A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2)(14)

I explained what I’d seen and my worry about Jedrek.

“Or it could be absolutely nothing, and Jedrek is just spreading rumors to cover for his tiny ego,” I finished. “I really couldn’t say. But I want to ask Nyfain—”

“Yes,” Hannon said, standing. “Write a letter and go now. You can hunt tomorrow. We have enough to last us a few more days.”

I nodded and jogged out, cutting through the backyards of houses and trying to stay out of sight. The Jedrek problem might be nothing, but even if he didn’t involve the demons, he could make trouble. If he tried to force the issue, I could take him with a dagger, I was sure of it, but what if he happened upon me alone and without weapons?

I stopped at home just long enough to hastily scrawl out the letter to Nyfain and snatch up my knapsack. Once at the birch, I found the bush and pulled out the mostly empty parcel, finding only a letter from him in it. I swapped it for mine and stood, contemplating whether to read his note here or back within the safety of my house.

But my house wasn’t really safe, was it? Jedrek could barge in and force an audience any time he liked. He wouldn’t do anything, surrounded by neighbors who would come to our aid, but he could scare the kids and threaten me.

Out here, however, I could evade him. If anything, with my animal’s help, I knew I could run faster than him and his friends. I would run straight to Nyfain if I had to.

Or maybe I was overthinking this due to recent events and my fatigue.

I worked my way to the far side of the everlass field, and then climbed a tree and settled into the branches. Perhaps I was overthinking things, but safety first.

I pulled open the parchment and was surprised to see Nyfain’s handwriting was messier than usual. The lines bowed in places and the ink was smeared in a few spots, as though he were pressing too hard. The second I started reading, I knew why.



Dear Finley,

You can deliver a warning to Jedrek on my behalf. If he so much as glances at you askew, I/the dragon will rip out his throat and feast on his entrails. He will die a painful, gruesome death before disappearing from existence.

If you are troubled by him again, tell me immediately. I will handle it. This I swear to you. Say the word, and the following night will be his last. I will not tolerate him or anyone else making you feel uncomfortable, and I certainly will not allow them to harm you.

Please send me a note to reassure me (and the dragon) that you (both) are okay. In the event it is you in the pit this time—I smiled because he was talking about the book he’d read—I will bring you more weapons. I need to procure them from the royal armory, but you’ll have them by the night shift. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will break my promise and deliver them to you personally.

Please stay safe. I’m sorry you have to deal with small-dicked arsepieces. Your refusal of his ridiculous proposal should’ve been enough. I’d be happy to teach him a lesson on etiquette.

At your command,

Nyfain



I blew out a shaky breath and my heart grew warm. I hated to admit my animal was right, but…she was right. Nyfain could and would handle any danger that I couldn’t handle myself. He wouldn’t balk, and he wouldn’t back down. He’d fight until he bled out, for the kingdom, and apparently now for me.

I bit my lip, took stock of my surroundings, and worked down the tree. Back at the birch, I scribbled a hasty note and got out of there.



Dear Beast,

Thank you.

I’m okay. Your words have helped calm me. Please let me know about the demon situation—if the ones at the castle have heard from Jedrek about me. That’s what has given me the most concern. I will try to make it here for the night shift unless things get weird.

As a quick aside, it seems I am still a healer and not a murderer. No cats will have to take the fall. Old Man Fortety is not amused.

The damsel most recently locked in your tower,

Finley



He’d be giving me some weapons. That was good at least. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t accept a gift so easily, but the guy had a royal armory and didn’t use weapons. He could spare a few things.

Halfway home, an owl screeched, warning its kind of my passing.

Every. Damn. Time. It seemed like it just hung around the area, waiting for me. It was nocturnal, for goddess’s sake. Did it not have something better to do than watch its stoop for kids traipsing over its lawn?

“Sleep or something, you blasted thing.”

Frustrated, at wits’ end, I snatched a rock from the dirt.

“And if you can’t sleep, hunt. Help your family out. Unless you don’t have a family, which makes sense, since you are obviously a rotten fucker who can’t mind its own business.”

I threw the rock, missed by a mile, and kept trudging toward home.

I’d told Nyfain that I was fine. That I was calm. Pure lies.

Because it made me nervous that Nyfain had focused solely on Jedrek and not said a word about James, who had also been a dick. Being an alpha whose duty was protection, he’d clearly sensed which one of them was a threat. He’d essentially confirmed my fear. And while I would love to snap my fingers and tell Nyfain to give Jedrek a hunting accident he wouldn’t walk away from, I didn’t want to do anything until I knew more about the blowhard’s dealings with the demons.

I neared the edge of the wood and spied a shape walking past the perimeter. I pulled my animal closer to the surface, needing to further enhance my sense of smell and hearing.