Chapter 29 The Black Rose
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Black Rose
Alex
The smell of breakfast woke Alex from a deep sleep.
Stretching, she groaned, wishing she could stay in bed for just a few more minutes.
Spoiled. She had been so damn spoiled in Varon.
Her body protested her movements, wanting to fall back into sleep, but her bladder had other ideas.
Sitting up, she let out a yelp as she saw Davin.
“I was starting to be concerned that there was a wild animal in the room with all that noise.” Davin mused from where he leaned against the door frame, trying not to laugh at her. She ignored his comment and hurled a pillow at his face, wincing at the sharp pinch in her side.
“You shouldn’t attack a man who is just trying to make sure you’re fed!”
A second pillow flew at his head. That one more forceful than the last, but it proved to be her error. She’d thrown the only two pillows on the bed, leaving her nothing to lie back on.
“Fine. I’m up. You happy?” she grumbled. For all her talk about getting out of there early, Alex’s body had denied her that chance.
“Yes, actually.” Davin replied. “Come eat, and then I’ll head into town.”
Alex watched him saunter away, wishing that she had another pillow to hurl at him.
She knew she should be grateful but teasing him was too easy.
Making her way to the washroom, Alex cleaned up and dressed for the day ahead, taking note of the pain and weakness that were ever present in her side and forearm.
Flexing her fist, she strained to rotate her arm.
It was stiff and resisted the movement. Three weeks should have been plenty of time to heal, and the skin had, but it was as if the tissue underneath were swollen and inflamed.
When she finally made it to the kitchen, Davin was placing a fresh cup of coffee on the table next to her plate.
After three weeks on the road with him, she’d gotten used to their routine and accustomed to his presence.
But the intimate setting, sitting at his little breakfast table, in his home, had her feeling uncomfortable and on edge.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked as she sat, her chair scraping across the wood floor.
“Like a log, though I could probably sleep for a week straight before I start to feel human again.”
“Then you should rest more today. You need your strength back. I will be leaving after breakfast for town anyway. Tell me what you need.”
Alex swallowed before responding. “No need, I’m fine. I’ll go.”
He didn’t respond right away but she knew if she looked up, he would be glaring at her. If he thought that was going to change her mind, then he’d have to pay more attention to the kind of woman she was.
“I’ve been gone for weeks and need to replenish,” Davin argued.
“The horses need to be taken care of, so we both can’t leave for the day, and I need to get word out to my battalion anyway. I’ll just make a stop after and grab what you need.” Alex countered.
“Why don’t we just go together? We could…”
“No.” Alex cut him off, then soothed the harsh word with an explanation. “I have someone I need to meet.” She didn’t elaborate, hoping he’d drop it. Seeing the fight go out of him, she knew she had won. Why did that not sit well with her?
“I see,” Davin said, his expression guarded. “I won’t get in your way.” He cleared away their plates. “At least take some of my coin. I won’t have you buying my supplies.”
Letting out a breath laced in frustration, Alex practically growled. “I do not need your coin. I can handle it.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air ripe with building tension.
“Take it as a thank you for all of your help.” She offered.
“What I did, I did freely. I never asked for your ‘Thank yous.”
“Well, I never asked for your help, but here we are.” Alex bit back. “You should have just let me leave on my own.”
“That’s not the kind of man I am.”
Alex rolled her eyes. She hated when men went all chivalrous.
She wasn’t a damsel in distress and could very well take care of herself.
Hurt and anger flashed through his eyes at her show of annoyance.
Turning away, he dumped their dishes in the washbasin and walked out the back door without another word.
What the hell was that about? She knew that she was stubborn but his volatile response left her confused.
Alex didn’t have time to think upon it for long though; she needed to get moving.
Looking around the kitchen, she made a note of the supplies that Davin would likely need, as he hadn’t given her a list, and she wasn’t about to go after him to find out.
Whatever she didn’t get, he could go retrieve himself.
She threw on her pack and was out the front door.
The long walk to Lasair would be worth it to avoid further argument with Davin.
She could get in and out unnoticed if she was on foot; a horse would draw too much attention.
She would get her message out to the Recovery Battalion and then she needed to see a blacksmith.
Davin
The absurd words he’d uttered rolled around in his mouth.
That’s not the kind of man he was. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but he had no blasted control of his tongue when it came to Alex being unreasonable.
Where the hell had that come from? He was not a good man, not even a decent man.
Sure, he had morals that he tried to abide by, but good?
No. A good man wouldn’t be pining over a woman who was clearly still hung up on someone, who she very obviously came here to see.
Alex was from Brynn; she’d said so on their travels.
She’d also made it a point to stop them from taking things further at the inn, and then again last night.
At first, he had tried talking to her, asking about her, her family, her friends, if there was a reason, a someone whom she loved or cared for, but she always managed to be evasive or give half answers or make up some excuse why the horses needed water or even once or twice she’d simply pretended not to hear him.
More than likely it was because she had been on her way to see him.
Jealousy coursed through Davin’s veins bright and hot, startling him out of his thoughts.
She was gorgeous, sexy, admittedly dangerous, and damned smart.
