The Wish Granter (Ravenspire #2)(79)
Ari grabbed her plate and then risked a quick glance at Sebastian, her cheeks warming at the (absolutely delicious) memory of almost kissing him.
He gave her his crinkle-eyed smile.
So much for not wanting Sebastian while she had to deal with Teague. Thank the stars she had a real breakfast on her plate. She was going to need it.
Her search for the secret to stopping Teague was at a standstill. She had the empty contract, and she planned to read through it at her first opportunity, but it wasn’t like he would’ve carelessly included an addendum with instructions on how to kill him.
She needed information she couldn’t find inside the villa. She needed a contact on Llorenyae to research Teague’s past, she needed her vial of bloodflower poison she’d unfortunately left behind in her suite the night of the ball, and she needed the Book of the Fae.
None of those were going to be easy to come by while she was trapped in the villa beneath Maarit’s and Teague’s watchful eyes. She put a bite of egg into her mouth and met Sebastian’s gaze.
She might be trapped in the villa, but he wasn’t. The next time Teague and Maarit left them alone, she’d ask Sebastian to go out and gather what she needed.
Sebastian crinkled his eyes at her, and she gave him a quick little smile, even though eating near Teague was nearly enough to kill her enjoyment of the sausage.
Teague stayed in the kitchen with them for the entire meal—an act that made Ari wish a pox upon him and anyone unfortunate enough to be related to him. When breakfast was finished, Teague said, “Sebastian, see to the shipments at the dock this morning. There’s a horse saddled and waiting for you in my stables. Princess, you’ll accompany me.”
“Where?” Ari asked, her hands trembling at the thought of being stuck alone with Teague for hours on end.
He smiled. “I have a special debt to collect at the market today.”
She frowned. “Why do you want me to come along?”
His smile grew. “Maarit is unwell, and I think we both know I’d be a fool to leave you unsupervised.”
Ari’s heart pounded painfully and her palms were slick with sweat as Teague escorted her out of the villa and into his waiting carriage. A golden spinning wheel was painted on the door.
Maybe yesterday hadn’t been the victory she’d assumed it was if Teague was still suspicious of her.
But Teague didn’t have proof of her actions yet. And he was taking her to the one place where she might finally get some useful answers about him.
She just had to find a way to get to Rahel’s bookshop and hope that the Book of the Fae was there waiting for her. And that she could sneak it back into the villa under Teague’s nose.
Matching Teague’s malicious little smile with one of her own, she settled back against the carriage seat, looked out the window, and began to plan.
THIRTY-FOUR
THE MARKET WAS teeming with people, and Ari realized with a start that it was Mama Eleni’s usual market day. Housekeepers and cooks tromped through the streets with groups of maids, grooms, or personal guards carrying wide baskets loaded with goods for the household. She recognized a face here and there, and fisted her hands in her lap to subdue the sharp edge of bitter jealousy that they could walk the sunny streets freely, doing whatever they wished without worrying that one wrong move would cost them everything.
She had no right to be jealous. She’d chosen to intervene, to negotiate with Teague, to save her brother. She’d do it again in a heartbeat.
The air inside Teague’s carriage smelled of leather seats and his wild, woodsy fae scent. The combination set her teeth on edge. She wanted to be in the streets smelling the tang of brine, the sweetness of window box flowers, and the yeasty goodness of baking bread.
As the carriage slowly bumped its way past the bakery where Ari and Cleo always stopped for a pastry, the princess caught sight of a bright blue scarf wrapped around black curly hair, and pressed her face against the window.
Cleo sat at one of the bakery’s delicate iron tables, a mostly untouched pastry in front of her. Ari’s throat ached and tears burned her eyes, turning her friend into a blurred smudge against the pastel backdrop of the bakery.
She missed Cleo. Missed getting up at the crack of dawn to cook breakfast with her and their late-night talks after both girls were absolutely sure their mothers were asleep. Missed the inside jokes, the pranks played on Thad and the few stableboys they deemed worthy of the effort, and missed the confidence that no matter what she did, Cleo would be there to defend her.
Except this time. This time getting Cleo involved could cost her friend her life.
Ari blinked away the tears just as Cleo looked up at the passing carriage. They locked gazes and stared at each other for a long moment. Then Cleo jumped to her feet as if to run to the carriage, but Ari shook her head, hoping that Cleo would just accept what couldn’t be changed and leave it be. There was no way Ari could allow Cleo to be anywhere near Teague. She had no bargaining power left, and he was already far too interested in the ways he might hurt Cleo and use her pain against the princess.
The carriage bumped and jostled over the road and then turned onto the street that held Edwin’s spice shop, leaving the bakery and Cleo behind.
Ari’s heart ached, and loneliness was a deep, dark well inside her. It was too easy to add up her losses—her mother, Thad, Cleo, her home—and feel like she’d never be whole again.