Page 39 of The King's Queen

Slowly, I close my eyes and lean back again his chest, feeling incredibly small and helpless. The darkness claims everything, our sight, the sounds around us, even the warmth from my body drains as panic sets in.

But Blaine’s heart beats steady through his cream-colored tunic. He has forgone his usual chest plate and armor, and I can feel every rippling muscle tense beneath the cloth at my touch. A slight satisfaction simmers in my chest at this realization.

A soft wind blows past us, fanning my cheeks with the soft smell of rose buds. Innocent. Sweet. How out of place in a place like this.

A few moments pass, then Blaine uncurls his fingers from where they were fisted in the fabric of my blouse, and he halts our mount.

“We’re here.” Kya calls from up front as I open my eyes. The front door of the compound swings open, and out steps a furious Rowan.

Chapter13

Verosa

Kya and I have been sparring for nearly an hour, with Torin and Blaine looking on in the corner. The former nods with an appreciative whistle, while his captain remains silent. If he’s surprised by everything I’ve learned he doesn’t show it. He just grits his teeth. We still haven’t spoken since we arrived at the compound.

And I haven’t spoken to Rowan since he stormed off into that study, Amír close on his heels with a death glare towards me and the obviously unwanted guests. If I have to guess, she’s probably in there now telling him to cut ties before it’s too late, like I hadn’t just saved her life a few days ago.

I suppose I should be grateful for the consistency. Amír is nothing if not loyal to her beliefs, even if those beliefs include thinking that I’m some demon spawn from Hell here to wreck her precious life. I feint left as the thought comes to mind. Maybe I should’ve left her in that tavern to rot.

Kya ducks to avoid my blow, a drastic measure I had made without thinking, and she uses the moment to attack my now unguarded ribs. I land heavily on the dirty stone floor, my tailbone throbbing with the impact.

“How’s that stone taste?” Torin quips from his stance against the wall. I flip him a vulgar gesture in retaliation. Perhaps he and Amír would get on well, if only for the sake of taking turns to jab at me whenever I eat shit during training.

“Why don’t you come show me how it’s done then?” I hiss through clenched teeth. “Oh, great Master Torin.”

Kya raises her wooden dagger menacingly.

“No, I think you’ve got it covered.” The young man gulps.

“Thought so.”

The young Vari woman helps me to my feet with a smug grin, then winces when she sees the budding bruise across my ribs that peaks out from under my bindings. Both of us had stripped from our blouses moments into training. The sweat had been sticking to our clothes and smothered us both. Torin, of course, hadn’t cared, but Blaine has kept his eyes trained on the ground since, only turning his gaze upwards to watch when we sparred. He sits in Derrín’s usual seat, his leg throbbing from the long ride here.

“Where is Derrín tonight, anyway?” I wonder aloud. Kya’s twin has been nowhere to be seen since entering the compound, which I consider unusual because I’ve never heard of him going on any solo missions. Or any missions at all, for that matter.

“He left to go see a merchant in the North.” Kya swallows a mouthful of water and extends the canteen my way. “Said he needed some more supplies that only this man could provide for whatever secret project he’s working on.”

“He still hasn’t told you what it is yet?”

“Nope. Only Rowan knows.” I return the canteen after a healthy swig and pull a face. Of course, he does. At this point, I’m convinced there’s nothing this man doesn’t know. Well, except for one thing.

“Okay, enough talk. Let’s try again.” Kya drops her weapons, and I follow suit, noticing where this is going, when the door to the study suddenly swings open.

Rowan strides out, his face a mask of cool and collected calm as he surveys the scene. He offers only a slight inclination of the head in Torin and Blaine’s direction, then fixes his emerald gaze on me.

Rowan rolls his sleeves up, revealing the tan skin below all that leather. I swallow thickly as he grabs a wooden sword off the wall, the corded muscle of his arms rippling where exposed. He lifts the weapon with ease and nods to where I stand beside Kya, both of us panting with exertion from our sparring.

“I need to work off some steam.”

His glare tells me that I’m the reason for said steam and that we would discuss this later.

Kya nods. “We were just about to start hand to hand combat. After that last heist, I figured it would be good for her to learn how to fight a larger enemy.” The blonde mercenary only shrugs and rests the sword against the wall again before stepping up before me. His sly, emerald eyes slide up and down my frame as he raises his fists to begin the spar. He winks.

“Ladies first.”

“Such a gentleman.” I roll my eyes to hide the flush creeping up from the back of my neck. I rock back on my heels and throw the first punch, only for him to duck and catch my side. It stings but doesn’t hurt nearly as much as it should. I let him throw the next punch and back up, lunging to the side to allow momentum to fight half my battle for me.

“Come on, Vera, you’re fighting like a coward.” His words spark a small fire in my gut, as does the frivolous wink and smirk he sends my way, but one look at Kya snuffs it. His taunts are to frustrate me and have me make a desperate move. If I lung forward on the assault, I lose my advantage in this fight, and he wins. I’m dead.

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