Prince of Blood and Shadow
I. Chapter 9

As they searched the forest for a suitable spot to set up camp, Inias spilled all that had happened since their fight in the groves. She was more surprised Vayne’s fire magic had been so advanced than the realization he had been the one to kidnap her. That spineless prick had always hidden behind Rurik or Sylvis, and when they weren’t available, his father made a decent shield. The Rouan clan had enough gold to buy off half the Vale. When backed into a corner, he’d become especially brutal, desperate to eliminate Inias as quickly as possible.

“Glad he’s dead,” Keira said after a long pause. Despite searching for an hour, they were in a tough spot without supplies or time to build a proper shelter. Inias couldn’t believe the distance he had covered in such a short time during his escape from the castle, twenty miles in, and they were now likely nearing goblin territory as they made their way to Stonefog. They knew of an inn outside the city where they agreed to spend the night. It was an hours long journey, but at least they wouldn’t freeze in the snow.

The full moon above illuminated the snow as they trudged through it. Inias would’ve risked frostbite just to lie down and rest, but his thoughts raced, keeping him alert. How could he hope to sleep when so many unanswered questions lingered in his mind, the biggest one being why Vayne was so determined to stop her from replaceing her brother? He pulled the dark wool cloak tighter around himself, shivering. His legs throbbed as he climbed the snowy hill, grateful for the sound of creatures scurrying in the night.

The quiet moments, when the forest was still, worried them. Inias was exhausted and had little magic to spare to conceal their presence. Keira was still feeling lightheaded from the poison and their long journey. It was all she could do just to keep some juice flowing through Inias’ spell work. If they kept a distance of twenty feet from anything, nothing could trace their scent. They’d encountered a wolf in their path, but it was more interested in avoiding them. If they’d traveled on the road, a passing patrol troop would spot them. No doubt they’d sent word of his escape with orders to bring him back, or worse.

Styx pawed at his leg, whimpering as he shivered as well, more fiercely. They’d been walking for hours, and the fox’s thick fur coat could only do so much. Inias reached down to scoop him up and wrap him between himself and the cloak. His legs curled in against Inias’ warmth as his shivering calmed. His head poked out beside Inias’ and nuzzled into his neck. Inias giggled as Styx’s ear brushed against his cheek, “Stop! That tickles!” Inias protested, receiving a lick against his cheek from the fox who once again nuzzled in against him.

Keira, trying to piece together the information Inias had shared, spoke up with a light-hearted tone, “Can you fit me in there?” she teased, observing the pair with a warm smile. Inias had told her about Styx’s clever shadow tricks and swift catching of fireballs during their fight, something she had never witnessed in any familiar. In the past, keeping familiars had been a tradition among the shadow fae, but as war became less frequent, the practice faded. Inias’s father was among the few who upheld the tradition, using a hawk named Lili to survey the land from above.

“So,” Keira began, looking up at Inias from beneath her hood, “I’m guessing there’s something Vayne doesn’t want us to know. By leaving, I would’ve discovered something. All the more reason to keep searching.” Inias agreed, glad they were talking again, anything to distract from the bitter winds. As they came closer to the inn, they inched away from goblin territory, but remained within the borders.

“We start at the bridge,” Inias offered. Returning to the bridge was not what Inias wanted, but they needed clues and had no other choice. “They shot us with spell busters.” He recalled the purple tipped darts and arrows poking holes in his father’s shield. Redcaps weren’t gifted creatures; they couldn’t spell crystals. “Scavengers! They likely picked them off another troop,” Keira deduced, leaning in closer to him as the wind blew more fiercely. “Not that many. Dozens slipped through,” Inias added, deep in thought, as they continued their journey toward the inn.

“There it is!” Keira exclaimed, running across the snow towards the building past the tree line. Inias rushed to keep up, eager to lay himself in a warm bed. As they neared it, he could see the candlelight in the windows. He could already feel the warmth flooding over him as they rushed up the stairs. Inias flung the door open, causing the lady sitting behind a large the massive wooden desk to jump from her seat. “Easy with the door!” She scolded them, fixing the glasses sitting over her weathered gray eyes. Both apologized, then Keira shut the door.

As Inias set Styx down on the floor, he shook his fur out before lying flat on the floor. “More pleasant than I recall,” he said, observing the sofas on the right side of the room for guests to lounge. The crystal chandelier had a dim blue glow, illuminating the common area in a gentle glow. Beside the lady sat a small staircase leading up to the bedrooms. They approached the woman, who pulled a notepad from beneath her desk.

“Room for three!” Keira said with a bright smile as the woman looked between the two of them with suspicion. “That’ll be three ruby Ducats, sign this!” She finally said, passing the pad to Inias as Keira pulled three ruby colored coins from the pouch on her belt. They signed their names Gwendolyn Rosebloom and Alaric Bloodthorn. Skeptically, the woman examined the names, then shrugged at both of them. “Whatever. You’re in room seven, four doors down on the left.” She waved them off and returned to the book on her desk.

They climbed the stairs and walked down the narrow hall to their room. It was small, with only a bed and a nightstand near the window. Another door leading to the bathroom was right by the entrance. A peek in there revealed a tiny shower with a toilet right next to the faucet. It could only fit one person, enough wiggle room to undress.

Keira kicked off her shoes and threw her cloak onto the nearest hook, then made a beeline for the bed, falling into it. Styx leapt up onto the bed as she fixed the sheets for the three of them. Inias followed suit, hanging his cloak, and removing his shoes before he joined the pair. Once the two were cozy beneath the heavy black sheets, Styx between them, said their goodnights and let their exhaustion pull them into a deep sleep.