Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 76 - Katarina - I'm Already Regretting This

I am going to strangle someone.

That is what I said this morning when I woke up and found myself wandering about when I should've been having things to do and people to worry over. I woke up at dawn for no apparent reason, though I think it has something to do with the fact that I didn't have Lance's body heat to turn into this morning. Instead, I rolled over and found myself finding an empty bed.

Thomas and I shared a room, but he fell asleep on the couch before I could argue and then woke up before me. How in heathens that man still functions perfectly fine that early in the morning, is beyond me. I needed two cups of whatever strong drink the innkeeper's wife gave me. They were up already, cooking breakfast for all of us and the few other travelers who were passing through the town.

I tried to go to Darius and Clarice's room when the eighth bell rang, but Rohana said they were still sleeping and to come back later. I questioned her but her face remained neutral and she relayed no more information aside from the fact that they were both still asleep, and after having used up a good deal of their powers, they were unlikely to wake up for another hour or two. Of course, I was slightly pissed at the fact considering that would only leave us two to three hours before noon which is when Willa told us to leave the town before suspicions flew, and Gods know those two take an hour plus to get ready, not to mention eat.

Everyone else was awake not long after me, and they met in the courtyard to train. They left weapons out of this morning's session, which I suppose was smart considering the small crowd that gathered to watch. I'm sure they would've been alarmed if they saw the Bhaltayr and Ginerva clashing steel. I watched them for an hour until nine bells rang, and then I went back to mine and Thomas's room to get Clare's clothes for the day. Thomas was already there and had everything ready, which only made me squint my eyes at him. I didn't see him at breakfast nor walking about the balconies or courtyard, and he wasn't in the room earlier. I swear Thomas is a freaking ghost, or at least has the power to mist.

We got to Clarice and Darius's room and Rohana let us in this time, saying to work quietly and not go into the bathroom until their food was up. Thomas and I exchanged glances, and we did so again when we found the bed empty and the covers thrown in tangled directions. But we did what we were supposed to, changing the sheets Thomas got from the innkeeper and then setting out their clothes and cleaning the room a little before one of the servants came in with a few plates of food. I knew I had already eaten but at the smell of the eggs, bacon, sausage, buttered bread, powder-sugared toast, and maple pancakes...I was hungry all over again. We set the plates on the table between the couches and then tip-toed to the bathroom's large doorway.

Against the side wall, Darius sat with his back to the wall, and his arms held tightly to Clarice curled up into his chest. There was an odor that was clearly someone's dinner from last night, and my mind remembered the tiny little fact that Clarice is pregnant. I hoped Darius hadn't figured it out, but then I saw how calm his face was with his eyes closed and I realized that if he had, there'd be a raging fire out at the escort's camp burning one specific scar-faced man alive.

That's a lovely thought.

I took one step into the bathroom and Darius's eyes snapped open. It scared the shit out of me, and I had to take deep breaths to slow down my skittering heart. I will never get used to the fact that he can literally feel you enter a room. I gestured to the bedroom and then left them. A few minutes later they both walked in, yawning and rubbing their eyes. Clarice looked a little pale, but the food fixed that no problem. I didn't miss how she turned down the powder sugared toast and bacon and stuck to everything else. She also declined the milk, but she took the peppermint tea.

As expected, it took us an hour and a half to make them presentable. We didn't bother with crowns or grand outfits. They wore simple clothing. Clarice is in slick black trousers that hugged her legs, a royal blue loose tunic under a cream-colored and black fur-lined coat. I wove her hair into two long plaited braids down the sides of her head and left her face alone. No touch-ups today - not that she needs it.