A Court This Cruel & Lovely (Kingdom of Lies, #1)(3)

“Watch where you’re going,” he snarled, lifting me back onto my feet.

“Charming,” I muttered. “Well, thank you for—”

He’d already turned and walked away.

I stared after the cold, rude brute and shook myself out of my daze. Of course I didn’t know him. The events of this morning were rattling my mind. I turned to find Tibris watching the guards as they climbed down from the rooftops surrounding the village square.

“Pris? Are you okay?” Asinia squeezed my shoulder. Her eyes were dark, her face pale, lips bloodless.

I likely looked just as shaken. While it was always a possibility that one of the corrupt would be found, no one had expected to see what we’d seen today.

“I will be,” I said. “Are you?”

She just nodded. We stared at each other for a long moment. Someone laughed, the sound entirely inappropriate as it cut through the somber crowd, and Asinia flinched. We both turned.

Abus’s face was flushed with color as he embraced his family. His mother smiled, while his father slapped him on the back. Now, the family would take their five silver coins—a gift from the king. Tradition dictated that the entire village was invited to the celebration in this square—each villager bringing whatever food they could.

Abus’s father had even managed to barter for a pig, which had been roasting on a spit since the early hours of the morning. The scent of the meat drifted throughout the village, curling into open windows and beneath closed doors.

My stomach clenched uneasily at the thought.

Tibris eyed me and opened his mouth. But Natan was already shoving his way toward us.

“So…that was awful. Who’s staying for the celebration? I need a drink.”

The sun had barely risen, but I was willing to bet half this village would be in their cups by noon after what had just happened.

Tibris watched Natan wander toward the wine. Then he turned back to me. “You should go check on Mama,” he said carefully. “I’ll stay here.”

I knew what he was saying. He didn’t want to stay for the feast. Probably wanted to be alone. But one of us had to stay and pretend to celebrate or our household would draw attention. Truthfully, it was difficult to understand how anyone could sit and eat only foot-spans from where Lina’s grandparents had just died. Both her grandmother and grandfather had been popular in this village, yet their bodies had already been removed, the blood washed away, as if they’d never existed. Soon, most of our neighbors would loudly be giving thanks to the gods that one of the corrupt had been found and taken from our village.

And Tibris wanted to spare me from that. Gratitude swept through me. “You’re right. I’ll see how she’s feeling.”

It was difficult to receive an exemption from the Gifting and Taking ceremonies. My mother only had one because her visions could strike at any time, disturbing the peace.

“I’ll walk you home,” Asinia said. “Just let me tell my mother.”

She walked away and my gaze met Thol’s. He stood near Abus’s family, looking ruggedly handsome as always. He smiled at me, and despite the roiling in my stomach, my cheeks heated. I’d never been this self-conscious with a man before, but wings fluttered in my chest each time I looked at Thol. His sister Chista leaned over and murmured something to him, and I turned away, forcing myself to stop staring.

Nearby, Kreilor was practically shouting as he talked to a group of his friends, ensuring everyone in the vicinity could hear his conversation.

Tibris shook his head and stalked away, likely to get a drink of his own. He’d never liked Kreilor. I couldn’t blame him.

All the men in our village were required to learn how to fight—ready to be called to march on the fae if our borders failed. The boys were trained from a young age, and the only way they could be excused from training was if they chose the path to the gods. Kreilor had done exactly that and was studying as an acolyte to our village’s priestess.

“And then the priestess showed me the inner sanctum,” Kreilor announced, a smug little smile on his face.

I went completely, utterly still.

If Kreilor could get into the inner sanctum, he’d have access to the empty oceartus stones. Maybe I could follow him and…borrow one.

I’d memorized the priestess’s chants. What if I could make the stones work for me? My pulse thumped faster, my mind racing in a hundred different directions.

One of his friends snorted. “You were allowed into such a holy space?”

Kreilor’s chest puffed up. “Of course I was. I will, after all, be performing ceremonies within the next three years.”

I shuddered at the thought. Kreilor had been a bully since we were children. He smirked at beggars, chose the only position that would allow him to skip training with those he considered beneath him, and used his family’s wealth and reputation to get whatever he wanted.

Thol walked past, easily drawing attention from Kreilor.

The two men loathed each other. Their fathers were good friends, and both had been given every privilege found in this village as they’d grown up. But while Thol had remained kindhearted, Kreilor had become obsessed with proving himself.

Asinia stepped up next to me, winding her arm through mine. “This is awkward,” she murmured as Thol ignored Kreilor completely. “Let’s get you back to your mother.” She tugged me, and we walked toward my house. My boots scuffed on the cobblestones, but all I could see was Lina’s grandparents’ blood, pooled on the stones in the square.