Colorless

32 - True Colors

Heavy breaths fell Kin's chest as he slept. He laid on his back, one arm draped across his blond bangs. Nell was curled at his side. She watched him for a long time, grateful that he was able to sleep and dreading what she had to do. At last, she forced herself to leave him. The cold air sent a shudder over her bare body as she slipped from the bed—careful not to disturb Kin.

Nell impressed herself with her stealth. She dressed without making a sound louder than the rustle of wind from the window. And she crept across the room without a single floorboard squeaking under her toes. Even the door glided open without a groan of its hinges.

She didn't know if Ianthe had followed them. She didn't know anything more than what Ianthe had told her. "I'm coming back for you." Ianthe had never said it would be that same night. Or even in the next week. But Nell refused to take any chances.

Ianthe was stronger. Far stronger than Nell had realized. And she had no qualms about killing. Nell couldn't let her near Kin. Not when there was a chance he could lose again.

The tavern below the rooms was empty. All of the late patrons had left or slunk off to bed, and the owner was in his own rooms. The chairs were stacked upside down on the table, and all but one of the lamps were off, leaving the room in darkness. Nell fumbled across the room, trying not to bump into any of the tightly packed tables.

Already her legs were sore from their travels that day, and her body was beginning to ache from everything else. Her eyes and chest even ached with the memory of the tears she'd cried. And now that she was away from the bed, Nell found it exceedingly difficult not to turn around and crawl back under the blankets next to Kin. She struggled to keep her eyes open against the weight of her exhaustion.

Nell wasn't sure where to go from there. If Ianthe did have a way of tracking her, then it didn't matter where she went. But if Ianthe had just been following their general path and searching for them along the way, then Nell didn't want to stray far from the inn.

Her dilemma was short-lived. Evidently, Ianthe had been following them. Or she was at least fast enough to catch up with them.

"Nell!" Her voice was quiet so as not to wake any light-sleeping patrons, but it could not mask her glee at seeing her sister.

Nell tensed. She'd been so focused on where she was going that she hadn't seen Ianthe at all.

It wasn't all her fault for not noticing. The woman was dressed in black from head to toe, and her brown hair hid well against the wooden walls of the room. She moved quickly into the light and threw her arms out to embrace her sister.

Nell breathed in the scent of a flowery perfume that she hadn't smelled since the pair had parted ways. It smelled of home.

Then she caught a whiff of iron hidden amongst the petals.

"Let go," she whispered, knowing that if she spoke any louder, she'd risk waking Kin.

Ianthe didn't. "I'm sorry we've been apart so long. I had hoped it would be quicker."

Blood, Nell realized. Ianthe smelled of Raleigh's blood.

She held her breath. "Let go of me."

"Why?" Ianthe asked. But at least she did as she was told. "We're finally together again."

Nell stepped away from her and took a large breath of fresh air. "You killed her."

"Oh." Ianthe's lovely features softened into a look of pity. As if to say 'Oh, sweet, naïve Nell thinks she made friends. How pathetic.' "I did warn you not to get too involved. It's all right though, my dear sister. I knew you didn't have the heart to kill them. You're too good for that. I'll take care of it, and then we'll leave."