Ozias blinked up at the swinging, golden sign hanging above the heavy oak door. The curtains along the windows were pulled back to reveal a well-lit interior with only a few patrons and a horde of open tables. One man sat alone at the bar, rotating an empty glass in place with two fingers. He had a strikingly familiar pompadour styled to perfection and neatly pressed clothes.
Kost.Relief surged through me at the sight of my brother. It was as if the very thought of his name summoned his stare, and he tilted his head upward only to freeze when he spied Ozias through the window, and then the Queen’s Guard, and then us. I nodded once in reassurance, and he relaxed a fraction, waiting for us to make our move.
Ozias cleared his throat. “I won’t. Thanks for bringing me here.”
“At least you have some manners.” She shook her head and then started off in the direction we’d just come from, boots thudding fiercely against the paved stones.
“Wait!” Ozias took a step her way and then stopped. Gripped the back of his neck tight. The woman paused, tilting her chin back toward him. “You never told me your name.”
“Did you even really ask?” Her breathy laugh was a stark contrast to the way she assaulted the streets with her stride. Shaking her head, she continued forward and spoke just loud enough for us to hear. “It’s Isla. Hopefully you’ll have no need to remember it.”
“I hope not,” Ozias mumbled to himself.
As soon as she disappeared from view down a nearby street, Calem emerged from the shadows and socked Ozias in the arm, wide grin threatening to split his face in half. “Holy shit. You played thatterribly.”
“Shut it.” Ozias shoved him away, but Calem only tipped his head to the sky and laughed.
“He got us here, didn’t he?” I shot Calem a stern look as an ache started to throb against my skull. We’d been in the shadow realm so often on our journey, and my power reserves were all but depleted. Adjusting Leena’s sleeping form in my arms, I took quick stock of our surroundings and then sent the shadows away.
Before Calem could respond, Kost opened the tavern door. Holding it wide with one hand, he gestured for us to enter with the other. Uniform mahogany tables with matching cushioned chairs spread across the tavern floor. In the corner, a lone musician strummed a soft, pleasing melody on a harp that filtered through the hushed conversations of patrons. There weren’t many, just a few groups littered throughout, and they sipped drinks out of jeweled goblets and sparkling glasses while poking at artfully arranged platters of food.
Calem frowned. “This is…different than our usual haunt.”
Kost let the door shut behind him. “As I mentioned, I wasn’t familiar with Veles. I picked the only tavern I’d heard of. Gods forbid we stay in a nice establishment for once.”
“It’s fine.” I nodded toward Leena. “Let’s get her to a room.”
Worry framed Kost’s eyes, and he pursed his lips together. “This way.” He led us around tables to a grand set of polished stairs at the back. After one flight, we peeled off down a brightly lit corridor full of landscape paintings and potted plants. Their thick leaves stretched toward the rafters and bordered rows of closed doors. Kost stopped when he reached the last one on the right and fished a shiny key out of his breast pocket. The lock clinked open, and we stepped into a spacious room with elegant white oak furniture and a small sitting area.
Gently, I laid Leena on the bed and draped a blanket over her. She let out a contented sigh and gripped the blanket tight, rolling over into a mound of pillows.
Kost hovered nearby and dragged his fingers along the bedside table. “What happened to her?”
“We crossed the ocean on one of her beasts.” Satisfied she was comfortable and safe, I sank into the settee at the foot of the bed and let out a tired groan. My whole body ached, but it was likely nothing in comparison to what she felt. “She kept him out the entire time and used too much of her power.”
“That explains why you’re here so soon. I wasn’t expecting you for a few more days at least.” Kost shook his head at Leena and then sat in the high-back armchair across from me. Crossing one ankle over the other, he took a moment to study all of us. He sighed. “Not an easy journey, I take it?”
“Not in the slightest,” Ozias said. He sauntered over to the fireplace, first warming his hands before the dying flame, then resting his arm along the baroque mantel. His shoulders sagged.
Calem sprawled out in the other chair, draping one leg over its arm. “Varek, Darrien, Yazmin, massively powerful beasts,” he said, ticking off his fingers as he went. “Oh, and a crazed pirate who will no doubt try to murder me when this is all over. Noc had me steal from her.”
Kost eyebrows shot into his hairline. “What?”
“I’ll fill you in later. For now… It’s just good to see you,” I said.
“You too.” Kost’s smile was sad. “I only got here yesterday. I’ve had little opportunity to do any reconnaissance.”
“That’s okay.” Ozias abandoned the fire to clap a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “We’re just glad to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you, too.” Kost let out a long exhale that did little to alleviate the tension in his shoulders, but he didn’t pull away from Ozias’s touch. “I do think our timing is fortunate, though.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Queen Elianna’s daughter just got engaged. There will be a public celebration tomorrow evening.” Kost tilted his head to the ceiling, studying the ornate, oversize chandelier laden with candles. “The amicable mood just might help our cause. Not to mention, we’ll draw little unwanted attention to ourselves with so many people rejoicing in the streets. We can approach the queen after the announcement without suspicion. Many will offer gifts, and we can fall in line with them.”
“And say what? ‘Congrats on your upcoming nuptials, let’s go to war!’ Hell of a wedding present, Kost,” Calem said.
He barely deigned to give him a glance. “I would never phrase it that way.”
