Torrent of Tears (Scourge Survivor Series Book 3)(27)

Before I could say any more, he nudged my hand and pointed at the letter.

“Oh, right, and what’s your name, buddy?”

His round little face blanked out as his coal black eyes filled with anxiety. I looked up to Terran. “What did I say?”

“He hasn’t got a name. He’s a fire orphan and indentured servant. He probably was born into it. Many Fire were taken as slaves after the uprising.”

“What?” No wonder the poor bugger looked lost and alone in the world. I knew what that felt like. I’d be damned if I let this boy feel tossed away and unwanted. “Well, everyone needs a name. I’ll give you one . . . if that’s all right.”

The surprise in those dark eyes made my chest tighten. “Coal. I’d call you Coal. You’re a Fire Faery and your eyes are dark black. Do you like it? I’ll think of something else—”

He shook his head, his tiny hand patting his chest and then pointing to his eyes.

“You like it?”

He nodded.

“Okay then, Coal, let’s see what you brought me?” I angled the linen letterhead toward the light of the fire and smiled. Jade was the one born with the Rosetta Stone embedded in her cranium. I was the one who copied off her tests. Yet, since Sera had touched my forehead, memories of Balor and my childhood had started coming back.

I could read Attalosean. Freaky.



Princess Grace

Her Majesty requests your immediate presence in her private study. Your refusal regarding your allocation to be my bride has been deemed an unfortunate miscommunication due to a lack of understanding of Attalosean tradition.

In anticipation of a new understanding between the three of us, she has arranged for a gift of betrothal which she believes will clarify any further miscommunication.

Yours in affection,

Lir-Zale

Son of the seventh house.



I snorted and tossed the letter into the fire. “Yeah, like a crystal punch bowl is going to convince me to marry that polygamist worm.” Coal stared up at me, his eyes far too glossy in the firelight. “Gods, I’m sorry, Coal. I shouldn’t say rude things about your master.”

He shook his head, picked up my hand and after a sequence of frustrating charades, I finally understood. “You want me to marry him? Why on earth would I do that?”

He looked thoroughly deflated and pointed first from himself to me and back to himself.

“Married or not, I’m your friend, honey. And one thing you should know about me is that I’m a very loyal and trustworthy friend. We don’t need your master’s permission for that. Now, I suppose we should go and get this over with.”

“You’re out of your depths, Princess,” Rowan scoffed. The copper in his brown hair caught the glow of the fire as he shook his head. “You spit in the face of the Queen’s plans and expect to just get it over with? That’s naivety talking.”

I pushed my chin out and straightened. “What do you care? You just finished saying we’re not friends.”

Rowan scrubbed his palm across the stubble of his five o’clock shadow. “You underestimate the lengths the Queen will go to ensure control over her city. If you flounce your independence, she will squash you.” The vehemence in his voice had me dumbfounded.

“What did I do to piss you off? I’ve been nothing but—”

He stepped away from the back bench and stalked forward. “You stood in a crowd of disgruntled citizens and declared opposition to the Queen. Attalos isn’t a democracy. Rumors fly to her like traitorous little birds.”

“And this is your business, how?”

Coming around the forge, with his shirt off and his lithe body moving in angry strides, his movement was better than a strip show. “Look,” he said, his voice lowered. “The Queen rules with fear and with violence. Your recklessness is going to get you, or those around you, killed.”

“I’m not reckless. I’m honest.” My thoughts stopped being logical the moment all that rippled, tawny flesh was close enough to touch, or nip, or lick. He smelled like sweated-out male and didn’t that make my heart beat faster. “Besides, as much as I appreciate you highlighting everything I’m doing wrong, I’ve had enough of that. Fingers pointing. Judgement. Disappointment. That dance card is full.”

I stepped back and opened my hand to the side. Coal slipped his little fingers against my palm and my pounding heart warmed. He might be tiny, but that gesture of trust was huge in this hostile world. Zale might think he owned me like he owned this boy, the Queen might think she owned this city, but neither of them knew me. “Thanks for the warning, Doc. I’ll take it under advisement. And just as an FYI . . . I don’t flounce. I fight.”





CHAPTER ELEVEN


With my purple heels dangling from one hand and Coal clutching the other, the three of us strode through the gold-gilded hallways, past the sculptures and art, and eventually found ourselves outside the Queen’s private meeting chamber.

“Coal, stay in the hall with Terran, ‘kay? I promise, as soon as I’m done with the Queen we’ll find Zale and see if we can figure out some way to improve your situation.” With a look of mature resignation, Coal released my hand and went to stand next to Terran. It was bizarre how the mere loss of that fragile contact left me feeling bereft.