Page 40 of Crown of the Courtesan

“Drink!” Now I’m prepared, tipping my tumbler at the same time.

A prince of trees, there he was

Shadows in the cure, he was

He was

“Drink!” Again we tilt the tumblers back as she mesmerizes us with her words.

A heart with two loves, there it was

Split as two kingdoms, it was

It was

“Drink!”

A love to be broken, there it was

Sea devours, it was

Land crumbles, it was

It was

“Drink!” But this time, the pounding on the table goes wild as the song concludes. I finish just as the barmaid jumps from her perch. People around her shove coins into her apron and hands, clapping and whistling until I think my ears might burst.

“That was fantastic!” I exclaim to Rett, but my smile drops into my stomach as I spy Captain Lir across the room.

Nineteen

A siren-halfling covered in cerulean scales under her scandalously styled dress sits in Lir’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. With ruby lips and a set of gills under her flowing cobalt hair, she’s one of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen.

Unable to tear my eyes away, I watch her playfully poke at the freckles across his nose before she points them out on his ears. Lir’s face turns toward me, and I freeze, terrified, before I remember his blindness. But that doesn’t stop my heart from beating out of my chest.

Rett smiles, unaware of my shift in mood. “It’s an old tavern song that the romantics love. I’ve heard it in just about every kingdom I’ve been to.” He looks at my empty tumbler and asks, “Do you want more?”

My head buzzes. “I want to get some air.” Hoping he takes the hint, I squeeze his hand encouragingly. I refuse to watch Lir for another moment.

It hurts for reasons I can’t explain.

The barmaid works her way past us, but not before Rett puts a sizeable golden coin in her apron pocket. He turns with a grin and says, “You ready? Let’s go.”

As we leave, it’s so crowded that we must wait for a large group to file out before we can move. Perhaps it’s the stress of being in the same room, but while we are waiting, I’m unable to block out Lir’s conversation with the female in his lap over the crowd’s noise.

His voice is raspy as he informs her, “I was supposed to sail out to meet with my cunt of a brother, but he’s altered his plans yet again.” He laughs and pulls her closer. I dig my fingernails into my palms, unable to tear my gaze away⁠—

The room sways as the halfling on his lap asks, “You talk of family that way?”

“You don’t?” he retorts.

She giggles and nibbles his ear.

My own ears flame in response.

A small voice of doubt wonders if I’m overreacting. Lir and I promised each other nothing. It was I who ran from his cottage after he offered me a different type of life. I clench my hands until it hurts.

Rett yanks my arm and pulls me through the crowd, out the doors, and onto the street. Outside, the din of the tavern is muted as if a floodgate has closed. And despite fiddlers filling street corners with music and revelers, there is a calm compared to the tavern’s riotous clamor. The night air is lovely, and on the small of my back, Rett’s hand guides me through the crowds and up the winding hill to the central plaza, where more people dance.