Page 44 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury (House of Embers #1)

Gareth got his way—a common theme, I’d begun to realize. Kieran, Gareth, and I flew into town just a little before dinner time. At least it wasn’t a total bust. Umara was happy to spread her wings, but Gareth hadn’t stopped being a giddy ass.

Kieran was a child and ignored the both of us, acting like we didn’t exist. It didn’t matter how many times Gareth teased and prodded at him, Kieran remained silent with his jaw clenched.

I expelled a breath. There was no need to let his sour mood kill my day.

The times I got to go to town were next to zero.

Fuck Kieran. I’d make today a nice day. Even if I had to ignore all the people staring at the three of us as if we’d hung the stars.

It was weird. So often, I felt on the outskirts of the dragonsguard, but to these people, I was one of them.

My new pointy ears made that apparent regardless of how I felt.

Still, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

It didn’t matter if I was dressed in jewels or riding a dragon, I’d always be that poor girl struggling to survive and provide for her family.

“Can we stop by The Dragon’s Hearth?” I asked Gareth, ignoring Kieran right back .

Gareth nodded. “It’s along the way. I don’t see a problem with it.” He grinned at Kieran, daring him to argue. Unlike me, Gareth found a game in prodding at Kieran’s patience. It was becoming all too clear to me that above all else, Gareth was a little shit.

Some of the tension eased in my shoulders when I entered The Dragon’s Hearth.

The place was a shithole, but it was like a second home.

Brynn spotted me almost instantly, and when she did, she fumbled the tray in her hand but managed to save it at the last second.

She set the tray on an empty table, muttered something to her dad, grabbed my wrist, and yanked me into the back room.

As soon as the door shut, she pulled me into a tight hug. “Are you okay?” She pulled back, assessing me for any injuries. “By the Child, it’s like you live for danger. A gryphon, really?”

Her frazzled worry was something I was familiar with.

I took her hands in mine and squeezed them.

“I’m okay. I mean, the gryphon was terrifying.

It’s so much worse than the stories. But the rest of it isn’t so bad.

They’re going to let me see Clara soon, so I’ll know whether or not I need to cut and run.

But if she’s safe, I think I’m gonna stay. ”

Her eyes bulged, and she gripped me with a fierceness that would surely leave bruises. “Gods, Selena, it’s all so insane.”

“I know. I—I was freaking out, but after they executed William, it put things in perspective for me.” Namely, that running could potentially fuck everything up. And now there’s the gryphons. I cut off the line of thought. It’s a fluke. It has to be.

Brynn let out a pained sound. “Please don’t do anything stupid. But don’t let them push you around either, okay? Have you… have you needed to, uh, use your assets?”

I snorted. “No. It’s not like that.” My stomach coiled. I thought I was making headway, but then Kieran started acting like I contracted a plague. “They respect me, for the most part. Really, only one of them is an elitest asshole.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? I hear the king wants to send you on a mission to take out a nest. Is that true?” When I nodded, Brynn got so pale, I wasn’t sure if she’d pass out.

“I won’t lie, I’m scared, but I trust my captain to take care of me.

” And strangely enough, I believed that.

Even with all our shit, he’d prioritize my life.

Not just because I was useful to him, but because as captain, he took that responsibility to heart.

Maybe that’s what Nimue was hinting at. “Honestly, this is one part of my duty I'm happy to fulfill. As much as I’d rather sit back and let everyone else deal with it, this helps Clara. And you too.”

Brynn studied my expression. “Okay. Don’t be reckless. I don’t want to break your sister’s heart, okay? And send a raven. You better not be the sort of new blood to consider yourself too good for me. I had to hear from Nimue how you’ve been settling in. I want to hear from you.”

“Alright.” I grinned. “How has that been? Nimue’s one of the good ones. I think you two will match well together.”

Brynn flushed. “She’s nice, but I don’t see it going anywhere. My heart can’t take the danger. But—we’re having fun.” She hugged me. “Stay safe. As much as you can.”

I didn’t want to leave, but I didn’t want to push my luck.

As I strolled through the streets, I couldn’t help but stare at the villagers in a new light.

All of the citizens, some of them known and others unknown, they were now people I needed to protect.

I stood between them and gryphons. And even though I didn’t give a shit about any of their lives, it was a startling realization.

