A Court This Cruel & Lovely (Kingdom of Lies, #1)(25)

His body moved behind me as he shrugged those enormous shoulders. “You’re not trying hard enough.”

I had to learn how to wield my power. Because I knew Lorian well enough to know that if he didn’t think I was ready, he would camp in the forest near the city walls until he decided I could be trusted at the gate. The sooner I could use my power, the sooner we could go our separate ways.

A cool breeze was coming from the north, bringing with it the smell of rain and newly cut pine. The sun had gone down, and I shivered, sucking the cold air into my lungs. “We’ll need to find shelter soon.”

“We’re stopping at the next village for the night.”

My mouth went dry. Villages meant people who would be on the lookout for anyone they could hand over to the king’s guards. Even the most kindly innkeeper could be bought for a hundred gold coins.

“Is that safe?”

“I’ll keep you safe.”

He said it casually, and I just shook my head with a laugh. Sure, I was trusting him with my safety to a point. But if he thought I would just blindly believe his word, he was insane.

I could practically hear the brute grinding his teeth at my instant dismissal. But if he thought I was going to forget about him leaving me to either freeze or burn to death, he could think again.

I pulled the hood of Galon’s cloak over my head as the village came into view. Night was already falling, and my stomach had awoken at the thought of a proper meal. My body longed for a real bed, even if it was only for one night.

Rythos disappeared to see if the closest inn had rooms available.

My heart pounded like a drum. My vision narrowed. I watched every face, paying careful attention to anyone who looked at our party for too long.

And yet, no one seemed to notice us. Their gazes flicked past us, and a few gave us a nod of greeting. But no one called for the authorities.

“You don’t need to be afraid.”

“I’m not.”

Lorian snorted.

“Why would I be afraid, when I have so many big, strong men to protect me?” I simpered when I could unclench my jaw.

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Was that what you were doing in my village when I saw you at the Gifting ceremony?” I asked. “Staying at the inn?”

A long silence followed, as if he was debating whether to answer. Finally, he nodded. “Your priestess insisted on even more blather than most.”

Rythos returned. His expression was morose when he rode back toward us. “Only two rooms available,” he said with a deep sigh. “It’ll be bedrolls on the floor for us.” He gestured to the other men.

“We’ll arm-wrestle for the bed,” Lorian said, and Rythos just rolled his eyes.

“Why waste the time when you’ll trounce every one of us?”

What exactly were they talking about? “Surely if we’re all spread over two rooms, it won’t be that bad.”

Galon scowled at me. “You can’t sleep in the same room as us.”

“Why?”

He just gave me a look that said he was doubting my intelligence.

“I’ve slept next to you big lumps every night on our journey. Why would being confined within four walls make it any different?”

Rythos shook his head. “That’s not how they think in towns closer to the city. You’d get a reputation…”

I shook my head at him. “I’m a criminal who will be on the run for the rest of her life. Such ideas are useless.”

Lorian tightened his arm around my waist in the infuriating way he did when he had a decree to make. “Regardless, it would draw attention. The men will share, and you will have your own room.”

If they wanted to suffer, then who was I to stop them? Besides, maybe some privacy would be a good thing. I could reevaluate if working with the mercenaries was in my best interest. And if it wasn’t? An inn was a good place to separate.

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

The inn was located on the outskirts of town—the peeling white paint seeming to glow in the moonlight. The two-storied building boasted a thatched roof, a crumbling picket fence, and a huge wooden door with a brass knocker.

A drunk stumbled out of that door, laughing uproariously, and I flicked my gaze to the surprisingly large stable situated next to the inn.

People were coming and going, stable hands taking horses from those arriving. Once again, no one paid us any attention.

I slid off the horse, my knees twinging as I hit the ground. Lorian handed the horse off to one of the grooms with a few murmured words, and the others did the same. Within a few minutes, we were walking into the inn.

The warmth of the inn hit me, finally warming bones I swore were still half frozen from that god-awful river, and my eyelids immediately grew heavy.

Someone let out a screaming laugh. I jumped, gazing around blearily, and Lorian placed his hand on my lower back. I suspected he was attempting to calm me the same way he would calm his horse directly after he’d startled.

I didn’t know whether to be offended or amused.

To our left, a fire roared. Its sparks escaping the hearth, the orange-blue light from the flames flickering on the faces of those dining at the scarred wooden tables. The tables in the center of the common room had been wedged so close together, it was as if everyone was dining as one big family.