Page 54 of A Kingdom of Shadows

Darius and I must leave for Melwraith in the morning for Solaris's sake.

Blowing an exasperated breath, I step out into nightfall and the violent breeze of autumn approaching. I inform the sentry of my departure, and as the gates roll down, I make my way through the curving pathway leading toward the city's central areas. When I'm at the bottom, I take in the busy streets at night. They're full of joyful laughter while Elves sit outside taverns. Lanterns shake above-closed shops as some others are still open, letting children inside.

It always baffles me to notice the changes between Emberwell and Terranos. The difference in clothing, how flamboyant women's dresses are back in the City of Flames compared to the toned earthen colors here—the leaf-like patterns on some of them, and then... the atmosphere. It's far tenser in Emberwell. City people always judge you there. But after being here for a while, Elves glance my way and never give me a rude gesture. They smile instead. Genuine and welcoming.

I stroll past a few shops, fascinated by their gowns as a few bless me in the name of Solaris, and I smile back until a tavern at the end of one of the streets catches my eye.

The door is wide open, with cheers and music filtering toward me. Then I hear a voice—a cocky, insufferable, and all-enticing voice.

Darius.

I speed my way up there, and once I enter, I squeeze past a few men to see him standing on one of the tables, swinging his brew around. Half of the ale spills and seeps into the creaks of wooden floorboards as Tibith joins him, tapping his feet to the music and Aias clapping along by the bar.

They're all drinking, and Darius, well, he is genuinely, unapologetically drunk off his head.

Chapter Twenty-Two

I make my way through the throng, excusing myself to approach Darius. I grimace at the possibility of him toppling and falling off the table as he stumbles on his feet. Not that he would care.

When I reach the edge of the table, he turns, his face brightening the minute he sees me. Spreading his arms out to the side, he shouts, "Goldie!"

"Are you out of your mind?" I say past the raucous plucks of the fiddle as I watch him hop onto the stool and smoothly land on the ground. "We have to travel to Melwraith before sunrise, and you're out here drinking?"

He runs a hand through his hair, his face glossed with a faint sheen of sweat as he smiles. "Dance with me."

What in Solaris's world— "Did you listen to a word I said?"

"I'm always listening, Goldie. I just love to see those damned freckled cheeks redden whenever you're annoyed with me."

My eyes widen, and his grin grows a mighty size.

"Now." He makes a mocking bow, extending his hand out. "Will you dance with me?"

I am standing still with my arms crossed over my torso. He taps one foot against the floorboard before sighing and lifting me by the waist and whirling me around. I squeal and hiss his name as I pound my fists on his chest to stop, but he takes hold of my wrist and lowers me back to the ground.

"You took too long to decide." His lips tease a smile as he twirls me away from his arms and then spins me back to him.

My chest collides with his as I roll my eyes. "You're truly inebriated."

"And you too sober."

"Last, I recall not being sober; you'd picked me up against my will and dragged me back to my hut in the Screaming Forest."

His laugh is a dangerously low quake, and I feel it reverberate against my chest as we move slower than the speed of the fiddle. "It was either that or harming those Elves staring at you." He darts his eyes around for half a second. "Kind of how most are staring right now."

I give the tavern a quick look. Males and females are all looking our way. Glancing back at Darius, I cock a brow and whisper, "I think they're staring at you."

He gives me a pleased smile. "Well, I am the looker."

I roll my eyes, huffing a chuckle, when I feel a tug on my boot. Glancing down, I see Tibith rocking on his feet.

Darius and I stop dancing, but he never let's go or loosens his grip on my hand.

"Miss Nara!" Tibith exclaims, "I saw another me!"

Darius chuckles, saying, "Yes, a Terranos Tibithian."

"But—but he didn't speak." Tibith pouts, only causing my heart to grow ten times more before his expression changes, and he beams at us. "Perhaps he can be my new friend!"

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