Page 118 of A Curse of Breath and Blood

Tharan chugged his cider, making sure to spill some on himself, and stumbled over to where the twins sat at the bar drinking their ale. I crouched low in the dark.

Tharan swung his arms around the men’s broad shoulders. “Hello, boys. How about a ride on my cock? Or perhaps I could take a ride on yours?”

“What did you say to us?” The twins’ beady eyes turned red.

Tharan seductively brushed his hair out of his face. “I said, do you want to fuck me?”

The scraping of stools on wood rang in my ears as I made my way through a maze of chairs toward the light of the kitchen, trying my best to walk on air.

“Look, we ain’t like that.”Remus’s northern accent made it nearly impossible to decipher his words.

“Aww, but you two would be so much fun to play with.” A mischievous twinkle glimmered in Tharan’s eyes. “You know what they say. Two is better than one.” A sly smile crossed his face just as Remus swung at him.

I ducked into the kitchen, surprising the cook, who almost dropped a soup pot on my head.

“Sorry.” I gave him a genuine smile. “Exit?”

The cook nodded to the door behind him, and I ran for it.

A crowd formed around the tavern as Tharan and the twins brawled.

Berta’s booming voice bellowed over the noise, “Enough! All of you…out!”

Tharan flew out the front door, landing in a snowbank near a farmer selling hogs.

The twins stumbled out after him, Remus holding his hand to his eye, Ramus limping.

I bit my lip as Tharan got to his feet, slinking away from the scene. Waiting until the twins were out of sight, I dashed through the alley after him.

“Are you alright?” I asked, pulling his arm over my shoulder. I wouldn’t be of much help, but I could try.

Tharan gave me a wink, a smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth.

“Faker,” I said, pushing his chest.

“Ow, I’m hurt, and this is how you treat me?” He couldn’t hide his smile.

I shook my head. “You’ll be the death of me.”

He shook his head. “It’s the other way ’round.Youwill be the death of me.”

43AELIA

I shiveredas we walked to the entrance of the sewers, our uniforms providing little in the way of warmth.

The door groaned as Tharan pried it open. His expression darkened. The stench of piss and shit radiated from below, bringing bile to my throat.

“After you, my lady.” He motioned for me to enter.

Feces squished between my toes as my feet tramped through the damp tunnel. Nauseated, I pushed forward. This place would not take anything else from me.

Tharan vomited as soon as his feet hit the sludge.“It’s so much worse than I thought,” he said, gagging.

I handed him two eucalyptus leaves. “Stick these up your nose. They will help.”

Shaking, he took the leaves. Deep feces-filled muck sucked in our steps. Even rats did not dare to tread here.

Blinded by darkness, I ran my fingers along the wall, searching for indicators I carved long ago. “Ah ha! A pyramid means we’re halfway.”

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