Chapter Ten
A Night on the Town… And Spicy Nuts
“Are you trying to kill me?” I clung onto Rowan’s neck and hid my face between his shoulder blades.
He laughed. “You’d know if I was.”
“Do you have a thing against using doors? Stairs? Walking on flat ground?”
“Doing so would deny me the joy of hearing you whine,” he responded, leaping from one rooftop to another. That’s what it felt like anyway. My face was still shoved against his back. “Open your eyes.”
“Nope.”
“You’re missing the view.”
“The view of my imminent death before we tumble to the ground below? No, thanks. I’m good like this. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.”
“Every time you open your mouth, I feel myself falling a bit more, little treasure.”
Would’ve been sweet words had he not pretended to slip while saying it. I didn’t need to look in order to feel the little off-balance jolt. The jerk.
“Falling isn’t good.” I squeezed him tighter. “Try to avoid that.”
“I’ve tried,” Rowan said quietly.
Curiosity soon got the better of me, as it so often did, and I lifted my head and peeked at our surroundings. A glimmering night sky filled with stars. That’s what I noticed first. We seemed to be racing straight toward it, flying through the air like we were made of stardust.
Maybe we were.
“Rowan… it’s…” There weren’t words to describe the beauty around me. I’d never experienced anything like it.
Buildings clustered together below us, and the glow of lanterns and streetlights gave the town an almost dreamlike quality as we soared above it.
“About time you looked.” Rowan ran across rooftops with ease, light on his feet despite the extra weight of me on his back. Which was kind of impressive considering we were about the same size. He was an inch or so taller than me, but we both had small frames and lean builds.
“Where are we going?” I asked. The town was the same one I’d seen when we’d arrived earlier, but from so high up and beneath a starlit sky, it seemed different. Magical.
Or maybe it was the person with me who made me see it that way.
“Wherever we want,” he answered, approaching the end of the roof.
There was nothing on the other side. No other building to jump on. Nothing but trees.
“Rowan!” I screeched.
He leapt off the edge and landed on the branch of the nearest tree before swinging down. It was only slightly terrifying. Okay, a lot terrifying. Pretty sure my soul left my body for a split second. And I’d closed my eyes again.
“You can look now,” he said. “We’re back on solid ground. Happy?”
“Relieved you didn’t kill us, actually, but I guess ‘happy’ will do.” I slid from his back and stumbled a little.
Sighing, Rowan caught me around the waist. “Stumbling again? I guess it’s fortunate you’re afraid of heights. You’d try to climb a tree, and your clumsy little feet would send you right to your death.”
“Hey, we’ve been over this. My feet are average-sized.” We were enclosed in a section of trees, completely hidden from the outside world. Beneath the shaded canopy, his scent hit me stronger than before. His sweet pepperiness mingled with evergreen trees and pine, and I found myself pressing closer to him. It was automatic. “Why are we in the woods?”
“You’ll find out soon.”
“Well, that’s not suspicious at all. I’ve caught on to your plan now, Mister Thief. You carried me off to the woods where you’re gonna off me and hide my body.”
Rowan placed his hand on my chest. Right over my protection stone. “If that were true, your little trinket would send me flying backward on my ass. Besides.” He dropped his hand. “Killing you wouldn’t be fun at all. I’d miss that mouth too much.”
Before I could spout off a response, I heard… something. It came from deeper in the forest.
“Is that music?”
“Come with me and find out.” Rowan’s hand slipped into mine. “Unless you’re too scared.”
“Me? Scared?” I huffed and struck my best tough guy pose. His lips twitched. “You must not have heard of my courageous exploits in the forests of Bremloc where I faced off with a bloodthirsty thorn bush and lived to tell the tale. I’m sure bards are singing about my bravery as we speak. Evan the Brave, they call me.”
“Okay, Evan the Brave. If we see a thorn bush, I’ll give you the honor of fighting it off.” Rowan tugged me along with him as he stepped toward the direction of the distant music. “In the meantime, try not to trip over your own two feet.”
