Page 96

“Think he presumed we would fit in here better.” Ash smirked. “And we had to get away from the city.”

“It’s more than that. He would not give my name if it wasn’t life or death. What are you running from?”

“The new queen.” Ash swallowed.

“Futu-i.” Fuck. Iacob hissed, his happy features dropping into a scowl, reminding me more and more of someone. “Are you kidding me? And he brought you here? My brother is a realmagar.”Jackass.

“Brother?” I sputtered, but instantly, the familiarity clicked in. The eyes and body structure were so akin to the reverend. “He said you were an old acquaintance.”

“Not surprised.” Iacob huffed. “He always was an insufferable, righteous asshole.” He nodded for Vlad and Codrin to back down, our admittance passing some criteria. “We never got along, but it became worse the older we got. Being a clergyman was forced upon us by our father, to follow in the likes of him. Baciu, being the first son, wanted to please our father, no matter how fruitless it was. I learned quickly that kind of life was not for me, nor did I believe in any of it. I questioned too much, saw the hate, cruelty, fear, and hypocrisy inside the church and even in my own family. I walked away, searching for my own path. Baciu has never forgiven me for turning my back on the church. On him.” He shook his head with a frown, then peered at us. “So it says a lot that he sent you two here.” He chuckled. “Either to drop this mess on me, put you right in the middle of the flame, or he actually wanted to protect you.”

I wanted to believe it was the latter; Baciu had been kind to us. Saved our lives.

“Well…” he huffed, a tight smile returning to his face. “You’re here now.”

“We don’t want to bring danger upon anyone.” Ash motioned around. “It’s only for a few days. We need to rest, get supplies in Râ?nov, and then we will get out of your way.”

“Râ?nov?” Iacob wagged his head with a laugh. “That’s the last place you should go.”

“Your brother told us that was where the closest market was.”

“It is, but he hasn’t been there in a while. It’s changed. A lot.” I could hear a warning in Iacob’s tone.

Ash adjusted his feet, his jaw ticking.

“It’s now a military trading post,” Iacob declared, my stomach dropping into my shoes. “They have procured residence in Bran, taking over Râ?nov and Bra?ov. They seem to be multiplying every day throughout here.”

“Seem to?” Vlad scoffed. “Their numbers doubled in only a week.”

“Bringing in recruits?” I asked.

“No.” Codrin wagged his head. “They’re taking people from the villages.”

“Forcing?”

“Or offering them money and land.” Codrin raised one shoulder.

“When one of our own was killed in town getting supplies, I put a stop to any more visits.” A flicker of grief went over Iacob’s eyes. “We depend mainly on the visits from Baciu for provisions, and what we can’t get, we try to grow and make here.” He motioned to the gardens of vegetables and herbs. “Produce our own medicine.”

“Which still isn’t enough,” Vlad grumbled. “And we can’t make our own bullets and guns.”

“War.” Iacob’s nose wrinkled. “Such infantile actions of grown men.”

“That’s why we should have women in charge.” I smiled thinly.

“I agree.” Iacob nodded. “I may be the leader, but we worship our women here. They are the bearers of life, something men are deeply envious of, and why they chose to constantly put them down. Make them less. Afraid of their power.”

“So being at a Pagan’s temple isn’t happenchance?” Ash’s attention went over the space and people again, stopping on two little boys playing.

“I’d say we are closest to that, but we dislike labels. We all agree nature and love are sacred. And it should be given freely and without restrictions.”

“Without restrictions? Even the children?” Ash’s frame constricted, his throat bobbing as if it was hard to swallow, nodding over to the kids playing. I could feel tension coiling inside him, his childhood trauma seeping up, seeing himself and his sister in these adolescents. I had an urge to take his hand, let him know I was here, and ease his worry as if he meant something to me.

Like he was mine.

Iacob slanted his head, his lids narrowing. “Children should be raised to not fear showing or giving love, understanding how nature and this world work, but I think you are insinuating something else, which I find insulting. We protect and love our children.”

“That’s the same garbage they told me.” Ash’s teeth gritted, and I could see the tension between the two men rising.