Page 73 of Queen of Thorns
Another pause. Anger stirs in my belly. Anger and pain so deep I bend over, panting. “You’ve been withholding information from me,” I say. Irrational rage. That same loneliness hits me, except this time, I’m overwhelmed by it. The spell book is not my friend.
“No,” the book says in a careful tone. “I always give you the information you ask for.”
“You...” My mind spins, taking all this in. The book knew I was desperately seeking information about Raven. Yet, it didn’t tell me when she reentered the realm. It knew that Blane was not working with Drake and did not ever bother to correct my assumptions that Drake’s brother was his ally.
“Is Raven in danger with Blane? Is she being held against her will?”
“No.”
My knees buckle. Raven is...I shake my head. Raven is okay, and not being held against her will. This is good news. It is... but, my already broken heart splinters further. I close my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I whisper. But I don’t wait for an answer. I don’t even want one.
Maybe I shouldn’t have trusted an inanimate object so fully. Maybe I should have realized the ancient spelled to give information to its owner is not my friend or ally.
Maybe I’m an idiot to feel this blindsided.
Tears well in my eyes. My heart aches so desperately for Rev’s comfort once again.
But I’m alone.
Always, always alone.
#
IWRAP MY FAMILIARshadows around my body as I slip out the window and shadow walk to the dark pathway beyond. Our soldiers are still new, and there aren’t enough to cover every exit.I ignore the ache from my shattered heart as I slip from the palace walls and into the dark city.
I debated leaving the spell book behind after the realization that it’s been keeping information from me. My hands still tremble at the thought.
But frustratingly, I realize I need it.
I need the book to figure out where the rebels are inside this complex city. And it will be extremely helpful to be able to weed out who is who and what each has done.
So, I will use the advantages I have, but I won’t let my heart get involved a second time. I don’t trust the spell book, except with information I know it is spelled to give.
It takes little effort to slip from my own palace without being noticed. I run, shadows covering me entirely, through the dark pathway and down into the city below, following the directions the book gives step by step.
The city is dark and silent, even once I reach the rows of small buildings. Only a few glowing lights are visible down the narrow streets. Not much night life, at least not in this part of the city.
The city is silent, at first, but soon the sounds of shouting and laughter and clinking drinks float through the air. “There are three active taverns down this street. The last has a basement where the rebels meet weekly.”
I let my shadows fall as I approach the glowing shop. The windows are smudged, one of the panes cracked. The sign reading ‘Whisper Wing’ is crooked. Inside, there are wooden tables and chairs, all painted black. The smells of vomit, sweat, and beer slam into me the moment I’m through the door.
“Can I help you?” a deep-voiced bartender asks.
I smirk. “No.”
“Then, scram.”
“Certainly.” I pull shadows around me again and disappear right in the middle of the room. I watch the barkeep, a tall but thin male with long-pointed ears and a black apron. His brows furrow, but after a long pause, he shrugs and goes about his business. If he recognized me, he didn’t show it.If he cares that someone is using magic to hide from sight in his bar, it’s not enough to react.
“Take the hall to the right.”
I follow the book’s continued instructions and enter the narrow hall with faded black pain. I pause when the wood creaks beneath my boots. Keeping my weight even, I inch forward carefully. Soon, indistinguishable voices sound down the hall. Inching forward just a bit more and I can make out the words.
“She is not queen yet,” someone else adds.
“She will be,” a gravelly male voice says. Luscious, I recognize.
