Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119158 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 596(@200wpm)___ 477(@250wpm)___ 397(@300wpm)
“And the first to denounce me out or try to blackmail me.” A heavy weight sank into the pit of my stomach. This sounded more and more like a terrible idea, but I would still go through with it if it meant taking more pressure off Nylian.
“Going back won’t help me find the person responsible for the poison ending up on that sword, and that’s the only thing that matters to me. You got the answer I was seeking regarding Edros—the royal family wasn’t involved. This wasn’t an attempt to spur a new war.” Nylian released my hand, stood, and grabbed my shoulders. He turned us a hundred and eighty degrees and shoved me into the chair. With both hands resting on the arms of the chair, Nylian leaned forward, and I pressed into the chair as far as I could, my heart jumping into my throat. What the hell was he doing?
That question was still forming in my brain when he smiled. “Thank you for taking that risk and helping me.”
“Oh. Yeah. Of course. I told you I would be helpful to have traveling with you. I’m better at more than distractions.”
Nylian straightened and rubbed his hands together, appearing to enjoy the softness. “Tomorrow, I would prefer no distractions. We’re staying very low key. We need to be as discreet as possible.” He paused and stared at me for a second. “Get some rest. We will start early. You might want to consider shaving, though.”
“What?” I jumped to my feet and rushed across the room to gaze at my reflection in the mirror. The mustache and goatee looked a little long, but it wasn’t messy or scruffy yet. It could do with a trim, but to shave it all off seemed extreme. “You don’t think I look bad, do you?”
Nylian leaned on my back and reached around to trail one finger down my mustache to brush over my pursed lips to bump across my chin. “No, I don’t think it’s unattractive. It draws the proper amount of attention to those adorable lips of yours.”
I smacked his hand away and straightened, while the elf chuckled and dodged my attempts to hit him with ease. “Annoyance.”
“We will talk more about it tomorrow.” He spun away and walked to my door, but I stopped him again.
“Wait. I want to ask a favor.”
Nylian paused with his hand on the knob, his brows lifted in silent question.
“When we have a free moment, like when we’re on the road, would you be willing to teach me how to use a sword?”
There was no denying it any longer. Distractions wouldn’t be enough for me to remain useful to this man. The farther we traveled, the more dangerous it was becoming. He needed someone who could physically protect him. There was no hope of me learning magic, and in this world, you knew how to use a sword or you died.
All the laughter disappeared from Nylian’s face, and the prince surprised me by bowing his head to me. “It would be my honor to teach you.”
Without another word, he slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him.
My hand drifted up to my lips, which still tingled from his touch. Sometimes I was sure I could guess his thoughts, and there were others that I hadn’t a clue what was filling his head. I obviously didn’t know him as well as I’d thought when I began writing his story.
Speaking of…
With the hour still early and no one trying to kill me, I had a chance to make a few notes. I dragged the chair over to the small table with the somewhat sturdy legs. I grabbed a clean piece of parchment and one of my new quills and listed anything I could remember from my plotting notes or even character notes. I’d started working on the book with three main ideas for who’d arranged for the death of Orian.
Naturally, the first was Victor Montcroix, but that turned out to be one of my red herrings.
The second was the king and queen of Galinaes, who we were going to dig up some dirt on next.
And, finally, there were all of Nylian’s siblings. Both he and Orian stood in their way of inheriting the throne. Killing one and getting the other exiled was an excellent way to clear the deck.
But I hadn’t a clue how we would investigate them. Definitely didn’t know how to broach that subject with him.
Oh, and by the way, which of your two younger brothers and three younger sisters do you think is most likely to want you and Orian dead?
Yeah, not a conversation I wanted to have with him.
With a groan, I grabbed a fresh piece of paper and created a different list. I could remember only fourteen names, but that was more than enough. Six of them were crossed out immediately, though I hesitated over Adeline’s. Was it too late for him to fall for the thief? Now that they were traveling on the ferry to Ulmenor, there was a chance for them to get to know each other in a quieter setting. We were back to forced proximity. Nylian had said he was bi. That meant women and men.