Page 101 of Frost Bound

“Excuse me for my presumptuousness,” she replied, feeling all the eyes on her keenly. She wasn’t shy when it came to performing for a crowd, but this wasn’t her performance. She’d interrupted their music.

He shook his head. “The song spoke to you. It reached out and touched your soul. Music is to be shared, no?”

She smiled and pulled coins out of her pocket. She dropped them into the open case at the troupe’s feet. “Thank you for sharing your song with me. It is I who is blessed.”

“Will you sing one more with us?” he asked.

Dahlia almost said yes, but paused when she swore she saw Jekket move through the crowd. She shook her head no and moved toward where she’d seen the Giver’s second in command. He was nowhere to be found.

Had she imagined him?

She was lighterthan she’d been in days.

Lia practically skipped through the palace. She’d lost her guards somewhere along the way and had snuck into the nearest servants’ staircase. Once she’d hit the laundry, Dahlia had stripped out of her finery and dressed in her leathers, linen shirt, vest, and boots. All she had to do was bring a few treats from the kitchen, and a few of Serenity’s discarded feathers, and the laundry staff kept her secret.

Tonight, she was getting to the lower levels.

She’d heard that the training grounds were below, along with the stables. She still hadn’t abandoned her plan of escape, but she needed a war horse.

Getting down to the lower levels was tricky.

The security tightened, but no one was looking for a small woman. It was easy to go unseen.

That was until the last checkpoint, where it opened onto the waterfall and the endless staircase. At least, that’s what she’d heard.

Lia lurked in the shadow of a column, watching for warriors stationed at the entry point to the cavern. There wasn’t any way to go about it but to just walk through. She was thereilleve. They had no reason to detain her, and Neve was dealing with a skirmish and was out of the city. They wouldn’t be able to stop her.

She exhaled, and then stepped into view.

Immediately the warriors spotted her. They waited as she sauntered toward them, a smile on her face.

“Hello,” she said. “I hope youvalloshave a good evening.”

As she went to step past them, a spear blocked her way. She stared at the iron weapon, before drawing herself up to her full height to glare at the warrior who dared block her. He blinked slowly at her, but didn’t relent.

“Get out of my way, warrior.”

He held firm.

“Are you denying yourreilleve?” she asked softly.

He wavered, and the guard behind him shot off in Loriian. It sounded like a warning.

The warrior withdrew his spear and bowed low.

“Good choice.”

Heart pounding, she strode past them, trying not to sprint away lest they drag her back. The thunder of rushing water grew louder and the light brighter. She slowed as she reached the end of the raw stone corridor and gaped like the peasant bard she was.

It was a massive cavern that seemed like it had no end. Weak sunlight peeked in from above, the gems sparkled in the light and prisms reflected off the waterfall that flowed down like an icy sheet in the center. A stone staircase was carved into the walls, wide enough to fit twenty giants shoulder to shoulder.

Lia stepped onto the stairs, keeping close to the wall as she descended. She shivered at the cold air that cut through her linen shirt, but kept moving. When would she get another chance like this? She couldn’t even understand how the architecture worked, but it was a wonder that took her breath away.

She picked up her speed as she passed an exit with several more guards stationed there. She glimpsed several surprised faces as she jogged down the stairs. Word would be teeming in the palace about her little adventure soon enough. She wanted to get closer to the edge and look down, but there was no railing, and the idea of falling wasn’t one she relished.

A prickling started between her shoulder blades, and she glanced over her shoulder.

No one was there.

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