Letting him lead me away from town and into the dark forest probably wasn’t smart. But my gut told me I could trust him, and it hadn’t led me astray yet. The dense foliage, especially at night, unsettled me, but it didn’t seem as scary with his hand in mine.
Light appeared ahead of us through the trees, and the music grew louder. The steady beating of a drum, along with flutes and a fiddle. Voices mingled together, growing in intensity the farther we strolled. Something amazingly delicious tickled my nose too. Food?
Reaching the tree line, we stepped out onto a cobblestone street filled with people. There were food stands, games, and music. The drastic change from dense forest to a bustling celebration was jarring and took me a moment to process.
People danced to the music while others sat in a small courtyard, drinking from large tankards and eating meat and vegetable skewers. Some strolled along the street, shopping and taking in the sights. The crowd consisted of men, women, children, and demi-humans. Colorful paper lanterns hung from tree branches and decorated the roofs of nearby stalls that offered food and goods. Merchants displayed wares such as coin purses, hair ornaments, jewelry, and flower crowns.
“A festival?” I turned to Rowan.
He smiled. “Can’t get a thing past you, can I?”
I swatted his arm. “Smart-ass.”
“So feisty.” He tugged me closer. “If you’re not careful, I’ll drag you back into those woods.”
“You don’t scare me.”
His impish expression faltered as a genuine smile took its place. “Glad to hear it.”
He didn’t want me to be afraid of him.
“So.” I touched one of the hanging lanterns. It reminded me of the ones from the Festival of Lights that we’d made wishes on and sent floating up into the air. “What’s this festival celebrating?”
“Damn if I know.” Rowan shrugged. “I heard about it earlier when we got here. All that matters is there’s food and rum.”
I laughed. “Are you sure you’re not a pirate?”
His brow arched. “Who said I wasn’t?”
“Ah, okay. So, you’re an adventurer with badass shadow magic who pickpockets his way across the world and who plunders villages for every drop of rum in his spare time? You’re quite the man of many trades.”
When Rowan laughed, there was a plink in my chest. He led me farther away from the trees and along the path. His hood was still up, and I reached over to lower it.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I wanted to see your face.” I took in the sight of him, now hood-free.
“My ugly face, according to your knights.”
“You heard Duke?” When I tried to link our fingers, Rowan prevented me from doing so. Hand holding was fine, but only loosely, I guess. Noted. “He doesn’t mean anything by it. He calls everyone ugly. Even the one person he loves.”
“Baden.”
“Wow,” I said, impressed. “You’re perceptive.”
“Comes with the line of work.” He trailed his gaze among the festival. “Sometimes your eyes and ears are your best weapon.”
“I’m sorry if he hurt your feelings.”
“I’d have to care in order to be hurt, and I haven’t cared about anything other than myself in many years.” Rowan’s expression smoothed, and his hand tightened around mine. “Well. Maybe not so much anymore.”
The plink in my chest from earlier ricocheted throughout the rest of my body. There was so much more to Rowan than I thought. He was multifaceted. Mysterious. I couldn’t wait to peel back his layers and see the parts of himself he hid from the world.
If he let me.
For now, we walked through the festival, our hands clasped and my gaze bouncing around at all the sights.
The atmosphere was magical, with its soft lights, music, and festive decorations. Several people wore outfits reminiscent of a Japanese kimono, some simple in design while others looked to be made of silk with elaborate stitching and stood out with vibrant colors. Other people looked like they’d stepped out of a medieval renaissance movie, wearing tunics and corseted gowns. This world was like a melting pot of the cultures I knew from my old one.
“Why did we go through the woods to get here?”
“It was a shortcut,” Rowan answered. “I also liked how you clung on to me while walking through it. You’re such an anxious little speck of gold, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, well, dark forests and I don’t exactly have the best history. Evil thorn bushes. Crow demons. That nasty and slimy worm thing.”
“Nasty, slimy worm thing?” One brow lifted, matching the edge of his mouth. “You’ll hurt your captain’s feelings. Every man’s built different. He can’t help it.”
“Oh my god , Rowan.” I swatted at him again.
His responding chuckle sent a rush of warmth through my veins. It felt nice being with him like this. My hand in his felt nice too.
