The Broken Song

Chapter Two

— Outskirts of Kiverryn, Iskendryn, Andavaran —

Of all the worlds she had traveled to, this one was, most often, her favorite. Filled with rich nobles ever eager to flash their gold, corrupt leaders, and constantly feuding kingdoms, Andavaran was never short on entertainment. And Kiverryn, Andavaran's capital city, never failed to provide Lulu with a sufficient distraction. To date, this might've been her biggest distraction, and the damage she caused—well, she was certain the guards would be talking about her for ages.

The thought made her smile as she limped slowly through the forest. It had been an excellent chase, complete with angry guards, the rush of blood pounding in her ears, and at the end of it, she had gotten to entertain an incredibly beautiful woman for the entire night. Granted, they had been stuck inside of someone's barn, curled up together on a pile of hay, but as far as nights were concerned, Lulu had much, much, worse.

Lady Teressa had been delightful company, a sufficient distraction, exactly what she had needed. Lulu had planned to leave her new companion there in the pile of hay, slumbering and dreaming of the adventures her newfound freedom would bring her. But just as Lulu had been slipping on her clothes, the telltale sound of guards had drifted over the hill. And so, Lulu had grabbed Teressa and ran again, the gilded carriage easy enough for the guards to spot. Despite the chase, she had managed to find a sufficient location in which to leave Teressa with the incredibly convincing promise to return to her the moment it was safe to do so.

Not that she would. Teressa was safe. Mostly. Probably. But that didn't matter anymore. Lulu had gotten what she wanted. There was no more reason to stay here. And so, regardless of how entertaining Kiverryn was, it was time to move on.

There were far more important adventures to be had.

A smell caught her nose. Lulu came to a stop, tilting her head up just enough to catch another whiff. This time, she breathed deeply, allowing the scent to fill her lungs. She knew that smell. Snow-willow boar. Her favorite.

Feet turning in a northern direction, Lulu followed the scent, already knowing exactly what she would find before she crested a steep incline and caught sight of her friend through her trees. Not too far ahead, Idelle waited for her in a small, secluded camp, warded by magic to conceal its presence from everyone except her. Lulu's stomach rumbled loudly as she neared the camp. The smell of dinner wafted through the trees, tempting in its delicious promise of satisfaction. Idelle's cooking was the best she had ever tasted, and her stomach growled in its impatience.

As she drew nearer, her friend glanced up from her careful work, the soft morning light kissing Idelle's russet skin. White markings curled along her body, soft sinuous lines that always looked as though they had been painted from her jaw, down along her neck, and extending down to fingers and toes. Though many mistook them for tattoos, they were markings she had been born with, something that Idelle was always self-conscious of. A few loose strands of hair dangled freely, escaping the carefully constructed braids that were gathered in an elegant bun. Violet eyes looked at her knowingly, communicating with gentle humor that Idelle knew exactly what she had been up to with Lady Teressa these last few days. She never broke the gaze, even as her nimble fingers kept working diligently on the food she prepared.

"You crashed the carriage, didn't you?" Idelle finally asked as she handed Lulu a small wooden bowl of the stew she had prepared.

"Not that one," Lulu shrugged as she lowered herself to the ground, her bruised muscles pulling uncomfortably with the movement. "I...may have borrowed one from Brandy-Bran."