A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales #2)(83)

I wiped away a tear, laughing.

He patted me. “It’ll all work out in the end,” he said softly. “I have faith in that. The prince has been playing hero, keeping the kingdom cranking, waiting for you. Now you will take over for a spell. When you two come together again, it’ll be explosive.”

“How are we going to come together again if I’m carted off to the demon kingdom?”

“I have no fucking idea, my darling. Not a clue. But you must, or we’ll all perish. No pressure.”

“Fantastic. Great pep talk, as ever,” I said dryly.

“I know, I know, I should stick to screaming.”





Eighteen





As we approached the tree line of my village, I patted Hadriel’s arm. “Okay, stop here. We can’t bring the horse. We’ll be noticed immediately.”

“Sweetie dove, I am wearing a flower-patterned dress coat and velvet slippers with thin soles, and you are wearing a lovely outfit designed by a master in the finest of fabrics. How in the literal fuck will we not be noticed on foot? We might as well arrive in style.”

I patted him again. “We’re going to sneak around the back.”

“Need I remind you about the thin soles? I see a lot of dirt and stone out there. I doubt I’ll do much sneaking. Do you know what can sneak? Horses. They sneak super well. I’ll even bend over a bit so that the horse looks lost and I look drunk. No one will notice.”

I rolled my eyes and slid off the side, stepping away. “Either stay here with the horse, or come with me on foot.”

“Ugh!” He hopped down and tied the horse up to the nearest tree. “No one is going to steal him, right?”

“And go where?”

“Lovely lady, again, I am wearing thin-soled slippers right now. I will admit, I wasn’t thinking when I started this venture. It’s been a long time since I’ve left my post. I don’t give a shit where someone might take Mr. Chompers; it’ll be farther than I want to travel in these shoes.”

“No, no one will take him. They are afraid of this wood. Will you come on?”

We crossed the threshold and worked around to the side, but while I started to jog, he picked his way carefully, not bothering to keep up. I slowed because the last thing I needed was for a guy dressed like him to wander down the lane, peering in windows, looking for me. The village would think they were hallucinating.

As it was, Chrystal from down the way spied us passing by the back of her fence, enough boards missing that she could identify my face.

“Finley?” she called out, shielding the sun from her eyes.

I kept moving with a grimace. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they thought they were hallucinating…

“Finley!” She hurried toward us, realized that I wasn’t stopping, and headed the other way.

“Go, go, go…” I grabbed Hadriel and yanked him along.

She appeared at a gap in the fence. Her washing basket was held firmly to her hip, and her ample bosom strained her threadbare shirt, only barely covered by a brown apron.

“Oh my stars, it’s you,” she said. “Praise the goddess, you’re not dead.” She hustled after us.

“There is some sort of washerwoman following us, Finley,” Hadriel said, glancing back. “She looks mean. Does she bite?”

“That’s just her face. She always looks like that.” I neared the corner as she overtook Hadriel. We weren’t going to get away. I stopped and faced her with a bland smile. “Hey, Chrystal.”

“Oh, Finley!” She threw her arms around me so effusively that my back cracked with the pressure. “We all thought you were dead. There have been a few sightings of the beast loitering around the general area, too.”

That must’ve been Nyfain bringing meat for my family.

“I’m okay.” I put out my hands. “It’s not as you think.”

“My goodness, look at you!” She ran her gaze down my front. “Oh my—you are the spitting image of your mother in that outfit. Well, she never wore pants. It really suits you, Finley. Tell me.” She leaned forward. “I heard you got tangled up with the demon king. I also hear he is very handsome. Is he holding you hostage and making you pay your rent with your body?” She leered.

My mouth dropped open.

“I did not expect that coming from her,” Hadriel said with a grin. “You really never know, do you? I thought it was just the castle that was filled with sexual deviants, but apparently this whole kingdom is kinky as fuck.”

“It isn’t the demon king,” I said, turning. “Stop listening to Jedrek.”

“But—”

I put on a burst of speed. Hadriel would just have to figure it out.

At my house, I hopped the fence and crossed the backyard, exactly as I’d left it. Well…before the dead bodies. Hannon had cleaned up.

At the back door, I knocked softly before turning the handle. Hannon met me on the other side with a furrowed brow. In a moment, his face cleared and a big smile crossed his face.

“Finley.” He wrapped me in a tight hug. “You’re okay.” He pulled away and looked down at my clothes. “He’s treating you well?”

“As well as a broody fucker like him is capable of, yeah. Listen, I need the dried crowded everlass. I’ve been positioned as royal healer to help the masses. The other villages, Hannon…” I shook my head and whistled. “Not great. We got lucky. They are all basically fighting over the elixir.”