If yesterday had been a day of freedom, today was a day of death.
The entire day was stained in red. Red magic. Red blood. I picked up a stray lock of my hair, scowling at it. Red hair. So much red.
Idespisedit.
My mood only worsened when Xander finally pulled us to a stop in what I assumed must have been one of the poorest parts of Thyr.
Where the market had been filled with life, the streets now carried a sense of unease. Dirt roads had replaced the cobblestones of the square, and the air was permeated with the stench of unwashed bodies, urine, and alcohol.
I wrinkled my nose, lifting my skirts and stepping around a mysterious puddle. Not for the first time that day, I wished that I could have been wearing my leggings and tunic. It would have been much easier to move around in less restrictive clothing.
Xander tilted his head, pushing open a creaky wooden door tucked into an alley.
“Come along, Ana.” He sighed. “The sooner we get what I came for, the sooner we can leave.”
I scowled as I read the painted letters on the wooden sign hanging above our heads.The Opal Spoon. Each letter was the same color as the crimson blood that had marked the steps of the temple. The same color as the House of Irriel. The same color as the fate I was running from.
I decided then and there that red was my least favorite color.
Xander didn’t seem to notice all the red. He was too focused on scanning the dim interior of the tavern. I followed him closely, pressing myself against his back as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.
The surprisingly large space was packed. After a long day of barely hearing any females speaking, it was jarring to hear female laughter intermingling with a chorus of much deeper male chuckles. For a moment, I wondered about the Accompaniment Law, but I soon realized why I was hearing females alongside males.
Despite the late afternoon hour, The Opal Spoon was filled with people who were in the middle of partaking in what Matthias would have calledimproper activities.
As the king’s pet, I’d never participated in such things. I wasn’t allowed. I couldn’t even imagine the punishment I would have received for even thinking of doing such a thing. Even so, I’d heard enough from the servants and guards to understand what Matthias meant. And now, I was watching as the preludes of such activities took place right in front of me.
Jugs of ale were being served around the tavern as scantily clad females sat on the laps of males. Their clothes were little more than scraps of fabric covering their breasts and bottoms. I had seen more flesh in the past minute than I had in my entire life. The females were laughing and pushing their chests forward, grinding their bodies in a very suggestive way.
Blood rushed to my face, and I pulled my cloak tighter around myself. I shifted uncomfortably as I watched one female whose breasts were practically falling out of her bodice nibble on a male’s ear before leaning forward. She whispered something inaudible as she placed her hand on his lap and rubbed suggestively. The male grinned, tossing his cards on the table and saying something in a low voice to his companions, who simply laughed as he followed the female up the rickety stairs.
I must have made some sort of sound, because Xander looked over his shoulder at me. He raised a brow. “You alright there, Sunshine?”
“I’m fine,” I snapped.
That was a lie.
Every time I blinked, I saw the crimson stains on the temple steps. I wondered how long that scene would haunt my nightmares. A long time, I thought. It wouldn’t be easy. I wasn’t even sure Icouldbanish the memories of the Earth Elf’s execution.
But this… this I could do. Talking. Exchanging barbs with Xander. Each word that came out of his mouth pulled me a little bit further from the memories of the Winter Market.
A smirk danced on his infuriating lips as he looked me over. “Are you sure? You’re looking a little pale.”
Huffing, I crossed my arms. All the emotions from earlier today were bubbling up inside of me, but I kept shoving them down. Dealing with those emotions would not be easy, and it was not something I wanted to do right now.
This, though, this I could do. Arguing with Xander felt as easy as breathing. And right now, that’s exactly what I needed.
“I am absolutely fine,” I retorted, raising a brow. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Get what over with?” a high-pitched voice asked.
I turned, eyeing the buxom female standing behind the bar. Human. She was definitely human. The dark brown counter stretched the length of the tavern, and there were several unoccupied stools in front of it that looked like they had seen better days.
“It’s been a long time, Xan,” the barmaid said, turning to my companion. Her brow rose as she glanced at the door. “I was expecting you yesterday. But Daegal said you were running behind. You’re lucky you got here in time. I’m leaving tonight.”
“I ran into something… unexpected,” Xander grunted. “Will your brother be taking over the day-to-day affairs after you leave, Jo?”
Thiswas Jo? With that name, I’d assumed—wrongly, clearly—that we were meeting a male.