Page 6 of Of Nightmares & Fire (Elusive Umbra #1)

Chapter six

Astraea

The door slamming shut jolts me awake from where I finally fell asleep.

The rickety chair in front of the hearth creaks as it wobbles, and I steady myself before falling over.

A deep chuckle followed by heavy footsteps has me blinking rapidly to clear the sleep from my dry eyes.

When I see the man looking down at me, his head tilts like a predator.

My hands automatically clench around the fabric of the blanket that was most certainly not covering me as much as I wanted it to be.

He doesn’t say anything, only stares for a moment before walking over to the bedside table and setting down a plate of a steaming assortment of food and a tankard filled to the brim.

He kneels, opening a satchel on the floor, and then turns, tossing a ball of fabric in my direction.

It hits me in the face, and I shriek out a surprised yelp.

“Figure you might want to cover yourself, since you’re a prude who doesn’t want to have any fun.

” He grins as he turns away, and I can’t help the obnoxious face I make in his direction before I pull the offered tunic over my head.

It’s like a short dress on me; the arms way too long, and the hem brushes the tops of my knees.

“Thank you, I—I’m decent now.” I stammer as I try to cover even more of myself, unsuccessfully attempting to pull the hem lower than it reaches.

When he turns again to face me, he does not feign to notice my skin that is still on show.

He whistles low as his eyes rake slowly from my toes, where they press into the rough gray wood, up my legs, and flick across my chest before settling on my face.

Which, I am sure, he sees as clearly as I see his now.

I swallow, hoping he doesn’t see the crimson heat that floods my cheeks at the brazen path his eyes just roamed.

Praying to any god that will listen that he doesn’t recognize me.

That somehow he hasn’t been to the castle, and my mission to get away has failed even before it’s begun.

Even though the sky is not its usual gold hue of heat and sunshine, it is shining somewhere beyond the curtain of rain washing the world in a gray glow of light. His eyes linger on my face longer than is comfortable before he clears his throat, turning away.

“Too bad,” he says under his breath before rustling through the bag more. “I have trousers too, but they will likely be far too large for your frame. I can get you something from one of the women here while you wait for your dress to dry. ”

My eyes cut to said dress and the water still creating darkened spots on the stone below it, and I forfeit any rebuttal about not needing clothes.

If I were going to be able to leave this room, I would need more coverage than this shirt allotted.

Instead I resign, sitting back in the chair and placing the blanket over my bare legs and pulling them to my chest.

“Thank you. You’re very kind.” I say quietly, meeting the stranger’s pale gaze.

“Don’t let anyone else hear you say that; I don’t need my reputation stained.

” He traps his lip between his teeth as the corners curl.

“It was Sienna? Isn’t that right?” My heart nearly stops with his question.

I didn’t think I would see this man again when I gave him that name, and now it looks like I am going to be stuck here with him at the very least until the rain stops.

Could be longer if he is a traveler that is also setting out to find a convoy to leave with.

I internally groan, but keep my eyes trained on his without any pretense of the frustration over this whole situation I feel.

“Yes,” I clear my throat and lift my chin a little higher. Trying to convey confidence I surely don’t feel in the moment. “You remember?” He smirks at my question, his hand resting on the lever to open the door.

“Of course, a gentleman never forgets the name of a beautiful stranger who stumbles across his path. Eat the food while it’s hot, Sienna… It tastes like garbage if you let it get cold.” He regards me for a moment before stepping into the hall and shutting the door between us .

I listen to his footsteps fade away, and after a moment alone, I sigh heavily, watching the rain wash the window bleary and the steam on the food easing where it sits on the table.

Heeding the warning from Mav , I cross the room, pulling the plate under my nose and wafting the scent of the food toward me.

It doesn’t smell awful, but there is a sour note that has me making a face at the stew before I take it back to the chair.

Being used to the food in the castle—even hot— this food is worse than garbage.

I have to hold my breath so I can finish the meal without losing the entire contents of my stomach.

The carrots are like mush, and the unidentifiable green lumps are where the sour smell is coming from.

The meat is more chewy fat than actual meat, not to mention the lack of spices.

It tastes like it was prepared in a latrine.

Though, as I think it, I cringe and take the last bite.

If I am going to make passage anywhere, I need to get used to eating things I may not like.

I won’t have the luxury of denying food.

That much I know from the gathered stories I’ve heard from the guardsmen.

The land was barren and many starved before they made it to any of the surrounding kingdoms. If they didn’t starve, they were at risk of madness from thirst.

The thought alone pulls my attention to the tankard Mav left with the food.

Placing the now empty plate back on the table, I lift the heavy drink to my mouth and take a large gulp.

Regret immediately gathers at the back of my throat, and I spray the golden liquid from my nose and mouth at the same moment the door opens and a man steps in.

His eyes close as the malodorous substance showers his face and soaks the sand neck gaiter that is gathered under his chin.

