Page 90 of Shadows and Flames
“I don’t mind fucking males, but Idonotwant to fuckyou.”
“Pity.” He drawled then angled his body toward me. “What about you, Tana? Care to show Fenix here what sort of tenacious minx you are?”
An outraged squeak slipped through my lips, and all the color drained from Fenix’s face. “I think your jesting has gone too far, now.”
“Has it? I think I’m being quite selfless, helping you two find someone to warm your bed for the evening while thinking nothing of myself.”
I rubbed at my temples, shaking my head. “We do not need your help in such matters, Tom.”
“Oh, I know thatyoudon’t. I saw what you did with those men in Morova. They seemed quite satisfied and all too happy to let you feed from them.”
I didn’t even bother feeling embarrassed. Sex and hunting and feeding had been such a way of life for me for so long, there was little to be shy about. But that didn’t mean we had to subject this newcomer to this… whatever this was. He was clearly uncomfortable. “Stop, Tomás. I think they’re done, anyway.” I could no longer hear my cousin and Elián’s words, but their voices were hushed and intimate. Low enough for me to fall asleep with.
I stood, and stretched my arms overhead. The hour was not late, but with the very limited nutrients we were consuming, rest was important, and it would eat up the hours separating us from getting Francie and returning home.
A resounding thumping reached my ears, and I watched as Tomás slapped Fenix’s back in a friendly way as the Vyrkos sat with his head in his hands. Maybe they were able to get along more than they knew. For his sake, I hoped Fenix would start to feel more welcome with us.
“I’m going to bed, and you both should do the same. Tomorrow will be long and tiring.”
Tomás grunted, slapping Fenix’s spine once more before standing, too. I waited until the latter peeked his eyes open and glanced at me.
I waved him goodbye. “Goodnight, Fenix. Thank you for the company.”
“Uh…yep.”
Tomás groaned and followed me inside.
Chapter Thirty-Four
ELIÁN
Beyond the palace, there were rolling, verdant hills covered in dense, thick forest. Under the cover of night, what would have been magnificent took on a more sinister tinge, but the sight was impressive all the same. Beyond that was snow-capped mountains larger than I’d ever seen. Much of them were cloaked with the heavy cover of clouds, but my thoughts wandered each time I set my sights on the mountains of Pyrestan—were there more Folk who dwelled within the craggy rock overlooking the kingdom?
The clink of silver on ceramic brought my attention back to the royal dining room, where I sat to the right of my queen. The windows, like in the lodging house, held no glass, so the rancid smell from the feast before us mixed with the much milder aroma of the wild.
The Queen Sarya was seated at the head of the ivory table, presiding over all of us with a calm viciousness that stirred the weak licks of Flame I still had access to. She sipped from her crystal glass of honeyed wine while ours remained full. “My children, Princess Sen, Prince Sterling, and Pryncet Sage.” They’d not been introduced during our audience with the queenyesterday, and like then, I had no concern for their names or titles.
All three were grown and matched their mother in garb of light blues and gold to complement their wings. Prince Sterling’s white hair was cut short and slicked back from his brow, Princess Sen’s braided like her mother’s. Pryncet Sage kept theirs chopped severely at the shoulder with braids and gold beading woven through it.
Queen Sarya did not wear her crown of bone, but it loomed all the same. Her gown of silk reminded me of the glowing waves of Rhaestras. “And I have here, Captain of the Guard, Wesley, who just returned from your world, actually.” The head of her armed force sported white breastplate and long, straight hair of the same shade. “Finally, this is my Master of Coin, Larkin.”
The others mumbled pleasantries, about how nice it was to make their acquaintance, and if the Queen detected the emptiness in the words, she did not call attention to it.
I did not speak. I watched, noting every shift the Queen, her children, and her officials made. The guards standing around the perimeter of the room. The breaths from the twenty lining the corridor. The other thirty who stood between us and the gate.
If all went against our primary plan, we would not be going that way. Without our Death, Flames, and magic, so many armed immortals would surely bring our end.
“Does our food not meet your Vyrlandian standards?” Pryncet Sage glared at our full plates, something their mother and the others had already noticed but decided to ignore.
My queen squared her shoulders against the royal Folk, corners of her mouth turning upward pleasantly but with something other than kindness lacing her words. “You will have to forgive us. It appears we are unable to consume Pyrestan food. And one of us does not consume food at all. We do not mean offense.”
The Queen leaned forward. “We knew of Raouga but not this detail. Might you know why that is?”
“No. If we could eat here, we would. It…” She looked at the spread of succulent meats, salad and roasted vegetables, whole fish and unnaturally vibrant sauces. “It looks divine.”
The Queen gave a smaller, more palatable version of the grin we witnessed yesterday. “You lie, tiny Raouga. But I can forgive you for it, since it was in attempt of nicety.”
Myqueen did not respond, just maintained the milky stare of our opponent who gathered a morsel from her plate and ate.
