The Crystal Mines

59 Taury

Garren's warm arm draped over my naked body. We barely made it back to the room after just a few dances. We had been at it all night, bathed, and then went back at it again. I was pleasantly sore and enjoying his scent of cedar and sandalwood when a frantic knock sounded at the door. Garren grumbled his protests when I shoved his arm off, my lungs breathing more easily without the weight of him. He opened eyes with a sleepy smile, and I kissed him hard. The knocking continued and Garren woke up fully, throwing clothes on. Once we were both fully clothed, I opened the door to Ameer still dressed in his finery from last night.

Without being invited in, he strode in, hands going to his locks worriedly as he paced the room. The behavior was not like him. Something had happened. He spun to us as asked, "Have you seen Nik?"

"I thought she was with you last night."

A pause in his pacing. "No. She went with Callion." I didn't hide my shock. Why would Nik go with Callion? I thought they resented each other, at the very least tolerated each other. "They had gone to the courtyard, but they aren't there this morning." The waver in his voice was not concealed well as he paced again. What the Hells was going on?

"Have you check her room?"

He placed both hands on top of his head, pressing down in frustration. "No. Not yet. I didn't want to–"

I put a hand up, saving him the misery of needing to explain what he could have walked into. "I'll go get her. Stay here with Garren." Gods bless the man already making Ameer a cup of my mother's tea. I thanked him with my eyes and a smile before turning to walk to Nik's room.

"Can you get Callion too?" Ameer asked as I started to walk away. Ugh. Why did they have to bring me into this? I nodded despite my internal protests.

I rapped on her door, louder than I normally would have and listened to any possible scrambling on the other side. There was only Nik, slowly walking to the door, her scent hitting me before she opened up. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at me, angry at being woken up so early after such a late night.

"Am I disturbing you?" I tried to look behind her.

"Taury, if you've come to learn some gossip, please at least wait until the afternoon." She scratched her head of the braids I had done last night. "I didn't sleep with anyone if that's what you're looking to learn. Now please let me get back to bed."

I stuck my foot in the door, pissed she'd think I would do such a thing. She was my cousin, not some tabloid the noble women fawned over. Though I didn notice a bit of just that going on last night. "I'm not. I would never," I bit out, my feelings overriding reason. She gave me a look that suggested she didn't believe me, I told her why I was there. "Ameer came to my room beside himself looking for you. Did something happen?"

Her eyes became clearer as the last dregs of sleep disappeared. "Taury I already told you, no. If he wants to know anything, he can ask me himself like he always has."

Gods. I was making it worse without meaning to. I had accidently painted Ameer in a bad light. "That's not what I mean, Nik. He's worried about something and wants you and Callion to meet him. He has done nothing with ill intent."

She searched me for a second, listening to my heart for lies. I put a hand on my hip, waiting. Nik turned to walk into her room. "Fine. I'll grab him." She looked back at me again, "From his own room." I rolled my eyes as she shut the door.

Moment later, Nik was walking out of her door and Callion from his, both dressed for the day in the style of the kingdom. I waved them on at a brisk pace to my rooms. We caught Ameer swallowing a bite of breakfast, nearly choking when he saw the two behind me.