The Castrofax by Jenna Van Vleet Read Free Book Online Page B

hurled through the door, and Gabriel ducked
in time, knowing from experience it was no good trying to catch it.
“The inn might have a good minstrel playing, and you could find
yourself a gentleman to dance with.”
    “There are no gentlemen out here,” she sighed
as he stepped in the cottage. His frame darkened the small room
that sat between two bedrooms. “But perhaps I will be lucky.”
    “Let me start the fire for you.”
    “Don’t you think it’s time we start making
our way back to Anatoly City?” she asked, having long ago adopted
speaking in contractions. The fire came to life in his hands, and
he set out a pan on the grate above it.
    “It’s not safe yet,” he replied. “I really
don’t want you there any sooner than you have to be. You remember
what Lady Mage Aisling wrote.”
    “Yes,” Robyn replied. “Kilkiny Palace was
unsafe as ever, though that was nearly two years ago.”
    “I hesitate putting your life in unnecessary
danger—are we really out of bacon?” he asked, rifling through a few
clay crocks.
    “I told you we had eggs. I included nothing
else in my inventory.”
    “Woman, you’ll kill me before I can get you
on the throne. I hope that satisfies you.”
    She chuckled. “Calm down. There are a few
biscuits and some dried fish in those pots.”
    “If I wasn’t sworn to protect you…” he
trailed off shaking his head and grabbed a handful of biscuits.
    She cracked the eggs over the pan, listening
to the sizzle. “I’d like to stay here,” she said quietly.
    Gabriel leaned against the river-rock hearth.
“We would be safer if we kept on the road.”
    She straightened, and her eyes flared for a
moment. There was much of the self-entitled Princess left in her,
though years outside of the palace had killed some of it. “What
dangers are there out here?” she asked, doing her best to keep her
voice stemmed. “What exists that you cannot fight?”
    He regarded her thoughtfully. “It’s not me I
worry about.” He brushed the crumbs of his biscuit into the fire.
“People knew you were at Urima.”
    “You have no proof,” she corrected. “Cordis
could have disappeared for any reason. For all we know, he could be
back in Urima waiting for us.”
    Gabriel stared off into the flames, and for
an instant they gave a little jump. “He isn’t.”
    She did not wish to argue, so she gave a
small nod of respect and left him to his fire.
    “We can stay,” he replied after a while. She
smiled broadly with twinkling eyes. “We’ve only a month or two
before you need to return to Anatoly City anyway.”
    “I’ve not forgotten,” she pulled the eggs
from the pan and looked at him. “These were supposed to go on those
biscuits you just ate.”
    “Oh, I couldn’t. I’m too full,” he replied,
putting a hand on his stomach as he made for the back door.
    “My first declaration as Queen will have you
publically flogged.”
    “You’ll have to catch me first,” he called
from outside before dunking his head in their rain barrel.
    He knew his father was not waiting for them
at Urima Manor. Cordis had set out on his yearly trip to Anatoly
City in late spring, but a month later Gabriel received a note from
Lady Mage Aisling saying Cordis never arrived and suspected foul
play. She advised them to leave Urima and seek shelter elsewhere,
so Gabriel gathered Robyn and supplies and left the next morning.
No word had been heard from his father since.
    They lived off the land since then, finding
abandoned cottages and masquerading as cousins, brother and sister,
or lovers wherever they went. They changed their appearance in
every stay. This time, Gabriel wore his hair long, and she dyed
hers brown. No one ever got the full story from them, so no one
could trace their origins.
    He pulled his head out to see Robyn standing
beside him. He slicked his hair back. “Yes?”
    “Will I be riding into town?”
    “Sure, if you want,” he replied. “If you can
find a horse,” and he dunked his