Chapter 41

The dirt path we've happened upon turns to cobblestone outside one of the two entrances. Stone walls wrap the town, and guards stand outside, checking papers for anyone who enters.

Hallis leads the horse with his shorn hand in his pocket. "This is the first line of defense from the border. The town's been ransacked a time or two, so they're particular about who passes through."

Acker has pulled the material from his neck in the fashion of a hood to cloak his face. They've also hidden their weapons, and I've been instructed to keep my blade out of sight. When I asked why we needed to hide our identities, Hallis said it was to prevent the prince's presence from causing a ruckus with the townspeople. They don't get to see the royals outside the capitol's walls very often, and it usually creates a maelstrom of bodies. It's also to prevent word of our location from spreading in case Roison plans on retaliating.

"Papers," a guard calls when we approach. It's obvious we're not their typical visitors. The horses and saddles and clothing gives away our wealth in an area filled with farmers and serfs.

"We have no papers, but we have coins to spend," Acker says, shaking his fist to rattle the metal before exposing his palm.

The men lean in to get a better view, sharing a look before the leader shakes his head. "The cost for passage has increased. Make it triple."

"Triple?" Hallis barks in outrage.

"Pay or go around. There's been word of a light wielder at the border, a lowly girl who's been rumored to look a lot like one of the two you're toting behind you," he says, pointing at Beau and me with a dirty finger. "And we don't want no trouble in our town."

Acker digs three more gold coins from his pocket. "Is this enough?" he asks, words clipped in annoyance.

"For you two," the guard says to Hallis and Acker. "The girls will be an additional fee."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Hallis all but shouts. "This is extortion. Does your lord know about this?"

"Lord Gravebriar is in the tavern if you'd like a word with him regarding our practices," the guard says, beard twitching when he smiles. "But first you'll need to pay."

Acker retrieves enough coins that I assume could buy an entire plot of land and slaps them into the man's hand. "They better have good ale."

The men shuffle out of the way for us to pass, smiling like the thieves they are and sharing silent laughs at our expense.

Once we're out of hearing range, Hallis pulls in close to Acker. "How much is left?"

"Not a lot," he replies.

The town branches off from the middle like spokes on a wheel, an old well as the centerpiece, where stray chickens and children are congregated.

"We need to split up," Acker says, handing Hallis half of what's left of the money. "I'll find a board for the horses. You three go check for lodging and whatever doesn't look like it'll give us a bout of food poisoning."

"Not happening." Hallis stops him with a hand on his shoulder, head tilting in our direction. "Pick one and we can call it even."

"Excuse me," Beau butts in. "Do we not get a say?"

Acker lets out a breath, eyes going to me. An offering for me to choose.

"I'll go with Hallis."

Beau isn't put out by my decision in the slightest and all but skips to take the reins from him. Acker tells us to meet back here in an hour, pointing to the clock in the center of town before we depart.

The buildings are old and worn down, brick facades crumbling and broken windows covered with boards. Many of the signs aren't legible due to weather and neglect, but we manage to find the inn with relative ease thanks to the vacancy sign in the window.

The doorway is propped open with a chair, and we enter the small parlor. It's empty of patrons besides one lone man sitting in a booth in the corner, a glass of dark liquor on the table before him. There's a bar near the stairs with an elderly woman behind it scribbling something into a notebook.

"We don't serve for another hour," she says, not bothering to look up from her book.

"How much for two rooms?" Hallis asks.

"Papers?"

"Not this bullshit again," Hallis mutters. "How much without papers?"

She looks over the brim of her reading glasses, eyes skimming us with sharp dexterity. "For the two of you and no papers?" she says, eyeing us once more. "Three silvers each. "

Hallis assesses our funds and makes a face as he slaps all of it on the bar. "This is all I've got."

She fingers through the array of coins before sliding them into her palm and pocketing them in her chemise. "No violence or excessive drunkenness allowed. Keep it clean. Shared bathroom at the end of the hall on the right." Producing two sets of keys, she holds them with one in each hand.

Sounds reasonable enough. "Either of them have separate beds?"

She smiles at me and shakes the one in her right hand.

Hallis and I reach for the key at the same time, but I'm successful in grabbing it first. The number four is etched into its base. Hallis takes the other, less than thrilled by the prospect of sharing a bed with someone. There are only a few options as to who will get the pleasure of doing so, and I think we both know it won't be me.

"Name your price," Hallis says as we leave the inn.

"There's not a thing you could offer me that would suffice," I tell him, tucking the key into the fold of my blouse.

We return to the well before Acker and Beau. Hallis does his version of pouting, which is the best version, in my opinion, because it means he doesn't talk and avoids eye contact.

The town reminds me of the Main in Alaha, but seedier. There's a bakery and a shoe shop near the center and a tavern down the way. People carry packages wrapped in twine and paper from a nearby alley where the butcher resides. There are couples and families and men, but I haven't spotted a single woman out by herself, which is the most telling, along with the darkness that envelopes the town as the sun sinks behind the stone wall.

