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Chapter Twenty-Nine

RUNA

“No. Absolutely not!” I shouted at deaf ears. Literally. “Kronk, dammit. Put her down. Yaga, you are not going.”

Kronk hefted Yaga’s aged bones up onto the cart’s bench.

She landed with a thud. “Careful, boy, or you’ll damage my posterior. I’ve been told it’s my best feature.”

While we prepared for the journey to Amberdale, a location Yaga had seen in a vision, a small crowd had gathered around us to watch the show. It was no wonder with the scene the hag was making.

For both Custodis and myself, two swaybacked horses waited. Not the queen’s finest steeds, by any means. No, those would draw too much attention. Behind our mangey nags was a coarse, wooden cart pulled by a slack-jawed bula. Drool dripped from the beast’s chin. And yet, that wasn’t the worst part.

In the back of the cart was a load of prime, grade-A, kiln-dried bula dung.

We’d be traveling as merchants on our way to the market.

Bula dung was used as fuel in many of the more destitute villages.

Our disguise, though loathsome, was genius.

While the product had worth, there would be few bandits eager to rob us of our wares.

“Drazen.” I turned to the only brother who may see reason. “Tell her. It’s too dangerous.”

“Already tried.” Drazen sighed, a puff of smoke rolling from his nostrils.

“And?”

His brow furrowed. “And she threatened to cast a spell guaranteed to grow fungus on my manhood.”

I screwed up my face at the nauseating image he’d created.

Again, I attempted to argue with the hag I loved with every piece of my shriveled heart. “Yaga. Please. I have a terrible feeling about this. Custodis and I can make this journey without you.”

“Yes.” Yaga settled her thick skirts around her bony ankles. “However, even if you somehow manage to find the guardian of the Empyrean, they will not speak to strangers, only trusted friends.”

“I could make them talk,” Custodis finally contributed while double-checking every buckle and strap on his mare. I suspect he did so in an attempt to avoid a confrontation he couldn’t win.

Yaga sputtered a laugh. “ That I would like to see.”

“Yaga, it’s not safe,” I tried again, not ready to give up.

“Idris has teams of soldiers hunting us. On top of that, the trek to Amberdale is a difficult one. The roads are full of thieves and murderers.” The well-known marketplace sat within Carcerem, along Copia’s border.

People from both kingdoms traveled there to trade and do business with pockets full of coins and loaded carts. And the thieves knew it.

“Then I guess it’s fortunate that I’ll be riding with the best of them,” Yaga said with a wink.

My chest swelled, and I ignored the flare of warmth her words evoked. “I won’t be wooed by your compliments, Yaga. The road to Amberdale is no place for… ”

The glint in Yaga’s eyes warned I should not complete this sentence. “Girlie, do I look like a fragile bag of bones to you?”

Drazen and Kronk coughed and sputtered. One gazed at the sky, the other at his very interesting shoe.

Yaga cast them a glare she’d used often in our youth. That single look knocked the smiles off both their faces.

She acknowledged their compliance with a nod. Then shifted her attention back to me. “Your concern is wasted on this old woman. I can handle myself. Been doing it since before you were born. I’m going with you. That’s final.”

Drazen interrupted before our argument could escalate. “Thorne asked me to send his regards and wish you a safe journey. He wanted to be here to send you off himself, but his dragon was being difficult and demanded his attention.”

“Far be it from me to distract him from his care of his dragon.” I shivered. “Though I would have liked to tell him goodbye and thank him for his aid in the pit. But no matter, I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

While Thorne had explained the deal he’d made with Queen Elowen, his connection to the dragon remained a mystery.

“I hear the beast is enjoying Copia’s plump sheep,” Drazen offered. “I’m sure it will recover in no time.”

Before I could comment, firm arms clamped around my torso from behind. My lungs squeezed, and my ribs threatened to snap. “Kronk,” I croaked.

“I will miss you,” my brother muttered, putting me back on my feet.

Spots danced before my eyes. Before I’d recovered, Drazen swept me up as well, searing me with his is excessive body heat then releasing me.

In lieu of hugs, both offered Custodis a dark scowl.

“Keep both of them safe,” Kronk started, then hesitated.

“Or bad things will happen. To you.” He punched his palm, the warning nowhere near as terrifying as he’d intended.

Discovering our former captive was the lost king of Carcerem and a divine entity had taken the steam out of my brother’s threats.

Custodis nodded, and I was relieved when he didn’t smirk…much. “I promise to treat Yaga and your sister with the utmost respect.”

I resisted an eyeroll. Yeah, right. Like that would happen.

