The more time I spend with Tybalt, the more I think that investing in some good silk long underwear would be a good idea. Sure, I’d roast most of the time, but I wouldn’t be nearly as concerned about getting frostbite on the Shadow Roads.
We stepped off the Shadow Roads in the white velvet antechamber, where Quentin was pacing while an anxious-looking Li Qin sat on an overstuffed loveseat, spindling her skirt in her hands. She froze when she saw us, skirt dropping from suddenly motionless fingers. Quentin followed her gaze, turning, and relaxed markedly.
“You’re late,” he said. “Did you find her?”
“No, but she was here.” I turned to Tybalt. “Can you wait at Tamed Lightning? I don’t think I can explain you to Riordan, but I’m pretty sure we’re going to need you again, real soon.”
“Yes. There is, however, the matter of my payment to be settled. Tell your squire to avert his eyes, if you would be so kind.”
“Why would I—”
My question was answered when Tybalt returned his hands to my waist, pulling me toward him, and pressed his lips to mine.
Passage through the Shadow Roads had left my skin cold. Not his. Kissing Tybalt was like standing too close to an open fire, all heat and the promise of pain if I came any closer. I stepped forward without thinking about it, returning his kiss with a willingness that surprised us both. Tybalt’s fingers tightened on my waist, his lips starting to melt the frost from mine…
…and then he was pulling away, a smile on his face. “Enjoy your audience,” he said, and stepped into the shadows, and was gone.
I stared at the wall for a moment, trying to recover my breath. My lips were still cold. I licked them. They tasted like some weird new brand of mint lip gloss. “Pennyroyal Perfection,” not available any time soon from a store near you.
“Well. Your boyfriend certainly knows how to make an exit,” said Li Qin. “I do hope he can get out of here without being seen.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, and he’s good at not getting caught when he doesn’t want to be.” I turned back to the pair of them. Li Qin was standing now. Quentin was just staring at me. I wrinkled my nose at him. “Close your mouth before a Folletti flies into it.”
He closed his mouth with a snap before saying, “That was weird.”
“I know.”
“I mean, really weird.”
“I know that, too.”
“Tybalt—”
“Quentin, as your knight, this is where I declare this conversation over. Got it?”
“Sure,” he said, somewhat dubiously. “What did you find?”
“Nothing I’m going to be discussing here.” There was no trace of the Folletti in the room, but I’m not Spider-Man. I can’t sense danger coming without making a serious effort, and even then, my ability to feel out people’s heritage at a distance is pretty tenuous. I’ve only had to count on it a few times. I wasn’t willing to bet my life on it.
Both Li Qin and Quentin nodded their understanding. I turned to look at the door.
“It’s been twenty minutes, hasn’t it?”
“Don’t the nobles ever make you wait to show who’s in charge where you come from?” asked Li Qin. “It’s a fairly standard tactic here.”
“I’ve encountered it a time or two,” I said, as mildly as I could. Mostly from the Queen of the Mists, who isn’t exactly what I’d call a role model for appropriate noble behavior. “How long do you think she’s going to leave us here? We don’t have forever.”
As if on cue, the door to the reception room swung open, revealing—sort of—two half-solid Folletti. Both had their weapons drawn, but they weren’t pointing them at us. Yet. The implied menace was sufficient.
“You will come with us,” said one of them, voice barely loud enough to be audible.
When the wind orders me to do something, I do it. “We will come with you,” I agreed, and gestured to Quentin and Li Qin to follow as I walked out of the room.
Ashes of Honor: An October Daye Novel
Seanan McGuire's books
- Bed of Roses
- Son Of The Morning
- Cover Of Night
- Affairs of State
- A Profiler's Case for Seduction
- Because of Rebecca
- Conflict of Interest
- Eclipse of the Heart
- Flames of Attraction
- Illusions of Love
- Keeper of the Moon
- Keeper of the Shadows
- Legacy of Love
- Love Proof (Laws of Attraction)
- Miles of Pleasure
- Of One Heart
- Off Limits
- Off Sides
- Out of the Dark (The Brethren Series)
- Out of the Depths
- Pool of Crimson
- Prince of Wolves
- Rules of Entanglement
- Shadow of My Heart
- Sins of a Ruthless Rogue
- Something of a Kind
- Son of a Preacher Man
- Taste of Desire
- Taste of Love
- Translation of Love
- Web of Deception
- Words of Love
- The Lady of Bolton Hill
- The Scars of Us(Scars Series)
- Dreams of Lilacs
- House of Ivy & Sorrow
- A Question of Honor
- The Owner of His Heart
- The Heir of the Castle
- Tower of Glass
- The Last Prince of Dahaar
- Terms of Engagement
- Secrets of a Bollywood Marriage
- David Lord of Honor
- Return of the Prodigal Gilvry
- Killing Me Softly(A Broken Souls Series)
- Starting Over(Hart of Seattle)
- The Resurrection of Aubrey Mill
- OFF SIDES
- Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom
- Stolen: Warriors of Hir, Book 3
- The CEO Buys in (Wager of Hearts #1)
- The Law of Moses
- A Pound of Flesh (A Pound of Flesh #1)
- Arouse: A Spiral of Bliss Novel (Book One)
- Awaken: A Spiral of Bliss Novel (Book Three)
- The Art of French Kissing
- Leo (A Sign of Love Novel)
- Echoes of Scotland Street
- Jesus Freaks: Sins of the Father
- Stinger (A Sign of Love Novel)
- Ten Days of Perfect (November Blue #1)
- The Song of David
- The House of the Stone
- The Weight of Feathers
- A Man for Amanda
- Dance Upon the Air
- Moon Island(Vampire Destiny Book 7)
- A game of chance(MacKenzie Family Saga series #5)
- Death Angel
- Loving Evangeline(Patterson-Cannon Family series #1)
- A Changing Land
- A Clandestine Corporate Affair
- A Gentleman Never Tells
- An Inheritance of Shame
- And Then She Fell
- Anything but Vanilla
- Anything for Her
- Anything You Can Do
- A Rancher's Pride
- A Stranger at Castonbury
- An Act of Persuasion
- An Unsinkable Love
- Angel's Rest
- Be Good A New Adult Romance (RE12)
- Beauty and the Blacksmith
- Beauty and the Sheikh
- Blood and Kisses
- Captain Durant's Countess
- Cardwell Ranch Trespasser
- Cavanaugh on Duty
- Chances Are
- Cinderella and the Sheikh
- Currant Creek Valley
- Cowboy Enchantment
- Dance With Me
- Dangerous Refuge
- Dicing with the Dangerous Lord
- Down and Dirty (Dare Me)
- Ein Mann fur alle Lagen