“Evening, gentlemen!” a man called from a nearby stall. He had a beaked nose and featherlike sandy-brown hair that shimmered beneath the glowing lanterns. A demi-bird of some sort. Falcon, maybe? “My name’s Flit. Can I interest you in some of my wares?”
“Nope,” Rowan said.
I nudged his ribs. “Don’t be rude.”
He smirked.
“What are you selling?” I stepped closer to the stall. My eyes instantly went to the books, but there were also tiny vials of glowing liquid, gemstones, and jars holding different assortments of herbs.
“Items from my apothecary shop,” Flit answered. “These are my most popular.”
Apothecary. It made me think of Briar. He could spend hours in one of those shops, admiring plants and trinkets and flipping through the books on herbology and alchemy, his hazel eyes alight with interest. I missed him so damn much.
“Ah.” Flit nodded. “I see you’ve spotted the rare grimoire.”
My hand rested on top of a dark green book. “Grimoire?”
“Yes, yes.” Flit leaned in closer. “Rare and filled with powerful spells. I’m willing to part with it for the very reasonable price of—”
“Not interested,” Rowan said.
I gave him another jab to the ribs and offered Flit a smile. “Forgive him. He doesn’t get out much. Um. So what are these?” I motioned to the vials.
“Energizing elixirs to battle the fatigue of everyday life, ones that clear the mind and give clarity, and—” Flit winked at me. “—even potions to bless one’s love life.”
“I assure you he needs no help with that. He has his own harem,” Rowan said, then jerked away before I could elbow him again. The butthole.
I thanked Flit for his time, then dragged Rowan away from the stall before he spouted off more nonsense.
“Have to confess,” he said. “I like you manhandling me. You can yank me a little harder though. I like it rough.”
I stumbled in step, which sent him into a laughing fit. This carefree and playful side of Rowan was different. Unexpected—much like the entire evening had been so far.
Also unexpected? The sudden familiarity of the festival. Among the glowing paper lanterns, there were red and green ribbons strung from post to post, green wreaths decorated with red bows, and an evergreen tree in the center of the square decorated with wooden ornaments, berries, and colorful blown-glass orbs that radiated soft white light.
“Briar mentioned many villages and towns have Yule festivals.” I approached the tree. “I guess this is one of them?”
“Looks like it. The winter solstice is a special time for those of us with magic.” Rowan tipped his head to peer up at the large evergreen. “Not only on the actual day but in the days leading up to it as well.”
“Special how?”
“Abilities are enhanced for some people. Their spells are more powerful, as is their flow of mana. For others, it revitalizes the soul and gives clarity.”
“Has it given you clarity?” I looped my arm through his and patted his bicep. “Maybe showed you that kidnapping is wrong?”
Rowan’s eyes crinkled at the edges before he averted them from mine. “No clarity for me. My mind’s more clouded than ever.”
“Flit has an elixir for that.”
He snorted. “Flit tried to sell you a fake grimoire. His items are so worthless I wouldn’t even steal one of them.”
“It was fake? Really? How could you tell?”
“Because it had no magical energy,” he answered. “The elixirs seemed to be nothing more than a concoction of water and scented oils. Only effect they’ll have is make you sick.”
“Yikes. I had no idea.”
“You really are too trusting. I see why your men worry over you as much as they do.” He pulled from my hold. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.” I’d been stuffed after dinner, but some time had passed since then. Being whisked through the air on Rowan’s back and screaming for my life had burned some calories, making room for a snack or two.
Rowan jerked his head for me to follow and walked toward another cluster of food stalls.
Had he reached his limit for physical touch? Or was it my fault? Was I the cause of his clouded mind, and he wanted to put distance between us to allow him space to sort it out?
“You coming?” Rowan called from over his shoulder. “I know your legs are short and at war with the ground most days, but if you don’t pick up pace, I’ll have no choice but to carry you again. And by carry, I mean go on another rooftop adventure. Maybe jump from tree to tree this time too, finding the tallest trees in the whole forest.”
“You’re so mean to me.” I rushed to catch up to him. I’d been too lost in my head and hadn’t noticed my short shuffles forward. Turtles moved faster. “And our legs are about the same size, so hush.”
