Red Heir - Lisa Henry Page 0,39

porridge and dragged his spoon through it again. “I don’t know if we should go to Callier, Loth,” he said at last. “But at the same time, if there's even a chance to...” He shook his head.

“To see your family?” Loth asked quietly.

“Yes.” Cue stared at the scarred tabletop. He didn’t lift his gaze. “To see my family.”

Loth reached out and put his hand on Cue’s knee. He squeezed it under the table out of sight of the others and hoped that it offered Cue at least a tiny bit of comfort. While it was clear that he and Cue came from vastly different worlds and had vastly different priorities, Loth thought of the smiles on his parents’ faces whenever he darkened their doorstep from time to time. He decided that yes, if there was a chance their mysterious benefactor really did think Cue was the prince and wanted to rescue him, then that would at least get him back into the embrace of his family. Loth wanted that for Cue, because he’d seen the longing in Cue’s gaze when he’d mentioned his father, however briefly, and he knew that Cue wanted it more than he could bring himself to say.

At the same time though, Loth wasn’t an idiot.

“We’re not on the road we should be,” he said, “and that’s to our advantage. But we should perhaps only travel by night, and it wouldn’t hurt to dye our hair to make ourselves a little less conspicuous. I’ve already decided on blond, so you can’t have that. I think you’d look lovely as a brunet.” He frowned. “Although it may be a moot point. We are travelling with a seven-foot green orc, a dwarf, an elf, a fingerdragon, and an idiot. We’re going to draw at least a little attention.”

Cue tilted his head to the side, considering. “No,” he declared. “We leave our hair as it is. If it is a rescue, they’re only interested in saving a redheaded prince. And if it's a trap, then having two redheads might buy us some time, if they don’t know who the prince really is.”

“Ooh! A decoy!” Loth was impressed. “There’s a devious streak that runs right through you, isn’t there?” He winked. “Don’t give me that face, sweetheart. It’s a compliment.”

“Is it?” Cue looked dubious.

“Of course.” Loth lowered his voice. “Consider Scott.”

Cue raised his eyebrows. “Must I?”

“There it is again,” Loth said. “Delightful. Although that was more nasty than devious. Don’t worry, that still gets my blood rushing to all the right places, if you know what I mean.” He rather worried that Cue’s wrinkled nose meant that he didn’t. Oh, well. “My point is, consider Scott. He’s got all these ideas about heroism, and about deeds, but what has that ever gotten him? Absolutely nothing, because he’s also an idiot. Whereas you, Cue, look like your arms would snap if you even tried to lift a sword, but I’d stick by your side in a heartbeat, and do you know why?”

“Because you’re fucking me?” Cue asked.

“Well, yes,” Loth admitted. “But that’s not the only reason. You’re smart, Cue, and you’re devious, and all of my sharply honed survival skills are telling me that you’re the one worth listening to.”

Cue licked his spoon. “I’m not sure that really is a compliment though, coming from someone like you. No offence.”

“None taken.”

Cue narrowed his eyes. “None taken?”

“Honestly none,” Loth confirmed. “It’s much smarter to be a live rat than a dead...” He frowned. “a...”

“Are you thinking of an animal that doesn’t live long and also has a reputation for being pure and good?” Cue asked curiously.

“Yes,” Loth said. “But I can’t think of one.”

“Hmm.” Cue shrugged. “Me neither. It’s a shame, because otherwise that might have been a half-decent analogy.” He dropped his spoon back into his empty bowl. “Your point has been taken, Loth. Don’t strain yourself.”

Loth tilted his head. “I’m thinking pelican?”

“They tear their breasts to feed their young,” Cue said. “But I think they probably live longer than rats.” His mouth twitched. “Don’t overthink it, Loth, or you’ll be forced to entirely reject your worldview.”

“You have a lot more sass in you this morning.” Loth squeezed Cue’s knee and then trailed his fingers up his thigh. “I quite like it.”

Cue smirked. “I quite like it too.”

What felt to Loth like the beginning of excellent foreplay was ruined when Scott came clattering down the stairs and into the taproom. He was unshaven and his hair was wild. Sharing a bed with Dave,