The endless grasslands were at last broken up by a tall wooden building in the distance. My horse snorted as if it too recognized it. I glanced over at Audrey. The setting sun painted gilded highlights in her dark hair and made her eyes glitter like emeralds. She wore a tight-fitting riding outfit, which drew far less attention than those half-armor dresses she usually wore, but the dark garments still clung to her figure in all the right places. Truth be told, she was rather gorgeous. However, any attraction I might have felt towards her was overshadowed by the monumental desire to cut her heart out.
I didn’t stand for challenges to my authority, and Audrey had done nothing but disrespect me since the day she decided to settle on my territory. Our fight had lasted for years and left many dead in its wake. But she was somehow still here. It baffled me. And it made me want to crush her even more.
“We stop here for the night,” she said, her tone full of command.
It was the voice of someone who was used to people obeying her every order. It was not a voice people usually used with me.
Flexing my fingers, I considered sending a force wall at her to knock her pretty little ass right off her horse. However, if I did that, I would be as good as admitting that she was getting under my skin. And we couldn’t have that. So in the end, I just threw her another lazy glance.
“Of course we are,” I scoffed. “Where else would we be staying?”
This inn, called The First and Last Stop, was the last one along the Valdan Road between the city-states of Malgrave and Eldar, and from here it was a full day’s ride to the walls of Eldar. Audrey and I, along with the other dark mages in this city-state, lived in mansions out in the hills around the city to make sure that the insufferable heroes couldn’t reach us all that easily. But the great road that connected all the city-states across the continent of Valda was the least suspicious route to approach the city from, which was why we had opted for it.
“I don’t know,” Audrey answered, and raised her eyebrows at me while a mocking smile stretched her lips. “Maybe you’re one of those who likes sleeping outside in the dirt with the animals.”
I matched her smirk. “Ah, so that’s the kind of company you usually keep. That explains so much.”
While still holding on to the reins, she shifted her palms closer to one another in a move I assumed was supposed to have looked casual. But it was clear that she was preparing to throw that poison magic of hers at me. I let my hands drift closer too. Part of me wanted her to try it. To start that fight. Out here, all alone and with nothing for cover, she didn’t stand a chance against me, and I wanted to make her admit that while I pinned her to the ground with a force blade. However, there was a significant risk of someone from the inn seeing us. And as soon as they saw our magical battle, they would know that we were dark mages.
The seconds stretched on.
Then she just clicked her tongue and spurred her horse on. Whether it was because she knew she would lose, or because she didn’t want to risk us being made, was unclear, but I liked to think that it was the former.
Several oxen and heavy wagons waited outside the inn when we dismounted, but the stable was empty of horses. A young lad jumped down from a loft inside the stable and hurried over to take our horses as we walked them over. Audrey stalked straight for the door as soon as the reins had left her hand. After handing over my own, I shook my head and strode after her.
Warmth and noise assaulted me as I stepped across the threshold and into the tavern area that covered the whole ground floor. Travelers in dusty clothes talked and laughed loudly at several of the tables while bright candles cast the whole room in yellow light. I elbowed my way through the crowd and approached the pale wooden counter along the back of the room.
“Welcome,” said a cheerful man with graying hair and blue eyes. “What can I get you?”
“A place to sleep for the night, and some food,” I replied as Audrey stopped next to me.
The innkeeper looked between the two of us. “One room?”
Audrey snorted as if that was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. “Two.”
“Alright then,” he replied with a small smile. “Please have a seat while I get the rooms ready. I’ll be out with food in a minute.”
After paying him, I grabbed Audrey by the arm and hauled her over to a table by the wall. She stared daggers at me and tried to yank her arm out of my grip, but I was a lot stronger than her. And short of starting an actual fight, there wasn’t anything else she could do, so she clenched her jaw and followed me to the table I had picked out. Pulling out a chair, I shoved her down into it before taking the seat opposite her.
Her eyes flashed as she rolled her shoulder and then met my gaze. “If you ever do something like that again, I’ll make you cough up your own lungs until they’re lodged in your throat and choke you to death.”
“Calm down, sweetheart.” I flashed her a sly smile before lowering my voice. “Remember that we can’t use our magic in public, or we might as well scream to the whole world that we’re dark mages.”
“I know that. I’m not an idiot.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Before she could reply, the blue-eyed innkeeper returned with two bowls of stew and two mugs of what looked like watered-down ale.
“Here you go,” he said as he placed them before us. Reaching into his stained apron, he pulled out two more objects. “And here are the keys to your rooms. They’re not quite ready yet, but they should be all done by the time you finish your dinner.”
I gave him a nod in acknowledgement before he drifted off.
The rather sad-looking stew actually smelled pretty good, so I picked up my spoon and dug in. Meat and potatoes, and some kind of herb. I’d had worse.
“How long will your forger need?” I asked between mouthfuls.
Audrey swirled the ale in her mug before lifting one shoulder in a shrug. “It shouldn’t be more than a night’s work.”
