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“Yes, it is.” His teeth were grit tight when he pulled me against him.
“Thank you.” I finally got a grip on my libido, all too aware of how hard Zor’s body was where he was pressed against me. “I’m sorry this is the only way.”
That Zor was willing to do this—to touch me—when it obviously caused him so much pain…
“Take a deep breath, Anaria.”
I did. And the world melted away.
* * *
From the smell,we’d landed in the market district of Tempeste.
“Do not throw up on me.” I managed to shake my head, which only made everything spin.
From the bolts of cloth, we were behind the tailor shop. Zor pressed my head down between my knees, then strode to the bolts, pulled out his knife, and sliced off two swathes of blue fabric, the same color as the palace guard’s capes. He made a series of intricate cuts, then handed one to me.
“Tie it around your neck, like this.” He demonstrated, and soon enough I had a hooded cape hiding my hair and most of my face. I pushed the iron bands back into place, locking down my magic instantaneously.
Because of that magic, we’d made it to Tempeste in one jump—close to the palace, yet hidden where no one would have seen us.
A faint haze of desire—and shame—shivered through me, and I pressed my hand to my stomach, hoping I wouldn’t be sick.
“Where do we go first?”
We were two blocks from the palace. But I didn’t know how we’d find the messenger, before they found Solok.
“Tavion said it was an owl.”
“Did he say what color?” I shook my head; I should have asked before demanding to be brought here.
“But the bird came from Southwell…” I strained to come up with a name. “Trubahn. The owl came from Trubahn’s shop.”
“Thatfucking mage?” Zor said thoughtfully. “Well, that narrows down our possibilities. Gold or black, and we’ll be lucky if we beat the creature here.”
“We got here within minutes, Zor.”
“Trubahn takes shifters and mutates them to increase their powers. One of his owls can fly from the Blackcastle Keep to the Citadelle in less than an hour.”
“Tavion called said the messenger as an owl shifter.”
“Well, he should know.”
“Chances are Solok is somewhere in the palace.” I swallowed, puzzling over Zor’s cryptic comment, wondering if Tavion was a shifter, too. “Down in the prison, most likely.” My stomach churned, my palms went clammy.
Zor looked me dead in the eye. “You don’t have to go any further, Anaria. This is a safe enough place for you to wait.” The offer was tempting. Today was already longer than any other day of my life.
“I’m going. I caused this problem; I’ll fix it.”
Today’s mess was because of me—except for that stupid wedding I was barely a part of and wanted to forget. No, I’d go with Zor and keep my eyes peeled for a black or a gold owl and we’d make sure that message never got anywhere near Solok.
People skittered out of our way when we passed, thinking we were from the palace. I’d seen them move this quickly for Tavion, but I figured it was because he was the commander of the guard. And enormous.Andeternally pissed off.
Oh, my gods. I was married to Tavion Montgomery.
“What’s wrong?” Zor asked as I stifled a giggle behind my hand. I was no more married than I was a princess.
“Nothing.” I barely held back my laughter, which was both inappropriate and wildly out of control.
