Relaxing into Thane’s chest, Layala closed her eyes while he massaged her scalp and dragged his fingers through her hair with sweet pea and citrus-scented oil. She sighed at the pressure of his fingertips circling across her head. A couple firm knocks on the door, and she groaned. It was probably Alisara bringing the clothing but thoroughly interrupting her slice of serenity.
She sat up but Thane wrapped his arm across her breasts. “Stay with me.”
“Someone needs to get the door.”
He smirked and said loudly, “Come in.”
“Thane,” Layala balked. They were both completely nude in the bath. She’d gotten somewhat used to her own maids seeing her naked but not others.
The door handle pushed down, and a sliver of the hallway light peeked through the crack. Thane’s hold was relentless, so she relaxed against him once more, glancing down to make sure his arm covered her breasts fully. He wrapped his other around her, and they were large and muscular enough to cover most of her torso. Alisara and another lady with a much less extravagant dress stepped inside. Alisara froze mid stride, looking utterly baffled for a moment, and then she jerked her head away. “I apologize for the intrusion. I wasn’t aware you’d both be—indecent.”
“It’s fine,” Thane said and nibbled Layala’s earlobe. Layala shivered with the gentle touch. Maker above, he was devious. “Set the clothes on the bed. Thank you, ladies.”
The other maiden hadn’t even glanced their way. She purposefully kept her line of sight on the bed, set the clothes down, and her feet quietly clicked on the wood floor as she hurried out. Alisara’s chest rose as she took a deep breath. Her jaw muscles visibly worked as she laid out the bundle in her arms. Once she was at the door, she paused, keeping her back to them. “Kail is downstairs waiting. But of course, take your time.”
Once she was gone, Layala tugged out of Thane’s arms, twisting around. “What was that?”
“What do you mean?”
She arched her eyebrow. He was playing dumb. “You did that on purpose. To make her angry, didn’t you? What was she to you before?”
He sat up, shifting the warm water and stood. The droplets ran in streams over his divine body, distracting her. “She wasn’t anything to me other than someone I got information from. Like her brother.” He grabbed a thick cotton cloth off the side table, stepped out, and wrapped it around his waist.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” He couldn’t have been intimate with her or she’d be dead as per the mate bond’s infidelity clause but there was something there. Maybe he had feelings for her once.
He chuckled, pushing his hands through his hair, dragging them through the ends that reached his chest. “You’re about as far from stupid as one gets.” She sat back, crossing one leg over the other, and waited for him to answer. “As I said, I come to this town when I need information, to learn the gossip, or need to find something rare. Alisara is good at those things as is her brother Kail. One night while Fennan… Aldrich and I were in here drinking. I had to take a piss and on my way out back, I overheard her talking to some friends. She said that she’d planned to get me to her bed that night so she could carry my child and secure her position as the future Queen of Palenor.” Layala’s eyes widened at the scandal. The harlot didn’t know she’d have been dead, not queen. “I wanted to make sure she knew who my queen is and it’s not her. So yes, I may have done that on purpose.”
She smiled and laughed quietly, wading her hand through the water to splash it across her chest and neck. “Did I tell you I love you? Because I do. Very much.”
“You did but I don’t get tired of hearing it.”
Thane’s cloak on the bed moved and two little arms poked out. Tif stretched and yawned and pushed the fabric aside. Her little red hat was sideways and her brown curls wild and frizzy. She rubbed her eyes and then looked around. “Oh, I see we have a room. What a wonderful nap. I mean, I was out like the dead. But I had this dream that I was flying with a baby dragon, and it kept making this strange moaning noise. I think it was his battle cry.”
Layala nearly fell out of the tub laughing and Thane shook his head, but his deep chuckle permeated straight through her.
Kail slid two mugs of ale across the table, and a massive platter of cheeses, meats, sourdough bread and various fruits, and plopped down in the booth. Layala didn’t hesitate to dig in, grabbing a square of cheese first and popping it into her mouth. The rich savory taste was exactly what she needed. She couldn’t wait to get back to training and to eat enough to get her strength back. She still felt weak in her arms and legs from lack of nutrients.
“I like the outfit,” Kail said, nodding toward Layala. “For some reason I think it suits you better than a dress.” Alisara brought two dresses, but the other four outfits were pants and long-sleeved tunics perfect for traveling. Layala chose the black pants, thigh-high stone-gray boots and the turquoise top with bell sleeves. She’d buttoned a vest around her waist that was cut just below her breasts. The black fabric filled around her back and strapped over her shoulders. It had slits on the sides for weapons too which she took advantage of by sliding in two short knives. A gown was the last thing she wanted to wear when they had enemies all around and she might have to fight at any moment. He continued on, “You’re like a deadly assassin who’s so beautiful your victim might happily lay down and die.”
