Page 77 of Winter Gods & Serpents

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Does the flirting come with your capitalising ventures or is it particularly directed at me?”

“It can be whatever you wish it to be.”

His tongue pushed against his cheek as he nodded to himself. “Got my answer.”

Hells wasn’t he handsome. The pretty shame.

Chapter 18

Birds and Cages

Kilian

Casmere was colder than Tenebrose, the wind sharper filled with air of salt, smoke and fish. Twice, the princess had wretched her stomach out since we’d arrived and now she was almost collapsing while her gut betrayed her a third time.

I handed her a handkerchief. She warily glanced at my extended hand through tired lids before straightening and walking away from me. It was a handkerchief, not a poisoned dagger. She always reacted the sort to any help. My eyes followed her, hovering around restless while her soldiers finished patrolling the city walls.

She clutched her stomach before erupting in a dry cough, there was nothing left to bring out.

Tired, I stalked to her reaching for her arm helping her straighten. “What is this about? Why are you ill?”

She shook herself free and wore a wide fatigued smile. “Doesn’t it please you?” She got close to me, tracing a finger up my chest. “Come be happy, I won’t go mad.”

I flung her hand away. “You are sick in the head.”

She huffed a short throaty laugh. “It’s my stomach this time Adriatian, my head is fine.”

Caiden stalked over from where he was speaking to the Casmerian Lord and brought out a small flask of clear liquid from a pocket. “Your handkerchief,” he demanded, and I handed it to him. He emptied a small amount of the flask content and placed it over her mouth.

She took a couple breaths and then her lids closed in relief.

“The fish smell,” her friend said, “it troubles her stomach, it will pass.”

I rose a brow, mostly unconsciously. She was sick because the smell of…fish? The ybris brought down by mackerel and salmon. Why did I find this entertaining?

“Did you need to tell him?” she grumbled, half muted from the piece of cloth still over her face.

“I won’t swing tuna in front of your nose, rest fine.” Severely tempted, however.

“How much longer?” she asked her friend.

His reaction changed to pure blankness and so did his shadows. “Soldiers should be there by now, to collect her.”

The princess nodded through stern features. “Soon it will be over.”

What were the two concocting? “Planning to murder some other lord?”

She threw me a glare. “Planning on occupying his slot first.”

“I have fish, remember?”

She unsheathed a dagger and made for me, only blocked by her friend intercepting between us. “You cannot kill him, cakes. Your father has signed a treaty of their safety.”

A girl’s screams broke the busy air of the city. Then another followed by a man’s shouts and her attention followed them.

“You,” she said to one of her soldiers. “Go check what all the noise is all about.”

“Cakes,” Caiden called shaking his head at her. “Don’t, we got what we wanted. It is not for us to deal what happens to these people.”