Page 12 of Crown of Betrayal and Blood

Despite my intention to play things cool, my gaze drifts to the scroll. “I’m not sure how that’s possible when we’ve never met.”

I pull my attention to his hooded face and assume a bored expression that’s contradicted by the rapid drumming in my ears.

He taps his pointer finger on the paper. “Perhaps I’m mistaken. I heard you’ve been asking about the Lost City, but maybe you don’t need my assistance after all.”

When he turns as if to leave the room, I freeze. “Wait!”

The man halts and spins to face me again. The hood of his cloak falls back, revealing a grin. “Change of heart already?”

Ugh. From the amusement sparkling in his eyes, he’s enjoying my reactions entirely too much. Even disregarding the whole drugging and kidnapping thing, he’s pretty annoying for an old man.

I don’t like the way he’s analyzing me, like I’m an undiscovered species.

Plus, I wonder how he knows? While my research isn’t necessarily a secret, our hunt for the Lost City also isn’t common knowledge.

My attention returns to the scroll in his hand, curiosity swelling in my chest. “Depends. Show me what you’re holding, and then I’ll let you know.”

Am I allowing my imagination to run wild, or could that roll contain a map?

His soft chuckle fills the room. “Funny girl. I admire your ability to thumb your nose in the face of danger.”

Invisible needles jab up and down my spine. “I thought you said you meant me no harm?”

“I don’t, but you have no way of ascertaining that yet.”

His playful wink makes me more than a little stabby. Kidnapping Grandpa here seems to possess a real knack for getting under my skin.

He straightens, his expression growing serious. “This was given to me to hold on to until I could pass it along to its rightful owner. It’s intended for the eyes of Queen Aero’s lineage alone.”

Queen Aero.

The name echoes through the chambers of my mind like the tolling of a distant bell, stirring memories I struggle to grasp. That is a name I don’t even whisper in public, as no one except those closest to me even know who she is. The last rightful ruler of Tirene.

“Who gave you that?” The question slips from my lips before I can tether it.

“That’s not for me to say. Not just yet.” A note of sorrow tinges his deep voice. “But remember my caution in giving this to you. I have many reasons to be wary. As do you. Be careful…Lark.”

He trips over my name as he drops the roll of parchment in my lap.

“Thank you…I think.” I wiggle my shoulders, showing I’m still bound and unable to pick up the seemingly ancient scroll. “You going to leave me tied up all day?”

“Right.” He scratches his chin. “I trust you’ll leave my cottage and not follow me if I free you? Once you locate what you’re searching for, you can come find me again.”

When I nod, he grabs a dagger from the table. A quick slash cuts the bindings before he heads for the door.

He can’t seriously plan to leave me in the middle of who knows where.

Except he appears pretty damn serious as he opens the door and walks outside.

“Wait! I have questions. Don’t leave?—”

But he’s already gone, and the resulting silence simmers with unsaid words.

He wants me to trust him and then abandons me in a cottage in the middle of nowhere? I don’t even know him. This could still be a trap.

I rub my chafed wrists and rise from the chair, pulling the remaining ropes free.

Snatching up the rolled paper, I resist the temptation to snoop and instead stride for the door. Warm sunlight greets me as I step outside. I find no signs of my abductor beyond the weathered stone cottage crouching in the woods on the edge of a clearing.

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