“Hush,” he repeated with a shake of his head. “If you were any cuter, it’d be criminal.”
“Says the actual criminal.”
Without looking at me, Rowan reached back and grabbed my wrist, pulling me along with him. Not holding my hand, but he was still touching me.
Relationships were hard work, and I’d had difficulties with all of my men. It had taken time to learn each other’s quirks and find our rhythm. Maddox’s stubbornness. Briar’s low self-image where he didn’t feel worthy of love. And Lake’s aversion to people derived from a life of isolation.
But Rowan seemed like he’d be the biggest challenge yet. Hot one moment and cold the next. Wanting affection, then throwing it as far away from him as possible.
“Fancy a pastry?” a woman asked as we reached her food stand. “I have pecan and cinnamon, as well as ones filled with chocolate and—”
“I detest sweets,” Rowan muttered before dragging me along.
I waved at her as we passed. “They look delicious!”
“They looked dry,” Rowan told me once we were out of her earshot. “Yours are much better.”
“Yeah?” I smiled. “How would you know? You haven’t even tried mine.”
He peered at me, then glanced away. “Let’s keep looking.”
“Are you craving something in particular?”
He shrugged. “I’ll know it when I see it.”
“That place has meatballs on a stick,” I said, seeing a man receive his order. He handed one stick to the pretty girl beside him. She had a poofy tail, like one of those super-fluffy white cats. “Unless you don’t like balls.”
When Rowan smiled, that snaggletooth flashed. “Depends on the balls.”
Maddox would’ve laughed at that. My grumpy captain had the humor of a twelve-year-old boy. To maintain his stern reputation when I’d first met him, he’d walked away to laugh at some of the perverted shit that flew out of my mouth. Now, he didn’t hide those laughs from me.
My chin quaked.
“Evan?” Rowan stopped walking.
“I’m okay.” I smiled at him. “Just in my head.”
“You’re a dreadful liar. But whatever. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.” He continued walking, and his grip on my wrist loosened before he joined our hands instead.
No, he wouldn’t push me to tell him. That wasn’t his style. Yet, as his warm palm slid against mine, his touch said what he didn’t: that he was there for me.
“I was thinking of Maddox. I… I miss him and Briar. A lot.”
“You’ll see them again.” Rowan’s tone was softer than usual. “So stop pouting. It makes you look like a sad toad.”
He was trying to comfort me in his own special way. And it worked.
“A toad?” I put a pep in my step, bouncing. Then, I lunged at him, throwing both arms around his neck. “Ribbit, ribbit.”
Rowan’s eyes widened, and he looked at me like I… well, like I was indeed a freaking man-sized amphibian. But then that snaggletooth reappeared, and he laughed. Hard. “It’s not every day I get attacked by such an adorable toad.”
“Well, it’s not every day that I get to almost fall to my death from a rooftop. Or almost get ripped off by a demi-falcon selling phony grimoires and potions. That’s all thanks to you.”
“Glad I could be of service.” Rowan rolled his eyes. There was something playful about it. “Trouble seems to follow you everywhere, so I’m sure I’ll—”
He came to a sharp stop and spun to the side, his gaze darting around us. All humor drained from his face.
“What’s wrong?”
He twisted in the other direction. “Do you smell that?”
Without giving me the chance to respond, he took off. We jogged for several paces, passing more decorated trees and statues adorned with green garland. I definitely smelled something but couldn’t place it. Too many other smells were mingled in for me to know which one he meant. Cooking meat, caramelized onions, bread fresh from the oven, something roasted and nutty, and traces of sweet.
Rowan’s gaze roamed the area. “Over there!”
He then shot off toward a food stall to the left. A man worked behind it, messing with some sort of furnace. He removed a tray and shook it once before grinding seasoning on top, then setting the tray aside. The closer we got, the more my mouth watered.
“Evenin’,” the man greeted us. His medium-length black hair was tucked behind both ears, though one strand fell forward and had a silver ornament woven within it, like a decorative braid. Pale green eyes were a sharp contrast to his bronzed skin. “You lads hungry?”
