Page 19 of The Heart of Nym (The Twisted Roots Duology #1)

"Freedom is a dangerous thing, Nymiria. Just the slightest taste of it will always leave you craving more.

I have seen men lose themselves chasing the feeling of it.

" He whispered. "I've known the wild look in someone's eyes that have had it and I can tell just by looking at you, that you have never known what it feels like to not be chained to something or someone. "

Her lips parted, her mind whirring with the buzz of a thousand memories all at once.

Nymiria shook her head, replacing the feeling of ropes around her wrists with anger.

Anger towards Dorid, anger towards the Yaarboroughs as a whole.

Even though Dorid paraded her around as some prized possession, it was also quite apparent that he never saw her as an individual with her own thoughts and feelings.

She was just a pretty, obscure creature that knew a lot of things about art and history and the world.

She was entertaining and humorous, but she also knew which vein to knick that could have someone bleeding out in seconds.

An unsuspecting killer. Something beautiful and poisonous all at once.

No, she hadn't tasted freedom. Perhaps she had gotten a lick, though…

because it was something that she so desperately craved.

And to crave something, one had to have it within their reach at some point.

"Have you tasted freedom, Aziel?" She countered.

She watched him for a moment, searching his narrowing eyes as they flickered over the features of her face.

His mouth formed a hard line, his dark brows drawing together in the middle.

Aziel was not so different. He was just another rarity to adorn the halls of Yaar's grand palace.

He was just another subject—another beautiful killer.

The question that remained was why someone so notoriously powerful as Aziel Haze would subject himself to the same shackles she also wore?

Finally, she took a step out into the main street and slowly turned away from his perplexed expression. Aziel Haze didn't follow her.

She'd come to realize in this past day that Dorid's Assassin had every chance to kill her for what she'd done in the garden, but he hadn't once sought her out. Being fearful of him would do her no good. Not when there was a knife in her pocket that was calling his name.

The city was bustling, the lunch bells were nearly ten minutes away from sounding through the city of spires and spindles.

The city that was painted black and tainted with the evil that loomed over it.

Nymiria glanced about to see if Desiree was still with Dieve.

Thankfully, she was. And she was staring after Nymiria with a look that said "Don't you dare run off somewhere. "

She wouldn't run. She just wanted to put as much space between her and that murderous bastard as possible.

Before she could reach the pastry stall, a large form was stepping into her path. She squinted as she looked up, a small smile forming at her lips when she saw Oran looking down at her, his face drenched in remorse. That flicker of familiarity was back, her body relaxing at his presence.

She couldn't stand it.

"Hello, your majesty," Nymiria lowered herself into a curtsy, but Oran only hooked a hand on her elbow and lifted her up.

"Don't do that." Oran chuckled. "That's not necessary at all. I came to apologize, Nymiria. For what happened. If I had known that it would harm you, I would have never given it to you."

They stared at one another for a long moment, his hand lingering on her elbow far longer than necessary.

When she finally realized that he was still holding on to her, she smiled and slipped her arm free from his grasp.

"Thank you for your apology. It was very thoughtful of you. I accept it. Now, if you'll excuse me—"

She flanked right, only for Oran to step in front of her again, his large body blocking her path. "What were you and my brother speaking about?" He asked. At the wrinkle that formed above her brow, Oran released a sigh. "I saw the two of you talking. It looked… heated."

"It's not anything you should concern yourself with, your majesty.

Aziel was…" She glanced at Desi once again, hoping that the servant would step in and save her from this interaction, but with no such luck.

Desi and Dieve were still deep in conversation, neither of them even sparing her a single glance. "Everything is fine, I assure you."

She wasn't sure why it mattered to him. And though the words she'd said were true, that there was nothing for him to be concerned over, there was something in his urgency that made her stomach twist with fear. Not her fear of Oran, but Aziel.

"I will warn you again." Oran pressed. "Be careful, Nymiria. Listen to your heart."

The moment the words left his lips, a cold wind blew through the market, kicking up awnings and causing shop owners to run after scattering goods.

Oran glanced around at the sudden chaos, an unreadable look in his eyes.

Once the winds settled and the dust along the cobblestone street no longer swirled around like clouds, he took a step away from her.

"I would like to talk to you again. If you'll allow it.

I'm having a small gathering—just cards and music—I would love for you to be in attendance. "

Nymiria nodded. Perhaps it was just paranoia, but there was an overwhelming feeling that prickled at her back that she was being watched.

She turned, expecting to see a flicker of blue eyes or a flash of silver hair amongst the people milling about the square, but there was nothing.

She forced a smile as she faced Oran again. "Of course, your highness. Thank you."

Oran stood there far longer than he needed to, an awkward silence stretching between them.

Finally, though, with a soft smile and a small nod, he bid her farewell.

As she watched his form disappear into the crowd, Nymiria merely relaxed her brow and straightened her skirts before walking back to Dieve's stall, hoping that every thought of Aziel and his brother would be left there in that market and she would dwell on it no longer.