The Death Seer (Skeleton Key) by Skeleton Key, Tanis Kaige Read Free Book Online Page A

crushed me in a hug. “Nice to meet you, Brenna.” He pushed me away, holding me at arm’s length, his brow furrowing. “You took a wrong turn, didn’t you?”
    I looked to Kord.
    “She did,” he answered for me. “We’re looking for her door.”
    “And you think it might be here?”
    “No, your majesty, this is just a stop on our journey. Would it be all right if we slept here tonight?”
    “More than all right. I insist on it.”
    Gus slung an arm around each of our shoulders and led us into the castle. We walked through a great hall. There were tables and chairs everywhere, all apparently abandoned by the crowd that was now trickling back in. At the front was a marble dais and a horse sitting on a purple cushion. A high-pitched cackle came from somewhere behind me. There was a man sitting in the corner lightly banging his head on the wall.  
    “It’s a madhouse,” Gus said, as though reading my thoughts. He nodded toward the horse. “That’s the consul. We humor him. No sense trying to change people’s religion once they’re already dead. Are you two hungry?”
    “Always,” Kord said.
    I was about to object to the idea of food, but my stomach betrayed me. Gus laughed. He led us out of the great hall and up a wide, ornate flight of stairs. Water dripped from our clothes onto the stone floor. At the end of a long corridor were a pair of large, wooden doors. Gus swung them wide and ushered us in.  
    To my left was a massive, four-poster bed piled high with pillows. Windows lined the wall in front of us, all shuttered. Off to the right was a large, copper tub filled with steaming water. On the table in the corner was a feast. A roasted chicken surrounded by potatoes, carrots, and parsnips; crusty bread and butter, a bowl of assorted fruit, a plate of small cakes of some sort…
    I walked straight to the table and grabbed a drumstick off the chicken.
    “I’d have gone for the bath, myself,” Gus said.
    “That’s next,” I murmured over my mouthful of food.  
    “Thank you for your hospitality,” Kord said.
    “Anytime. You two get cleaned up and fed and I’ll tell the others that you’re retired for the night.”
    “Actually, I have a bit of a favor,” Kord said. “Our belongings are at the bottom of your moat. I don’t suppose you know of someone who’d be willing to fish it out for us?”
    “In this crew?” Magnus laughed. “You know better than that.”
      “What if I offered to spend some time with whoever retrieved our things?”
    My food turned in my stomach. “Jesus, Kord, don’t. You’ve been with four people already today.”
    Gus gave me a confused look.
    Kord simply chuckled. “She thinks I’m a prostitute,” he said to Gus, who abruptly burst into laughter.  
    “Well, there are certainly some queens downstairs who would pay top dollar,” Magnus said.  
    “They wouldn’t have to if they’d only swim down to our car and get our things.”
    Gus nodded. “Well, then, I’ll offer a challenge. The champion who brings back your luggage wins an entire night with Kord Grable.”
    “I couldn’t possibly last that long and be awake in the morning. Best make it an hour. That’s more than enough.”  
    Gus agreed, shook Kord’s hand, and left.
    My appetite was temporarily stalled out. Kord moved toward the tub and dipped his fingers in. “Ah, perfect.” He gave a shiver and then started stripping.
    “Wait, what are you doing?”
    “I’m gonna warm up. Climb in if you want.” His shirt was gone, revealing a lean, toned torso. He unfastened his belt, followed by his jeans, and shoved them down.
    I turned away. “You’re just going to take off your clothes in front of me?”
    I heard the water splash as he stepped in. He moaned. “This feels so good. Come in, Brenna.”
    “I’m not getting in there with you.”
    “It’ll be cooled off by the time I finish, you’d do best to share.”
    Now that he was in the water, I turned to face him. He’d taken his