Heirot

Tenara looked up at him, hesitating. She knew her aunt could be… overwhelming for most people. But, he seemed serious, and she had the amulet. They could talk to one another if he got uncomfortable, and she could come to his rescue. “Okay,” she said, nodding. She was a little relieved she didn’t have ...

Tenara took deep breaths, cracking an eye open at the word. A soft, strained smile turned her lips. “Asswipe,” she agreed in his language, and spat the same. The vibrations slowly settled, and Tenara was left feeling like she’d run five miles. The tremors were frequent since she’d been back. The pala ...

Tenara nodded. “Of course. Don’t worry. I’ll come with you.” A knock sounded on Tenara’s door, a slightly muffled sound coming from Ren’s room. She stood and left him, closing his door slightly but leaving a crack. She opened her door to find one of her father’s advisors standing, her guards at his b ...

Tenara nodded. “She went to lunch with my mother. She’ll probably be heading to her rooms in a few minutes. Unless you want to ask her at lunch, under the public eye. But Papa will be there…” Her kingly father had not been as welcoming to Ren as the rest of the group. It wasn’t so much that he seemed ...

Tenara marveled at the book, unable to believe she was seeing Laurius’s name in a list with so many others. Some of them were notorious! “I can’t believe you found this,” she said. “I’ve heard it said that the Citadel is as secretive as it is prideful. I suppose it makes sense for them to brag about ...

“She’s not really a friend, Ren,” Tenara said, trying not to laugh. “At least not as good a friend as you.” The princess managed to gently pry the monkey off. She disappeared out his main door, walked across the corridor to a window, and placed the monkey on the ledge overlooking the garden trees. Th ...

Tenara nodded. She eased to the edge of her seat and reached out for the monkey again, but the creature scurried away, up to Ren’s shoulder, then behind his neck and under his hair. “Sorry,” she whispered, and climbed the rest of the way from the chair to hunt the creature down. “That’s unfortunate a ...

“Oh,” Tenara gasped, sliding to the edge of her seat to help pry the little thing off him. She tucked it up against her chest. “Sorry. Inquisitive little thing. I should probably return her in the garden. Especially before my maid sees her.” At least it wasn’t a snake this time. Tenara sat back slowl ...

The monkey looked at Ren curiously and then hopped from Tenara’s shoulder to Ren’s chest, clinging to his silk Hajaran clothes. The princess giggled softly, scratching the creature’s head. “She likes you,” she said. “I had to feed her dried fruit for a whole day before she climbed on me.” Tenara step ...

“Do I…?” Tenara blinked and looked sidelong at the small creature hugging itself to her face. “Oh, no. This is a friend I made in the garden…” She scratched the monkey beneath its eat as she spotted the ice bag in Ren’s chair. “Is your head bothering you again?”

“Are you coming, darling?” her mother’s voice came from the side, soft and curious. Tenara couldn’t see her. Her eyes were closed to the midday sun above her, as she lay on the soft patch grass turf in her little corner of the garden. “I’ll stay,” she said, sighing. “I’m too comfortable.” “There’s a ...

Laurius nodded. “I am surprised he sold her,” he said. “For someone with such an important task from the Queen, to trap the spirit of her dead son, a girl who can see them would be useful. I’ve never known him to be so foolish.” He frowned when he came to the end of the bandages. “Rest. Even if you f ...

“We will find out later what it costs,” Laurius whispered. “And if it is too much, it won’t be because of you. I should have kept my mouth shut.” All of this was a bad idea. All of it. Laurius felt the walls closing in around him, and the urge to run away and forget about the Black Sisters and the bo ...

Laurius closed the door behind Lee. “Oberin paid some men to help me carry you back,” Laurius said, and winced as he remembered how he had talked to Oberin as he left. He knelt back next to Havi and started unraveling the bandages to wrap the wounds he could manage. There were not enough bandages for ...

Lee’s frown deepened. She mulled over words, feigning to touch her injured eye. It looked red and angry around the edges of the bandage. “He doesn't lose.” Laurius touched Lee’s shoulder. She jumped, but stilled just as fast and made herself small. He steered her toward the door. “He isn’t well. Let ...