His accent reminded me of Rowan’s. A slight inflection.
“Always,” I responded, eyeing the goods on the table. “What do you have?”
He stepped over to one side of the stand, where paper containers lined up in various rows. “An assortment of fire-roasted nuts. Chestnuts, almonds, and pecans. Some are sweetened with brown sugar, cinnamon, or maple, and others are savory with my own blend of peppers that range from mild to the level of a fire-breathin’ dragon.”
“You’re from Solynia,” Rowan said in a tone that hovered somewhere between disbelief and excitement.
“Solynia?” I asked.
“Aye,” the man answered, then slapped a hand to his beefy chest. “The name’s Axel.”
Rowan’s eyes widened. “What brings you north?”
“The hope for a better life,” Axel said. “My shop caught fire and burned to the ground. Tried to rebuild from the ashes but never found my footin’ again, so I packed up and left Solynia. My travels eventually brought me here. Have another shop now, and it’s doin’ well enough to get by. Festivals like these bring in good business.”
“You had a husband,” Rowan said. There was a slight tremble in his hand.
Did Rowan know this guy? He had shared a little about his past, but I knew nothing apart from him living on the streets.
Axel nodded. “We’re still together. Patience of a saint, that one. How Wren puts up with me, I’ll never know.” He laughed and tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear where it’d fallen forward. “I take it we’ve met before, lad?”
Rowan dropped his gaze. Said nothing.
Axel observed him for several beats before there was a flicker of recognition. “That red hair. Quite unique. I met a boy once with that shade.”
Rowan’s hand stopped trembling. He’d gone completely still.
“Such a sad little thing, starvin’ on the street and wearing nothin’ but a ratty tunic twice as big as he was,” Axel continued. “Wren and I found him in an alley, close to death. We brought him in from the cold, bathed him, and gave him a warm meal. Poor lad ate so fast he made himself sick. Broke my heart, it did. He even fell asleep that night with a piece of bread clutched in his little fist.”
Rowan’s eyes had a faraway look in them.
“He stayed with us for several nights. Then one mornin’, he was gone. He took a bag of our peppered almonds and left behind a button from his shirt as though it were a bit of coin. Damn if I didn’t treasure that button. It was all he had.” Axel’s gaze didn’t leave Rowan. “I hope wherever that lad is now, he’s found a good home and someone who’ll care for him.”
I blinked back tears.
Rowan cleared his throat and lifted his head. He’d thrown up a wall, hiding whatever emotion that’d stirred. “That boy died long ago. He was too frail to survive in this world.”
Pain reflected in Axel’s eyes before he grabbed three bags and offered them to Rowan. “Then take these in his place. They were his favorite.”
***
The noise of the festival was muted from our perch on the rooftop. The beating of drums and musical flutter of flutes sounded in the distance, but the world was much quieter so high up.
People passed far below us, their forms lit by the glow of the lanterns lining the streets. Little wisps of color burst into the air from the performer on stage in the center plaza. A magician, by the look of it. Claps followed each trick.
Rowan hadn’t said much since we’d left Axel’s stall. He’d just led me away before shifting me onto his back and jumping up into a nearby tree. With the type of grace and sure-footedness I’d never have, he moved across the branches and then climbed up the side of the nearest building.
“Those smell good.” I nodded to the bags of almonds. He hadn’t eaten any yet. He’d only stared down at them with that faraway look in his eyes.
“Here.” Rowan placed a bag in my lap. “They taste even better.”
“Thanks.” The bag crinkled as I worked it open and popped an almond into my mouth. Spices burst across my tongue, the explosion of bold flavor a shock to my taste buds. Between mild and fire-breathing level of spice, it sat somewhere in the middle. Not too spicy but enough to feel the burning tingle in the back of my throat. “Holy crap.”
“Good, right?”
“Better than good. Don’t judge me if I eat this entire bag.” I ate another, feeling more at ease when he started eating some too. “So. You like spicy food. I’ll keep that in mind for meals going forward.”
“You say that like you expect me to be around.”
“What do you mean?” I turned more toward him. “I thought that was the plan.”
