Beautiful Torment *Book One of the Beautiful series*

23) Mother?

When he had called it a small town, Lucy had imagined more than a tavern, small market square, and dingy temple erected to Aphine, Goddess of harvest, in the heart of the place. It was more of a village, with the occupants spread out over farm land that bordered grander cities. Yet, as they stepped out of the carriage, a wonderful smell reached out and embraced her, making her stomach rumble loudly. The sound earned a humored breath from Alexander, who ushered her through the doors of the tavern. By his side, as an equal, not behind him like any master would have liked their servant, which was still the case despite the ruse his father had put on. She could not help but wonder, yet again, why he would regard her in such a way.

"Welcome," a dark haired woman beamed over at them from the only occupied table she was serving."Please, sit anywhere you would like, we will be with you shortly."

As they sat, Lucy wondered who else might have been there, since she could only see the one barmaid who would have jumped to help right away if she had known who the newest customer really was.

The prince chose a corner table, sitting so he was facing the room, he pulled out the chair beside him for Lucy and scooted it close to him as she sat down, laying an arm over the backrest. A light, slow heat crept to her face. She stared down at her hands, which fiddled in her lap. As he traveled through Espen the last time, he had let everyone think he was a manservant traveling with the Duke. Was this just another facade so people would not recognize him for who he truly was? Who would question a young couple, honeymooning perhaps?

"Apologies for the wait," a new, less cheerful voice drew her from her thoughts. "We have a beef or fish stew, honeyed mead, goats milk, or hot tea, and fresh bread." This voice caused Lucy's stomach to flip dangerously, as if it reached for a dark memory that lingered just out of touch. She stiffened beside her travel companion who glanced down at her, concerned by her sudden change in behavior.

"Beef is fine and the bread. Tea for the lady and mead for me," Alexander ordered, his tone hard as steel. The look of irritation on his face said that he was less than pleased with how this new person had made Luciana react. Lucy waited until she could no longer hear the woman's light steps before looking up. Her eyes stayed locked on the kitchen entrance, the half door swung lazily back and forth.

"What is wrong?" He leaned closer so his words were for her and her alone, his warm breath against her ear gave her minimal comfort.

In answer, she could only shake her head, unsure of what was causing the nagging feeling that had appeared out of nowhere. She missed the light hearten sensation she had gotten from bathing in the spring. It only reminded her that nothing in life was that giving, something bad was always around the corner, preparing to take.

As they sat in silence waiting for their food, a heavy lead ball settled in the pit of her belly, dampening her appetite. The woman's voice kept echoing around in her head, so familiar. The space just behind her eyes began to throb again and radiated pain along her temples as she pushed for the memory she knew was just out of reach. She found her heart pounding hard in her chest as a single fleeting dream surfaced. One she thought she had made up as a young orphan, fluttered across the backs of her eyelids

"What can I do for you gentleman?"
Lucy could not see anything from the protective hiding spot her mother had her in. A set of small cabinet doors was the only thing that separated toddler Lucy from dangers that had entered their home.
There was a loud crash, followed by the skin crawling sound of nails scraping against a hard surface.

"I am not in a patient mood, witch," the speaker's voice was more than human, echoing as if he spoke into a deep tunnel. "Where is it?" Another loud crash, "Where is the prince's flame?"