Page 67 of The Freedom You Seek

Frankly, such an attitude was risky. Dropping one’s guard was dangerous, so if she was getting reckless, I’d have to compensate with even more caution. “Just keep your hood up and listen to me, like we’ve discussed.”

“Controlling bastard.”

Nayana wasn’t wrong. I was aware of how much she hated my orders, and I’d accepted that she pushed back every single time, but fortunately, she’d learned to fall in line when it mattered.

Still, sometimes, I just wanted to whisk her far away and lock her up in a tower to ensure no one could do her any harm. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t still consider this option from time to time—or all the time.

I’d broached the subject a few days ago with Antas. There was an undeniable merit to the idea of bringing her somewhere very remote and keeping her hidden until we’dknow what her purpose was. Until then, she’d live safely tucked away.

However, my uncle had responded by raising his good eyebrow. Why he’d believed that this was a foolish plan, I still didn’t know. And he hadn’t even dignified me with an answer.

Despite the fact I’d come of age a long time ago, Antas had the special talent to make me feel like a youngling. Safe to say, I hated it, and I’d just shown him my teeth in answer. No one could claim we hadn’t nailed down nonverbal communication.

Nayana pulled me out of my thoughts when we crossed the heavily fortified city walls of Kalcas. “They’re just letting everyone enter.”

“Didn’t you listen to Fig when he mentioned that?”

“Yes, but I thought he and Antas just wanted to keep me calm.”

“Did those two ever try to coddle you?”

“Point taken. They aren’t you.”

“Careful, Jama.”

“Oh, shut up.”

We rode into the city, and out of the corner of my eye, I registered the guards controlling the travelersleavingKalcas.

It was a potential complication, and I wondered why my uncle hadn’t caught this, but it was too late to dwell on the development. Our business inside the city was important because if we didn’t find the answers we sought, we’d be stuck in another dead end, and I was sick of those almost as much as of sleeping outside. I wanted a proper bed, andif a risky situation later down the road was the price, I’d gladly pay it.

To find boarding at an adequate inn wasn’t hard.

Fig chose a poorer district to be able to maintain cover more easily and picked the second place we found—the first one had been such a dump even our low standards had run away screaming.

This place, though, was decent. The small rooms were at least kind of clean and—what delighted me even more—promised a bath, thanks to the private washing chambers attached to each of them. It’d been too long since I’d taken one of those, and I’d use the tub even if I had to fetch the hot water myself—from home, if necessary.

“Jama, we’ll share a room.”

“I’d rather have one of my own.”

“No. Not going to happen. Come.” I grabbed her hand and hauled her along. “You should know I won’t allow you to throw all caution to the wind.”

“Iloatheyou, Dion.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I do. A little more every day.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Jama. But just for you, I’ll go along with it and smile and nod if that’s what it takes to make you feel better about yourself.”

As she gritted her teeth and got all agitated again, I flashed her a grin. There were moments—even more often lately—when I couldn’t resist teasing her, and I often wondered what it would take for her to lose her temper completely and what such an outburst would look like.

I opened the door to our room and pulled a still-pouting Nayana inside, turning the key to lock us in. I quickly began unpacking my bag, already daydreaming about the relaxing bath and comfortable bed that awaited me.

“You got to befuckingkidding me.” Confused about what it was that offended the tiny woman, I turned to her, and when I noticed Nayana glowering at the only bed in the room, I couldn’t help but laugh. She looked too funny, all angry at an innocent, inanimate object, but when she realized I was amused by her, she directed her scorn on me.

“What’s your problem, Jama?”