The Exile's Gift: Starian Cycle #4 by Iris Foxglove

Author:Iris Foxglove [Foxglove, Iris]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Belladonna Press
Published: 2021-08-24T00:00:00+00:00

“You know,” Sabre said, eyeing Laurent from where he was leaning against the wall. “I think I’ve been struck with inspiration.”

“Have you?” Laurent’s smile was sly, the look of a fox who knew very well what he was doing in the henhouse.

“Yes. I believe I’ll invest in a box.” Sabre lowered his brows. “And then I’ll put you in it and ship you to Lukos.”

“Ah.”

“Laurent, you aren’t exactly subtle,” Sabre said, pushing away from the wall as Laurent started sauntering down the street.

“You know, that’s not the first time I’ve been told that,” Laurent said, and perhaps he did sound rather testy, but Sabre couldn’t suppress the jolt of fear he’d felt when he’d gone to the House of Gold and was quietly informed that Laurent was not present at the meeting of the House Lords. He marched after Laurent, a hand on the pommel of his sword. When Laurent gave him a pointed look, Sabre’s expression only darkened.

“If I’m to be the left hand of the king—”

“Oh, no.” Laurent stopped, right in the middle of the street. A woman in a silk gown cursed and sidestepped around them, and light flashed off the mirrors lining the House of Silver. “Don’t say it.”

“You’re a citizen of Staria,” Sabre said, anyways. “And my husband.”

“We aren’t debating this in the street.”

“We don’t debate it anywhere else, either!” Sabre cursed under his breath and dragged a hand through his hair. “Laurent. You aren’t invincible.”

“I’m well aware of that,” Laurent said, in a careful tone, as though Sabre were a wild animal that needed coaxing not to thrash and bite. “I...ah.” His breath hitched, and Sabre felt suddenly monstrous, ranting about safety while Laurent was likely confused, wounded, searching for a mother who had banished him to the House of Gold while an Archmage hounded Laurent’s steps. Sabre turned aside, and his reflection in the mirror looked haggard.

“I’m sorry, Laurie,” he said. “It’s just that...it seems we can never be free of it. There’s always someone more powerful than us, isn’t there?”

Laurent made a soft sound, and Sabre risked glancing his way.

He froze, breath caught in his throat, as he saw Laurent’s hands straining for his throat, his lips parted slightly, eyes wide in panic. Sabre lurched for him, taking him by the arms.

“Laurent? Laurie?” He touched his throat. “What’s wrong?” Laurent was making soft, desperate gasping breaths, and when Sabre turned to call out for a guard, he caught their reflections in the mirrors lining the House of Silver’s front wall.

There he was, holding Laurent and looking too young and too tired, with Laurent rapidly going pink in the cheeks, fingers clenching. And there, behind Laurent, holding him like a lover, was a pale, humanoid figure with an eyeless face, clammy hands wrapped around his throat.

No mirrors, Hektor had insisted, when they first moved him in. Sabre’s pulse roared in his ears. He searched the street for a stone, but there was nothing there. The road was swept clean before the Houses opened for the night.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.