A River of Golden Bones (The Golden Court, #1)(67)

“Don’t.” His voice cracked.

Before I could say anything, he threw open the door and left. I listened to his footsteps marching away and watched as he rushed out into the flurry of snow. With each step, my heart plummeted further.

I couldn’t stop the tears that welled in my eyes, my mind turning over all the ways I could’ve messed this up. When the Wolves tell King Nero, Grae will lose his entire family. In their eyes, he had killed one of his own, the worst of any sin—worse than desertion, or disobedience, or skin chasing. I heard the howl of the Silver Wolves moving out of town and I hung my head. We were safe for another day, but I felt no relief, not as my mate walked away from me.





Twenty-Five




The mood was somber as I approached the group. With sleepy eyes and slow limbs, they loaded their instruments back into the wagon. I didn’t know how long I waited in that temple, giving Grae space and time to process what had just happened. Maybe he blamed me for it, or worse, hated me for it. If he hadn’t come after me . . . I clenched my fists, fighting off the gnawing pain in my gut. I needed to speak with him.

“What’s going on?” I asked, watching the flurry of movement as they repacked.

“We’re leaving tonight,” Hector said. He gave me a look that said he knew about the Silver Wolves. Grae must have told him.

“How was the performance?” I asked Ora, trying to push some mirth back into my voice.

“Nothing too exciting,” Ora said, passing a leather case to Mina. “Just playing to a dead room of rich humans.”

I pressed my lips together, feigning a smile.

“They wouldn’t know good music if I smacked them with my bow,” Malou added, rubbing her hands together against the chill. “Ora said we needed to head out tonight for some reason.”

“We’ll sleep on the road,” Ora insisted, ushering a tired-looking Mina up the steps. “The oxen know the way. More time for us in Taigoska then.”

Malou nodded, darting her eyes from Ora to Hector and back to me.

“Esh. I’ll be damned, those waters really are magic,” she said, eyes dropping to my chin. I wasn’t sure what she suspected, but she shrugged and left it at that.

“I don’t know why she won’t let you lead her.” I twisted toward Navin’s voice. He led both oxen between him, Grae a few paces behind. “She’s normally comfortable with strangers.”

Sadie huffed and Hector nudged her. The humans might not know we were Wolves, but prey animals like oxen probably sensed it.

Grae kept his distance from the large, shaggy animals. From the way he fixed his stare straight ahead, I could tell he was trying not to look at me.

I stepped forward anyway. “Hey, can I talk to you?”

He slowed but didn’t stop. “I’m going to ride up front and give Navin a break.”

“Okay . . .” My mouth grew dry. “Listen—”

“I’ll see you in Taigoska.” He stepped around me and my heart sank.

My fingers twitched to reach out for him, to make him listen to me, but there were too many people around. It wasn’t the right place to prod at those fresh wounds. Despite that, the fact he wouldn’t look me in the eye made me want to crumple to the ground right then and there.

Sadie clapped me on the shoulder. “Come on,” she said. “I think we need a drink.” She turned toward Navin. “You up for a drink?”

“I’m exhausted,” he said with a giant yawn, hefting his harp up the steps. “But have fun.”

“Yep,” she said, but I saw the hint of disappointment on her face.

“What drinks did you have in mind?” Hector asked, following us into the back seating area. “I don’t recall there being anything other than tea on board.”

Sadie whipped out a flask from her cloak pocket and wiggled it at her brother.

He guffawed. “We’re definitely related.”

The others climbed into the upper decks, stowing their instruments and milling about, readying for sleep. I dropped onto the patchwork couch and leaned my head back, looking up at the ceiling. I scrubbed my hand down my face. Ostekke gut me, everything was such a mess.

Sadie sat beside me, kicking her feet up on the low table as Hector lounged across from us.

“Here.” She passed me the flask.

I shook my head at her offering. I already felt nauseated enough. She shrugged and took a sip.

Hector watched the others getting ready for bed and muttered, “Are we still on for stealing the nitehock in Taigoska?”

“We have no plans on how to enter the palace undetected,” Sadie whispered back, her words rising as the others drifted further away. I scratched a hand up my arm, feeling jittery and unsettled after Grae’s dismissal. I knew the siblings were dancing around the Aiden news, and I wondered if they were waiting until the humans were asleep. They carried on their same old spat as if everything hadn’t just changed for us—the final nail in the coffin—we could never go home. “Even if we hide under the guise of human servants, you think they’ll just let us waltz into the royal apothecary?”

“We could be quick.” Hector shucked off his boots and they thudded to the floor. I wanted to interrupt them, wanted to scream, but the shock of everything that was unfolding was too much. “In and out. We just need some sort of distraction.”