Chapter 42

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

T hey rode all day before stopping at a village north of the border in Pyrgos. Daris assigned Jason, Michael and Fane to care for the horses while he went with Rydon to secure rooms. Terena, Gabriol, Sonah, and Croak walked to a nearby tavern Daris had pointed out. They were all to meet back there for dinner.

After they had pulled a couple of tables together, Gabriol shoved Croak toward the bar to get a few pitchers of ale, wine and one with water for Daris.

Croak drained his first tankard and was well into his second when the Liodari showed up. Jason frowned at the seating arrangements and shot Croak a scowl. As he grabbed a seat at the other end, Sonah jumped up and moved to sit next to him. Terena and Gabriol exchanged a look and Terena had to smother her smile behind her wine glass.

Gabriol was in deep conversation with Fane when Rydon strode in. Terena’s eyes shot up and she barely glanced at him before her eyes shifted to the man behind him.

“Croak will be asleep before we finish dinner, I see,” Rydon said with a grin as he took a seat next to Croak. He clapped him on the back as Croak finished his drink .

“Just getting warmed up, old man,” Croak said around a belch.

They ordered food, and Terena’s chest lightened as she looked around the table. She had her brother safe at her side, her newfound sister smiling and laughing with the handsome Liodari, and Rydon and Gabriol sharing tales with their new friends.

Terena looked up from beneath her lashes at Daris, who sat across from her, one hand wrapped around his glass of water as he listened to something Fane was saying.

“If you’re happy, I’m happy,” Croak said softly near her ear. Terena snapped her head around, her eyes searching her brother’s face. His dark brows were furrowed as he gave her a wistful smile.

“What are you talking about?”

He tilted his head and gave her a knowing look. “Stop, all right? You think we’re all stupid? I saw Jason when he tore out of Daris’s tent the other day. He stood guard nearby and made sure the rest of us stayed away. And then half an hour later, you came out.”

Heat crept up her face but she shrugged. “That’s our business.”

“I know,” Croak grumbled. “And like I said, I’m happy if you’re happy. But…”

“But what?”

Croak looked down at his nearly empty ale tankard and shook his head. He turned and pierced her with his dark brown gaze. “It’s only been six months, Terena. I fucking miss him. A lot. I thought you did, too. That you can just…” Croak shook his head as he took a drink of ale.

Terena stiffened. Her mouth pinched, and she had to force herself not to smack her brother. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. When she looked back at Croak, she was glad to see he looked miserable.

“I do miss him. And a part of me will always love Lerek,” Terena said after a long pause. She flicked her eyes to Daris, who was watching her with his good eye narrowed. Turning back to Croak she added, “But Daris is different. We are different together.”

“He’s not even your type,” Croak whined, leaning back in his chair with a groan. “Lerek was going to be an emperor. Now, you’re with Daris? He’s a soldier who lives his life with and for his men and his king.” He scoffed. “Don’t get me wrong. He is handsome, if you like men with half their faces ripped off.”

Terena did smack him that time.

The table went quiet. She stood and leaned over, grabbing Croak by his tunic as she hissed in his face. “If you can’t say anything nice, say nothing at all. Asshole!”

She turned and stormed out of the tavern, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Outside, Terena walked a few paces to lean against the wall of the building. Pressing a hand to her chest, Terena closed her eyes.

“Are you all right?”

Terena startled. Daris stood near the door with a concerned expression. She launched herself at him, kissing him with needy intent, drowning herself in the feel of him. She sighed when his arms instantly came around her, pulling her closer. The feel of his muscles beneath her hands as they moved and bunched made her shiver. Terena threaded her hands up at the back of his head, loving the feel of his soft hair in her fingers, and she sighed into his mouth.

“Terena,” Daris groaned as he tried to pull back, but she refused to let him go.

“Daris,” she whispered. “Take me to your room.”

The way his mouth curved up was so wicked, fire sizzled down to her core.

“Whatever the lady wants,” he answered with a wink.