The moon and stars shone brightly in the night sky, but his face remained shadowed. He’d positioned his hood higher up, trying to hide. From the world.
From me.
“I never stay anywhere for long,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “The sooner you accept that, the easier this will be.”
“What is ‘this’ exactly, Rowan? Because this back and forth is confusing as hell. You’re the one who tracked me down and insisted on traveling with me to Exalos. You said you wanted to woo me.”
He snorted. “Damn. I did say that, didn’t I?”
“Yep. Sure did. No take backs.” I ate another handful of almonds. The roasted pepperiness of them was an addiction waiting to happen. “The romantic outing and spicy nuts are a good start to that wooing.”
“Romantic outing?”
“Stealing me away for a night on the town.” I flicked a hand toward the festival. “I’m having fun, even if it was terrifying at first.”
“I’ll treasure your screeches of terror until my dying day.” The smile in his voice was a good sign. I was worried the run-in with Axel had completely closed him off. “I’m… glad you’re having fun.”
Rowan could seem so cocky one moment, then awkward the next. Which side was the real him? Because of my tendency to overthink literally everything, I dwelled on what he’d said about not staying in one place for too long.
Did he expect to get in my pants and then leave without a trace?
A pressure built in the center of my chest. “I won’t pretend to know what you’re thinking. I’ve always been a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to reading people. But I hope you do stick around after this trip.”
“Why?” Rowan brought his knees up and rested his arms on them, the hood falling lower and hiding more of his face as he angled his head down. That silly hood needed to be destroyed. I wanted to rip it off.
“Because I haven’t been able to get you out of my head either,” I admitted. “Not since the day you jumped from that tree and Evan-napped me.”
He lifted his head and pushed back his hood, finally showing his face. “I can tell you mean that.”
“I do.” I brought my cloak tighter against me as the evening breeze picked up. “As you know, I’m a dreadful liar.”
“You really are,” Rowan said with a short laugh. He scooted closer to me. “We can leave if you’re cold.”
“Nah, I’m okay. It’s a nice night.”
I wasn’t ready for it to end.
Despite the occasional cool breeze, the temperature was comfortable. Probably sixty degrees Fahrenheit, give or take a few degrees. Sitting so close to him helped too. Warmth poured off him, like he was made of sun-heated sand.
“Are you feeling all right?” he asked, fidgeting with the bag of almonds. “You’d usually be asking a hundred questions by now.”
He didn’t need to specify for me to know what he meant.
“I have some self-restraint, you know.” I exaggerated a huff. “I can be quiet when I want to be. Sometimes.”
He softly smiled and reclined back, resting a hand behind me on the rooftop. His arm brushed my side. “I was born in Solynia.”
“Where’s that?”
“South. About as far south as you can go before hitting the sea. The summers are sweltering with humidity that clings to every part of you. Winters are mild but sometimes get cold enough to see a flurry or two. I always dreaded winter. Even mild ones are rough when you have no roof over your head or a warm bed to crawl into. But it gave a reprieve from the flying, bloodsucking bugs at least.”
“Sounds like we grew up in a similar place,” I said, thinking of my other life in Arkansas. The flying bugs he mentioned had to be mosquitoes. Those little bastards. They were so evil they tormented two different worlds.
“Is that so?” He reached into the bag for an almond and placed it to my lips, smiling when I accepted it. “I thought you were from Bremloc.”
“Nope.” Pangs of sadness hit my heart. “But Bremloc’s my home now. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
When—or if—Rowan chose to stay with me, I’d eventually tell him about my whole “being from another world” thing, but for now, I’d keep it to myself.
“The sunsets in Solynia were so vibrant,” Rowan continued. “I used to climb onto the roof of the tavern and watch them. It was my favorite time of day, when the light faded and welcomed night.”
“Why?”
“The shadows,” he answered. “They were the only family I had. Pathetic, right?”
“No.” I couldn’t fight the urge and curled up to him, resting my head on his shoulder. “It makes me want to hug you though.”
We sat for a while, listening to the distant sounds of the festival. His muscles were tense, but he didn’t pull away as I cuddled against him. Maybe some part of him craved the comfort just as much as I craved giving it to him.
