Page 55 of Of Stars and Lightning (Sun and Shadows #1)

Forty

A KISS FOR THE KEYS

SAWYER

SAWYER HAD TO quickly down three mugs of wine before mustering the courage to seek out Fin. He had been gone quite often since the beginning of the Vows, off providing protection to wherever they took place.

It had been lovely to have the castle free of his miserable face.

She inhaled deeply, holding the breath inside until it turned to smoke as she exhaled. Raising her closed hand, she tapped on the door. Fin opened it on the third knock, obviously not expecting who stood on the other side.

Sawyer wouldn’t deny the man was very attractive—it was his unfortunate attitude that made it difficult to appreciate his physique. He was shirtless and in a casual pair of trousers, his sandy-brown hair an unruly mess around his forehead.

His eyes widened then were quickly masked by a haze of challenge. “I see you decided to take me up on my offer.”

“I need the keys to my father’s study.”

He blinked at her. “And you think I’m going to hand them over because?”

“Because I’ll tell my father you’ve been fucking Gina if you don’t.” Sawyer examined her nails. “He may hate me, but he believes what I say. Quite confusing, I know.”

“Hand Gina?” Fin laughed, bracing an arm on the door frame. “The woman is twice my age.”

Gods, his muscles.

Sawyer shrugged. “So? It’s a believable lie.”

His eyes darkened. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

“She would deny it, you know. And the King will listen to his lover before you,” he smirked. “And I’m sure when I tell him you’re trying to get into his private study, I’ll get a massive reward.”

“Luckily, Gina is spectating Aquarene’s trial,” Sawyer said, returning his smirk. “She won’t be back for days. And by then, my father would have already killed you to rid the suspicion.”

They engaged in a battle of wits for a while, until Fin sighed through his nose. “I’ll trade you for them.”

Sawyer angled her head, pretending to be interested. “Oh?”

Fin snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her into his room before she could step back. He shifted her to the wall, pressing her against it.

Sawyer resisted all urges to flare as he craned his head down, his breath on her forehead. She glared at him. “Release me.”

“A kiss for the keys.” His lips grazed her neck as she turned away. “For a little more, I’ll stand watch outside until you finish whatever you need in the study.”

Slowly, she rolled her head toward him. She looked from his eyes down to his lips. “Enticing offer,” she smiled. “But don’t ever fucking touch me without my permission again.”

Sawyer pulled a dagger from her waist band and jammed it into his thigh.

As he doubled over in pain, she frowned. “Pity. I was aiming a little higher.”

“Fuck, Sawyer.” Fin growled as he knelt to take the knife out. “You really should’ve thought that through.”

Sawyer examined his room. It was well organized, way more than her own.

It took no effort to find the silver key ring strung along his armor on the wall.

She strode to it, the long, ancient keys jingling as she put them into her pocket.

“Probably.” She stepped over him on her way out.

“I should think through a lot of things I do, actually.”

She shut the door behind her, turning the knob into a melted mess. “But, alas, I don’t care.”

The key slid in easily, more so than she remembered. She had always struggled with the old thing as a child, but it took only a soft turn for the door to click open.

The door creaked as it revealed the room.

It smelled of smoke and embers mixed with dust, so reminiscent of Melisandre that, for a moment, Sawyer felt as if she was back in her home tower.

She shook off the nostalgia with a lung-clearing cough as she stepped into the room.

Unlike her father, the place was organized.

Everything had a place and a purpose, most undisturbed for ages.

There was a large mahogany desk for writing correspondence, neatly folded parchments and feather pens arranged at its center, and a large window at its side overlooking the rolling hills toward the Dunes of San’ann.

A large bookshelf was against the wall parallel to it, but instead of books, it held mostly small boxes or stones, all from different places of the South.

The red carpet spread in a strip across the room, making the black sofa and chairs atop it stand out against its brightness.

Now what.

Morna had been incredibly vague, as she usually was.

Sol and Cas had one more trial after Aquarene’s, then the final duel.

Nina, Sawyer, and Alix had been giving constant offerings to all the gods for their friends’ well-being, but they had also been searching for whatever lapse in rule Irene used to save Draven and her father, just in case anything unexpected transpired. So far, they’d all come up empty.

Footsteps in the hallway behind her made her jump.

“I will not be long,” King Semmena said, his voice mere steps from the study. “Gather the rest of the Court in the throne room for an announcement.”

Sawyer threw herself behind the desk, pressing herself into the small opening where the chair went.

She pressed a hand to her mouth as boots shuffled against the floors. “Damn idiots,” her father muttered. “They had one job.”

Breathe quietly. Slowly.

She thought she might hurl as the footsteps got closer, then dared a small sigh of relief as the sound of crinkling leather signaled the King had sat down.

“What a way to refer to your people, Majesty.”

The floors vibrated with command in the voice, a low, hollow, otherworldly timbre.

Sawyer felt all the heat within her turn to ice, the air around them plummeting into winter. She didn’t dare move or take a single breath as the stench of a Mind Slayer permeated the room. It was easily distinguishable—it had never left her memory since Morna in Melisandre.

But this one was more rancid, like the leftovers of a bloody battle had been left to rot in the sun for days.

And way, way closer.

“I was not referring to my people,” her father said with disdain. “I was referring to yours.”

The creature growled a laugh. “I told you they would be near the Gate—that’s no longer my turf.”

There were clacks of talons behind her. Behind the desk.

It groaned as a weight leaned on it.

“They are Jinn!” Semmena exclaimed. “You’re telling me they’re truly answering to a creature that isn’t?”

“Mavka is our Mother, Jinn or not. Most of them will continue in her service despite her insolence.”

Sawyer shuddered as the weight on the desk eased, then moved closer to her father. She pressed both hands over her mouth.

“I will not uphold my end of the deal if you do not do yours, Lorkin.” Her father sounded clearly impatient, an emotion he usually kept well concealed in public. Whatever was happening here, he had no fear of it getting out to harm his reputation.

“You do not give me orders, Semmena,” the creature boomed.

“I will do my part when I see fit.” Her father remained silent.

“I have only come to advise the remains of a body were found in the forest. Where your pathetic little games took place a few days ago.”

A slight pause transpired before her father spoke. “You found the boy? We retrieved Zeri of Ventry.”

“What was left of him, yes.” The creature neared the desk once more, forcing Sawyer to shut her eyes for a moment to collect herself. “It was tattered.”

The king laughed. “I have intel the Princess killed him. I highly doubt she is so skilled with blades.”

“It was tattered by Void magic. Sliced to the bone with the scent of our essence.”

Again, the King was speechless. He cleared his throat. “What are you suggesting?”

“That your little Yarrow bitch isn’t as helpless as she is fooling you to think.” The Mind Slayer rounded the desk, its massive legs sliding into Sawyer’s view. Its skin was orange and melting off in chunks, with claws so long they almost scraped Sawyer’s thigh.

A tear fell down her face.

“Continue your search, Arnold.” The creature stomped forward, coming to a stop before the window. “And I will continue mine.” It slid the window open, then without another word, jumped out of the castle.