Why wouldn’t he want her? Besides the fact that he knew basically nothing significant about her.
Or that she was being hunted for an undetermined reason, or maybe simply because he wasn’t sure she wanted him.
Davin had let his temper get away from him.
He knew she didn’t deserve that. He wasn’t used to women making demands of him though.
He was usually the one in charge, the one who took complete control.
Alex was different though; she pushed back and tested his patience.
And by Anva, he couldn't get enough of it. But that was a dangerous thought path. It left him wanting things she clearly didn’t want in return.
The mare that he was brushing let out a whinny, drawing his focus back to the task at hand. Alex had been right; there was a lot to do, though he’d never admit that to her.
Alex
It had been easier to get the correspondence out than Alex had anticipated.
Lasair’s steady thrum of activity welcomed her home.
Although much had changed since she left, the landmarks of her childhood remained.
Growing up, Alex had known the smell of hot metal and fire, forest and sky, surrounded by so many sounds at all times.
The path she walked now, her feet knew better than any other, even with so much time having passed since she last took these steps.
When she reached the front of the forge, she inhaled deeply, heat barrelling into her from the open windows on either side of the door. Alex knew she’d be drenched in sweat the moment she entered, but she still smiled as she walked in.
There was no sneaking up on Caius Ember.
He knew you were there almost before you knew yourself.
Alex threw her hands on her hips at the darkly tanned man standing before her, wiping sweat from his brow.
He was already moving towards her, quicker than she thought possible, his salt and pepper hair falling longer than she remembered.
“Hi, Dad,” she squeaked as he enveloped her in a tight hug, closing completely around her small frame.
“My girl is home.” Such a wide smile looked ridiculous on his intimidating features.
She could only grin into his chest. Pulling back, Alex looked up into his dark blue eyes, her own brimming with tears that she had held at bay for months.
He was the one person in the entire realm who might offer some help, some saving grace of information.
“Are you well? Are you injured?” Caius spoke softly, cupping her face in his big hands.
“I’m fine, just bone weary from my travels. It’s been a hell of a few months for me.”
He gazed down at her, refusing to release her as he searched for his answer in her eyes.
“Brandon!” Caius barked to the back room. A young boy with floppy brown hair and freckles popped his head in, his eyes growing wide at the sight of Alex.
“I’m going out for a bit. Have Marta’s blades shined and ready when I return.”
“Yes, sir,” Brandon replied without hesitation.
Her father steered her out the door and onto the street. He could always sense her underlying turmoil. He had seen it clearly in her eyes. Alex opened her mouth, words filling it, on the verge of tumbling. Caius shook his head slightly.
“Not here. Not yet.” He warned.
Wordlessly, he pulled her down the familiar streets.
Buildings lined the lane, most looking more derelict in appearance than she remembered.
Nestled into the foray was a pub, just a little bit down the way from his shop.
The Black Rose stood tall, red shutters along the windows, rose bushes laden with full blooms out front.
“When did this get built?” She asked as she looked around, noting the hidden roses carved into the wooden accents.
“A few years back,” Caius said, leading her through the throng of patrons.
It was busy for early afternoon. She had expected him to sit at one of the empty tables or even the bar, but he beckoned her to a hallway off to the side.
The barkeep slipped towards them and, without a word, opened a door leading to a back room set with a round table and chairs.
This was clearly a private meeting place.
He gestured for her to sit at the table between them.
Ordering a drink for them both, he turned back to Alex, the barkeep hurrying away.
“Still well known, I see.” Alex mused, lifting one brow.
“It pays to have the right connections.”
“And little Brandon? The last time I saw him, he was toddling around with Mrs. Landry swatting his butt for eating dirt.” Alex laughed.
It felt good to be here with him. She had missed him.
It had been too long this time. It pained her to know that she was coming to burden him with her problems, but she didn’t have anyone left she could trust to help her right now.
The thought caused a sudden sadness to overflow her senses.
It always hovered on the edge, threatening to drown her, but she pushed it back yet again.
“This isn’t a social visit.” He stated. He’d known she was coming, that she had no doubt. Caius Ember always had his ear to the ground, which meant that he already knew why she was there. Tears welled in her eyes. Looking away, Alex blinked furiously, barely able to get control again.
Reaching out, her father grasped her left hand, holding onto it fiercely. Rough calluses rubbed against her fingers, the sensation calming her as it did when she was a child.
“Alex. Look at me.” Her eyes shot to his. “How are you holding up?”
She knew he meant how was she doing with losing her queen.
How she was doing with being kept in the dark.
She didn’t know if he knew about her true relationship with Rivka or that up until a few months ago, she’d been inseparable from her queen, not for her commitment to the province but because of the depth of their love.
She knew that there was no way that she could tell him all that in a pub, even in the private space they were sitting in.
She wasn’t ready to discuss that part of her life.
Unable to speak the devastating words buried in her heart, she simply squeezed his hand back.
With her right hand, she used shaky fingers to reach into her pocket, pulling the one thing she wished to never use.
The coin had a small set of daggers engraved on one side and a thorned rose etched on the other, its ridges worn with age.
Squeezing it tightly, she flattened the coin on the table and slid it over to her father.