Page 17 of The Rebel's Prize

Clearly the conversation was over.

"I'll be at the Crown and Tree," she said to the empty room, despite the fact that he was more than capable of finding her wherever she might go, and then turned her attention to packing.

* * *

After Chloe handed her key back to Sa Ghislani, Lucien held his hand out for her bag, and she passed it over without arguing. He then wasted no time in hustling them out the front door and across town to the Crown and Tree, keeping the pace brisk enough that Chloe was quite warm by the time they reached the inn. Too warm to raise the hood of her cloak to hide her reddened cheeks and what her reflection in the glass of the front doors revealed to be somewhat windswept hair, the humid air of the port freeing curls from the tendrils that had escaped her crown of braids.

The man who opened the door for them wore a long embroidered coat and a far friendlier expression than Ferain's.

The innkeeper—or concierge, maybe—was dressed in an even finer red velvet coat over a snowy white linen tunic and came out from behind his post at the front desk to greet them, a broad smile on his face.

"Ah, Lord Castaigne. You have returned. I trust you had a pleasant evening." He followed this with a respectful bow in Silya's direction. "Hidadra."

"I did, thank you," Lucien said as the man straightened. "This is Lady Castaigne. I trust the third room is ready for her?"

"Of course, my lord," the man said. "All is in order. Welcome to the Crown and Tree, Lady Castaigne. How happy you must be to be reunited with your husband."

"Indeed," Chloe murmured. "My delight cannot be truly expressed in words."

Silya snorted softly. Lucien's eyes narrowed, but he didn't comment.

"Perhaps the key?" Chloe suggested. "We will be leaving early, and I’d like to retire."

"Of course."

Sa Ghislani produced the key with a flourish, and another servant was summoned to escort them up to three flights of stairs and along a long corridor whose wooden floors were softened with layers of rugs. He stopped at one of the doors and gestured toward it.

"Your room, Lady Castaigne," he said. "Please let us know if you need anything. I'm sure your husband can explain the dining arrangements with you."

"I'm sure he can," she agreed with a tight smile. She wasn't hungry but was starting to think a stiff drink would be welcome.

The servant nodded, bowed again, and left.

Chloe fitted the key into the lock, and it turned with little resistance. She started to open the door.

"May I have a word, Lady Castaigne?" Silya asked.

Chloe turned back, startled. "With me?"

Silya smiled. "Is there another Lady Castaigne here?"

"No," Chloe said, then paused. She didn't particularly want an intimate discussion with Silya, but she couldn't think of a decent argument for refusing. And really, the evening had already been very strange, so why not finish it with a conversation with an Andalyssian seer? She pushed open the door. "After you, Sejerin."

Silya walked through, and Chloe followed her, shutting the door firmly before Lucien could join them. She turned the key in the lock and then faced the seer. The room was at least three times as large as the one she'd had in the Copper Fish and far more lavish. The bed was draped in filmy silk curtains, held back with gold cords, and covered with a green velvet spread embroidered with golden leaves. It, too, was at least three times larger than the one at the Copper Fish, and she suddenly longed for nothing more than sleep.

She suspected that caravan travel wasn't going to be conducive to restful nights, let alone luxurious places to spend them.

"That was not exactly polite," Silya said. "Your husband misses you."

Chloe crossed over to the bed and placed her bag on the low padded bench at its foot before she turned back to Silya. "With all due respect, Sejerin, if you are here to deliver a lecture about the state of my marriage, hold your breath."

"Do not underestimate that man," Silya said, frowning. "He was fierce in his pursuit of you. He cares."

"He thinks I might get myself killed," Chloe said. "He doesn't trust me."

Silya tilted her head. "I think that he does not trust those who are trying to kill you, Lady Castaigne. I think you would be wise not to trust them yourself."

Chloe shrugged. "I don't trust them, but that doesn't mean I had any choice in following them." She hesitated. "How much has Lucien told you about what happened?" The Andalyssians hadn't arrived in time for their wedding ball, so she didn't know exactly how much Silya knew about everything that had happened. Given that Aristides held suspicions about Andalyssia's involvement, it seemed likely that some things had been kept from her.

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