One I wouldn’t have taken so seriously if it hadn’t been for the destruction I’d seen. I shuddered. Never again.

My mood improved when we went to one of the nicer bookstores closer to the capital.

The bookstore was homely looking—only one story tall.

It stood out amongst the other bookstores because of its black paint on the storefront.

Whoever owned the place must’ve had a lot of money to line their pockets.

They’d even placed fresh flowers right outside the shop.

The inside was just as extravagant. It was also painted black and lined with a vibrant pink trim.

It was packed to the point of feeling claustrophobic with bookshelves lined together in rows that left just enough space to wedge in between.

Flowerpots hung from the roof, adding a nice bit of decor.

Expensive and maybe a little excessive, but nice.

To the right of the entrance was the checkout spot where a worker read a book, though they briefly glanced up when we entered.

I arched a brow when I spotted the heavy blush that overtook Gareth’s features as he studied the aisles and then glanced back at me. He ducked his head down and strode toward the last aisle before taking a left turn.

“What's up with him?” I murmured to Kieran, forgetting my anger in the face of my own curiosity.

Kieran smirked. “He’s realizing the consequences of his actions.” He raised his voice as he trailed behind Gareth. “This ‘mission’ to town was merely him wanting more smutty books.”

I caught a glimpse of Gareth stiffening and the back of his ears reddening. When we joined him in the aisle, Gareth raised his chin, pointedly ignoring us, as he scanned the shelves with a determination that spoke of his many, many trips here.

My lips twitched. I couldn’t picture it, but the proof lay before my eyes. Kieran and I shared a smirk. And for a moment, I forgot all about our fight. I wanted to share more smiles with him, wanted to see this soft and playful side of him again.

Gareth pulled a book from the shelf with a triumph cry. “The last book ended on a cliffhanger. It’s an urgent mission, Kieran, you know that.” Kieran raised his hands in defeat, sharing that fond look with me that made my heart stutter. Godsdammit.

“What’s it about?” I asked.

It was cute how Gareth lit up. “It’s becoming one of my favorite series.

It’s about this closed off stubborn asshole of a captain who’s too repressed to accept and acknowledge his emotions, so it took him a while to get his happily ever after.

” The look he gave Kieran was far too pointed and exasperated, though his blush came back when I noticed the illustration on the cover.

It was of two men, one of them a pirate and the other a prince.

The pirate had his hand wrapped around the throat of the other male who had pointed ears.

“That’s why I bring my satchel. The artwork is gorgeous, but it’s…

a little much. I also have a book cover for when I read at home. ”

I snickered and grabbed the book. “It looks fun. Not what I expected you to read, but fun.”

Gareth visibly resisted the urge to snatch the book from me. Taking pity on him, I handed it back and browsed the shelf. Some of the cover images were truly obscene. I grabbed one and thought, How the hell did they get that cover approved? “Are they all… so obvious?”

Gareth cleared his throat. “No. But illustrated covers have spiked in popularity lately since…” He eyed Kieran and rolled his eyes. “What do you like to read? And what genre do you prefer?”

When I looked at Kieran, I found him staring intently at me. “Books were an expense I couldn’t spare.”

Gareth softened. “I could lend you some books. Most of mine are, uh, male paired, but I have other options. Actually, let me buy you a book—no, five books! Pick out five books, and I’ll let myself get a couple of new series that’ve been on my lists. ”

“But I—”

He waved me off. “Consider it an early birthday present. Or a late one? Really, it’s a favor for me. I want you to pick a book you want to read.” Gareth nodded, coming to his own decision, and went back to the shelves.

“You might as well do it or risk putting up with his pouting. Or worse, the disappointed look.” Amusement sparked in Kieran’s eyes.

Heaving a sigh, I left Gareth to his browsing and wandered down a few rows. Kieran trailed behind me, my silent and confusing bodyguard. I took a minute to study the books. It was all too overwhelming, and I couldn’t concentrate with Kieran looming over me.

The more I thought about it, the more it pissed me off. Why was he acting all chummy after ignoring me for so long? I spun on my heel. “What are you doing?”

He tried to close off his expression, but I saw it—the unease that dashed across his eyes before he could will it away. “Can’t we have a nice night out?”

The nerve of this man. I clenched my jaw. “Stop with the games, Kieran.”

He levelled me with a look. “What do you want me to say, Selena?”