His dark hair sticks to his face with the moisture and the heat that blooms over my face is reflected in the red hue painting his, but where mine is embarrassment…

the dark shadows that cast over his eyes as he finally opens them tell me his color shift is something else entirely.

I slap my hand over my mouth as I force myself to swallow the remaining warm ale in my mouth.

My stomach flips instantly, protesting the noxious liquid.

“I’m so sorry!” I choke out, backing away, and my legs bump into the table behind me. A growl unlike any I have heard, even from the monstrous dogs who guard the king’s wing of the castle, comes from the man’s throat, and I swallow as I watch his jaw tick.

“Where. Is. Mavros?” His voice is like a rumble of thunder far away, but the threat of the coming storm is clear.

The man from yesterday at the market stares at me through narrowed eyes as he pulls the gaiter away from his neck and uses it to wipe his face.

The gaze was as penetrating as it felt through the shadows of his hood, but the voice .

Even though I didn’t see his face, I remember that voice and the overpowering aura that pressed in on me just as it does now.

I know it is him standing before me now.

No hood to conceal his form, I can’t peel my eyes away from him.

His black tunic is loose, partially tucked into his waistband, and open at the neck, revealing several scars that match the one that runs through his furrowed eyebrow and down the side of his face.

Though I thought him kind for intervening on my behalf in the market, the man standing before me now is just as foreboding as the merchant who wanted to take my hand for thievery I didn’t commit.

“I don’t know.” My voice betrays me, coming out only as a whisper.

Showing him every ounce of fear he has brought to me.

He steps further into the room, leaving the door ajar.

He towers over me, the sneer on his face deepening to a full scowl as he lets his gaze travel down my body and behind me to the disheveled bed, blankets and clothing strewed all about the room.

It looks like something it’s not, but to try and save face, I lift my chin.

“One of the women here had these; I think they will fit you better…” Mav’s voice trails off as he enters the room and sees the silent standoff between me and the dark presence who leers over me.

Though I hear him curse, I can’t peel my eyes away from the mountain of muscle that looks down on me.

Even as he blinks, standing straight once again, he wipes his hand down his face and looks over at Mav as he comes to a stop at the center of the space that seems so much smaller with the two of them in it.

“Mavros. A word.” He leaves no room for questions as he looks at me one last time and exits the room with silent fury. Mavros takes the bundled fabric that he had in his arms and curses again as he throws it into a pile on the bed unceremoniously.

“Here. Get dressed before you cause any more trouble.” He grunts with a roll of his eyes.

“Me? I didn’t—” I sputter, trying to think of words to throw back in argument, but as he turns from the room without another thought and the door clicks between us, I spin on my heel with a huff of frustration.

This is not going the way I had hoped. Cole would be laughing her ass off right now at my expense. What the hell is happening?

The ensemble— if you could call it that —that Mav brought me was more fitting than anything I was used to.

No skirt to be found, the cotton material of the trousers breathable and light, but tight to my curves and leaving little to the imagination.

The top is even more revealing. A sleeveless, boned corset pressed my breasts up to my neck, leaving my arms bare.

Leather straps and belts I left lying on the bed because I had no clue how to put them on, and even if I did, I had no use for them.

The most concealing part of the whole thing was the shemagh I had wrapped around my neck.

Though, even with its coverage, the rest of the outfit made me feel more exposed than any of my dresses back home.

Even with some of the more plunging necklines and slits up the skirts.

This was not clothing but a uniform for some kind of woman warrior, if there ever was such a thing.

To my astonishment, a knock sounds at the door, and no one bursts through without a word.

I stare at it a moment, wondering what I should do, before I take a deep breath, cross the room, and wrench it open.

The female on the other side is another surprise.

Her eyes meet mine at the same height, her features starkly opposite of mine.

As her hazel eyes fall down my body, assessing, I can’t help but feel inadequate as the woman in front of me sizes me up.

She is strapped with so many weapons I fear even stepping close to her will be harmful.

It’s a sight I am not used to seeing, and it makes me flounder for words .

“You?” She quirks an incredulous brow. “You’re the one causing the two most dangerous men in this tavern, probably in all of Eathian, to spiral out of control?

” Her eyes roll as she shakes her head. “Where is your harness?” She says, pushing past me with no regard to my personal space.

Her pauldron clipping me in my shoulder hard as she does.

“I don’t need a harness, and I didn’t do anything to cause any men a reason to do anything .” I say to her back. Her answering huff is a dismissal as she twists around, harness in hand.

“Turn around. If we are going to keep a pet, it will be harnessed.” She snaps her fingers, swirling her finger in the air, demanding me to turn. I glower at her as I turn my back and allow her to help me into the straps of leather.

“I’m no one’s pet.” I growl under my breath.

“Yea? Well, tell that to the two alpha males downstairs holding the pissing contest.”