A Kiss of Shadow (Court of Starlight and Darkness #2)(20)

His arm tightened on me, as if he couldn’t help it.

I smiled.

He might not admit it, but he cared.





8





Sia



* * *



Sunlight streamed across my face, too bright in front of my closed eyelids. I squeezed them tighter and rolled over. It was too damned early, and I just wanted to bury my face in the silk sheets.

Wait, silk?

I didn’t have silk sheets.

My heart thudded. I turned on my back and opened my eyes just in time to see Lore’s back disappear as the door to the tiny room shut behind him.

Yep. Still on a train.

And last night had really happened. Shit. Someone tried to kill me.

Lore had spent the entire night holding me. He must have waited until I started stirring, then made his getaway.

Probably didn’t want to talk about it.

Fine by me. I didn’t want to talk about it, either. I’d temporarily lost my mind last night and decided that it would be a great idea to snuggle the Ice King.

Insanity.

But part of me didn’t believe that. Not for a second.

It had felt amazing.

Not just because he was strong and looked like a god. But because there was something just so right about being in his arms. Dain was also strong and looked like a god, but I knew without a doubt I wouldn’t feel the same if he held me.

There was just something about Lore.

And I was going to have to ignore it. The last thing I needed was to become distracted by him. My damned life was at stake here. One slip-up, and I’d go under the train wheels so quickly I wouldn’t realize it had happened.

I left his room and went into my own, using the connecting doors so I didn’t run into the guards that were surely outside in the hall. It didn’t take me long to find a change of clothes in the trunk that had been packed for me. It was easy to find an outfit of trousers and a fitted top that would be good for fighting if things went south again. I needed a shower, but that would have to wait.

I needed to see Meria and Eve.

Thank God for comms charms. I pressed a finger to my ear and said, “Meria? You there?”

“Yes. Where are you? We missed you last night when you went to bed.”

“Ah, about that…”

“Yeah?” Worry echoed in her tone.

“Can we meet for breakfast?” My stomach was roiling with the slightest nausea. Food could help settle me. It felt like a hangover from hell, but I hadn’t had enough to drink for that to be the case.

The poison. Of course.

“Sure. We’ll see you in the dining car right next to ours.”

The one I’d nearly died in. Perfect. My eggs would taste even better since I’d confronted my mortality there.

I disconnected from Meria and opened the door slowly, wanting to give anyone on the outside enough time to step back. There were two guards standing in front of the doors, and they tilted their heads to me as I left.

There was no one else in the sitting room, but the dining car was nearly full. Fae sat around nearly every table, each of them dressed in what they probably considered casual wear. There were too many beautiful fabrics and examples of fine embroidery for it to be truly casual, though.

I spotted my friends about halfway down the car and hurried to meet them. They sat at a small table near the window, coffee and juice already laid out in front of them.

“Oh, thank God.” I reached for a cup of coffee as I sat, lifting it with almost too much enthusiasm. I barely managed not to spill on myself as I took a gulp. The caffeine was desperately needed.

“You all right?” Eve frowned, looking me up and down.

“Honestly, my brain feels like a potato that’s been electrified into sentience.”

“Like Frankenstein’s monster?”

“Exactly. I’m the Frankenstein of the vegetable world.”

They laughed.

Dain appeared at the other end of the car, taking a seat where he could see me easily.

My guard had arrived. There were probably more scattered throughout the dining room if I knew Lore. Gratitude welled within me.

“Can we get some food?” I asked. “I think I need something to settle me.”

“Already ordered,” Meria said. “After all those breakfasts in the competition, I know what you like.”

“You’re a hero.” I could have hugged her.

“I want to know what happened last night,” Eve said.

Before I could answer, the food arrived. Thank God. I needed the sustenance and the time to gather my thoughts. Meria had ordered me a pile of bacon and eggs with a side of fruit. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

As I shoveled food into my mouth—really unbecoming behavior for a queen—I spotted a woman on the other side of the dining car. She was a few tables down, and her gaze was glued to me.

I looked away, then glanced back.

Yep. Still looking.

She had the usual fae beauty that everyone in this realm possessed. Her dark hair was swept back from her face, and her violet eyes glittered with intelligence.

Hang on.

She had violet eyes, just like the Truth Teller had told me about. She’d been right—the woman’s eyes were unmistakable. She was the one I was supposed to ask about my parents.