It was late—or very early—before Sonah snuck upstairs, Croak behind her shushing her every two seconds. Gabriol and Rydon had retired much earlier, but she’d stayed longer with Croak and the Liodari.

Sonah paused in front of her door and Croak turned to look at her over his shoulder before he opened the door to his room.

“What? ”

She turned to him. “Nothing…”

He turned to face her fully. “What?”

Sonah bit her lip. “What if… what if she’s… not alone?”

Croak grunted. “I guarantee they’re in his room.”

“You think?”

“Trust me.”

Sonah looked at him skeptically. Croak twisted his lips and moved forward, taking the key from her hands and unlocking the door. He pressed the latch; the door swung open to reveal the darkened interior.

Sonah sighed in relief.

“Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” Croak said with a smirk as he flicked her nose.

“Gods!”

“Good night, gorgeous,” Croak called as he shut the door behind him.

Sonah slumped off her clothes and sighed as she slid between the cool sheets. As she lay back and closed her eyes, the world swam alarmingly. She snapped her eyes open. Sonah was so tired but too drunk to sleep. Did that even make sense?

She groaned, leaning up and punching the pillow a few times to make it more comfortable before settling on her side.

Nope. Worse.

She swore and sat up. Much too quickly. She had a second to aim before her dinner and all those drinks that seemed a good idea at the time came up. She groaned and wiped her mouth, looking at the mess she’s made on the floor between the beds.

Sonah whimpered, thinking of how she had to get up now to clean it up.

As gently as she could, Sonah rose and put on her pants and shirt. She didn’t bother putting her boots on as she padded across the cold wood floor and unlatched the door carefully. No sounds came from the hallway, so she ducked out and closed the door softly behind her.

Taking the stairs painfully slow, she strained to hear any noises from below. When she was satisfied, she moved swiftly across the main room on the first level, easing around the tables. The only light in the room came from the windows, the weak predawn light enough for her to see the bar counter. Sonah tiptoed over and went behind it, hands out to feel for some kind of cloth or hopefully a bucket she could fill with water to clean up her mess.

Ducking down behind the counter to search, Sonah heard a door open and several voices in low tones before the door closed again. Sonah froze, crouched as she was, listening.

“….make a move before we get to the north,” a familiar voice said. Sonah blinked, recognizing Michael’s voice. Soft laughter followed his remark. They were speaking in the common tongue. Probably because Fane—who was not Greek but Offeni from the east—did not speak it well.

“That’s why I haven’t,” Jason replied, defensively. “I like her, very much. But I’m Liodari and she’ll be gone soon.” They were closer now, almost to the stairs. Sonah frowned and made to move, to announce herself, when Fane spoke.

“The commander doesn’t seem to share that sentiment. I never knew him to be that cold-blooded. First, he kills her lover and then he beds her. Ruthless.”

Sonah froze, the blood draining from her face. She became dizzy. Looking up, Sonah tried to get a look at the men as they ascended the stairs. There was a thud and Sonah jumped, clamping a hand over her mouth.

“Shut the fuck up,” Jason hissed.

Sonah’s pulse roared in her ears as she moved, slouching around the bar. She stepped closer to the stairs. The men had paused on the steps.

“ Neve r talk about that. Don’t say it again,” he warned, his voice low, but she heard the anger in them. He said something in a whisper and she strained to hear, but this time Jason had switched to Greek and she only understood a couple words.

One was Lerek. The other was Terena.

She was ill again and feared she might give herself away by retching when they continued up the stairs .

Sonah took deep breaths, hoping to calm her stomach, but her mind raced.

What the fuck? she thought as she sat on the ground next to the bar.

What did he mean?

Why would Daris kill Prince Lerek?

He wouldn’t.

Sonah wouldn’t believe it. She must have misheard.

Sonah wiped her face with her hand. She rose slowly, her mission forgotten as she climbed the stairs, her feet leaden and heart heavy.

Her last thought as she pulled up the bedsheet and closed her eyes was whether or not to say anything to Terena.