Page 38 of A Blaze of Fire
“My only concern is protecting you, Vi. Anyone else is collateral damage. We’ll both get more peace when you get that through your head.”
Once the area was cleaned and all evidence had been incinerated, Alec dragged me out of the building where the others were standing by the wagon bursting with coins, livestock, and other goods.
“Where are we going?” I tried to rip out of Alec’s tight grip, but he didn’t budge.
“We’re going to the local inn to get some rest,” Kazimir announced. “We’ve been traveling over twelve hours and then went straight to work. We’re tired, and we have to get back on the road first thing in the morning.” His gaze was cold and detached as he spoke, then he spun around on his heels and led the group down the road toward the inn.
We followed behind him in a silent procession. When we arrived, we waited outside while Kazimir organized our sleeping arrangements. The moment he stepped out with only five keys, I knew something was off.
He huffed as he looked between me and Alec with stern eyes, then turned to address the others. “We partner up as we always do. Two to a room. And we take shifts protecting the provisions.” He handed out the keys and handed one to Alec. “I assume you’ll be sharing a room with Lady Violet since she’s the only female here.” It was more a statement than a question.
Alec nodded. “Rook will stand guard outside the room just in case.”
Kazimir’s nostrils flared before he nodded and turned away, stalking back inside the inn.
Alec and I stood outside until everyone disappeared before one of us finally spoke.
“There better be two beds or you’re sleeping on the floor,” I grumbled.
He snorted. “Obviously,” he said. “The last thing I want to do is share a bed with you.”
I glared at him. “You’d be lucky to.”
He barked out a harsh laugh. “Lucky? More like cursed. Look how twisted you have my brother! You’ll be the death of him. Literally.”
I gritted my teeth so hard I was certain I was about to crack a tooth. “I would never hurt Ansel.”
He sniffed, unconvinced. “So you say.”
“I would never!” I yelled.
Alec whirled on me and his face was close enough to feel his ragged breaths against my cheeks. “Yet I caught you fucking him in your bedroom where anyone could have easily walked in. Where Rook and Rosemary could hear you clear as day. Of course, you wouldneverdo anything to hurt him,” he said sarcastically before storming off and entering the inn, leaving me outside fuming.
Yeah, that wasn’t our best moment, but to say I would intentionally hurt Ansel was pushing it. I’d put myself in the hands of the Unseelie to keep Ansel safe. I would do that and more to keep him from harm.
I was seething when I entered the inn and followed Alec upstairs to the top floor, stepping into the last bedroom at the end of the hall. The door to our room creaked open and the wooden floor beneath us made popping, groaning noises as we stepped inside the dimly lit room. Our accommodations were small, just large enough to fit two single beds practically squeezed together and a fireplace along the other wall. There were no windows and no other doors.
I peered around the tiny room apprehensively. “Where’s the bathroom?”
Alec snorted. “Communal bathrooms, princess.”
“Why aren’t there any windows? The room could catch on fire and we wouldn’t be able to—”
Alec shook his head, cutting off my rising hysteria. “This is a cold town. If anything, we need to bundle up tonight to make sure we don’t freeze to death. I’ll get a fire started. Why don’t you check and see if the bathroom is free so you can take a shower? I’ll have Rook stand outside the bathroom for you.”
I bit my lip and contemplated his suggestion but decided it wasn’t worth arguing. I nodded in agreement and turned around to exit the room, finding Rook standing right outside in the hallway.
* * *
Once I was showeredand dressed in warmer clothes, Rook escorted me back to my room at the end of the hall. Alec had showered and dressed as well. A fire crackled merrily in the fireplace, and he was adjusting the wood with a poker. His black hair glistened in the light of the amber flames and he smelled like sandalwood soap.
Rook closed the door behind me without a word. I worried about leaving him out in the hallway alone and in the cold.
“Shouldn’t Rook get the night off if it’ll be this cold?” I asked nervously, jabbing my thumb at the door.
“I’ve set up a heater for him and I’ll be giving him a ton of blankets to get comfortable. He’ll be fine,” Alec replied dismissively. “Your bed is the one furthest from the door.”
The room was already starting to get warm and I started to dismiss his claims of a cold night ahead until I touched the icy walls, so cold it burned. I hurried to the other side of the room and crawled under a mountain of blankets that Alec had placed on my bed. A chill shivered through me and I was grateful to be sharing the room with a fire elemental.