"Hallis?" He grunts in reply, and I point to the lanterns lining the street to get his full attention. "Why aren't they lit?"

He's quiet for a long pause, and I look at him to double check that he's not still ignoring me. Beau and Acker appear before he's able to answer.

"The whole town is crooked," Beau says.

"How much do we have?" Hallis asks.

Acker shakes his head, the only answer needed.

"If I'm going to bed on an empty stomach," Beau says, "at least tell me there's running water where we're staying."

Hallis and I share a look, which Beau's able to interpret, groaning at the lack of optimism radiating from us. We follow Hallis's lead back to the inn. If Beau or Acker are offput by the lack of light along the way, they don't voice or show it. Patrons line the dark alleyway as we pass by, and it seems the business has picked up since we were last here. A woman stands by the door, greeting people as they enter and…

…is she wearing negligee?

Hallis halts, the first to get a look inside the bustling establishment then up at the dilapidated sign.

Beau peeks her head past Hallis's shoulder and wheezes, "You booked us rooms at a brothel?" She smacks him in the shoulder.

Hallis's gaze goes to Acker, the last in our group. "I didn't know," he tells him, apologetic. "It was empty when we were here earlier and the lady who took our money was not…" He makes a face before looking to me fo r back up. When I don't offer any, he says, "She was not a lady of pleasure, if you get what I'm saying."

Acker sighs. "There's not a chance in hell we're getting the money back."

All eyes go to me, and it's obvious they're waiting for my reaction. I look to Acker over my shoulder to gauge his preference, then Beau says, "He doesn't mind a brothel, do you, Acker?"

He clenches his teeth but manages to keep his annoyance under control. "If you're uncomfortable, we'll go," he tells me. "None of us are strangers to sleeping on the ground. Another night won't kill us, and we'll be at the palace by nightfall tomorrow anyway."

But the money is already wasted, and it's too dark to situate a decent camp. Plus, I'm exhausted. "It's fine. Let's just get some sleep."

There's a noticeable sigh of relief between Beau and Hallis, and I wonder if they have any idea how alike they are.

Hallis is first to enter, and the lady at the door welcomes him with a smile and slow graze of her fingers along his forearm. He nods at her—the Kenta greeting—and passes by with curt politeness.

"Oooh." She does a shimmy at the sight of Beau and me dressed in little more than scraps of fabric. "I love women who are in touch with themselves. Maybe one of you could touch me later." She winks at me as I pass, her thick painted lashes accentuating the gesture. "Or maybe both of you."

Acker follows close behind, hand at the small of my back as we enter. "She definitely has a preference," he whispers in my ear, sending chills down my spine with his proximity .

The parlor is filled with men and scantily clad women. Perfume and liquor permeate the air. Everywhere I look, there's a woman drawing me in, their clothes and hair and makeup all a ploy to entice and evoke interest. Some have elaborate garments of shiny crystals and beads, others in nothing but a slip of lace as underwear, breasts bare.

And the two men in our party? Tall and handsome and wealthy, Hallis and Acker are prime targets walking through their establishment, leagues above their normal clientele, and they don't waste time before descending on them.

Hallis and Acker do their best to turn away their offers of service as politely as they can despite some of the women volunteering their time for free. There's even a mention of having a healer on staff in case any unsavory symptoms or concerns might arise in the morning.

By the time we manage to make it up the stairs, we're out of breath and disheveled, clothes and hair out of place.

Acker huffs out a breath and removes his hood, sending his hair in every direction. "I think we fared better escaping the Dark Forest."

I fail to hide my smile.

Beau scrubs at her eyes with the palms of her hands. "Everything is red."

Hallis studies her as he arranges his shirt back into place. "You okay?"

Dropping her hands, she takes a breath and nods, a smile returning to her face. "Yeah. A good night's rest will help."

I pull out my key and find the door with the matching number.

Hallis does the same, stopping at the door opposite mine. "If you're rooming with Beau, we should get the double."

I hate that he makes sense, although the idea of Hallis and Acker sharing a bed does paint a pretty picture. "Fine," I say, accepting the trade.

"Keep your doors locked and don't go anywhere without someone with you," Acker orders.

"Yes, sir," Beau says with a mock bow.

He says her name in warning, and she suppresses an eye roll.

Hallis gets his door open and cusses. "The old hag switched the keys," he says, stepping aside so we can see the single bed in the middle of the room.

We all turn and watch Beau shove our door open, revealing the same exact layout inside our room as well: one single bed in the middle of the space.

"Looks like she hoodwinked you guys," she says.

I click my tongue at Hallis as I step backward into the room. "Don't be such a princess ," I drawl.

Acker smiles at Hallis's annoyance.

"Sharing is caring," Beau agrees, shutting the door in their faces and locking the door. "Finally," she says, pulling a bottle of liquor from the folds of her pants like a magi. "Let's get drunk."