“So we’ll need a discreet place to stay in the city for one night before we get the papers.”
“Yeah.”
Running a hand over my jaw, I considered for a moment before nodding. “I think I can take care of that.”
“Good.” The chair scraped against the floor as she stood up. “Now, excuse me while I seek out more pleasant company.”
My hand shot out. Grabbing her arm across the table, I locked hard eyes on her. “Sit down.”
She twisted her wrist and ripped it out of my grip while her green eyes bored into me. “The next time you try to give me orders, I will cut out your tongue.”
“Big words for someone who was bent over a table, completely helpless underneath me, only two days ago.”
Narrowing her eyes, she stared me down for another few seconds. Then she snatched up her bowl and mug before stalking over to a different table. I huffed out a silent laugh. She was so easy to rile. This was going to be such a fun mission.
I tracked her as she made her way across the pale wooden floor. Instead of going straight to an empty table, she briefly stopped next to an already crowded one. Burly men in dusty clothes took up most of it, but there were a couple of women seated with them as well. Suspicion swirled inside me as Audrey bent down to whisper something in the largest man’s ear.
Rage flashed across his face.
Audrey only gave him a solemn nod and then continued to an empty table by the other wall. There was a wicked smirk on her face as she sat down and locked eyes with me from across the room.
A moment later, wood creaked as the muscular traveler pushed to his feet and turned in my direction. I raised my eyebrows in amusement as he clenched his fists and stalked over to my table.
“You’re gonna come with me,” he said. “And apologize.”
Rolling my eyes, I flicked my hand. “Leave. I’m not in the mood.”
His hands shot down and he grabbed me by the collar before hauling me halfway out of the chair. Tilting my head back, I met his rage-filled gaze.
“I suggest you take your hands off me,” I warned.
“You disrespectful little whelp,” he growled down at me. “I’ll make you—”
I rammed the heel of my hand into his solar plexus. A strangled noise ripped from his throat as he staggered backwards, his hands disappearing from my collar. Instinct told me to call up my magic, but we were in a crowded public place where I couldn’t reveal that I was a force mage. Which was exactly what that damn poisoner had counted on.
As if she could read the thoughts on my face, Audrey lifted her mug in a mocking salute.
A growl rumbled from my chest. I sidestepped right as the traveler recovered enough to swing his fist at me. It sailed uselessly through the air. Twisting back around, I aimed another strike at him, but his other hand caught me in the side before my hit could land. Dull pain pulsed through my ribs.
Changing tactics, I ducked under his next strike and slipped slightly behind him. While he was still trying to turn around, I aimed a hard kick at the back of his knees. A grunt escaped his throat as he crashed down on the ground. Yanking out my knife, I placed it against his throat before he could get to his feet again.
Throughout the room, people looked at us uncertainly while a tense hush spread. The innkeeper stared at me from across the bar, worry evident on his face.
Rage pounded in my veins. But it wasn’t directed at the man kneeling in front of me. Blowing out a controlled breath, I leaned down until I could speak directly into the man’s ear.
“Whatever she told you is a lie,” I said. “She’s pissed off that I rejected her and now she’s trying to get revenge. That’s all it is.”
My captive let out a grunt in acknowledgement that he had heard me.
“Now, go sit back down.” Taking the blade from his throat, I gave his shoulder a shove from behind. “Before my patience runs out.”
While he struggled to his feet again, the rest of the inn breathed a sigh of relief. I swept my gaze around the room. Audrey’s table was empty. My eyes darted towards the doorway leading to the staircase and the rooms at the top. Long black hair fluttered around the corner.
I took off across the room.
Her foot had barely even touched the first step when I caught up with her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I yanked her back down and slammed her up against the wall while pushing the knife I was still holding against her throat.
Green swirls glittered along her forearm as she placed her palm against my chest. With my back to the tavern area beyond, I prevented the rest of the patrons from seeing both her magic and my knife.
“What did you tell him?” I growled in her face as I pushed the blade harder against her skin.
Raising her chin, she flashed me a cocky grin. “I might have told him that you were boasting about how you were going to fuck the two women in their group before the night was over.”
“You little—” I began before the voice of the innkeeper interrupted me.
“Is everything alright?”
Audrey’s magic disappeared in an instant. After flicking a quick glance at the man over my shoulder, she looked back at me expectantly. Blowing out an irritated breath, I took the knife from her throat.
“Yes, everything is fine,” I said as I turned around and shifted the blade in my hand so that the innkeeper couldn’t see it.
“Miss?” he said, his blue eyes darting over to Audrey.
She let out a carefree laugh. “Yes, yes, everything is alright. Just a little moment of passion.” Reaching up, she gave my cheeks a few pats. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Her eyes glittered as she held my gaze for a moment. “Make sure to lock your door.”
With the innkeeper still standing there, I couldn’t do what I really wanted to do to her. So in the end, I just gave her a smile laced with threats and stalked out the front door towards the stables.
