Crown of Beauty and Vengeance

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Over the last month in Ayveri, Lyv had gotten used to just being Audry and not be recognized.

Then she had to meet Prince Destan, who led a search for her throughout the city for over a week.

And then she had to use her magic to stop Blackloch pirates from taking over the bay and bringing Thia Branvon back from the dead.

Now, she couldn't go anywhere without people noticing her.

Even though she had yet to see Thia since the night she saved her, Gideon told her all about the legendary female warrior, leading solo raids of human camps during the war twenty years before on her Tarver Red dragon, Erly. Lyv had to start teasing him when he got too excited telling her the stories. He completely denied it, but he was totally smitten with the half-human, half-sorceress and he hadn't even officially met her.

Lyv would have to change that.

Destan hadn't been the only one trying to find out more information on her after that. Thia had also. And, like him, she was a prominent figure in the city, being the only daughter of a wealthy Eld merchant who just happened to be one of the most powerful sorcerers as well.

"You really know how to blend into to Ayverian society, don't you?" Gideon asked as they went grocery shopping a week after what happened in the bay.

So many people had stopped to thank her, Fae, human, and fairy alike. Even Posy was getting impatient since Lyv had promised to buy her a new flower for her room. So many rumors had been spreading about her and her magic, which was something that no one had ever seen before.

"All right, I'm just going to keep looking forward and talking to you and Posy. Then maybe everyone will only stare and not have to stop and chat."

Gideon chuckled as she looped her arm through his, her other carrying the canvas bag with their dinner inside they'd picked up from a small café on their way back from grocery shopping. The owner didn't even make them pay for it...just like everyone else seemed to be doing whenever they would go out for meals.

Her idea had worked, though. She just kept rambling random things to Gideon to look like they were in deep conversation, occasionally cracking some childish joke to make him laugh.

It wasn't until they were walking toward their last stop – a small, fairy-run bakery that had the best chocolate mousse cheesecake Lyv had ever tasted in her life – that she pulled Gideon to a stop.

Destan was standing outside and talking with two guardsmen that stood on either side of the light blue door. The open sign had been turned over to closed, even though it was peak sale time.

Lyv tried to steer Gideon away from Destan's eyeline before he spotted them, but she was too late. She knew it by his grin.

"Looks like a certain prince is wanting to chat...and is trying to impress you by possibly buying out your favorite place? I hope he doesn't eat all the cheesecake..."

"Shut up," she murmured, elbowing him in the side as they neared, and then plastered a smile on her face. "Hello, Prince Destan."

"Hello, Audry, Vandor," he nodded.

"And is there a reason you've seemingly closed my sister's favorite shop?" Gideon asked, raising a brow.

"I told her my mother wanted to speak with her this week, especially now after what happened with the Blackloch pirates and Thia Branvon. And I might want to thank you as well by bribing you with your favorite sweet from the shop. I asked the owner what you usually get...chocolate mousse cheesecake, correct? My mother loves it, too, though she didn't wait for you to take the first bite of her own slice."