Page 82 of Lady of the Nightmares

“Humility.” His eyes flashed with humor. “I will admit, not everything about being born into royalty is quite so awful.”

No, perhaps it was not.

30

LONNIE

THE CUTTHROAT DISTRICT, INBETWIXT

The Side Saddle turned out to be far less intimidating from the outside than I’d imagined. A tall building at the end of a busy street with a tattered purple-and-red awning—it looked like any other tavern.

Scion and I approached slowly, which had the dual purpose of looking as if we were in no hurry and making it easier to walk in my new, high-heeled boots. Along with the boots, I wore a deep raspberry blouse that laced up the sides like a corset and a pair of black leather trousers. My long hair still covered most of my nearly bare shoulders, but every time the wind shifted, I would have to reposition it so as not to feel too exposed. My heeled boots were tall enough to reach over my knees, but they were hard to walk in, as I was not used to the height.

I gazed around at the group as we approached, and heat crawled up my neck. There was something very different about knowing where we were going in theory than when we were here in truth. It was too late to turn back now.

“Don’t eat the food,” Scion bent to whisper in my ear as we drew closer.

On his shoulder, his raven, Quill, made a squawking sound.“You should know better, stupid human child,”it seemed to say.“We should not even be having this conversation.”

I looked up at the raven as I replied, “I know.”

“Do you?” Scion replied. “This entire place is meant to make Fae spend their coins and fuck anything in sight. It’s a relatively strong enchantment, even for the High Fae. I don’t know what it would do to you.”

“I wouldn’t risk it, anyway.”

He nodded, and again, Quill made a soft cooing sound, as if to say,“As long as we understand each other.”

“Don’t speak to anyone unless they speak to you first,” Scion grumbled the closer we got to the front doors. “And perhaps not even then.”

“I know,” I snapped. “I did manage to survive a decade working in your palace.”

“That will never cease to amaze me.”

My lip curled up in a sneer. “So you’re saying you would have killed me if we’d met in the palace?”

He shook his head. “No.”

I blinked, surprised. “So, what, then?”

He didn’t answer, and eventually, I stopped expecting him to.

I felt the weight of several sets of eyes on me, and unease crept up my neck.

“Wait!” I hissed, tugging on Scion’s arm.

He glanced down at me. “What?”

“That is abrothel,” I hissed.

“Well spotted.” He smirked. “Have you only just remembered your name and age as well?”

“No, this isn’t funny.” I rolled my eyes and began searching around for somewhere to speak unheard. “Come here.”

Spotting an alcove between the houses on our right. I wrapped my fingers around his and tugged him with me into the semi-darkness. To my surprise, he allowed himself to be led.

There was a barely three-foot space between the two houses, not quite an alley like where we’d arrived, but surely large enough for us to stand in. Quill took flight, landing on the roof above us, while I leaned against the stone wall of one of the houses and tried to look casual. I squinted up at Scion as he loomed over me, his face nearly impossible to see clearly in the dark. “I can’t go in there.”

He looked more than a little annoyed. “And why is that?”

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