Chapter 20 Colgrave #2
I grabbed the small book of stories I’d found in her room when I went to gather her nightdress earlier.
The moment Micah gave the go-ahead, I would have her clothed and covered.
It didn’t feel right to keep her laid out without having her permission to do so.
I read to her, just as my mother had for me on particularly challenging nights.
“Col,” Micah said, tapping lightly on the doorframe.
I pulled back the sheet I’d hung.
“I see she must be awake and feeling well,” he said sarcastically as he scanned my near-naked body.
“She’s not,” I said matter-of-factly, not in any mood to play.
“Dolcie’s here, like you requested, and she brought Edithiya with her,” he said. “That kid has too much energy this early in the morning.”
“I’ll be down.” I turned to let the sheet hang, but he caught it in his hand.
“There’s more … another seep has stalled, and someone was seen near it. It was on the northern ridge, so by the time the guard was notified, they were already flying away,” he continued. “A witch.”
“The Avernus coven returned?” I shook my head. They weren’t going to relent.
“No.” He looked away, his voice so soft I thought I misheard. “Graystorm witches.”
I flinched. “Why would Thalion’s coven be tampering with our seeps?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but it makes sense now, doesn’t it? Or at least part of it—they know the locations of our seeps. Your father must’ve told them.”
Threats from the Oras were something each of the kingdoms lived with, but witches from my own lineage causing harm was unexpected. We’d left them alone, yet they couldn’t do the same for us.
Throwing on clothes, I hesitated and looked over at Audryn. Her face seemed pained despite her deep slumber. I placed a kiss on her forehead and spared one last glance before stepping out.
“Col!” Edithiya ran at me with her arms extended as I scooped her up. “You kept us safe! Audryn said you would.”
“Oh, she did, huh?” My chest ached as I set the girl down. “What else did she tell you?”
“Your girlfriend brought Edith home when the attack happened,” Dolcie interrupted. “Tell her thank you.” Her sentiment wasn’t filled with gratitude, but contempt.
“I’ll let you thank her yourself.” I cocked my head and didn’t correct the label she’d given Audryn. “What happened yesterday? I’m still piecing everything together.”
She pursed her lips, shook her head, and shrugged.
Amalee cleared her throat.
“Well?” I threw out a hand at Dolcie. I might share mutual respect with every person in Kuroden, but it wouldn’t extend to those who intentionally withheld pertinent information.
“You should never have brought her here. It’s been almost a year since we were last attacked. Then she’s here, and the capital is in chaos.” The woman twirled a lock of yellow hair around her finger.
“Yesterday had nothing to do with Audryn. If anything, it sounds like she went out of her way to help Edithiya in your absence.”
“Oh, I’m not saying she didn’t.” She stepped forward and ran a finger across the top of my chest. “But we all know the real hero here is you.”
Amalee exhaled loudly behind me.
“When are you coming to dinner, Col?” Dolcie purred. “I miss the night we—”
“Kissed!” Edith said in a singsong voice. “Mother wants you to kiss her more!” The girl mimicked kissing noises against the back of her hand.
I grabbed Dolcie’s wrist and tossed it to the side.
“That was more than a year ago, after copious amounts of wine. And I don’t intend to make that mistake again.
” My eyes darkened to black as my emotions raged.
I was on the edge of destroying everything in my path, including the woman in front of me.
“You have to be careful of the big bad witch.” Edith’s eyes went wide as her mouth formed into an O and made an Ooooh sound. “She knows where we live,” she whispered.
Amalee stepped forward, and I threw out my hand to stop her.
“Tell me exactly what happened or your child will not only be fatherless, she will be without a mother as well,” I growled.
Dolcie’s chin quivered for a beat before she replaced her expression with a sweet mask. “Audryn brought Edithiya home, and there happened to be a witch there.” She batted her eyelashes and shrugged.
“And then what?” I snarled.
“And then mother said, 'take Audryn because Col loves her'.” Edith bounced on the sofa. “But you love Mama and you’re gonna get married. Mama’s going to be the queen.”
“Tell me you don’t have your daughter believing your delusions,” my sister snorted, and then lowered her voice. “I would destroy your insides, but it appears they’re already rotten.”
The front of Dolcie’s pants darkened as she quaked from the threat of Amalee’s magic humming through the air. I was the King of Mercy, but my sister was the Princess of Brutality and everyone knew it.
I turned to the jumping girl. “I’m sorry, but I love Audryn, and she’s going to be my wife. She will be our queen.”
“I love Audryn too!” The girl was becoming breathless. “She put me in a trash can!”
I laughed at her imagination, and it was enough to lighten my mood just a fraction. With a rogue smile, I turned to Dolcie and leaned in close. “Approach my love, or even look in her direction again, and I will hang you in the square for all to see. Get out of our house.”