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“What was that?” I wondered, though I wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular.

The creatures had passed overhead as quickly as they’d come, vanishing into the dark stretch of forest before I could get a better look. I leaned forward, squinting through the thick underbrush, hoping to catch another glimpse.

“Those were the Pampsy,” Bomani said, his voice calm, almost reverent. “They’re harmless. They mostly keep to themselves unless they’re hunting. Small land dwellers are their usual prey,” he added, his gaze still fixed in the direction they had flown.

Not even my wildest imagination could have dreamed them up. The rational part of my mind was still trying to catch up. They had been the most delicate creatures I had ever witnessed, graceful, glowing, and utterly surreal. I could only imagine how Adam must’ve felt in the garden. Life, in its rawest form, was the most magical and mind-blowing thing one could experience. What others might’ve considered insignificant became my own personal adventure.

Then I heard it, another sound cutting through the wind around the carriage. A series of heartbeats. They reminded me of home. Ash Town. They pulsed in sync, deep and alive, like an Afrobeat drumline echoing through my chest. It struck something in my senses, a sharp tingle traveling from my ear down the length of my spine.

On either side of the trail, the strangest creatures emerged, running alongside our carriage. There weren’t many, two on each side, but they were massive. Their bodies resembled deer, all long legs and broad chests, but their heads were bare bone, exposed skulls with hollow sinkholes for eyes. Each antler that adorned them was enormous, nearly half the size of their bodies. They each glowed with their own eerie bioluminescence. One turned its head toward me. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear it stared. Then it veered away, disappearing into the forest.

It had all happened so fast; my mind struggled to process what I’d seen. That creature had been terrifying, otherworldly, but it radiated a strange warmth, like a ghost that meant no harm.

Kleitos cracked the reins, spurring our horse into a faster gallop. He shouted over the rushing wind, “Those were Drewards! Fun for sport!” He glanced back at me, smiling. “We’ll pull off soon. There’s an inn just before the town. We’ll rest there and pick back up in the night.”

“I could use some sleep,” Bomani chimed in, yawning into the cold night air. “Do you mind if I shift back? I don’t like sleeping like this,” he said, glancing down at his body. It was the longest I’d ever seen him stay in human form. Honestly, I was surprised he’d even chosen it in the first place.

“No, be as comfortable as you want, Bomani. You’re doing us a favor,” Kleitos replied, his voice lined with genuine appreciation. “If you want your own room, just say the word. You don’t have to share with us unless you want to.”

Bomani let out a short grunt of a laugh, deep and amused, shaking the carriage with its weight. “If you want to spend your gold on me, Kleitos, I won’t say no. And while you’re at it, have them send up a drink. Not that crap you vampires drink, that fucked blood. I want the good stuff. Brandy.”

I snorted. “What the hell is ‘fucked blood’?”

“He’s just teasing,” Kleitos replied with a chuckle. “We have infused blood—some plants here mimic the effects of old-world alcohol. If you’d like, we can get some for you, too.” He looked down at me with a knowing smile, and I could tell he meant it sincerely. But all I could think about was how funny it sounded when Bomani said it. Fucked blood.

Kleitos led the horse a few more miles up the road. The night sky had begun to blend with the promise of morning; the auroras were slowly being swallowed by a thick layer of dark gray clouds rolling in overhead like an oncoming storm.

Just ahead, nestled to the side of the path, was a small structure that resembled a barn. Its dark gray stone walls were piled high with snow, and though the building had few windows, it looked tall enough to hold three floors. What made it feel unmistakably like a barn was the straw-covered roof. Loose strands of straw whipped in the wind and drifted into the breaking dawn sky like golden confetti.

Behind it sat another building, just as wide, but clearly meant for function. Its open, wide doors revealed rows of carriages and stable stalls. From where we were, I could already hear the soft rhythms of horses inside, their steady heartbeats were familiar and soothing. The air was thick with their scent, a rich mix of earth and musk that grounded the morning’s chill.

Kleitos guided us into the inn's drive, heading first toward the stables. But before he unhooked our horse to guide him into the warmth, he maneuvered the carriage neatly alongside the others parked in the snow-covered lot.

TAINTED| CHAPTER 35

Hoodwinked

Alexander’s POV

I should have anticipated that Kleitos’ presence might draw stares from the few patrons lingering in the Inn’s modest lobby. I had grown so accustomed to his company over the past few weeks that I nearly forgot he was still considered exiled. So when the innkeeper, a petite, ginger-haired woman with a voice like chalk scraping across a board, locked eyes with him and visibly recoiled in a mixture of shock and awe, I was momentarily caught off guard.

Before stepping inside, Kleitos had instructed me to keep my cloak tucked low, and I obeyed, the fabric hovering just above my nose, casting my face in deep shadow. The way her wide eyes darted from Kleitos to me, then to Bomani’s towering form, made me instinctively want to pull the cloak even lower. I resisted.

“Prince Kleitos,” she whispered, voice thin with disbelief. “You grace my establishment with your presence?” Her words were reverent but sharp at the edges. “I hope you haven’t come to bring trouble from the King,” she added, her tone shifting with subtle steel.

Kleitos smiled. Calm. Assured. Dangerous, but charming in a way that made people lean in despite themselves. Reaching the small counter, he gently took her hand in his. “I would never dream of bringing you trouble, dear Angelique. Not from my brother, and certainly not from his queen.” Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. “I’ve known your grandfather for years. I remember when you were just a babe tucked behind this very counter. You know you can trust my discretion.”

Rolling her eyes, she let a subtle smile tug at the corner of her lips as she pulled her hand back to her side. Angelique’s head tilted, her expression softening until her eyes brushed past Kleitos, settling on Bomani and me. Slowly, her gaze sharpened, studying us like a hawk tracking unfamiliar prey. “And who are your friends?” she asked, steel in her voice.

“Paying customers, patrons, Angelique. Your grandfather would think you were doing poor business if you turned away paying customers,” Kleitos replied smoothly, gaslighting the poor woman with ease.

Her face stayed stone-cold. She scoffed, annoyed, rolling her eyes again. “That old man didn’t know how to run anything. That’s why I’m in charge of Ameega’s Palace now. Don’t insult me just because I have the brains to ask questions. How long are you staying? One night is never just a night with you.”

A chuckle rumbled from his chest as his gaze swept over her, studying her figure like he knew what lay beneath the soft fabric of her dark green dress. It hugged her curves flatteringly, the thick cotton tailored into a button-up style with a collar that dipped into a deep neckline, modestly covered by a ruffled white tunic beneath.

His fingers ran through his golden curls before resting lightly on the back of his neck, a smile curling on his lips as he looked down at her. “I’m not sure. One day, for certain. You know I’ll pay you far more than a day’s stay. Don’t worry. Just have two rooms made up for us, please. I promise to be on my best behavior. I’m different now, Ang.”

Angelique shook her head in disbelief that she was letting him stay. “Triple, since you have guests.”