Torrent of Tears (Scourge Survivor Series Book 3)(39)

“Welcome to the home of Lir-Rowan, of the Fifth house. I am Jonash and anything you need is my pleasure to provide. Shall I give you a tour of the manse?”

I didn’t want to burst the old guy’s bubble, but I was d-o-n-e—done. “I’m thinking: booze, bath and then bed.”

His lips tightened. “I shall have Leta draw you a bath, Princess. Would you like something to eat first?”

I shook my head and glanced to where the stairs disappeared. “No thanks. I’ll be good ‘till morning.” Jonash milled his long, slender hands. What was it about the people of Attalos and their weird preoccupation with feeding me?

I cast a glance over to Ydorus and Eury. “My escorts haven’t eaten. Could I ask for something for them?”

“Of course, Princess.” He bowed deep at the waist. “If you’ll give me a moment, gentlemen, I’ll show Princess Grace to her room and be down to tend to your needs directly.”

“We’d rather escort the Princess—”

“Thanks boys,” I said raising a hand, “but I’m beat. Terran will see me up. You two should take off and get some rest. And thanks for everything.”

“If it’s all the same, Princess. We’d prefer to secure the house.”

I cast a glance at the mansion sprawling in all directions, three stories above and more below to be sure. I tilted my head back, scanning all the way up to the third floor. I was much too tired to argue. “We’re only here a few days. You might not get done.”

The two soldiers chuckled, but after Ydorus checked the locks on the front door he and Eury marched off through the dimly lit wing on the right.

With lead legs, I shuffled toward the stairs while Jonash bounced up the steps in the lead. “I will show you to your rooms and then bring up a tray in the event you change your mind about the food.”

“Sounds great.”

The four of us trudged up the plush runner covering the hardwood stairs all the way to the third floor. The landing sported a wide window seat and a floor to ceiling bookshelf chocked full of spines standing at attention. Jonash was practically skipping down the left corridor while Terran, Coal and I struggled to keep up.

“How long have you been with Rowan and his family?” I asked, only to slow the man to a less obscene pace.

“Oh, my ancestors have served the Nobles of the Fifth house since the time of separation.” He paused next to an alcove with a nude marble statue of a Fae god.

Oh, please, let it not be Castian. The last thing I needed was to go to sleep with erotic images of Jade’s father in my head. I tried not to look, but was drawn to satisfy my curiosity. Thankfully it wasn’t Castian. It looked more like his brother Dane.

Coal noticed me eyeing the statue and giggled.

Yes. Naked was funny to an eight-year-old.

“Here you are, Princess.” Jonash said from a short way down the hall. “I’m certain you’ll be comfortable here and the two rooms across the hall have been readied for your guests.”

Coal’s eyes flared and I squeezed his hand.

Terran eyed the door across the hall and I realized that both Coal and I had taken naps, while he had been going full tilt since yesterday. “Terran, go. Get some sleep. We’ll meet in the garden at dawn for training.”

If I’d had the energy, I would have laughed at Terran’s expression. As it was, I just shoved his shoulder and pushed him into the room. “Go. That’s an order.”

He yawned. “See you at the crevice of dawn.”

I laughed. “Crack, Terran. See you at the crack of dawn. And Terran?” He stopped and met my gaze. “Thank you. For Tham, and taking us to your home and . . . yeah, well, today.”

He eased the door closed. “Sleep well, Princess.”





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


The moment the dream morphed into something sinister, I was aware. One of the more peculiar side effects of being a conduit for visions was having a body and mind acutely attuned when reality collided with what would be considered by normal people as other.

Running through the Haven forest with Tham at my side and the wolves at our heels, I could almost breathe again. With every fiber of my being, I clung to the fruitless hope that this was reality and yesterday had been the nightmare. Even as we ran, chuckling about stupid everyday drama from the Academy, the Talon, and of course our collective family, I knew in the pit of my gut it wasn’t real.

The shadow edging into my dream, however, was. Subtle at first, it was a rumble in the distance. A feather brushing the synapses of my mind. A prodding finger testing the waters. I gave no indication I was aware of the intrusion, entranced by the joy of spending time, however imagined, with Tham.

The shadow edged further. My heart raced in my ears, thundering like hooves against packed earth.

What was it? Or rather . . . who?

I leapt over a large rock and grappled Tham right before we turned the bend toward the main path. The two of us toppled toward the brush. He rolled mid-air, at the last minute pulling me against him to absorb the blow of the forest floor. Laughing, the two of us crashed in a tangle of legs and elbows and giggles.

Breathing deep, I relished the scent of him—suede, outdoors and Elven male.

The entity pushed further.

No longer just the sense of someone probing my subconscious mind, the slither of an icy awareness snaked through my skull, down my nape and into my chest.