Halfway through breakfast with Naima—which in reality was more like a tense negotiation—a harried-looking messenger runs into the inn's dining hall. Red-faced and covered in dirt and grime, he shouts, "I'm looking for Capt. Finch Stewart! Has anyone seen Captain Stewart?" The agitation in his voice garners him many stares.
Raising my hand, I call out, "I'm Captain Stewart."
The man, small in stature, mouth tight with stress, runs to me, a sealed message in his hands, which he hastily shoves into mine.
"A message from the King, sir."
I take the thick piece of parchment, quickly checking the seal. It's stamped with the ram's head representing the House of Valderre. I tear into the paper. The note is short.
Captain Stewart,
Bleeding hearts grow in dead woods.
Bleeding Hearts is the code for Lord Solditch. The dead woods is the Crooked Copse, the withered forest that surrounds his keep. The meaning is clear. Solditch has returned.
I set my face, manipulating it into a look of apathy and annoyance before turning to Naima. She watches me. Curiosity lines her face.
"You will return to Mirrador Castle in eight days. You will come directly to the Castle where rooms will be waiting for you. You will keep to yourself. You will, under no circumstances, see Prince Greyling until the Jubilee. Even then, it will be under strict watch." I pause, knowing she has no intention of heeding any of my commands. "You will be on your best behaviour."
She raises one perfectly manicured eyebrow at me. I scowl.
With that, I head back to my room, stopping at the fire that burns brightly in the dining hall's hearth. I toss the crumpled note into it, watching it fold in on itself as the fire ravages the parchment. Satisfied, I leave to grab the few items I brought. In minutes, I squared my bill with the innkeeper and jumped on Aiolos, riding the wind as we rushed back to Varran City.
~*~
YOU ARE READING
Shadow Touched (Editing)
FantasyNaima DeLumine, a notorious thief with a past steeped in wealth and nobility, vowed never to return to the glitz and glamour of life in Varran City. Yet fate, like a relentless pursuer, summons her back after five years of exile. Her life of hedonis...
