Ren’s steps faltered slightly, but she kept going. “What? Why would you do that?”
“Because there is something about her that intrigues me, and I can’t figure out what that is. I want to get to know her, to find out why I am drawn to her.”
“You want to court her?” she asked.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I don’t do relationships like that, Ren. You know that.”
She scoffed. “Yes, but you just told me you would like to get to know her. That doesn’t sound like you.”
I paused, turning to look at her. Ren whipped her hands behind her back before averting her gaze. “Things can change. People can change.”
She worried her lip. “I don’t trust her, K. I know I don’t know her, but something feels off.”
I tipped her chin up with my fingertips. “Are you sure you’re not just jealous?”
Ren sucked in a sharp breath. “N-no. You’re obviously free to pursue anything you’d like, but I’m telling you there is something not right about her or her story. I can’t explain it.”
Perhaps it was just me, or perhaps I was reading into things too much, but there was genuine worry in Ren’s eyes. I couldn’t stop myself from pulling her into my arms. “Hey, it’ll be okay. It’s just nerves. We’re on the verge of war, and tensions are high. Of course you’d be worried about newcomers.” She opened her mouth to protest, but I shook my head. “I’ll be on my guard, okay? I promise, but this is something I need to see through.”
She pushed out of my arms, taking a step back. “This is not some type of overreaction, Kalen. I just think you need to be careful and not fall into a trap you cannot get out of.”
“I’ll be fine, Ren. I always am.”
* * *
The letter had beenclear and concise.
“Meet me at The Drunken Pig. Eleven in the evening. Tonight.”—A
I knew who had sent it before I opened it. Her soft perfume clung to the paper as if she stood in front of me. Arabella always had a slight flair for the dramatic, and the establishment she chose was a far cry from a place she would have frequented when I knew her.
Because you never knew the real her,I thought to myself.
* * *
The small pub was dingy,found just on the outside of Helia’s formal district, and a decent jaunt from the palace walls. Despite the location, it was surprisingly busy. Patrons were packed inside, many sitting at tables gambling away their coin on cards, pleasure, and alcohol. I surveyed the area from the corner, having stolen my seat from an old man who’d fallen out of the chair and was promptly escorted out by staff.
Apparently, there were some lines even over-crowded establishments didn’t cross.
I kept the hood of my cloak up, which thankfully didn’t raise suspicions in a place like this. It was seedy enough that many other people did the same. One man approached me before I’d stepped across the threshold, ripping his cloak away to reveal an array of mediocre blades.
“Two for the price of one,” he crooned. His hateful smile revealed half-rotten teeth, the stench nearly unbearable. I wasn’t sure I’d ever run away from something fast enough.
I picked up the small goblet of wine in front of me and brought it to my lips. It was decent and did its job of calming my nerves. My fingers thrummed along the stem, as I stared at the door. I’d been waiting for over thirty minutes, my eyes rarely straying from the entrance.
She still hadn’t shown.
Perhaps this was a trap, or the raven was intended to arrive last night and therefore the message had been old. Had I missed her? Had she already left?
But then a small figure plopped down at my table, a strand of wild, dark hair peeking out from under her hood. Feminine hands reached for my wine, downing it in one go before signaling to the barkeep for another round.
“Hello, Kalen,” Arabella said, her dark honey eyes finally meeting mine. Those flecks of darkness still swirled there, a threat of the power she possessed running through her veins.
“You’re late,” I groused, nodding at the gentleman who plopped two more goblets of wine down on the table. The drink sloshed over the top, dripping onto the table and adding to the sticky layer coating the wood.
“Yes, well, it’s not always easy to get away.” She shot me a careful look. “You came alone?”
“Of course, I did. I’m not stupid.”
