Page 53 of Straw and Gold
We fell silent for a moment as droplets hit our faces. “You’re a good friend, Fedir.” I turned and smiled. “To both of us, but especially Killian. I know it hasn’t been easy for him since…whatever happened that gave him those nightmares.”
His eyes darted to me briefly. “Yes. Killian has…experienced more pain than he ever deserved. I’m glad to have been his friend through all of it.”
“He hasn’t explained what his dreams are about,” I said, catching his eye.
He sighed, rubbing his face of droplets. “He should, my queen. And he will. Give him a little more time.”
I pulled at the grass, dismantling his words. The wind picked up, along with the rain. “Do you think I’ll do it?” I asked softly, afraid of his answer.
“Discover his true name?” He cleared his throat, nodding his head toward the line of trees below us. Killian appeared, his bulky frame crossing the distance in long strides, his midnight blue jacket fluttering open at the chest.
I rose instantly, surprised to see him.
Fedir stood slowly, stretching and popping his back. “Yes, I think you will,” he said simply, taking a short knife from his belt and throwing it across the field at Killian.
I gasped in a gargled inhale as the knife shot through the rain where it clanged into Killian’s unsheathed dagger, falling to the grass.
He was near enough that I heard his grumble and I pushed Fedir. “What the fuck was that for!”
“Your Majesty!” he laughed, stumbling slightly. “I’m the captain of his guard—it’s my job to keep our king on his toes.”
Killian approached, glaring at Fedir and sliding his dagger back into his scabbard. He held a hand out to me. “Come. We must return to the castle immediately.”
I took it as he turned and pulled me along, back to the line of trees. “Why?” I asked, racing to keep up.
“Because he won’t stop shouting and making unreasonable demands to see you.”
“What? Who?”
He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, easing me into his chest where my body responded instantly. Fedir grabbed his shoulder, ready to shift with us.
Killian’s eyes darkened as he answered. “Your Cursebringer brother.”
CHAPTER 26
Killian
The Cursebringerof Revelry was inmycastle, shouting atmypeople, and shedding his Goddessdamn feathers all overmyfoyer.
Despite my own personal diplomatic treatment of the arrival of the brother to the queen, Prince Korven managed to insult my entire kingdom as he demanded to see his sister immediately, threatening to ‘tear this castle down brick by fucking brick’ until she was produced.
But now, Korven and Morella argued in barely-contained whispers at the copper fountain in the grand foyer, both of their sets of wings flaring with equal intensity.
“Do you know what this is about?” Fedir whispered to me as we leaned against the far wall, giving the siblings space. I wasn’t going to give them privacy, though. Not when the Cursebringer was flailing his arms about so wildly with a range of fear in his eyes.
I shook my head at Fedir’s question, refusing to look away as Korven caught my glare before going back to arguing with his sister.
“It was a mistake!” she finally shouted, changing her harsh whisper into an echoing confession instead. She pointed back to me. “He has been helping me, Korven! I just forgot to add?—”
Her brother cut her off, storming closer to me, pointing his finger as well. “He could be threatening you even now, Morella. Yousaid. Youpromisedevery letter you sent would include it and it’s not like you to simply forget?—”
It was her turn to cut him off as she followed his steps, smacking his arm down and away from my direction.
A smirk lifted my lips.
“I get to mess up sometimes!” she shouted. “I’m telling you, I was just distracted writing that letter and I—” Her eyes found mine. “I just forgot, alright? You’re acting like a Goddessdamn child!”
Korven laughed sardonically. “Oh,I’macting like a child? When you know how worried we’ve been for you here, and the one fucking thing, Morella—the one fucking thingyou were supposed to add to every single letter, you just happened to forget? Do you know how panicked we’ve been? Seraphine practically pushed my ass out the Goddessdamn door to get to you as soon as your letter?—”
