cure. Or something to ease her suffering, even if only a little.”
I glance around my small prison. “It doesn’t look like it’s an option anymore.”
Cassia looks over her shoulder when the guard mutters something about sugared turnovers. “Not tonight anyway.”
“You need to go, get back to your room before you’re caught,” I tell her. When it looks like she’s going to protest, I hold up the meal. “Thank you for this.”
A smile lights her face, and something unfamiliar squeezes my heart.
“All right,” she whispers. “But I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Don’t get caught.”
“Please,” she scoffs. “I know this castle like the back of my hand.”
And then she’s gone, sneaking past the guard, shadowing the torchlight temporarily as she passes. I look down at the food, shaking my head.
When Father sent me on the Requeamare, I doubt he thought I’d bring back the princess of Draegan, but now I’m determined.
Cassia’s right, if we want to heal this land, we must first fix the rift in our kingdoms’ alliance.
And what makes a better ambassador than a queen?
29
The morning comes far too soon. I wake in the loft above the tavern and find sunlight peeking through the shuttered windows. The knights are up here as well, on the other side of a makeshift curtain the tavern keeper made from a blanket strung over a wire in the corner of the room. I can hear them out there, talking quietly.
I peek out from behind the curtain, still half asleep.
We didn’t die in the night. Perhaps I’m overly optimistic, but that seems like an excellent beginning to our journey through Draegan.
“Morning, princess,” Tryndon says when he sees that I’m awake.
“What time is it?” I croak from my makeshift shelter.
“Time to get moving,” Braith says. “We’ve already slept too late.”
I run my tongue along the roof of my dry mouth, feeling like I swallowed cotton. My lips are dry, and my eyes are tired. If I were home, I’d roll over and sleep for another three hours.
Sadly, those days are far behind me.
“The innkeeper’s wife said she’d draw you a bath if you’d like,” Cabe says. “I just spoke with her a few minutes ago.”
“Really?” I ask, instantly more awake at the thought of washing the Chasm dust off me.
Cabe replies, but my attention drifts elsewhere. Rhys appears at the top of the stairs, shirtless. He apparently just washed up because his hair is dark and wet. The handsome knight walks to his pack and rummages through it until he finds a clean shirt. I watch the entire process, shamefully transfixed.
When he pulls the shirt over his head, I hum with disappointment.
Appearing out of nowhere, and looking wickedly amused, Tryndon snaps directly in front of my face. I jump, startled. He grins as I lean forward to swat him.
“Up and at ‘em, princess,” he says. “We’re wasting daylight.”
“I already hate that phrase,” I grumble, reaching for my pack. I yank the curtain back and stand, pulling on my cloak over my chemise like a robe.
When I step from the curtain, Rhys glances my way, studying me for a moment too long before he returns to his task of organizing his pack.
Feeling a little wobbly, I make my way down the stairs.
I knock on the door to the innkeeper’s private apartment, nervous that I’m imposing.
The door opens, and a woman with a warm smile ushers me inside. “I would have offered last night, but you looked dead on your feet.”
She leads me into a small washroom. Hot water steams from a copper tub in the middle of the floor.
I haven’t seen any maids or servants since we’ve been here. She must have hauled it in herself.
“Thank you,” I say before she leaves, turning to face her. “I’m so grateful.”
“Of course,” she says, reaching back to give my hand a squeeze. “After you’re finished, we’ll have some tea.” She lowers her voice. “I keep a good tin just for the ladies when they visit. How does that sound?”
“It sounds…wonderful.”
“Take your time. I’ll have everything ready for when you’re finished.”
I test my hand in the water, sighing at the heat. I didn’t think I’d get to indulge in this luxury here in Draegan. I assumed that if I had a bath, the water would be cold, and I’d have to watch my back.
I glance at the closed door, frowning. Perhaps not all of Draegan’s people are as cruel as I’ve assumed.
“This is the most dangerous leg of our journey,” Rhys says as we stand before the Sea of Starlight. It’s just