave opening itself. Zephyr gestured to the last tent on the left, the closest to it. He held open the flap for Oleria and Shava, but I couldn’t stop staring at the gigantic slab of stone. It was one giant piece from floor to ceiling, carved with intricate swirls and designs in a grandiose work of art.
Zephyr cleared his throat, giving me a pointed look. Right.
I ducked inside with the others, looking around with curiosity. His tent was a hodgepodge of many things—rather like his clothing. The tent itself was haphazardly sewn together out of what he could find, but it was quite large which made it roomy inside. The fabric was stretched and pinned upwards, toward a small hole in the middle to let out smoke from the small fire pit. Around the fire were two large logs propped up with stones. The back section of the tent was sectioned off with more fabric, and I suspected his private sleeping area was hidden away behind it. Off to the right in the corner was a collection of crates and boxes.
“Sit, please. Would you like something to eat or drink?”
Oleria and Shava sat down around his fire with a familiarity that made me realize just how quickly the world had turned on me. I stared in wonder as Zephyr headed over to the boxes and crates, quickly pulling out a few chipped clay plates as well as some meat and a large pan.
“It’ll be just a minute.”
He put the pan over the fire and tossed the meat in, setting the plates down on the log. He disappeared behind the flap in the back, and returned with three cups of sweet-smelling juice. Oleria and Shava took their offered cups gratefully, but I hesitated.
“Is it wine?” I asked, not unreasonably.
He laughed. “No, none of that down here. We need to keep our wits about us.”
I took the cup as Shava grimaced and Oleria sighed. It smelled fruity, but not at all sharp and bitter like the wines the Fireguards gave out in the mud quarter. Tentatively, I took a sip.
My eyebrows went to my forehead. It was so sweet! And … good!
The sizzling sound of meat brought my attention to the fire, along with the fresh aromas that went along with it.
“Are you going to sit down?” Zephyr eyed me with one dark eyebrow raised while he crouched next to the fire, patiently flipping over the meat when needed and sprinkling some spices from a pouch at his waist. I felt so detached from reality it was hard to respond. There was a man cooking for me … and serving me. And his expressions were so like Zion and Zariah’s, it caused a physical ache in my chest.
“Mari, don’t be rude. Sit down.” Shava grabbed my wrist and yanked me down on the log next to her. I almost spilled my cup but recovered, not wanting to waste one precious drop.
“Are you related to the princes?” I blurt out, the only thought running through my mind.
“Sorry about her, she’s from the same place I am,” Shava offered, rolling her eyes skyward. I shot her a glare.
Zephyr just chuckled. “It’s all right. At least you already know there are two of them and their true nature. That will make this much easier.” He paused, flipping the meat once more. Juices crackled and spat out from the side of the pan, hot and delectable. I wasn’t sure what I wanted more at that moment: food or answers.
Why not both?
“But to answer yourburningquestion, yes. I am related. Though I was never acknowledged as being their half-brother. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
The last part was said lightly, but with a bit of an edge to it. I blushed. It was probably a sore subject for him, and here I was prodding the open wound. I took another sip of my precious juice to mull it over. “Half-brother,” I muttered out loud. From which side? The queen?
No, it was obvious from the heaviness of his face. He was the king’s son through and through. But did that mean—
“Before your brain explodes, why don’t you eat and I’ll explain? I’m not particularly hungry at the moment, and I rarely get much of a chance to entertain new people.”
Zephyr grabbed the plates and carefully doled out pieces of meat to each of us, leaving nothing for himself. “I had a loaf of bread, but I gave it to Elenor earlier today. Her kids wanted it.”
His face flushed as though not being able to offer bread with our meat was a horrible transgression.
I barely grasped the rough edges of the plate before I picked up the meat with my bare hands and tore into it, unprepared for how hot it was. I dropped it automatically, wincing.
“Sorry. Not used to hot food. You remember how I was,” Shava offered to Zephyr.
My eyes narrowed at her. I was getting real sick of her apologizing on my behalf like there was something wrong with me.
Luckily, the meat had only fallen to my plate, though it wouldn’t have mattered to me. I’d eat it covered in dirt if I had to; I’d certainly done worse when hungry. Though Shava would likely yell at me. Since when did she have such developed manners anyway?
Zephyr frowned at me. “Weren’t you living at the palace?”
“For all of two weeks,” I muttered back, touching the meat with the tip of my finger to gauge the heat. Feeling it had cooled considerably, I took a neat little bite, and moaned out loud at the taste. It wasn’t as fancy on my tongue as the palace food, but that only made it better—just a bit of salt and some other spice, and juicy as can be. All of my attention focused on the meat and I gulped it down before realizing what I did.