“What of your family?” he then asked.
“I didn’t have one growing up. Never knew my parents.” Though, the closer we got to Exalos, the closer I got to possibly learning more about my mom. It made me excited and nervous.
Rowan’s fingers ghosted along my side, as though he wanted to hold me but struggled with knowing how. “You were an orphan like me?”
“Yeah.” I tilted my face to the starry night sky. “Not to sound cheesy, but I didn’t know what love felt like until meeting Maddox and Briar. Then, Lake came into my life and deepened that love. They’re my family now. So are Callum, Duke, and the other knights. Prince Sawyer and Kuya too.”
Rowan withdrew his arm and returned it to his drawn-up knee. “Families are a burden. They chain you to one place. It’s better to be free of those attachments.”
“Is that why you left Axel and Wren? So you wouldn’t form any attachments?” I kept my gaze on the stars.
Silence.
I chanced a peek at Rowan. He stared at the crescent moon above us, jaw tight.
“You’re the boy Axel was talking about, aren’t you?”
“As I told him, that boy died long ago.” He rose from the roof and dusted off his pants. “Come on. I’ll take you back before the wolf comes hunting for you.”
The journey back to the inn was quiet. He didn’t tease me or grace me with his smart-ass mouth. We walked along the road instead of flying across rooftops, something that should’ve made me happy but didn’t. Our footsteps echoed against the cobblestone street. Well, my footsteps. His were soundless.
“Sorry if I upset you,” I said once we’d walked for several blocks. The street was mostly deserted, apart from the occasional groups of people shuffling in and out of the nearby taverns—the only places with light spilling through the windows while all other shops remained dark. Everyone must’ve been either sleeping, at the festival, or drinking themselves silly.
Rowan kept his gaze forward.
His lack of a response amped up my anxiety. I was a total people-pleaser and hated when I did something wrong. Just as I was wracking my brain for something—anything—to say, he grabbed me by both arms and shoved me into a narrow alleyway.
“Rowan, what—”
“Shh.” His mouth pressed to my ear as he pinned me to the wall. “We’re being followed.”
My scalp tingled as his words registered. Heavy footsteps then came from the direction we’d just been. I tried not to breathe too loud as those steps grew closer. A familiar form then took shape at the head of the alley. I’d recognize that mountain anywhere.
“It’s Ban,” I whispered. “He’s one of the guards escorting me.”
Rowan placed his hand over my mouth. “Stay quiet.”
My visual of the guard distorted a bit, as though a dark cloud had wrapped around us. Rowan’s magic. He was cloaking us within the shadows, hiding our presence. But why would he hide us from a guard ordered to protect me?
Ban stood there for several moments, staring directly at us, it seemed like, before moving on. His heavy steps retreated, the echo growing fainter.
“Okay, why did we hide from him? He—”
“You can’t trust anyone,” Rowan interjected, still pressed against me. The heat of his body seeped into mine. “Not the coachman. Not the guards. Not even the two knights you call your family. Trust no one except for your wolf.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
I lightly huffed. “I’m not a kid, Rowan. I can handle the truth. All of this cryptic craziness is making me… well, crazy.”
“The truth?” His topaz eyes bled through the darkness. “The kingdom of Haran has infiltrated the Order of Knights and managed to shift alliances of some men already within the ranks. Friends could now be foes. A knight you give your silly little muffins to one day could be the one who drives a blade through your captain’s heart.”
“Please don’t say that,” I said, sick by the thought. I would’ve given anything to see Maddox right then. To hold him and know he was okay.
Rowan’s brow wrinkled. “Your captain is too stubborn and irritating to fall victim to an enemy’s trap. So stop worrying. Before we left, I gave him names and what I know of their plan.”
“Which is what?”
“First, attacking the knights from the inside,” he answered. “Do you recall the patrol of Third Order knights who were killed in the dark wood?”
I nodded. “I met Captain Braun the day after the attack. He was upset over the death of his men.”
“Well, demons didn’t kill his men.”
“Huh?”
