“It’s time to go, Tem.” Gaea put her hand on my shoulder.
I stood and turned to her. She wrapped her arms around my waist, and I hugged her back. In an instant, we were in my rooms. She wasn’t quick to let go, and I understood. We were all each other had for comfort.
I aimlessly wandered the castle that night—unable to sit in my rooms and pretend like everything was normal—until I found myself sitting outside Oleo’s old bedroom door. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. Someday, I would learn who had killed him. And why. I thought of the old female and wondered if she had lived the opposite of Oleo’s life. Were they mirror images of each other? Where one lived in hiding and the other as a servant? Was her life richer, though doused in paranoia and fear, or was his, even though he never made his own choices? I had to believe that, in the end, Oleo chose to love me and Gaea, and the king couldn’t have stopped him.
Chapter 10
KING TOLERO
Asandstorm could end as abruptly as it started but traveling through the frigid desert at night was also dangerous. With no lights to guide you, you’d wind up lost by morning, and that was if the cold hadn’t sank in too deep. Umari sent males to direct us to a hut for sleeping. The guards stood watch all night, while Inok and I tossed and turned, neither getting a wink of sleep.
He finally gave up on the notion of slumber and asked, “Any guesses?”
“None. I can’t stop wondering how anyone would have gotten into that cave without the guards seeing them.” I stared up at the roof of the hut.
“I can’t stop wondering why anyonewould.”
“My king,” a guard called from the door.
“Yes?”
“There are riders approaching. It’s too dark to see who they are. They’ve met up with the drac guards and are heading this way.”
“I guess that’s our cue, Inok.”
“I guess so.”
Within minutes, the new company had arrived.
“Hima, what are you doing here?” I asked, surprised to see a castle guard.
“My king,” he said, kneeling. “Forgive me for interrupting your rest. I bring grave news.”
“More?” Inok jumped to his feet.
“Yes, sir.” He nodded. “Two more have been murdered in the city.”
Inok and I shared a glance.
“Out,” he ordered the guards. “Everyone waits for us outside. Be ready to leave immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” they said in unison and walked out of the hut.
“Say it,” Inok demanded. I raised an eyebrow and waited. “You know what is happening. Say it out loud, Tolero.”
He only called me by name when we were in private and tensions were high. All the signs were there.
I whispered, “Someone is attacking the Flame Court. We must keep this to ourselves for now, Inok. Just like we used to. I don’t want to involve anyone we don’t need, and I don’t want to draw or give attention to them.”
“I don’t know, Your Grace. This feels bigger than that. Sporadic deaths draw their own attention.”
“We have no idea if the cetani illness has anything to do with what’s happening in the city. For now, we will act as if they are unrelated until we find reason to suspect they are.”
“Yes, my king.”
“As soon as we get back, arrange a meeting with Murtad. Let’s go.”
I didn’t like to let a fae horse run in the desert. Though fully capable and able to make the trip in a fraction of the time, it was hard on them. All obsidian in color, the sun just wore them down. We stopped more often to water them but were still back by late afternoon.
