Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 40

"Why are you here?" she asked when he finally let her go.

"I had to know what happened to you," he answered. "I have to visit Lord Malryf, but I came here to find you. I'm sorry for leaving you here."

She wiped her eyes and gave him a weak smile. "Don't be. I was just happy when I knew you'd gotten away, and with the prince."

"Varin didn't think I had told you anything?"

She glanced away for a moment. "He did, and he tried to starve it from me, until he decided that he needed too many uniforms made to keep me locked up. It wasn't bad. He didn't hurt me and I was only in the dungeon for a day. Please, don't feel guilty."

She still knew him so well. "I didn't even expect to go against Varin's orders, let alone leave the city."

"I told you the prince was the one your mother foresaw," she teased. "Will you tell me everything that happened? Why aren't you hiding the marks on your skin anymore?"

"Of course, but it's such a long story. I should go see Malryf first, then come back here and tell you."

She smiled. "I'll be waiting."

Lord Malryf was a kind, middle-aged man who appeared honestly interested in fixing all the problems in Arren. He also knew that Coulta was only speaking to him because ghosting in and out of the castle without doing so wouldn't have been polite. He was very understanding of Coulta's reasons for being in Arren, and didn't object to him asking Teeya to leave with him. They were still sorting through the treasury and ledgers, but Wildas had forgiven all of Arren's debts to the crown in order to allow the city to be essentially rebuilt, so there was some money already set aside to give the servants who left the castle something to live off of. Teeya would be granted her due if she chose to leave, which Coulta hoped she would.

Then he returned to her room and helped her with her mending while he told her everything, from the moment he'd tried fighting Varin's orders outside the inn window to the moment he left to look for her. She listened eagerly and gave him a ridiculous smile when he told her – in very few, vague details – about the night Wildas had asked him to be his husband. She covered her mouth at the details of the battle, and squeezed his hand when he told her how the curse had broken. She was incredibly interested in all the people he spoke about, as well.

"I would love to meet them all. Everyone sounds so wonderful."

He smiled. "Then come back with me. The castle always needs more seamstresses."

"Do you mean that?" she asked, staring at him.

He nodded. "Of course I do. You'll have plenty of work and I'll be sure to introduce you to everyone. I already spoke to Malryf and he's happy to let you go. He'll even give you some extra payment to get you settled. Will you come?"

She barely took a moment to think about it before smiling. "Yes."

He grinned and hugged her. "Thank you. Is my room still as I left it?"

She nodded. "No one's been in it since you left."

"I'll stay there tonight. We'll be leaving tomorrow."

"I'll be ready," she assured him, watching him move toward the door that separated their rooms.

Inside his old bedchamber he found everything as he'd left it. He'd been gone only two months, but spiders had already made a home of the place, and a thin layer of dust covered everything. He removed his boots, sword belt, and cord of station that he wore across his body and placed them all beside the door to Teeya's room. Then he shook out the pillows and lay down on top of the blankets for a restless night.