“The knights received word about demons approaching the kingdom and set out to confront the horde,” Rowan explained. “It was a ruse. A member of the patrol party was one of the infiltrators. He waited until they were isolated in the dark wood before making his move. He set off a signal for others waiting nearby. Dark mages. They then hit the knights with magical attacks that ripped them open as though they’d been mauled by demons. The knights never even saw it coming.”
“Why make it look like a demon attack?”
“To shift blame, I suppose.” Rowan drew back and grabbed my wrist, pulling me from the wall. “Making it look like a bandit attack would’ve caused suspicion of Haran’s involvement, seeing as to how the king used bandits in the scheme to abduct the prince. But demons would place the blame on Lord Onyx.”
“A smokescreen, like last time,” I said, walking with him from the alley and back onto the street. “While the knights are busy fighting demons, that gives Haran the advantage.”
“Aye. It’s my thinking anyway.”
“Okay. So why can’t I trust the guards? We’ve already established I’m no one of importance. I could bump right into one of the Haran spies or whatever, and they wouldn’t waste time on me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Rowan’s hold on my wrist tightened. “The autumn ball was a sort of public declaration of your relationship with Maddox and Briar. Both men are of high standing within society. The precious sweetheart of the court physician and the captain of the Second Order would make for a fine ransom opportunity. Your café has also increased your standing in society.”
“Oh. I didn’t think about that.”
He snorted. “Of course not.”
“What about you? Can I trust you?”
Rowan’s expression became unreadable, the amusement flitting away. He didn’t need to wear a mask or hood in order to hide. “I meant what I said about not wanting to hurt you, little treasure. But don’t put your faith in someone like me. You’ll only get burned in the end.”
“You told me once I’d burn you too. Like taking a drink of spiced rum. But here you are. So maybe burning isn’t always bad.”
There was a brief flicker of emotion in his eyes before he shoved it back down. He stopped walking and tipped his face up to the building. “Home sweet home.”
We’d reached the inn.
When I stepped toward the front door, he hooked an arm around my waist. Confused, I looked at him.
“I have an aversion to doors, remember? Up we go.” Rowan shifted me to his back before leaping up and grabbing the edge of the low-hanging roof.
I kept my eyes closed as he scaled the building, losing my courage from earlier. Already being high in the air was different than a slow ascent upward, seeing the ground stretch farther below you.
“Here we are.” Rowan ducked through the window and dropped me, quite literally, onto the floor of the room.
I landed on my ass with a thud . “Ow.”
“Evan!” The scent of peaches tickled my nose before arms came around me.
“Brought him back to you safe and sound,” Rowan told Lake before hopping back onto the windowsill. As a low growl filled the air, he clicked his tongue. “Be a good pup and keep those teeth to yourself.”
“Wait,” I said before he could leave. “Where are you staying tonight?”
Rowan motioned to the sights beyond the window. “Wherever I want. The city is my playground.”
And then, he was gone.
“Insufferable thief,” I mumbled.
“Are you all right?” Lake helped me to my feet and gently rubbed my backside.
I laughed. “Believe me. I may be skinny, but I definitely have some cushion back there. I’m fine.” I stepped into his embrace and breathed him in. The muscles I hadn’t even realized were wound tight relaxed. “Hi.”
“Hello.” Lake nuzzled my hair. “I was good and didn’t follow you, even though I wanted to.”
“Good boy.” I hugged him closer, and more of my tension fell away. The sudden wave of relaxation had my eyes closing.
“Time for bed?”
“Time for bed,” I agreed, then let him guide me that way. I was exhausted, and we had another long day of travel waiting for us in the morning.
After I washed off using the water basin in the corner and tugged on my sleeping tunic, we turned out the light and cuddled together in bed. Lake was so attuned to my emotions and picked up on my worries. About Maddox and Briar. About the traitors among the orders of knights and the likely escalation of war with Haran. So, he did the one thing that always eased my restless mind.
He sang me a lullaby.
The words were in his native tongue, but given the sweet melody, I’d bet the lyrics spoke of love. The kind of soul-deep love I felt while pressed against him. My shooting star. Beautiful and pure and who’d brightened my entire sky simply for existing.