Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,35
looked toward the skyline and frowned. Liam followed my gaze and saw the dark clouds forming.
“It’s another storm. Is there any shelter nearby?” he asked.
I closed my eyes and listened. “I can’t tell, but I hear people. A way station that way, I think.” I pointed toward the mountains.
“Aura, I don’t want to subject you to that.”
I shuddered. “I really don’t want to be caught in the rain again.”
“Okay, but we must hurry.”
We spurred the horses into a gallop. A few times, I had to redirect our course until we came to the way station. As soon as we dismounted at the stable, it began to downpour. I had heard of these part inns, part transport depots where transports would drop off passengers and pick up new ones as they headed to different kingdoms. There was a restaurant, bathing rooms, driver rooms, and rooms for rent. Thankfully, this was one of the smaller way stations and Liam could get us food and two rooms.
We ate dinner in silence as I worried more about trying to keep the random thoughts from the other people out of my head. It was a simple fare of soup and bread, but I struggled to enjoy it.
Across the room, I saw a magical notice board of maps that glowed, changed, and shifted, revealing new open roads, and blocked passages, followed by the bounty board. I froze when I saw a Wanted for Murder poster with the familiar face of my sister, Meri. I cupped my hand over my mouth and held back the feelings of guilt that followed. The next notice was a warning as more posters appeared of missing girls. All young women between the ages of sixteen and twenty that had disappeared from the area. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the portrait of a missing young girl with dark curls, freckles, and a haunted expression. None of them had been found, and there was a reward for their safe return.
Others had noticed the same board, and they speculated what happened to the young women.
I hope that doesn’t happen to Rebekah. I should make sure she is never alone until they catch the culprit.
Probably ran away with a boy.
Bet she got herself pregnant and will show up in ten months.
Liam saw my creased brow and stretched out his leg under the table and gently rested it against mine. Immediately, I could breathe easier as the tension faded. After a bit, the conversation started up.
Just a slight pressure of his touch easily canceled out my magic, and it scared me how much I was depending on him.
Because of Liam, I had gone to the palace in Candor. I saw my sister, a queen, made it through one of the busiest cities in the kingdom, went dress shopping, and sat for a meal in public. My spoon stopped midair in my hand when I realized that this would soon be over once we reached Rya and conquered the blight.
“What’s wrong? You suddenly became quiet.”
“I just realized . . . thank you,” I said, putting the spoon down.
“For what?”
“For showing me what it’s like to be normal.”
Liam looked around the room full of strangers and said, “This is nothing.”
“No, it’s everything to me. I didn’t know I was trapped until you came along and forced me to face my fears.”
“I kidnapped you,” Liam pointed out. He dipped his bread into his soup. “Don’t gloss over that fact. Though my intentions were noble, I wasn’t thinking and acted selfishly. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“I know. But because of you, I left home and I’ve seen so much of the world already.”
“Aura, we’ve barely scratched the surface. You’ve seen dirty roads, caves, and one kingdom. This isn’t the world, just a neck of the woods. Just wait until you see Rya.” Now it was his turn to become solemn. “That is, if we save it from the blight.”
“We will,” I said firmly. “And I just wanted to say I appreciate all you’ve done for me. Sticking by me.” I nudged my leg against his. Liam smiled and nudged back. “Helping me just take it day by day. I know it must be a pain, but it means so much to me. Thank you.”
“That’s what friends are for,” he said.
“Friends, yeah.” My mouth went dry as his eyes became filled with shadow and hurt again. He was definitely hiding something.
He slurped the rest of his soup and looked up the stairs toward our rooms. “You ready?”