Since the Blood River Bandits were easy to recognize when we were together, my brothers would linger at Copia for a bit. Not that this was a hardship to stay in an enchanted castle with fat larders and bottomless casks of honeyed ale.

I locked eyes with Custodis. “Guess it’s time to activate the enchantments.

” Around both our necks were silver chains with smoky crystals attached—gifts from the queen for our journey.

My illusions would prove too tiring to maintain for the whole trip.

Burning through that quantity of power would have my flesh blackened from fingertip to shoulder before we were done.

I grasped the crystal, uttering the magical phrase. Sparks skittered over my body. Victor and I studied each other as the glamour took effect.

Victor’s striking silver mane turned a greasy brown, and his gray eyes faded to something more akin to swamp water. On the bridge of his nose, a crooked bump formed. His noble chin rounded, his jaw turning jowly.

I picked up a hank of my own violet hair, finding the lavender ends now a dirty blonde from roots to tips. I touched my face, discovering that my nose was misshapen and my high cheekbones sagged.

“Wow.” Drazen grunted. “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d think you were a stranger.”

“Good,” I stated with a firm nod. If my own brothers didn’t recognize me, then it was unlikely anyone else would.

“Well, what are ya waiting for?” Yaga bellowed. “I ain’t getting any younger. Onward, into the great unknown!” She cracked the reins over the back of her bula, and the bovine lurched forward with an irritated merrr . Yaga’s cart, loaded with bula dung, rocked on its axle, expelling a noxious odor.

“Right.” I grimaced and swung my leg over my worn saddle. Not wanting to ruin Yaga’s adventure, I didn’t comment on the fact that the “great unknown” wasn’t an unknown at all, but a well-traveled path to a popular village.

“Wagon ho!” Yaga cackled, throwing her fist in the air as if she led a fierce army.

“On…ward,” I mumbled, urging my mount forward with a kick of my heels.

In response, my mighty steed peered over her bony shoulder at me.

I made a kissing noise to my aged beast. “Go on now. Carrots if you’re a good girl.”

My nag answered with a whinny at the promise of treats and thrust one gnarled hoof before the other.

Victor also mounted his nag, trailing at the rear as if loath to be seen with our ragtag band.

I had no such qualms, holding my head high. I guided the lost king toward a secret temple that would ignite his magic. At my side was a notorious soothsayer of unfathomable power. Together, the three of us were Carcerem’s last hope—whether Victor knew it or not.

Fates save us.

Many miles later, my enthusiasm for our quest ran thin.

“This lumbering beast is chafing my nether regions,” the vampire griped, his voice like claws raking my spine. “This is no way to treat a king,” he repeated for what might have been the hundredth time. For a guy who didn’t plan on sticking around, he was really enjoying his royal status.

Yaga trailed behind us so the odors rising from her cart wouldn’t make our eyes water. “What’s that?” she bellowed over her rattling wheels.

“Nothing, Yaga,” I shouted .

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Yes. I agree. Let’s stop for a moment.” She hauled back on the reins, bringing the cart to a stop.

Custodis cast me a dark glare. “Again? At this rate, it will take a week to reach the village.”

“You are welcome to convey your concerns to her yourself.”

At my suggestion, the vampire blanched. The last time he complained to Yaga that she was taking too long, she’d popped off her boots and proceeded to take her time, trimming her gnarly toenails with a small knife.

While I helped Yaga to the ground, Custodis secured our horses. Once he returned, Yaga slapped an empty waterskin into his chest, which he caught with a grunt.

“Here, boy. Go refill that for me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled, heading into the woods to find the stream we followed. Apparently, not even the mightiest of kings dared to say no to Yaga.

I watched him stomp away with a sigh of appreciation. The vampire had a nice backside even the queen’s glamour couldn’t conceal.

Yaga’s gaze seared the side of my face, and I turned to discover her taking my measure.

“What?” My cheeks warmed.

“He has a fine ass, that one.”

“Yaga,” I groaned.

“Have you tapped that yet?”

“Yaga!” I squawked. So what if I had? Once. Because I was certain we were dying. That didn’t mean I had any intention of repeating the act, no matter how good it was. My blood warmed at the memory.

“What?” Yaga shrugged her hunched shoulders. “He’s a virile, divine being. You’re a talented sorceress in your prime. What’s the problem? ”

I spluttered, a long list racing through my mind. “The problem is, he cares nothing for anyone but himself.” Except in bed. Then, he’d been quite generous. I squeezed my thighs together, ignoring the spark the memory ignited.