Thane laughed and took a slug of ale. “You’re not entirely wrong in that analysis, Kail.”
“I’ve been known to sneak into a chamber and stab someone.” Layala took another bite of cheese then slathered a piece of bread in butter.
Thane laughed again, and Kail glanced between them. “I feel like I’m missing something.”
“A story for another time,” Thane said. “First things first. Did you bring what I asked?”
Kail smirked. “Course I did. Got it off a rich fool in a game of poker not too long ago. He was sad to see it go. Once I found out he had it, I made sure to show up at his card night.” He pulled a sword from the bench beside him and gently laid it on the table. The silver blade shined in the candlelight, revealing etchings of what looked to be old elvish down the middle. “It’s worth a fortune now.”
“Wow,” Layala said, inspecting the pommel made of ivory and inlaid with ivy-shaped jade stone. “It’s remarkable.”
“I’m glad you like it. It’s yours.”
Layala leaned back and looked at Kail then Thane. “Mine?”
Thane smiled and nodded. “It was made by your father about a hundred years ago. There aren’t many swords forged by his hand left.”
Tears stung her eyes at the thoughtfulness of the gift. She’d mentioned she wished she had something her father touched and now she did. How could he be so wonderful? “Truly? What does the inscription say?”
Thane looked at her for a long moment. “Lightbringer.”
“But…” if it was a hundred years old then. “So, I’m named after a sword,” Layala chuckled. “Thank you for this. Thank you very much.”
“It’s fitting, you being named after a sword.” Thane picked up a metal mug of foamy ale. “Did you know my sister’s name is Talon Fearsome? In a way it suits her. She may not be feared on the battlefield, but you bet your ass every single maiden in the kingdom is afraid of that girl.”
“I was always jealous as a boy that the girls got unique second names while we had to take on our father’s.” Kail flicked a crumb off his chest. “I always wanted to be Kail Bravest of Them All.”
Layala laughed. “It’s a bit long, don’t you think?”
“I really wasn’t the smartest kid. What about you Thane? Any name you wanted?”
He sat quietly for a moment and took a long drink. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Nah.”
“Oh, come on,” Layala pressed. “You have to tell us.”
An attractive light pink colored his cheeks, and he grabbed a piece of bread. “Shadowslayer.”
“That’s actually pretty good.”
“A Lightbringer and a Shadowslayer. The perfect match,” Kail said with a wink.
“Perfect,” Layala echoed and wrapped her fingers around the sword’s soft ivory handle. Lifting it, she tested its weight. Its symmetry and balance were unmatched. Its weight was not overbearing but heavy enough it would create quick and precise momentum. My father made this, she silently marveled. She gripped the handle tighter. He once held this sword. She imagined him placing it over hot flames and then hammering it into shape. She could almost hear the sound of metal cracking metal.
“How does it feel?” Thane asked.
“Incredible. I can’t wait to swing it around. Up for a sparring match?”
“Always. You can get me flat on my back anytime.”
“He’s such a flirt, isn’t he?” Kail drawled. “You don’t know how many maidens, human, elf and Fae alike drool over him without even knowing who he is. Not a dry seat in the house.”
“Maybe it should be Thane Heartbreaker.” Layala cocked a challenging brow. Speaking of heartbreak—she glanced at Alisara. Her talk of rewards and betrayal hadn’t left the back of Layala’s mind.
“I can’t help that I’m magnetic, my dear.”
“Big head,” she murmured. She slid her new sword into the empty scabbard on her back. The weight of it was comforting; she had a piece of her father with her now.
“Anyway,” Thane said with an eye roll. “I need to know if you’ve heard anything about the All Seeing Stone. Someone took it and I need it.”
“Interesting,” Kail said, bringing his silver mug to his lips. “In fact, I have heard about it. About six weeks ago. A group of travelers was in here bragging about someone they knew having gotten the stone. I figured it was just talk but—”
“Who has it?”
Kail’s eyes darted around the smoky room, and he shifted a little in his seat. Someone at a table nearby let out an ear-wrenching bellow. Sensing Kail’s nervous energy, Layala made a point to check who was nearby. At a nearby table Alisara sat smoking with three other maidens. The closest booth held a group of four human men with pipes in their mouths and cards in their hands. A man on stage played a violin with a light toe-tapping medley. And their three Raven companions sat at a table with human women on each of their laps. The lady with Leif hand-fed him berries like he was a High King.
“You’re not going to like the answer,” Kail said.
“Like it or not, I need to know.”
