Page 15 of Blood and Fate

Duff yanked the large stick that had been “stuck” in the wagon wheel free with little effort. “Alright. Come on. Throw her in the back.” He pulled open the back door to the wooden box that was their wagon.

“Time for a ride, Princess,” the man who held her said, pushing her toward the wagon. “Gonna need you to be quiet, though.”

Fear raced through her, but she had no more time to process his words before his hand came around her face, a cloth in his grasp. He pressed the stinking rag against her mouth and nose. The wagon spun, blurred, and went black.

CHAPTER SIX

KAIS

Covington was bustling as Kais made his way along the streets. He wore a long cloak and pulled the hood further over his head as he moved. It was unlikely he would be recognized, but with so many people in town for the roses, he didn’t want to take chances.

It didn’t take him long to locate the place he was looking for. The building was a row of shops and doors, but the one he sought was painted a deep blue. Above it hung a charcoal sign with the words Herbal Apothecary etched in dark gold paint. Three starbursts floated above the words.

He looked around and then felt silly for doing so. He twisted the handle and ducked into the shop. A tiny bell chimed, announcing his presence. The room was blanketed in shadows, lit only by a few candles placed strategically around. The scent of sage hung heavy in the air.

“We’re closed,” a heavily accented female voice called from somewhere behind a curtain on the opposite side of the counter.

“Even to old friends?” he called back.

Through the curtain, a woman appeared. Her dark hair was curled into a mass of ringlets and piled on top of her head, a bright green and gold scarf wrapped around the style, bits and strands hanging from all over. Instead of looking messy, she made it look elegant and mysterious. The woman’s dark skin blended into the shadows of the room, and her eyes were winged in a dark gold liner. Eyes which were wide on him, her mouth open in a small “O” as well.

“Kais?”

He lowered his hood, flashing her a grin. “I’ve missed you, Kezia.”

“Kais!” She rounded the counter, rushing toward him.

She stopped just in time to clasp his face in both hands, kissing one cheek and then the other before planting a lingering kiss on his lips.

He laced his fingers at the small of her back and smiled down at her when she broke the kiss. Kezia was his most uninhibited, platonic friend. She had lived in Evandor but had moved years prior. Now their meetings were far too infrequent.

“I woke up thinking about you.” Her palm rested on his face. “This must be why.” She grasped his hand, pulling him behind the counter and through the curtain she’d emerged from. “What brings you to my abode?”

Kais opened his mouth to answer, but she held up a hand, stopping him. Her head tilted to the side as she studied his face. “She is special.”

He closed his mouth, pressing it into a line and raising a brow. Kezia certainly hadn’t lost her touch.

She turned his hand over, lightly brushing her fingers over his arm and palm. Her eyes met his. “Do you even know how special?”

A lump lodged in his chest.

“Kezia.” It was a plea, her name; a plea for her to tell him more, to explain, to show him something. What was special about her?

“You sit.” Kezia’s finger speared toward a pile of cushions arranged around a low table. “I’ll make tea. Then we’ll talk.”

He let out a sigh. He didn’t want tea. He wanted answers. But he said nothing, lowering himself, legs crossed, onto the pile of cushions.

It wasn’t long before she returned with a steaming pot and two mugs. Silently she poured the drinks while he watched, waiting. His insides buzzed, impatience threatening to make him leap to his feet if only to pace around the room. To move. To let out the pent-up anxiety flitting inside him.

Finally, Kezia was finished pouring the tea, and she took a spot on the cushions opposite Kais. For a long time, she only looked at him, studying every bit of him, her eyes running from the top of his head to the tips of his fingers.

“I can see her on you. Sense her as though her scent lingers in your veins.”

Kezia spoke in the strangest sentences, but she always managed to get to her point, so he said nothing, waiting.

“How long have you known her?”

At this, he let out a laugh. “I only saw her for the first time last night.”

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