Page 41 of The Sunbound Princess
“Hey!” I clutched the bowl to my chest.
His eyes twinkled as he chewed. “That’s what happens when you wait.”
I bit into a dumpling, then groaned as flavors exploded on my tongue. Butter and sugar and spices that made me want to devour my bowl and then reach for Dain’s.
“Good?” he asked, smiling as he ate.
I mumbled my assent around a second dumpling, butter running down my hand. It was greasy and messy and utterly delicious.
We resumed our tour, sharing a flask of wine Nikolas purchased from a tiny tavern. As the afternoon wore on, I waited for the Dokimasi to pull me in a specific direction. But the magic remained stubbornly quiet, its presence a gentle hum rather than the urgent tug I was accustomed to.
The sun burned overhead, and the cloak dragged at my shoulders. The sensation was brand new, the discomfort stifling. In Lum Laras, I thrived in sunlight. Now, the source of my power had become an enemy.
As we finished the wine, Nikolas disappeared into a shop and emerged moments later with a length of red silk shot through with gold.
“Here,” he said, tugging me into a quiet alley. When he lowered my hood, I sucked in a breath.
“What are you doing?” I protested, reaching for it.
He brushed my hands away, then whisked the cloak from my shoulders and draped the silk around my hair. His fingers were deft as he arranged the fabric, tucking and adjusting like he dressed women every day. When he finished, my ears were covered, and the ends of the scarf trailed elegantly over my shoulders.
“There,” he said, stepping back to admire his work. “Much better. And cooler, too, if I had to guess.”
He was right. The breeze caressed my skin, its light fingers a welcome relief after hours of sweltering under the cloak.
“Did you steal this?” I murmured, fingering the edge of the silk.
Nikolas linked my arm through his. “Only hearts, my lady.”
The city was beautiful, but after hours of walking and wandering, I’d had my fill of architecture and history. I needed to find the sunstone. With every step, Corvus’s treachery sank a little deeper, worming its way into worry.
My frustration mounted as the sun sank and the Dokimasi remained stagnant. “Do you feel anything?” I asked Dain, anxiety nipping at me.
His face was solemn as he shook his head. “No. The connection is there, but it’s not pulling me in any particular direction.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, rubbing the center of my chest. “The magic should be guiding us. But it’s just…waiting.”
Dain frowned. “Maybe we need to be patient.”
“We don’t have time for patience,” I snapped, then immediately regretted my tone. The men had been nothing but kind, showing me the city and keeping me entertained. “I’m sorry. I’m just…”
Frustrated.
Failing.
Betrayed by my snake of a betrothed.
“Tired,” Nikolas finished for me. “We all are. Let’s find a place to rest for the night.”
Protests gathered, but I swallowed them. Nikolas was right. We’d walked all day. We couldn’t wander the city all night. Wherever Helios was, he’d sleep with the sun. I could resume my search in the morning.
“All right,” I said. “Do you know of a good place?”
Nikolas led us to an inn tucked against the city’s towering wall, which cast the modest but charming-looking structure in cool shadow. Flowers tumbled from the window boxes, and a gently swaying sign out front depicted a slumbering bear. The innkeeper, a handsome woman with silver-streaked hair, greeted us warmly.
Nikolas placed a stack of coins on the polished wood counter. “My wife and I are traveling from the countryside,” he said, slipping an arm around my waist. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder, indicating Dain. “With my wife’s brother.”
Dain lifted a hand. “Hello.”
